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Kling 2.1 – Features, Pricing & Complete Guide (2026)
Last Updated: January 2026
Kuaishou's advanced AI video generation model that transforms static images and text prompts into high-definition, cinematic videos.
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Introduction
Kling 2.1 is Kuaishou's advanced AI video generation model that transforms static images and text prompts into high-definition, cinematic videos. Released in mid-2025 as part of Kuaishou's continued development of AI video tools, Kling 2.1 has established itself as a serious competitor to OpenAI's Sora and Google's Veo in the rapidly evolving AI video generation space.
Whether you're a content creator, marketer, or filmmaker, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about Kling AI 2.1 features and pricing in 2026.
What is Kling 2.1?
Kling 2.1 is the second major iteration in the Kling 2.x series, developed by Chinese tech giant Kuaishou (the company behind the Kwai short video platform). The model uses a Diffusion-Convolutional Neural Network architecture combined with a 3D Spatiotemporal Joint Attention Mechanism to understand and generate realistic motion across time and space.
Unlike many AI video generators that focus primarily on text-to-video, Kling 2.1 excels particularly at image-to-video generation, allowing users to upload reference images and animate them with remarkable fidelity to the original source material.
Kling 2.1 Model Variants
Kling 2.1 comes in three distinct versions:
| Version | Resolution | Best For | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kling 2.1 Standard | 720p | Cost-efficient projects, social media content | Fast generation, lower credit cost |
| Kling 2.1 Pro | 1080p | Professional content, marketing videos | Enhanced visual fidelity, precise camera control |
| Kling 2.1 Master | 1080p | Cinematic productions, high-end creative work | Advanced physics simulation, sophisticated motion |
Kling AI 2.1 Features
1. Advanced Physics Simulation
Kling 2.1 Master features a sophisticated physics simulation engine that creates lifelike movements and realistic interactions between objects. The 3D spatiotemporal attention mechanism ensures that generated videos adhere to real-world physics, producing natural motion that avoids the common AI video artefacts seen in competing tools.
2. High-Definition Video Output
The platform supports video generation up to 1080p resolution in Pro and Master versions (720p for Standard). This represents a significant improvement over earlier Kling versions that were limited to 720p, delivering crisp visuals suitable for professional use.
3. Dynamic Facial Expressions
Kling 2.1 excels at generating life-like facial expressions and accurate movements. This makes it particularly effective for:
- Character-driven content
- Talking head videos
- Animated avatars
- Emotional storytelling
4. Frame-Based Video Generation
Rather than relying solely on text prompts, Kling 2.1 generates videos based on input images as reference frames. You can specify:
- Start frame: The opening image of your video
- End frame: Where you want the video to conclude
This allows precise control over the narrative arc of generated content.
5. Flexible Video Durations
Generate videos ranging from 5 to 10 seconds per generation. For longer content, use the video extension feature to create sequences up to several minutes in length by chaining multiple generations together.
6. Advanced Camera Controls
Kling 2.1 introduces sophisticated camera control options including:
- Pan, tilt, roll, and zoom adjustments
- Spatio-temporal precision for cinematic movements
- Complex sequential scenes with smooth style transitions
- Professional-grade cinematography simulation
7. Sound Effect Generation
The Kling 2.1 Master model includes sound effect generation, allowing users to add synchronised audio to their image-to-video creations. This feature sets it apart from many competitors that generate silent videos requiring post-production audio work.
8. Motion Brush
The Motion Brush feature provides granular control over specific elements within a frame, allowing you to:
- Define exactly which objects should move
- Control the intensity and direction of motion
- Keep certain elements static while animating others
9. Lip Syncing
Kling AI includes advanced lip-syncing capabilities that match character mouth movements to uploaded audio or dialogue, making it invaluable for:
- Dubbing content
- Avatar creation
- Animated presentations
10. Multiple Aspect Ratios
Support for various aspect ratios ensures your content works across platforms:
- 16:9 (YouTube, landscape)
- 9:16 (TikTok, Instagram Reels, Stories)
- 1:1 (Instagram feed)
- Custom ratios for specific needs
Kling AI 2.1 Pricing (2026)
Kling AI operates on a credit-based subscription model. Here's the complete pricing breakdown as of January 2026:
Free Plan
£0/month
66 daily credits (refreshed daily)
- • Basic video generation (5-10 seconds)
- • Lower resolution (360p-540p)
- • Videos include watermark
- • Single task queue
- • No priority support
Best for: Testing the platform, casual experimentation
Standard Plan
~£8/month
660 monthly credits
- • Video resolution up to 720p
- • Watermark-free videos
- • Access to Kling Video O1
- • Access to Kling 2.6 native audio
- • Unlimited task queuing
- • Priority processing
Output: ~33 standard 5-second videos or 3,300 images
Pro Plan
~£30/month
3,000 monthly credits
- • Video resolution up to 1080p HD
- • All Standard features
- • Access to Kling Image O1
- • Professional mode
- • Extended video durations
- • Better camera controls
Output: ~150 standard videos or 15,000 images
Premier Plan
~£75/month
8,000 monthly credits
- • All Pro features
- • Maximum 1080p resolution
- • Image upscaling
- • Video extension features
- • Priority access to updates
- • Priority support
Output: ~400 standard videos or 40,000 images
Enterprise/Creator Plan
~£145/month
26,000 monthly credits
- • All Premier features
- • Access to all Kling models
- • Custom support options
Output: ~1,300 standard videos or 130,000 images
Credit System Explained
Understanding how credits work is essential for budgeting:
| Feature | Credit Cost |
|---|---|
| 5-second Standard video | 20 credits |
| 10-second Standard video | 40 credits |
| 5-second Professional video | 35 credits |
| 10-second Professional video | 70 credits |
| 720p resolution | 10 credits |
| 1080p resolution | 15 credits |
| 4K resolution | 25 credits |
| Image generation | ~0.2 credits |
Key Pricing Notes:
- • Annual billing saves approximately 34% compared to monthly payments
- • Unused credits from paid plans roll over (up to 20%)
- • Additional credit packs available from £4 ($5) for 330 credits
- • Extra credits valid for up to 2 years but non-refundable
Kling 2.1 vs Competitors
Kling 2.1 vs Runway Gen-3
| Feature | Kling 2.1 | Runway Gen-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | £8/month | £12/month |
| Free tier | 66 daily credits | 125 one-time credits |
| Max resolution | 1080p | 1080p |
| Max duration | 10 seconds (extendable) | 10 seconds |
| Credit rollover | Yes | No |
| Strengths | Physics simulation, facial expressions | Integrated editor, style control |
Kling 2.1 vs Luma AI
| Feature | Kling 2.1 | Luma AI |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | £8/month | £8/month |
| Credits per month | 660 | 3,200 |
| Max resolution | 1080p | 1080p |
| Focus | Realistic motion | Cinematic quality |
| Audio generation | Yes (Master) | No |
Kling 2.1 vs OpenAI Sora 2
| Feature | Kling 2.1 | Sora 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Global (web-based) | Limited access |
| Max duration | Extendable to minutes | 35 seconds (Pro) |
| Approach | Production tool | Social video app |
| Platform | Web/mobile | Mobile-first (iOS, Android) |
| Special features | Physics simulation, lip sync | Cameos (insert yourself) |
How to Use Kling 2.1
Getting Started
- Create an account: Visit the Kling AI website and sign up with your email address
- Claim free credits: New users receive free credits upon registration
- Select your model: Choose between Standard, Pro, or Master versions
- Choose generation type: Image-to-video or text-to-video
Creating Your First Video
- Navigate to the Image-to-Video tab
- Select “Kling 2.1” (or Master) from the model dropdown
- Upload your reference image as the starting frame
- Write a detailed prompt describing the desired motion and action
- Optionally add a negative prompt (what you don't want)
- Set duration (5s or 10s) and aspect ratio
- Click Generate
Best Practices for Prompts
- • Be specific about movements, camera angles, and lighting
- • Include emotional cues for character-driven content
- • Describe the scene environment and atmosphere
- • Use negative prompts to exclude unwanted elements (e.g., “blur, distort, low quality”)
Kling 2.1 Pros and Cons
Advantages
- Superior physics simulation – Industry-leading realistic motion
- Excellent facial expressions – Best-in-class character animation
- Generous free tier – 66 daily credits for experimentation
- Credit rollover – Unused credits carry forward
- Sound generation – Built-in audio for Master version
- High resolution – Up to 1080p output quality
- Flexible pricing – Plans for every budget level
Limitations
- Processing delays – Can take hours during peak times
- Failed generations – Some generations fail without refund
- Image-to-video focus – Text-to-video more limited than competitors
- Credit system complexity – Variable costs can be confusing
- Elements feature unavailable – Not supported in 2.1
- Watermarks on free tier – Paid plan required for clean output
Kling AI Model Evolution
Understanding where Kling 2.1 fits in the broader ecosystem:
| Model | Release | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Kling 1.0 | June 2024 | Initial release, basic video generation |
| Kling 1.5 | 2024 | Improved motion quality |
| Kling 1.6 | 2024 | Pro and Standard versions, 720p max |
| Kling 2.0 | April 2025 | Major quality leap, Master edition |
| Kling 2.1 | May 2025 | Enhanced physics, 1080p support |
| Kling 2.5 Turbo | September 2025 | 40% faster, up to 3-minute videos |
| Kling 2.6 | Late 2025 | Native audio generation |
| Kling O1 | December 2025 | Chain of Thought reasoning, unified workflow |
API Access and Developer Pricing
For developers integrating Kling 2.1 into applications, API access is available through:
Official Kling API
- Pre-paid resource packages (valid 90 days)
- Requires substantial upfront investment
- Approximately £0.80 ($1) per 10-second Pro video
Third-Party API Providers
Fal.ai
- • Standard: £0.20 ($0.25) per 5-second video + £0.04 ($0.05) per additional second
- • Pro: £0.36 ($0.45) per 5-second video + £0.07 ($0.09) per additional second
PiAPI
- • Pay-as-you-go available
- • Host-your-account for production workloads
- • More flexible than official API
Who Should Use Kling 2.1?
Ideal Users
- • Social media creators – Quick, engaging video content
- • Marketing teams – Product animations and promotional videos
- • Filmmakers – Concept visualisation and pre-production
- • Educators – Animated learning materials
- • E-commerce – Product lifestyle videos
- • Game developers – Concept art animation
Consider Alternatives If:
- • You need primarily text-to-video (consider Runway or Pika)
- • Budget is extremely tight (consider Luma AI's higher credit allocation)
- • You require guaranteed uptime and support (enterprise solutions)
- • You need videos longer than a few minutes without editing
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kling 2.1 free to use?
Yes, Kling AI offers a free tier with 66 daily credits. This is enough to create a few short videos for experimentation, though output quality is limited and videos include watermarks.
What's the difference between Kling 2.1 Standard, Pro, and Master?
Standard offers 720p output at lower credit costs, ideal for basic content. Pro provides 1080p with enhanced controls. Master delivers the highest quality with advanced physics simulation and sound generation.
Can I use Kling 2.1 commercially?
Yes, paid plans include commercial usage rights. Check specific plan terms for any restrictions.
How long does video generation take?
Typically 3-8 minutes for a 5-second video, though peak times can extend this to several hours.
Does Kling 2.1 support text-to-video?
Kling 2.1 primarily focuses on image-to-video generation. For text-to-video, the Master edition offers this capability, or consider Kling 2.6 which has stronger text-to-video support.
Are there regional restrictions?
Kling AI is available globally, though some users report occasional access issues depending on location.
Conclusion
Kling AI 2.1 represents a compelling option in the 2026 AI video generation landscape, particularly for creators who prioritise realistic motion and facial expressions. Its credit-based pricing offers flexibility for various budgets, while the generous free tier allows thorough testing before commitment.
For most users, the Standard plan at £8/month provides excellent value for social media content and small projects, while the Pro plan at £30/month suits professional creators needing higher quality output.
The platform's main competition comes from Runway (better for integrated editing workflows), Luma AI (higher credit allocations), and emerging players like OpenAI's Sora 2. Kling 2.1's strengths in physics simulation and character animation make it particularly suited for narrative content and product videos.
As AI video generation continues to evolve rapidly, Kling's steady development trajectory (with 2.5, 2.6, and O1 models already available) suggests strong ongoing investment in the platform.
Ready to try Kling 2.1?
Visit klingai.com to create your free account and start generating videos with your daily credits.
This article was last updated in January 2026. Pricing and features may change – always verify current details on the official Kling AI website.
Related Tools & Resources
If you're interested in Kling 2.1, you might also want to explore these related AI tools:
- Google Veo 3 - DeepMind's revolutionary text-to-video AI with native audio generation
- Sora 2 - OpenAI's text-to-video AI with exceptional physics simulation
- Runway Gen-3 - Professional video AI with precise motion and camera controls
- ElevenLabs - AI voice generator for adding professional audio to your videos