ISO AI just dropped a major update, and it might have just changed the entire AI video space. Even after testing it for a couple of days, I found out that this new model doesn’t just match industry giants like Google VO and Cling. In some areas, it’s flatout better.
And unlike the other models that never seem to be released, you can actually use it right now. It’s faster, nails complex prompts, delivers cinematic quality video with character consistency, and most importantly, it’s free, and does not have any free trials where you can’t actually do anything until you pay.
In this article, I will show you how Hailuo compares to V3 and Cling using the exact same prompts, so you can see which one actually delivers. You’ll also see some of the best features most users completely miss, and why this might be the first pro-level model built for solo creators.
Let’s get into it.
The AI Video Model Challenge: Hailuo 2.0 vs VO3 vs Cling:
Model 1: Google VO3:
This is Google’s flagship AI video model. It’s built for high-end cinematic generation and focuses heavily on realism, camera logic, and scene cohesion. It’s currently not widely available, and only select creators have access.
Model 2: Cling:
Cling is fast, relatively easy to use, and often gets compared to VO for its ability to generate smooth camera movements and dynamic subjects. It’s publicly available and gaining popularity quickly.
Model 3:
Hailuo 2.0:
And of course, we have Hailuo 2, the model we’re focusing on today.
Part 1: Text-to-Video Comparison:
Text to video means generating a full animated clip just from a written description. All three models support this, so it’s the perfect place to start.
The Prompt Used:
A cinematic short of a female astronaut jogging on the surface of Mars during sunset. She runs past tall red rock formations as a dust storm begins in the distance. The camera follows her in smooth motion as she jumps over a rock. Her suit reacting naturally to gravity and wind. The lighting reflects a golden orange glow across the landscape and shadows stretch long behind her. Add subtle particle effects for dust in the air, realistic physics, and consistent character detail throughout.
Using Hailuo for Text-to-Video:
Once you’re logged into the tool, you’ll see the main menu and a large prompt box in the center of the screen. But instead of staying there, look to the left side and you’ll see a video button and right next to it, a small new model tag.
Click that and it should bring you to the video generation page. In the top left corner, make sure text to video is selected. That’s the mode we want. Then in the bottom left, check that the model selected is HYO02. This is the newest model and the one we’ll be using for all the comparisons.
Below that, you’ll see a few optional settings. If you’re using a premium account, you can increase the resolution to 1080p and extend the duration to 10 seconds. But for this article, I’m using the default settings.
There’s also a feature called prompt enhancing. If you turn this on, it helps the model better understand your prompt. Basically, improving the results without you needing to tweak your wording.
I’ll turn it on. Now, I’ll paste in the prompt.
Once everything is ready, I click generate. It costs just 25 credits. And that’s it. Hailou starts working.
Comparing the Results:
Cling’s Output:
Cling actually did a decent job here. The colors are really saturated, maybe a bit too much, but the overall look is solid. It captures most of the details from the prompt, and nothing feels completely off.
That said, the movement does feel slightly robotic. It’s smooth but not quite natural. Still, overall, it’s a pretty good result and definitely usable.
Google VEO’s Output:
You’d expect VEO to really shine here, but it actually came off a bit underwhelming. It does handle the gravity part nicely. You can tell the character is moving differently, and it gives you that lighter Mars-like feel, but the rest doesn’t quite hold up.
The movements don’t feel as refined or believable as you’d expect. So, overall, VEO under-delivered a bit on this one.
Hailuo’s Output:
The colors aren’t overdone. They’re subtle and cinematic. The movement is smooth, and there’s even a slight feminine quality to how the astronaut runs, which is impressive coming from AI. And the environment itself feels the most like Mars.
Cling looks more like a desert scene on Earth, but Hailuos captures that otherworldly tone really well from the lighting to the depth of the background.
And just to be clear, this was generated using Hailuos free model. No paid credits, no pro settings, and no advanced editing.
With most other tools, you’d either have to upgrade to a paid plan or keep adjusting your prompt to get something like this. But with Hailuo, I just pasted it in and got this result immediately.
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Part 2: Image-to-Video Comparison:
Now, we’re going to try the same thing, but this time starting from an image. From the same page where we just did the text to video generation, right here I selected image to video.
After that we see two fields. One lets you drag and drop the image you want to animate. The other is a text box where you can type in your prompt.
The Prompt Used:
Animate the person pedaling the bicycle smoothly forward for a few seconds. Keep the background moving to match the motion, simulating forward travel down the street. Maintain consistent lighting, character appearance, and proportions. Add slight motion to clothing and shadows for realism.
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Then in the bottom left corner, I made sure Hailuo 02 was selected as the model. After that, I just clicked generate.
Image-to-Video Results:
Cling:
It hits most of the prompt. The character animation looks good, the motion works, and it does technically follow everything described, but visually it leans very saturated to the point where it almost looks stylized or slightly cartoonish.
And when you compare it side by side with the other videos, it starts to feel less like a real world scene and more like a filtered render.
VEO:
This one is impressive. The motion is fluid and you can see his clothes react to wind. The shadows stretch and move as the bike rolls forward.
That said, the facial details aren’t perfect. There’s a bit of instability and something feels a little off in how the face holds together across the frames, but overall this is a strong result, but it is to be expected, especially considering VEO’s price and capabilities.
Hailuo:
This one actually took a different approach. The camera turns around midscene, but what’s interesting is how well the model holds up despite the unexpected movement.
The body positioning stays consistent. The cycling motion is clean and the leg movement, which is usually where these models glitch, looks completely natural. The facial detail holds, and even with the extra movement, nothing feels broken.
And remember, this was all generated on Hailuo’s free tier — a free public model delivering a full animated scene from a single image and prompt.
Compared to Cling and VEO, where you either get limited quality or need a premium subscription, Hailuo continues to stand out as a tool that delivers serious results without the paywall.
Final Thoughts on Model Comparison:
No, Hailuo isn’t positioning itself as the next cinematic mega model that’s going to take over the industry like VEO is aiming to. But in real world use, it holds its own.
And in a lot of areas like prompt accuracy, facial consistency, character movement, it’s just as good, if not better, than both VEO and Cling.
What makes that even more surprising is the fact that it’s completely free to try. You don’t need to pay upfront. You don’t need to wait for access. You just go in and start creating.
Hailuo Advanced Features You Shouldn’t Miss:
Subject-to-Reference (Video):
This works inside the same menu we’ve been using for text to video and image to video, but this time in the top left corner, you’ll select subject to reference.
Here, instead of just typing a prompt or uploading one photo, you upload images of the same person. This gives the model a clear understanding of the person’s identity so it can keep that character consistent across the video.
This gives you the ability to create consistent close-ups, multi-shot edits, or story-driven clips where the character doesn’t shift mid-scene.
Preset Scene Library:
There’s also a preset library with ready-made looks and scene setups you can use straight away. For example, choosing something like Golden Magic Hour gives you a fully pre-styled scene complete with matching lighting and tones.
You can use these as-is or build your own if you tend to work in a consistent style.
Camera Motion Settings:
You can add specific camera behaviors to your prompt. Things like left to right walking shots, slow zooms, or circular tracking. The selection isn’t huge, but the few that are available help create more dynamic and directional scenes without extra effort.
Subject-to-Reference for Still Images:
You can upload just one image of your character, and the model will use those references to generate new still images in different styles, poses, and settings while keeping the character’s identity intact.
You can also choose your aspect ratio. Whether you want something cinematic, standard 16×9 or vertical 9×6 for social media, you just select the format before generating. Each batch of four images cost four credits.
If you’re using the free tier that gives you up to 500 images to experiment with right out of the gate.
Final Verdict: Why Hailuo is Perfect for Creators:
So now you actually know how to create professional-looking videos from scratch with characters, movement, lighting, and emotion, all at a fraction of what it would normally cost.
And with Hailuo, it’s fast, consistent, and built for creators that are not looking to break the bank on another super AI model.
Also, Hailuo just released their new Max plan, which allows unlimited use of Hailuo 2.0 and is the only one among the world’s best models that offers a genuinely unlimited plan.
If you’ve been waiting for a tool that actually lets you bring your ideas to life without a subscription wall or technical headaches, this is it.
You can go ahead and start creating your own scenes, characters, or short stories with Hailuo .
Promote:
A boy standing alone in a peaceful urban park during golden hour, looking calm and thoughtful. A Pakistani girl in traditional attire (shalwar kameez or modest modern dress) walks into frame and gently stands beside him, both smiling slightly as the wind softly blows. Natural lighting, cinematic feel, romantic and emotional atmosphere.