Sora and Sora 2: OpenAI Shut Down Video Generator

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What Happened to Sora: Timeline

OpenAI didn’t give a single reason in its announcement. From what the company writes in its help center and what we see in its other moves, we piece together three: the cost of generating video was many times higher than text and images, the social app didn’t build a lasting user base beyond the first few weeks, and the company shifted computing power to language models, including GPT-6 Astra, and to the Codex programming agent. This is our interpretation, not a quote from OpenAI.

Have Videos in Sora? What to Do Before Data Deletion

Export works at sora.chatgpt.com/sunset: you click Export, and the download link arrives by email. OpenAI says that after any final export window, it will permanently delete all Sora-related data, so we’re not putting this off. Unused credits purchased for ChatGPT and Sora can be spent in Codex, and subscription refunds are handled through the standard ChatGPT refund procedure in the help center.

What to Use Instead of Sora in 2026

Veo from Google in Gemini. The closest equivalent: videos with audio from text and from photos, available in the Gemini app with paid Google AI packages (pricing details in our article about Gemini AI). Works without workarounds.

Kling. Chinese generator that in 2026 has the best motion control and dubbing with voice preservation; we described it in our Kling 3.0 test.

Runway. Creator workshop: generation, photo animation, object and background removal. Review and pricing in our article about Runway.

For images instead of video. If you really just needed graphics, ChatGPT still generates images, and in Gemini there’s Nano Banana. We maintain a full overview of all video tools on our AI video page.

What Not to Expect from the Alternatives

None of them give you more than a few short clips daily in the free plan, and clips longer than 10-15 seconds require stitching. Most tools block real people’s faces or require consent, and text in the frame comes out crooked. Prices are calculated in credits per second of footage, so before subscribing, calculate how many seconds of finished video you actually need.

Questions About Sora’s Shutdown

Does Sora still work?

No. The app and website were shut down on April 26, 2026, and the API stops working on September 24, 2026.

Can you make video in ChatGPT?

No. ChatGPT generates and edits images; video is gone after Sora’s closure. For videos, use Gemini with Veo, Kling, or Runway.

Do “Sora 2 free” sites work?

Those that used OpenAI’s API will stop working by September 24, 2026 at the latest. The rest use other models under the Sora name, often without disclosing this. Don’t enter your card details there.

Was Sora available outside the US?

The Sora 2 app launched in the US and Canada, and the earlier browser version worked for Plus and Pro subscribers in Europe as well. A broad, official app launch in other regions didn’t happen before the shutdown.

Sources checked September 17, 2026: OpenAI help center “What to know about the Sora discontinuation” (shutdown dates, export, refunds), openai.com page “Sora 2 model launch” from September 30, 2025 with note about product closure.

See also: AI Video Generators After Sora’s Shutdown - who took over the market and what it costs.

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