Sora (OpenAI) - review

Name: Sora (OpenAI) - review
Item: Sora (OpenAI)
Rating: 2
Author: Piotr Olszewski

2.0/10

No longer available: OpenAI shut down the app and the web version on April 26, 2026, and the API on September 24, 2026.

Last updated: Nov 6, 2026

Try Sora (OpenAI) ↗

Rating: 2/10.

Sora is an AI video generation tool from OpenAI that can no longer be used. OpenAI shut down the app and browser version on April 26, 2026, followed by the API on September 24, 2026. On September 30, I verified all access points: the website only shows an export button, and third-party routers listing Sora 2 Pro return 404 errors.

Strengths

Shot consistency over time - that's its main strength. Where older generators fell apart after two seconds, Sora maintains the object, character and environment through an entire ten-plus-second shot, with sensible physics of movement and camera.
Generates sound synchronized with the image - footsteps, environment, sometimes dialogue - in a single pass. This genuinely cuts down work, because you don't have to add an audio layer separately to each scene.
Cameo and custom character feature - you can upload your likeness and insert yourself (or approved people) into successive scenes while preserving resemblance. For social media creators, this is a powerful tool for serial content.
Low barrier to entry thanks to ChatGPT integration - if you're already paying for ChatGPT, you have video within reach in one window, without learning a separate, technical interface like in tools for professionals.
Prompt understanding in OpenAI style - the model interprets descriptive natural language well and sometimes catches the scene's intent better than competitors, instead of requiring rigid command syntax.

Weaknesses

Shot length is still limited to a dozen, maximum around twenty-something seconds in higher tiers - this is not a tool for entire films, only for individual shots that you then splice together in editing.
Glitches in details are still the rule: hands can deform, and text and captions on objects come out blurred or illegible, so every font and logo must be added in post-production.
Availability and pricing are variable and regionally unequal - the offer, generation limits, and which ChatGPT plan even gives access to Sora can change, so there's no certainty that what you have today will be there tomorrow.

What forWorks best for short, striking shots for social media, ads, intros, and moodboards - everywhere a single coherent scene matters, not a multi-minute narrative. Great for quickly prototyping a visual idea before you spend budget on real production. With the cameo feature, it's also a machine for serial, recognizable creator content.

Who is this forFor content creators, marketers, and one-person studios who want video from text quickly and without a crew, and value convenience and ChatGPT integration over full control. Less so for film professionals who need precise control over every frame-level detail.

AlternativesIf you care about maximum quality and shot control, check out Google Veo - it's often stronger in photorealism and longer sequences. For creative work with strong camera movement and style control, Runway Gen and Kling are good, and Pika works well for quick, short effects. Reach for Sora when you're already in the OpenAI ecosystem and want synchronized sound plus cameo without switching to a separate tool; reach for an alternative when you need a longer, more controlled production shot.

VerdictRating: 2/10. Sora is currently not for anyone, as it simply does not work in the app, browser, or via API. If you have existing videos on your account, export them immediately via sora.chatgpt.com, as OpenAI announced the permanent deletion of user data. For alternatives, my tests showed the best results with Grok Imagine Video 1.5 (8.5/10), Veo 3.1 (8.0/10), and MiniMax H3 Max as the cheapest option.