— AI Model

MiniMax AI

Last updated 2026-07-13 · Reviewed by ToolForge Editorial

Chinese AI lab behind the Hailuo video model and strong open text, audio, and music models.

★ 4.5/5 · Tens of millions · Since 2021 · Free tier + credits

The lab behind Hailuo

MiniMax is a Chinese AI research company whose Hailuo video model consistently ranks among the world's best text-to-video systems. Beyond video, MiniMax ships competitive LLMs, speech synthesis, and music generation — often with generous free tiers.

Who it's for: Creators and builders who want top-tier video generation and multilingual audio without US-only pricing.

Key features

Hailuo Video generation

MiniMax's Hailuo is a leading text-to-video model.

abab Text models

Competitive large language models with long context.

Speech TTS & audio

High-quality multilingual text-to-speech and music.

Open weights Some models

Select models released openly for self-hosting.

The honest take

✓ What works

  • Hailuo is among the best video models
  • Strong multilingual audio/TTS
  • Competitive text models
  • Free tier to experiment

✗ What doesn't

  • Less known in Western markets
  • Docs lighter in English
  • Ecosystem smaller than US labs
  • Regional availability varies

Verdict

MiniMax (via Hailuo) is a must-try for video generation in 2026 and a solid backup for text and audio. Pair it with Kling or Veo 3 depending on the look you're after.

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