Hailuo AI Review (2026): Is It Good for Short Video?

Hailuo is one of the better picks for a short clip of a person: a turn, a smile, a body in motion. It is a weaker pick when you want to choose whether a clip has sound, or need more than 10 seconds, unless you step up to MiniMax H3. That is the short version of this Hailuo AI review. Lovino runs four Hailuo models from one account, from a cheap Hailuo 02 draft to H3, so the useful question is which one to run for which clip.

You need a Lovino account to generate, and video always spends paid credits.

What is Hailuo AI?

Hailuo is MiniMax's family of video models. MiniMax announced Hailuo 02 in June 2025, Hailuo 2.3 in October 2025 and MiniMax H3 in July 2026. H3 drops the Hailuo name, but MiniMax lists it as its video model, and Lovino's model list calls it the newest Hailuo.

Every version turns a text prompt, or a photo used as the first frame, into a short clip. The paper boats at the top of this page are a Hailuo 02 clip made on Lovino from this prompt:

Paper boats drifting down a rain-fed gutter stream past reflected shop lights, cinematic warm-neutral color grade, soft directional key light, 35mm lens, shallow depth of field, natural skin tones, subtle film grain

Watch what it gets right: the boats bob and drift, the reflections move with the water, and the camera stays calm. That kind of plain physical motion is exactly what MiniMax pitched Hailuo 02 on.

Which Hailuo models does Lovino offer?

"A paid plan" means Plus, Pro or Max. "Paid credits" means plan credits or a credit pack, so Hailuo 2.3 and 2.3 Fast work without a plan. Two catches: Hailuo 2.3 Fast needs a start photo, and its 1080p option needs Pro or Max.

H3 is the odd one out. It adds 15-second clips, 2K output, an end photo (at 768p), sound on every clip, and the Face chip, which puts the face of one of your saved Characters into the clip.

What is Hailuo AI good at?

• People and expressions. MiniMax says Hailuo 2.3 improves physical actions, stylization and character micro-expressions, and Lovino's model picker labels it for people and expressions. That is the maker's claim and our label, not a benchmark, so test it on your own photo.
• Physical motion. MiniMax's Hailuo 02 announcement leads with instruction following and physics, and picks gymnastics as its showcase. Drifting, falling, turning and pouring make good first prompts.
• Stylized looks. MiniMax says 2.3 handles anime, illustration and ink-wash styles better than before. If your start image is an illustration, give it one try.
• Cheap drafts. Hailuo 02 at 512p is the cheapest Hailuo, a sensible place to check a motion idea before you pay for a sharper take.
• One prompt, three shapes. All four take 9:16, 16:9 and 1:1, so the same prompt can serve a Reel, a YouTube cutaway and a square feed post.

Where does Hailuo AI fall short?

• No sound switch. Hailuo 02, 2.3 and 2.3 Fast make silent clips on Lovino. H3 goes the other way: MiniMax built it to generate sound with the picture, and every H3 clip comes with sound you cannot switch off. To choose sound per clip, use Veo 3.1 Fast or a Seedance 2.x model.
• Only H3 takes an end photo. For a reveal between two photos on a budget, Kling or Seedance is the better route. See Kling vs Hailuo.
• Ten seconds is the ceiling on Hailuo 02, 2.3 and 2.3 Fast, and the 1080p option on 02 and 2.3 Fast is 6 seconds only.
• It invents details. Every image-to-video model adds things nobody asked for: a hand, a new object, a sign that changes. Review the whole clip, not the first second.
• It is not free. Video spends paid credits on Lovino. The free daily credits cover image tools only.

Hailuo 02 or Hailuo 2.3: which should you use?

A routine that works: draft on Hailuo 02 at 512p, move the winning prompt to Hailuo 2.3, and keep Hailuo 2.3 Fast for retries from the same photo. Hailuo 02 needs a paid plan, so if you only have a credit pack, draft on Hailuo 2.3 Fast instead.

How do you get a good Hailuo clip?

1. Pick a strong start photo. One clear subject, sharp, in the ratio you will post in. A face in good light beats a crowd. Only use faces you have permission to use, because uploaded photos are processed by third-party AI providers.

2. Pick the model. Hailuo 2.3 for people. Hailuo 2.3 Fast for cheaper repeat takes. Hailuo 02 for 512p drafts. H3 for 15 seconds or a saved face.

3. Write a motion prompt, not a scene prompt. The model can already see the photo. Say what moves, add one camera move, then the air around the subject.

She turns toward the window and smiles. Slow push-in. Rain streaks the glass.

Steam rises from the cup. The camera holds still. Raindrops run down the window.

4. Start short. Make a 6-second clip at 768p first. Pay for a longer or sharper clip only on a take you would keep.

5. Change one thing at a time. If the motion is too big, shorten the prompt. If the camera drifts, write "camera holds still". Re-running an unchanged prompt mostly buys you a different roll of the dice.

What mistakes do people make with Hailuo?

• Re-describing the photo. "A woman in a field at sunset" tells the model nothing new. Describe the movement.
• Stacking camera moves. One move per clip: "slow push-in" or "static camera", not both plus an orbit.
• Expecting a voice. If the clip needs speech or a soundtrack, add it in your editor or pick a model with a sound option.
• Faking what must stay real. AI can animate and style a photo. It cannot make a product do something it does not do, or show a result you did not deliver. If you post AI video, follow each platform's label rules. Our AI content disclosure guide covers them.

How much does Hailuo cost on Lovino?

Cost scales with clip length and resolution, and the price shows before you generate. The table above lists the entry clip for each version in credits. Video always uses paid credits, and anyone can buy a credit pack, with or without a plan. For current plan and pack prices, see the pricing page.

Hailuo AI review: the verdict

Use Hailuo when the subject is a person or one simple physical motion, and 6 or 10 seconds is enough. Draft on Hailuo 02, make the keeper on Hailuo 2.3, and step up to MiniMax H3 for 15 seconds, 2K, an end photo or built-in sound. Pick another model when you want to decide for yourself whether the clip has sound.

Ready to try it? Open the AI video generator, upload a photo, and choose Hailuo 2.3. The Hailuo model page lists lengths and ratios, and our image-to-video cost guide shows how the other models compare. To match a model to your photo, see which AI video model fits your photo.