Luma, also known as Luma AI, is a company that builds generative video and image models and a creative workspace around them. Its homepage describes it as your creative partner, and the company’s own summary says its mission is unified general intelligence that can generate, understand and operate in the physical world. In practice, most people meet it through its video models and its web and iOS app.
This review uses Luma’s own help centre pricing page, its model and product summary, its privacy policy and its terms of service to describe the models, plans, ownership and data terms, and to compare it with other tools on our list. For the wider category see our Runway, Pika and Luma comparison and our quarterly update on AI video tools.
How we researched this: we did not run hands-on tests for this article. It is based on the vendor’s own documentation and public sources, checked on 14 November 2026. Features and prices change, so confirm details on the vendor’s site before you buy.
Key takeaways
- Luma’s current video model is described as Ray3.2, released in June 2026, and its image model as UNI-1.1, with a creative app, agents and an API built on them.
- Luma’s help centre pricing page listed Free, Lite at $9.99 a month, Plus at $29.99 a month and Unlimited at $94.99 a month on 14 November 2026, with yearly billing cheaper.
- The same page says the Free and Lite plans carry a watermark and are non-commercial, while Plus and Unlimited have no watermark and allow commercial use.
- Luma’s terms say you own the output, but grant Luma a licence to inputs and outputs that includes training its models, and the licence is broader for free use.
- Two Luma pages used different plan names, so check the live pricing page for the plan names and prices that apply to you.
What it is and who makes it
Luma’s own summary says it is a private technology company founded in 2021 and headquartered in Redwood City, California. Its stated focus areas are multimodal AI, generative video and image, computer vision and creative AI. The company’s product line is the Luma app, the Luma API and an enterprise offering.
Models
The summary lists Ray3.2 as the current video model, released in June 2026, with earlier versions named Ray3, Ray3 Modify and Ray3.14. It lists UNI-1.1 as an image model that is described as a reasoning model that generates images, also offered through an API. The summary makes comparative claims, such as being the only platform that reasons before rendering and an API with less than half the price and latency of comparable models. Those are the company’s claims, and we have not verified them.
Products
- Luma app: a browser-based creative workspace at app.lumalabs.ai, with an iOS app.
- Luma Agents: multi-step creative workflows inside the app.
- Luma API: for developers, with Python and JavaScript or TypeScript SDKs, and usage-based and dedicated-capacity tiers.
- Enterprise: custom deployments, including what the company calls Forward Deployed Creatives.
Who it is for
Based on the documented products, Luma suits these groups.
- Video creators and filmmakers who care about keyframe control, reframing and high bit depth export, which the Ray3.2 feature list describes.
- Advertising and marketing teams who want agents to run several creative directions in parallel. The summary names agencies such as Publicis Groupe, Serviceplan and Dentsu among its enterprise and agent users.
- Developers and platforms who want video or image generation through an API. The summary lists API partners including Envato, Comfy, Runware, Krea, Magnific and Fal.
- People who want several models in one place, since the summary says plans integrate third-party video and audio models.
It is a weaker fit if you need clear free commercial use, because the help page says free and Lite output is non-commercial. If you are not sure what kind of tool you need, start by working out which category you need.
Core features
Text and image to video
The Ray3.2 feature list includes text to video and image to video. We did not read a hands-on description of results, so we cannot comment on motion or realism.
Modify Video
The summary describes Modify Video V2 for transforming existing footage, up to 20 seconds at 1080p. That points to a video-to-video editing feature as well as generation.
Multi-keyframe direction
The summary says you can direct a clip using up to 16 keyframes, which would give more control over how a shot develops than a single prompt. We could not confirm how this works in the interface.
Reframing and Draft Mode
Reframing to other aspect ratios and a Draft Mode for lower-cost exploration are both listed. Draft Mode is aimed at trying ideas cheaply before making a final render, though the page does not state the saving.
HDR and EXR export
The summary lists native HDR in 16-bit colour and EXR export for grading and visual effects work. This is aimed at professional pipelines rather than casual users.
Image generation with UNI-1.1
The image model supports text to image, reference-guided generation with up to nine reference inputs per API request, and natural-language image changes. The summary states that it ranks first in human preference Elo for certain categories, a claim we did not verify.
Newer or advanced features and integrations
Luma Agents
Agents run multi-step workflows, run multiple directions in parallel, orchestrate video, image and audio models, and share project context across teams. The Luma homepage also notes that Luma is available in Claude and ChatGPT, which we saw on the page but did not investigate further.
Third-party models
The summary says plans integrate third-party video models Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0 and Omni, and Nano Banana, plus ElevenLabs audio models for sound effects and music. If you use these through Luma, those companies’ terms may also matter.
API tiers
The API is described as credit based, with pricing varying by model and output specification, and with a Build tier for usage-based use and a Scale tier for dedicated capacity.
Pricing and plans
The tables below reflect Luma’s help centre pricing page as read on 14 November 2026. The page uses a dollar sign without naming a currency. A separate Luma summary page names the individual plans Plus, Pro and Ultra and says yearly billing saves up to 20 percent, which does not match the help page names and discounts. Because of that mismatch, confirm plan names and prices on the live site.
| Plan (web) | Monthly price | Annual, monthly equivalent | Credits | Watermark | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Not listed | Not listed | Limited usage | Yes | No, non-commercial only |
| Lite | $9.99 | $6.99 (30 percent off, $83.92 a year) | 3,200 | Yes | No, non-commercial only |
| Plus | $29.99 | $20.99 (30 percent off, $251.92 a year) | 10,000 | No | Yes |
| Unlimited | $94.99 | $66.49 (30 percent off, $797.92 a year) | 10,000 in fast mode, unlimited in relaxed mode | No | Yes |
| Enterprise | Contact Luma | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
Resolution and processing
| Plan | Image resolution | Video resolution | Processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 720p | 720p | Lower priority |
| Lite | 1080p | 720p and 1080p | High priority |
| Plus | 1080p | 720p and 1080p | High priority |
| Unlimited | 1080p | 720p | High priority |
iOS pricing differs
The page also lists an iOS table with the same monthly prices but a smaller annual discount of 20 percent, for example $23.99 a month equivalent on Plus billed annually. Enterprise is not available on iOS. If you plan to subscribe through the app, compare both tables.
The pricing page does not say how many credits a given clip uses, so work that out from a real project. Our guide to reading an AI tool’s pricing page explains how to compare credit plans, and you should note that Luma’s terms say commercial use of output applies only if it was produced under a paid subscription that allows commercial use.
Strengths
Professional output options
The feature list names keyframe direction, reframing, 16-bit HDR and EXR export. Those are the kind of controls that matter in post-production, and they are documented on the vendor’s page.
Clear commercial and watermark rules by plan
The help page states for each plan whether there is a watermark and whether commercial use is allowed. That is clearer than many vendors, and it shows where the paid line sits.
Ownership of output
The terms say the customer owns and retains all right, title and interest in the output and that Luma assigns its own rights in the output to the customer, with exceptions for third-party material. That is a useful statement for creators.
Multiple models and an API
Third-party video and audio models are integrated into plans, and a developer API exists with SDKs. That gives a route from experiments to products.
Large agency and partner list
The summary names agencies and API partners. These are vendor-selected references, but they suggest Luma sells to professional users and platforms as well as to individuals.
Weaknesses and limits
Watermarks and non-commercial limits on lower plans
Free and Lite output carries a watermark and is non-commercial only. If you need client-ready, rights-cleared video, you must move up to Plus or beyond.
Inconsistent plan naming across pages
The help page and the summary page use different plan names and discounts. That is a small issue but it makes it harder to be sure what you are buying.
Credits do not map to clips on the page
We did not find a table of credits per clip, so you cannot plan spend without trying it. The Unlimited plan offers unlimited relaxed mode generation, but video resolution there is listed as 720p only, so check whether that fits your needs.
Broad licence over your content
Luma’s terms grant it a worldwide, irrevocable licence to input and output, including for training its models, and a broader one for free use. We cover this below.
Vendor claims we could not verify
Statements such as being the only platform that reasons before rendering, first place on human preference rankings and half the price and latency are the company’s own. Judge quality with your own prompts, using our guide to testing an AI tool before you pay.
Privacy, data handling and security
We read Luma’s privacy policy, which showed a last updated date of 20 April 2026, and its terms of service, last updated 14 May 2026. We did not read any security or certification documents, so we make no claims on that point.
| Topic | What the vendor’s pages say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What is collected | Images, videos and other files you upload, and conversation content with its AI agents, which may be reproduced in outputs | Privacy policy |
| Model improvement | Luma may use collected information to develop and improve its AI models, and may create de-identified aggregate data for lawful business purposes | Privacy policy |
| Licence on input, paid use | A worldwide, non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to host, store and use input during an active subscription, including for training. It is perpetual for input reflected in output or aggregated data | Terms |
| Licence on input, free use | Broader, also covering public display, reproduction, distribution and derivative works | Terms |
| Ownership of output | The customer owns output, excluding third-party material. Luma may add watermarks or provenance metadata that must not be removed | Terms |
| Retention and deletion | Kept as needed, with some data kept for legal reasons and in backups. Users can request deletion of certain personal information | Privacy policy |
The terms also say trial output may be used only for internal evaluation, and that commercial use applies only to output produced during an active paid subscription that allows it. Because the free licence is broader, avoid uploading confidential material on the Free plan, and follow our checklist on protecting company data when using AI tools. This is general information, not legal advice.
How it compares
The table compares Luma with three other tools on our list, using what each vendor’s own pages showed on 14 November 2026. We have not tested any of them. Our Pika review covers a multi-model rival in detail.
| Tool | Positioning | Pricing point we could confirm | Distinctive documented point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luma | Creative partner with Ray video and UNI image models | Lite $9.99 and Plus $29.99 a month, Unlimited $94.99 | HDR and EXR export, up to 16 keyframes, agents |
| Pika | Hub for video, image and audio models | Starter $10 a month, Creator $35, Fancy from $95 | Many third-party models under one account |
| Runway | Creative tools and world models | Credit plans, prices not read | Own video models, API and team plans |
| Synthesia | Avatar video for business | Starter $19 a month, Pro $89 | SCORM, Sessions and SOC 2 claims |
Getting started
- Check Luma’s pricing page for current plan names, prices and the iOS versus web difference.
- Try the Free plan with non-sensitive prompts, remembering that output is watermarked and non-commercial.
- Use Draft Mode, if it is available to you, to explore ideas before spending credits on final renders.
- Test keyframes and reframing on a short sequence that matches your real project.
- If you need to publish commercially, move to a plan that allows it and read the terms about output produced during an active subscription.
- If you plan to use the API, review the Build and Scale tiers separately.
Frequently asked questions
Is Luma free?
The help page lists a Free plan with limited usage, 720p output and a watermark, for non-commercial use only. Check the live page for current limits.
How much does Luma cost?
On 14 November 2026 the help page showed Lite at $9.99 a month, Plus at $29.99 a month and Unlimited at $94.99 a month, with annual billing at 30 percent off on the web and 20 percent off on iOS. The page did not name a currency.
Can I use Luma videos commercially?
The help page says Plus and Unlimited allow it, and Free and Lite do not. The terms say commercial use applies only to output produced during an active paid subscription that allows it.
Who owns what I create?
The terms say the customer owns the output, excluding third-party material, and that Luma may add watermarks or provenance metadata that you must not remove.
Does Luma train on my content?
The privacy policy says it may use collected information to improve its models, and the terms grant a licence to inputs and outputs that includes training, with a broader licence for free use. Read the current terms before uploading sensitive material.
What is Ray3.2?
It is Luma’s current video model according to its own summary, released in June 2026, with features such as multi-keyframe direction, Modify Video V2 and HDR export.
Does Luma have an API?
Yes. The summary describes a credit-based API with Python and JavaScript or TypeScript SDKs, and Build and Scale tiers.
Conclusion
Luma is a serious choice for creators and teams who care about control and professional output, with keyframes, reframing, HDR and EXR export, agents and an API, and with clear watermark and commercial rules by plan. The cautions are the non-commercial limits on lower plans, inconsistent plan naming across pages, credits that are hard to map to clips, and terms that grant Luma a broad licence over your content.
It suits people who will pay for a plan that allows commercial use and who have checked the terms. To compare it with alternatives, read our three-way comparison and our Pika review.
Sources
- Luma homepage, accessed 14 November 2026
- Luma Help Center: pricing, accessed 14 November 2026
- Luma AI company and product summary, accessed 14 November 2026
- Luma privacy policy, last updated 20 April 2026, accessed 14 November 2026
- Luma terms of service, last updated 14 May 2026, accessed 14 November 2026
