Veo 3.1 Lite API reference

Name: Veo 3.1 Lite API
Brand: Google
SKU: google/veo-3.1-lite
Availability: InStock

Everything you need to call Veo 3.1 Lite from your code. Base URL https://cheapergen.com/api/v1. Try it first in the playground.

Authentication

Create a key in Dashboard → API keys and send it as a bearer token. Keep keys server-side.

export CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY="cg_live_…"

# every request
Authorization: Bearer $CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY

Veo 3.1 Lite Text to Video API

POST/api/v1/run/google/veo-3.1-lite/text-to-video

Submits an asynchronous job and returns 202 with a generation id. Poll GET /api/v1/generations/{id} or pass webhook_url. See job lifecycle.

Input parameters

Name	Type	Description	Affects price
`prompt`required	string	Describe the shot: subject, action, camera movement, lighting and style.	No
`aspect_ratio`	string (enum)	Landscape or portrait. Values: 16:9 · 9:16 Default: 16:9	Yes
`resolution`	string (enum)	720p (1080p isn't available on our channel yet). Values: 720p Default: 720p	Yes
`duration`	integer (enum)	Clip length: 4, 6 or 8 seconds. Values: 4 · 6 · 8 Default: 8	Yes
`webhook_url`	string (URL)	Optional. We POST the finished generation here, signed with your webhook secret. Webhooks	No

Request

curl -X POST https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/run/google/veo-3.1-lite/text-to-video \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "prompt": "A cat knocks a pen off the desk and stares at the camera, soft office ambience",
  "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
  "resolution": "720p",
  "duration": 8
}'

import os, time, requests

API = "https://cheapergen.com/api/v1"
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY']}"}

# 1. Submit the job
job = requests.post(f"{API}/run/google/veo-3.1-lite/text-to-video", headers=headers, json={
    "prompt": "A cat knocks a pen off the desk and stares at the camera, soft office ambience",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 8
}).json()

# 2. Poll until it finishes (or pass "webhook_url" and skip polling)
while job["status"] in ("queued", "running"):
    time.sleep(3)
    job = requests.get(f"{API}/generations/{job['id']}", headers=headers).json()

print(job["status"], job["output"]["video"]["url"] if job["status"] == "succeeded" else job["error"])

const API = "https://cheapergen.com/api/v1";
const headers = {
  Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY}`,
  "Content-Type": "application/json",
};

// 1. Submit the job
let job = await fetch(`${API}/run/google/veo-3.1-lite/text-to-video`, {
  method: "POST",
  headers,
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "prompt": "A cat knocks a pen off the desk and stares at the camera, soft office ambience",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 8
  }),
}).then((r) => r.json());

// 2. Poll until it finishes (or pass webhook_url and skip polling)
while (job.status === "queued" || job.status === "running") {
  await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3000));
  job = await fetch(`${API}/generations/${job.id}`, { headers }).then((r) => r.json());
}

console.log(job.status === "succeeded" ? job.output.video.url : job.error);

Response

{
  "id": "gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4",
  "object": "generation",
  "model": "google/veo-3.1-lite",
  "endpoint": "google/veo-3.1-lite/text-to-video",
  "mode": "text-to-video",
  "status": "queued",
  "input": {
    "prompt": "A cat knocks a pen off the desk and stares at the camera, soft office ambience",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 8
  },
  "output": null,
  "error": null,
  "cost": {
    "amount_usd": 0.2255,
    "currency": "usd",
    "estimated": true,
    "official_usd": null,
    "saved_usd": null
  },
  "source": "api",
  "started_at": null,
  "completed_at": null,
  "urls": {
    "get": "https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/generations/gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4",
    "cancel": "https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/generations/gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4/cancel"
  },
  "created_at": "2026-10-15T09:21:04Z"
}

{
  "id": "gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4",
  "object": "generation",
  "model": "google/veo-3.1-lite",
  "endpoint": "google/veo-3.1-lite/text-to-video",
  "mode": "text-to-video",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "input": {
    "prompt": "A cat knocks a pen off the desk and stares at the camera, soft office ambience",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 8
  },
  "output": {
    "video": {
      "url": "https://cdn.cheapergen.ai/outputs/gen_8c2Q.mp4",
      "content_type": "video/mp4",
      "duration": 5,
      "width": 1280,
      "height": 720
    }
  },
  "error": null,
  "cost": {
    "amount_usd": 0.2255,
    "currency": "usd",
    "estimated": false,
    "official_usd": 0.264,
    "saved_usd": 0.0385
  },
  "source": "api",
  "created_at": "2026-10-15T09:21:04Z",
  "started_at": "2026-10-15T09:21:06Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-10-15T09:22:31Z"
}

Veo 3.1 Lite Image to Video API

POST/api/v1/run/google/veo-3.1-lite/image-to-video

Submits an asynchronous job and returns 202 with a generation id. Poll GET /api/v1/generations/{id} or pass webhook_url. See job lifecycle.

Input parameters

Name	Type	Description	Affects price
`prompt`required	string	Describe the shot: subject, action, camera movement, lighting and style.	No
`image_url`required	string (URL)	Image used as the opening frame. JPG/PNG/WebP, URL or upload.	No
`end_image_url`	string (URL)	Optional closing frame — the model animates between the two.	No
`aspect_ratio`	string (enum)	Landscape or portrait. Values: 16:9 · 9:16 Default: 16:9	Yes
`resolution`	string (enum)	720p (1080p isn't available on our channel yet). Values: 720p Default: 720p	Yes
`duration`	integer (enum)	Clip length: 4, 6 or 8 seconds. Values: 4 · 6 · 8 Default: 8	Yes
`webhook_url`	string (URL)	Optional. We POST the finished generation here, signed with your webhook secret. Webhooks	No

Request

curl -X POST https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/run/google/veo-3.1-lite/image-to-video \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "prompt": "The scene comes alive: leaves rustle and birds start to sing",
  "image_url": "https://cdn.cheapergen.ai/samples/portrait.jpg",
  "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
  "resolution": "720p",
  "duration": 8
}'

import os, time, requests

API = "https://cheapergen.com/api/v1"
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY']}"}

# 1. Submit the job
job = requests.post(f"{API}/run/google/veo-3.1-lite/image-to-video", headers=headers, json={
    "prompt": "The scene comes alive: leaves rustle and birds start to sing",
    "image_url": "https://cdn.cheapergen.ai/samples/portrait.jpg",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 8
}).json()

# 2. Poll until it finishes (or pass "webhook_url" and skip polling)
while job["status"] in ("queued", "running"):
    time.sleep(3)
    job = requests.get(f"{API}/generations/{job['id']}", headers=headers).json()

print(job["status"], job["output"]["video"]["url"] if job["status"] == "succeeded" else job["error"])

const API = "https://cheapergen.com/api/v1";
const headers = {
  Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY}`,
  "Content-Type": "application/json",
};

// 1. Submit the job
let job = await fetch(`${API}/run/google/veo-3.1-lite/image-to-video`, {
  method: "POST",
  headers,
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "prompt": "The scene comes alive: leaves rustle and birds start to sing",
    "image_url": "https://cdn.cheapergen.ai/samples/portrait.jpg",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 8
  }),
}).then((r) => r.json());

// 2. Poll until it finishes (or pass webhook_url and skip polling)
while (job.status === "queued" || job.status === "running") {
  await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3000));
  job = await fetch(`${API}/generations/${job.id}`, { headers }).then((r) => r.json());
}

console.log(job.status === "succeeded" ? job.output.video.url : job.error);

Response

{
  "id": "gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4",
  "object": "generation",
  "model": "google/veo-3.1-lite",
  "endpoint": "google/veo-3.1-lite/image-to-video",
  "mode": "image-to-video",
  "status": "queued",
  "input": {
    "prompt": "The scene comes alive: leaves rustle and birds start to sing",
    "image_url": "https://cdn.cheapergen.ai/samples/portrait.jpg",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 8
  },
  "output": null,
  "error": null,
  "cost": {
    "amount_usd": 0.2255,
    "currency": "usd",
    "estimated": true,
    "official_usd": null,
    "saved_usd": null
  },
  "source": "api",
  "started_at": null,
  "completed_at": null,
  "urls": {
    "get": "https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/generations/gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4",
    "cancel": "https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/generations/gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4/cancel"
  },
  "created_at": "2026-10-15T09:21:04Z"
}

{
  "id": "gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4",
  "object": "generation",
  "model": "google/veo-3.1-lite",
  "endpoint": "google/veo-3.1-lite/image-to-video",
  "mode": "image-to-video",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "input": {
    "prompt": "The scene comes alive: leaves rustle and birds start to sing",
    "image_url": "https://cdn.cheapergen.ai/samples/portrait.jpg",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 8
  },
  "output": {
    "video": {
      "url": "https://cdn.cheapergen.ai/outputs/gen_8c2Q.mp4",
      "content_type": "video/mp4",
      "duration": 5,
      "width": 1280,
      "height": 720
    }
  },
  "error": null,
  "cost": {
    "amount_usd": 0.2255,
    "currency": "usd",
    "estimated": false,
    "official_usd": 0.264,
    "saved_usd": 0.0385
  },
  "source": "api",
  "created_at": "2026-10-15T09:21:04Z",
  "started_at": "2026-10-15T09:21:06Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-10-15T09:22:31Z"
}

Get the result

Generations are asynchronous. Poll until status is succeeded, failed or canceled — or pass webhook_url when you submit. Failed generations are refunded automatically.

curl https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/generations/gen_8c2QmX1nq0k4 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY"

More: job lifecycle · webhooks · errors

Veo 3.1 Lite pricing

Pay per second of video. No subscription. Failed generations are refunded automatically.

Tier	Official price	Cheaper Gen.	You save
720p 8 s clip, audio included	~~$0.05~~/s	$0.021/s	−59%

Official price: Google Cloud Vertex AI list price for veo-3.1-lite-generate-001 with audio ($0.05 / s at 720p, $0.08 / s at 1080p). Prices verified 2026-10-16.
Our channel bills Lite per clip, so 4 s and 6 s clips cost the same as 8 s.