Which Video AI tool is better in 2026?
AI that edits your video like a professional would.
Video understanding AI for developers
| Captions | Twelve Labs | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | AI that edits your video like a professional would. | Video understanding AI for developers |
| Founded | — | 2021 |
| HQ | New York, US | San Francisco, US |
| Employees | 51-200 | 50-100 |
| Total funding | $100M | $77M |
| Latest round | series-c | Series B |
| Valuation | $500M | $500M |
| Cheapest paid plan | Pro · $9.99/mo | — |
| Free plan | ✓ Free | ✓ Free |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✗ |
| Top tier price | Scale 4x · $279.99/mo | Enterprise · Contact sales |
| Pricing summary | 6 published plans | 3 published plans |
| Categories |
Developer-facing capabilities and access signals for Captions and Twelve Labs.
| Capability | Captions | Twelve Labs |
|---|---|---|
| MCP support | ✗ | ✗ |
| Public API | ✗ | ✓ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✗ |
| OAuth 2.0 | ✗ | ✗ |
| SDK languages | — | 2 (Python, JavaScript) |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✗ |
| Verified | ✗ | ✓ |
| Active deal | ✗ | ✗ |
Choose Twelve Labs if price matters most — it starts at Free, which is friendlier for teams watching burn. Both AI Video tools ship core features, so the cost delta often decides it for small teams and solo operators.
Choose Captions if you want the most established option — it has raised $100M, suggesting more runway for enterprise features, support, and long-term roadmap. For mission-critical workflows or larger teams, that stability often outweighs a lower monthly price.
It depends on your priority. Captions has raised more capital and is the more established option; Twelve Labs is cheaper to start. See the side-by-side table above.
No — Twelve Labs's cheapest paid plan is Free, while Captions's is Pro · $9.99/mo.
Captions: Yes, has a free plan. Twelve Labs: Yes, has a free plan.
Contextual paths to related AI startups, deals and rankings.