Adobe Firefly AI Video Generator Review: Not Worth $10, Let Alone $30 a Month

Adobe’s Firefly Text-to-Video AI tool has officially launched in beta, and the company is positioning it as a competitor to OpenAI’s Sora—and even a potential replacement for traditional stock footage. But despite bold marketing claims and a premium pricing model, the tool’s actual performance raises serious questions about its value.

Adobe Firefly Video AI Pricing: What You Get

Adobe’s new AI video generation tool is offered as part of its Firefly subscription, starting at $9.99/month for 2,000 credits (about 20 video generations) and going up to $29.99/month for 7,000 credits (70 videos). Each video is limited to 5 seconds in duration and capped at 1080p resolution—with no 4K or customization beyond basic prompts.

These are “introductory prices” valid until March 15, but Adobe has not revealed what the new pricing will be. The purchase process warns that prices are “subject to change,” but there’s no public breakdown of future costs—a potential red flag for creative professionals budgeting long term.

No Unlimited Plan, No Refunds for Mistakes

There is no unlimited video generation plan, and once users exhaust their credits, their only option is to buy another subscription tier. This pay-per-generation model quickly becomes expensive—especially when outputs often miss the mark and require retries.

Adobe Firefly Text-to-Video: Real-World Performance Review

In testing, Adobe Firefly’s video results were largely disappointing. Here are four real prompts used and the results:


None of the generated videos could reasonably replace real stock footage. At best, they resembled moving digital paintings. At worst, they were distorted, low-resolution, and off-putting.

Use Cases: Ideation Only (For Now)

Adobe claims Firefly is ideal for:

Creating custom stock-style B-roll

Pre-visualization or storyboarding ideas


But if that’s the case, it’s hard to justify charging for such limited, rough outputs—especially when Adobe Stock offers free previews that are often more visually compelling and accurate.

Why Adobe Firefly Isn’t Ready for Paid Use

Adobe’s Firefly video AI is:

Still in beta, yet monetized

Lacking basic shot controls like dolly, pan, or zoom

Limited to five-second 1080p clips

Behind competitors like Runway, Pika, and Sora


Most importantly, it doesn’t deliver on its core promise—to replace stock footage or support professional workflows. Even as a visualization tool, it’s hard to justify the cost when more flexible, free tools exist.

Final Verdict: Don’t Pay for Adobe Firefly Yet

In its current form, Adobe Firefly Text-to-Video is not worth $10/month, and certainly not $30 or more. Adobe plans to launch a “professional” premium tier soon, but until Firefly produces longer, higher-quality, and more controllable results, it’s not suitable for professional video creators.


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TL;DR

Price: $10–$30/month (more after March 15)

Resolution: 1080p max

Video Length: 5 seconds

Pros: IP-safe, Adobe ecosystem integration

Cons: Low realism, poor human rendering, vague pricing, no 4K, short clips


Best alternative: Use real stock footage or wait for OpenAI Sora, Runway Gen-3, or similar tools to mature.

Source: PetaPixel