TL;DR / Key Takeaways
- Yuna: $6.99 first video, best likeness, 30 s HD, no watermark.
- Sondo: $19.98 first video, 3:22 with a written song and story, 480p, watermark on.
- Both lead with weekly plans that renew until cancelled.
Short answer: pick Yuna if the video has to look like the person in the photo; pick Sondo if you want the app to write the song and a whole story around it and can live with 480p and a watermark. In our test Yuna's first video cost $6.99 (weekly plan, 30 s HD, no watermark, best likeness) and Sondo's cost $19.98 (weekly plan plus a top-up, 3:22, watermarked, looser likeness). Tested October 16, 2026.
How we tested: on October 16, 2026 we installed each app from Google Play (US) on a Pixel 6 Pro and tried to make the same thing in each: a music video for the brief "a happy birthday song for my wife Anna", starring the same photo (an AI-generated portrait, not a real person). Apps that only animate a song you upload got the same finished track. We paid with our own money for Sondo, Yuna and Mozart. We did not buy a One More Shot video: we went through its free steps and recorded its prices. StarSinger's clip and full video were made the same day through the app's normal purchase flow; for StarSinger we report its listed one-time prices. Prices are what the apps showed us that day, before tax, and change often.
Side by side
| Sondo | Yuna | |
|---|---|---|
| First video, before tax | $19.98 ($9.99/week + $9.99 credits) | $6.99 ($6.99/week) |
| Video quoted at | 1,407 credits (plan gives 800) | 3,000 credits for 30 s HD (plan gives 6,000) |
| Writes the song | Yes, from one sentence; sang Anna's name | No: animates a song you upload |
| Length we got | 3:22 (whole song) | 30 s |
| Resolution | 480x854 | 704x1280 |
| Watermark | Yes, on by default | None |
| Likeness to the photo | Loose; outfit restyled | Best in our test |
| Story | Full storyboard; added a boyfriend character | Five scenes from your prompt |
| Render time | About 25 min | About 8 min |
| Before any output | Sign-up wall and a subscription screen | Rating prompt, blurred teaser, paywall |
| Sharing default | Not checked | Share Video preselected |
| App Store / Google Play rating | 4.09 / 3.46 | 4.38 / 4.64 |
Price: Yuna is cheaper to start, Sondo gives more minutes
Both lead with a weekly plan. The difference is whether that plan covers one video. Yuna's $6.99 gave 6,000 credits, enough for two 30-second HD clips. Sondo's $9.99 gave 800 credits against a 1,407-credit quote, so we had to buy a second $9.99 pack. Per minute of video Sondo is cheaper (3:22 for $19.98); per finished first video Yuna is. Both renew weekly until cancelled. Details: Sondo review, Yuna review.
Output: likeness vs story
Yuna's clip looks like the photo, outfit included. Sondo's video looks like a music video: a road trip, a convertible, a motel, a boyfriend, lyrics on screen, but the lead is a looser match for the photo and the export is 480p with a watermark. If this is a gift for the person in the photo, likeness probably matters more than story.
Verdict
- Choose Yuna for likeness, HD without a watermark, speed and the lower first price. Switch sharing to Keep Private if needed, and cancel the weekly plan if you only want one video.
- Choose Sondo for a song written from your words and a full-length story video, and check the watermark toggle first.
- Neither if you do not want a subscription: Mozart sells a one-time 20 s clip (Yuna vs Mozart), and StarSinger sells a one-time full video with weaker likeness (What Your First AI Music Video Actually Costs).
Enjoying this? Get one like it in your inbox each morning.
one email a day · unsubscribe in two clicks · no third-party tracking
Related reading
- Sondo review
- Yuna review
- What Your First AI Music Video Actually Costs
- Yuna vs Mozart
- Sondo vs One More Shot
Frequently asked questions
Is Sondo or Yuna cheaper?
For the first video, Yuna: $6.99 for a weekly plan that covered two 30-second HD clips. Sondo's first video cost $19.98 because its $9.99 weekly plan did not cover the 1,407 credits the video needed.
Which looks more like my photo, Sondo or Yuna?
Yuna. With the same photo, Yuna kept the face and outfit; Sondo restyled the outfit and the face drifted between shots.
Does Sondo or Yuna write the song?
Sondo wrote and sang a song from our one-line brief. Yuna animates a song you upload.
Which has a watermark, Sondo or Yuna?
Sondo's export carried a watermark, which was on by default. Yuna's paid HD export had none.