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Freemium

Twelve Labs

Built the video embedding model Amazon and Nvidia backed with a $100M round

4.2 Video
4.2 Very good 4.2
Purpose-built for video understanding rather than adapted from image models Usage-based API pricing requires monitoring at high video-processing volumes
Reviewed by Challenging Voice Editorial · Updated Jul 2026 How we rate
PricingFree
Free planYes
CompanyTwelve Labs
PlatformsAPI, Web
CategoryVideo
Founded2020
Last reviewedJul 2026

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Overview

Twelve Labs, founded in 2020 by Jae Lee, builds AI models and infrastructure specifically for understanding, searching, and analyzing video content, rather than treating video as a series of still frames the way most general-purpose vision models do.

Its Marengo 3.0 model reads every sound, word, and motion on screen across time, and that video-native approach drew a $100 million Series B in July 2026, co-led by NEA and NAVER Ventures with Amazon and Nvidia's venture arms among the participants, bringing cumulative funding past $200 million.

Pricing runs through API access with usage-based rates for video processing and search, with details available through Twelve Labs' developer platform. For a developer who needs to search and analyze video content by what actually happens on screen, rather than relying on manual tagging or frame-by-frame image analysis, Twelve Labs' video-native models address that directly.

Key features

  • Video-native AI models built to understand sound, speech, and motion across time
  • Marengo 3.0 model described as among the most powerful video embedding models available
  • Search and analyze video content without manual tagging or frame extraction
  • $100M Series B co-led by NEA and NAVER Ventures in July 2026
  • Backed by both Amazon and Nvidia's venture investment arms
  • Over $200M raised total since the company's 2020 founding

Screenshots & demo

Demo video

Screenshots

Twelve Labs screenshot 1

Pricing

Twelve Labs offers a free plan, with paid upgrades for higher limits and more features.

  • Pricing modelFreemium
  • Starting priceFree
  • Free planYes
Visit Twelve Labs

Pricing is provided as a guide. Check the official site for the latest plans.

Is Twelve Labs expensive?

Twelve Labs has no advertised paid tier. Among the 145 priced tools we list in Video, the median entry price is $15.9 a month.

65% of Video tools in the directory offer a free tier, and this is one of them.

Compared against every priced listing in Video, recalculated as the catalogue changes. Method and the full market breakdown are in our AI tool pricing study.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Purpose-built for video understanding rather than adapted from image models
  • Strong backing from both Amazon and Nvidia signals significant infrastructure credibility
  • Handles sound and speech alongside visual motion in one unified model
  • API-first design fits directly into existing developer workflows

Cons

  • Usage-based API pricing requires monitoring at high video-processing volumes
  • Built for developers integrating via API, not a ready-made end-user application
  • Newer entrant competing against well-funded general-purpose multimodal models

How it compares

ToolRatingFreeFromBest known for
Twelve Labs (this tool)4.2YesFreeVideo-native AI models built to understand sound, speech, and motion across time
Guidde4.3Yes$25/moChrome extension records clicks and keystrokes to auto-generate step-by-step videos
Runway4.4No$15/moPioneered the modern generative-video category through Gen-1, Gen-2, and Gen-3 models

Alternatives to Twelve Labs

2 tools matched to Twelve Labs on what they do, their category and their price.

Guidde

4.3

An AI platform that turns screen recordings into narrated, step-by-step how-to videos.

Freemium Video

Frequently asked questions

What is Twelve Labs?
Twelve Labs, founded in 2020 by Jae Lee, builds AI models and infrastructure specifically for understanding, searching, and analyzing video content, rather than treating video as a series of still frames the way most general-purpose vision models do.
Is Twelve Labs free?
Yes, Twelve Labs offers a free plan. Paid plans unlock more features and higher usage limits.
What are the best Twelve Labs alternatives?
The closest matches in the directory are Guidde and Runway, compared side by side above.

Reviews

4.2 Editorial rating No reviews yet

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