Sora
OpenAI’s discontinued AI video generation platform with web, app, and API access.
our score
Quick verdict
Sora is discontinued as of April 2026; API shuts down September 2026. Do not adopt.
At a glance
- Best for
- No one — Sora is discontinued and inaccessible.
- Not for
- Everyone seeking a current generative AI content tool.
- Standout feature
- N/A — product sunsetted and features removed.
- Pricing range
- Unavailable — service discontinued
- Free tier
- No
- Primary use case
- None — users must export data and migrate.
What is Sora?
Sora was a generative AI content platform developed by OpenAI, offered through web, mobile application, and API interfaces. It allowed registered users to create AI-generated media projects, manage them in an account-based library, and export finished work. In early 2026, OpenAI announced the discontinuation of the service, reclassifying it as a deprecated product rather than an active offering. The consumer-facing web and mobile app experiences were permanently shut down on April 26, 2026, while the backend API remains operational only until September 24, 2026, after which it too will be decommissioned.
During its active period, Sora represented OpenAI's expansion into consumer and developer-facing creative tools beyond large language models and static image generation, positioning itself within the competitive generative media landscape. Today, that positioning is moot. OpenAI has removed public pricing and features documentation—both pages now return 404 errors—and has shifted focus entirely to offboarding. The only remaining functionality is a data-export portal and a temporary API lifeline. OpenAI has explicitly stated that after the final export window closes, all user data associated with Sora will be permanently deleted. There is no published roadmap for a successor, no revival timeline, and no customer acquisition path. Prospective buyers should treat Sora as a legacy artifact and evaluate active alternatives instead.
How it works
Today, interacting with Sora is exclusively an offboarding workflow rather than a creative process. Existing users must navigate to sora.chatgpt.com/sunset, where they can initiate a bulk export of all content created within the platform. After clicking Export, OpenAI processes the request and sends an email notification when the archive is ready for download. This is the only self-service action available through the consumer interface; there is no ability to generate new content, edit existing projects, or manage team workspaces.
For developers, the Sora API remains technically reachable until September 24, 2026, but it is in a deprecation state. OpenAI is not issuing new API keys, and the documentation required to integrate the service is no longer publicly hosted. Engineering teams still relying on Sora endpoints must treat the next several months as a hard migration deadline, redirecting pipelines to alternative providers. Any purchased ChatGPT or Sora credits are not refundable through a dedicated Sora channel; instead, OpenAI allows them to be repurposed for Codex. In short, the only workflow Sora currently supports is extraction and evacuation: log in, export assets, redirect billing, and close the integration before the final shutdown date.
Key features
01Data Export Portal
OpenAI maintains a dedicated sunset page at sora.chatgpt.com/sunset where users can download an archive of everything they created. This matters because once the final export window closes, OpenAI will permanently delete all Sora data. Users receive an email when their export is ready, providing a narrow but critical window to preserve intellectual property.
02API Deprecation Window
The Sora API remains active until September 24, 2026, giving existing integrators a finite timeline to migrate. This matters for production systems that still depend on Sora endpoints, though OpenAI is not onboarding new developers or publishing integration docs. After the cutoff, the API will return permanent errors.
03Credit Migration to Codex
Users who purchased ChatGPT or Sora credits can apply that balance toward Codex instead of forfeiting it. This matters because it recovers sunk cost from a discontinued product, though it forces users into a different OpenAI tool that may not serve the same use case.
04Permanent Data Deletion
OpenAI commits to permanently erasing all Sora-associated data after the export period ends. This matters for privacy-conscious organizations because it guarantees no residual training data or user content remains on OpenAI servers, but it also means procrastination results in irreversible data loss.
Pricing breakdown
Consumer Web/App
Discontinued
No one — the interface was shut down on April 26, 2026.
- Web/app shut down April 26, 2026
- No new signups or subscriptions
- Content is read-only via export only
- No customer support for new issues
API Access
PopularLegacy only
Existing integrators who need a hard deadline to migrate off Sora.
- API terminates September 24, 2026
- No new API keys issued
- Public documentation removed (404)
- No SLA or uptime guarantees
ChatGPT/Sora Credits
Prior purchase balance
Users with unused credit who also use OpenAI's Codex product.
- Cannot be used for new Sora generation
- Transferable to Codex only
- Refunds follow ChatGPT policy
- No cash-out option mentioned
Reality check: OpenAI has removed all public pricing pages, so new rate cards do not exist. Existing users should note that refunds are handled under the general ChatGPT subscription policy, not a Sora-specific policy, and unused credits can only be transferred to Codex rather than refunded directly.
Pros & cons
What works
- +Data export portal at sora.chatgpt.com/sunset is still operational.
- +API remains live until September 24, 2026 for migration.
- +Unused ChatGPT/Sora credits can be transferred to Codex.
- +OpenAI commits to permanent data deletion after the export window.
What doesn't
- −Web and app were shut down on April 26, 2026 with no successor.
- −Pricing and features pages return 404; no public roadmap exists.
- −No new signups, API keys, or customer support for new users.
- −Data will be permanently deleted if users miss the export window.
Best use cases
Existing Sora users archiving old projects
Good fitThe dedicated export portal and email notification system make it straightforward to download content before deletion.
Developers maintaining legacy API integrations
Mixed fitThe API still responds, but the September 2026 hard stop and missing documentation make long-term reliance impossible.
ChatGPT users with spare Sora credits
Good fitOpenAI allows credit redirection to Codex, salvaging value from an otherwise dead investment.
Teams evaluating generative AI content tools
Mixed fitSora itself is unavailable, but its discontinuation serves as a clear signal to investigate active competitors instead.
Who should skip Sora
Honest no-go cases — save your trial period.
- →New users seeking any kind of generative AI content platform
- →Production systems requiring stable, long-term API availability
- →Organizations that need detailed public pricing before procurement
- →Teams unwilling to immediately migrate data and integrations
Alternatives to consider
- Runway
Pick Runway when you need an actively supported generative media platform with public APIs and ongoing feature development.
Skip Runway if you are committed to OpenAI's ecosystem and prefer to wait for a future native replacement.
- Pika
Pick Pika when you want a dedicated, consumer-friendly generative content tool that is currently accepting new users.
Skip Pika if you require enterprise-grade SLAs or deep developer API integration.
- Luma Dream Machine
Pick Luma when you want another AI media generation service with active development and modern interfaces.
Skip Luma if you need guaranteed enterprise support or must stay within the OpenAI billing ecosystem.
vs Sora
Frequently asked questions
Can I still sign up for Sora?
No. OpenAI discontinued the Sora web and app on April 26, 2026, and the API will shut down on September 24, 2026. No new registrations are possible.
How do I save my Sora content before it is deleted?
Visit sora.chatgpt.com/sunset and click Export. OpenAI will email you when your archive is ready for download.
What happens to my data if I miss the export window?
OpenAI will permanently delete all data associated with your Sora account after the final export window closes.
Can I get a refund for Sora credits or subscriptions?
Refund requests fall under the ChatGPT subscription policy. Unused ChatGPT or Sora credits can be applied to Codex instead.
Why do the Sora pricing and features pages show a 404 error?
OpenAI removed marketing and documentation pages after discontinuing the product, so those URLs no longer resolve.
Is the Sora API still working for existing integrations?
Yes, but only until September 24, 2026. After that date, the API will be permanently decommissioned.
Will OpenAI bring Sora back or release a replacement?
The provided documentation offers no revival roadmap or successor product; treat Sora as permanently sunsetted.
The bottom line
Sora is a discontinued product. OpenAI shut down the consumer web and app experiences on April 26, 2026, and the API will follow on September 24, 2026. There is no path for new adoption, no public pricing, and no active feature development. Existing users should treat the platform as a legacy archive and prioritize data export before the final deletion window closes.
No buyer should commit budget to Sora today. The only relevant audience is previous users who need to extract content or migrate API integrations. If you are evaluating generative AI tools for new projects, you should skip Sora entirely and invest in actively supported alternatives with public roadmaps and pricing.
The only thing that would change this recommendation is an official OpenAI reversal of the discontinuation, accompanied by restored pricing and features pages, new customer onboarding, and a published product roadmap. None of these are indicated in the current documentation.