Kling 4.0 vs Kling 3.0 Turbo vs Kling O3: Which Kling Video API to Use

Short answer: Kling 4.0, Kling 3.0 Turbo and Kling O3 all run on EmpirioLabs through one API. Choose Kling 4.0 for the longest clips, up to 30 seconds, with keyframes, reference images and videos, and video editing in one request. Choose Kling 3.0 Turbo for straightforward text to video or image to video with native audio, including multi-shot prompts. Choose Kling O3 when you want a 4K tier, a switch to turn sound off, or multi-scene transitions.

Kling 4.0 vs Kling 3.0 Turbo vs Kling O3 at a glance

Watch the comparison

Three prompts, run once on each model. Nothing was regenerated or edited.

How we ran it

Three prompts: "A vintage red seaplane skims across a turquoise lagoon and lifts off past swaying palm trees, propeller roar and spraying water, sweeping aerial tracking shot", "A sleek bullet train races across a snowy mountain bridge as the camera tracks alongside, snow swirling in its wake, rushing wind and rail hum" and "A herd of bison stampedes across a snowy plain toward the camera, snow kicked high into the air, rumbling hooves, low dramatic angle". Each model got each prompt once at 720p (Kling O3 on its Standard tier, sound on), 16:9 and 5 seconds, every other setting at its default, through POST /v1/videos/generations on November 4, 2026. Every clip came back at 1280x720 and about 5 seconds, with a native audio track. From submitting the job to the finished video, the medians were Kling 4.0 152 seconds, Kling O3 152 seconds and Kling 3.0 Turbo 309 seconds; times vary with load.

What to look for

All three put the red seaplane on the lagoon with spray behind it and sent the bullet train across a snowy bridge. Kling 3.0 Turbo took the widest view of the lagoon and its palms, and brought the stampeding bison closest to the camera, where Kling 4.0 and Kling O3 kept the herd as a long line across the plain. Watch the water, the snow, the camera movement and how each model handles speed.

When to use Kling 4.0

• You need clips longer than 15 seconds, up to 30.
• You want keyframes, or to combine reference images, reference videos and a video to edit in one request.
• You want 21:9 or a very long, detailed prompt.

When to use Kling 3.0 Turbo

• You want simple text to video or image to video with native audio.
• You want multi-shot clips from one prompt (up to 6 shots).

When to use Kling O3

• You want a 4K tier.
• You want to turn the generated sound off, or keep a source video's own sound.
• You want first and last frames, references or editing with multi-scene transitions.

How to call any of them

curl -X POST https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/videos/generations \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "kling-4-0",
    "prompt": "A vintage red seaplane skims across a turquoise lagoon and lifts off.",
    "resolution": "720p",
    "duration": 5
  }'

curl https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/jobs/JOB_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY"

Change model to kling-3-0-turbo or kling-o3 to run the same request on the others. Kling O3 picks its resolution with model_tier (standard, pro or 4k) instead of resolution. All three are in the Playground.

Frequently asked questions

Which Kling model makes the longest clips?

Kling 4.0, at up to 30 seconds. Kling 3.0 Turbo and Kling O3 reach 15 seconds.

Which one supports 4K?

Kling O3, on its 4K tier. Kling 4.0 and Kling 3.0 Turbo go up to 1080p.

Can I turn the audio off?

On Kling O3, yes, with its sound setting. Kling 4.0 and Kling 3.0 Turbo always generate native audio.

Which ones can edit a video or use reference videos?

Kling 4.0 and Kling O3. Kling 3.0 Turbo works from a prompt or one source image.

How do I switch between them in code?

Change the model id. The submit-and-poll video API is the same for all three; Kling O3 uses model_tier for its resolution.

Try it

Run any of them in the Playground, browse every video model on the models page, or see current rates on the pricing page.