---

name: fal-model-selector description: Helps choose the right fal.ai model before API calls. Provides quick decision matrix for video generation (text-to-video, image-to-video), image editing (object removal, relighting, style transfer, virtual try-on, outpaint), image generation, background removal, upscaling, TTS, and 3D. Use when user wants to generate video, generate images, edit images, remove background, upscale, or use any fal.ai model. Triggers on "which fal model", "fal.ai", "generate video", "image to video", "text to video", "video generation", "edit image", "remove background", "upscale", "style transfer", "which model should I use".

FAL Model Selector

Quick decision guide for choosing fal.ai models. Read references/ for full parameters.

Key Concepts

Image-to-Video vs Reference-to-Video

	Image-to-Video	Reference-to-Video
Input	1 image (starting frame)	Multiple images (1-5 references)
Purpose	Animate that exact image	Maintain subject consistency in new scenes
The image becomes...	The first frame of the video	A "template" for what subject looks like
Camera/scene	Starts from that exact view	Can be completely different scenes

Image-to-Video = "animate this exact image"

• Product photo → animate it rotating
• Portrait → make the person smile/blink

Reference-to-Video = "generate video featuring this subject"

• 3 photos of mascot → video of mascot in new scene
• Product from different angles → consistent commercial

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Quick Decision Matrix

Video: Text → Video

Need	Model	Price/5s	Why
Best quality	fal-ai/kling-video/v2.6/pro/text-to-video	$0.35-0.70	Cinematic, native audio
Google (Veo)	fal-ai/veo3.1	$1-2	Google's best, 4K, natural sound
OpenAI (Sora)	fal-ai/sora-2/text-to-video	$0.50	Detailed narratives, lip-sync
Budget	fal-ai/ltx-2/text-to-video	$0.30	Good quality, includes audio

Video: Image → Video

Need	Model	Price/5s	Why
Best quality	fal-ai/kling-video/v2.1/pro/image-to-video	$0.45	Cinematic, precise motion
Google (Veo)	fal-ai/veo3.1/image-to-video	$1-2	4K resolution, Google quality
OpenAI (Sora)	fal-ai/sora-2/image-to-video	$0.50	OpenAI quality, realistic
Multi-scene	wan/v2.6/image-to-video	$0.50-0.75	Scene segmentation
Budget	fal-ai/pixverse/v5.5/image-to-video	$0.15-0.40	Multiple styles
Start+End frame	fal-ai/bytedance/seedance/v1.5/pro/image-to-video	$0.26	Control both ends

Video: Reference → Video (Multiple Images)

Need	Model	Price/5s	Why
Google (Veo)	fal-ai/veo3.1/reference-to-video	$0.50-1.75	Up to 5 refs, best consistency
Multi-ref	fal-ai/vidu/q2/reference-to-video	$0.50	Multiple reference images
First+Last frame	fal-ai/veo3.1/first-last-frame-to-video	$1-3	Controlled transitions

Video: Extend/Remix

Need	Model	Price/5s	Why
Extend (Google)	fal-ai/veo3.1/extend-video	$1-2	Up to 30s total
Remix (OpenAI)	fal-ai/sora-2/video-to-video/remix	$0.50	Restyle existing videos

Image: Generate (Text → Image)

Need	Model	Price	Why
Best quality	fal-ai/flux-2-pro	$0.03/MP	Zero-config, production-ready
Google (Gemini)	fal-ai/gemini-3-pro-image-preview	$0.15-0.30	Up to 4K, web search
OpenAI (GPT)	fal-ai/gpt-image-1.5	varies	DALL-E quality, editing
Text/typography	fal-ai/ideogram/v3	$0.03-0.09	Best for logos, posters
Budget	fal-ai/flux-2	$0.012/MP	Good quality, cheaper
Custom style	fal-ai/flux-2/lora	$0.021/MP	Up to 3 LoRAs

Image: Edit

Need	Model	Price	Why
General edit	fal-ai/flux-2/edit	$0.012/MP	Multi-image, natural language
OpenAI (GPT)	fal-ai/gpt-image-1.5/edit	varies	DALL-E editing quality
Google (Gemini)	fal-ai/gemini-3-pro-image-preview/edit	$0.15-0.30	4K editing capability
Text in image	fal-ai/qwen-image-edit-plus	-	Superior text editing
Fast iteration	fal-ai/reve/edit	$0.04/img	Quick, remix support
Style transfer	fal-ai/flux/dev/image-to-image	$0.03/MP	Preserve composition

Image: Specialized Apps

Need	Model	Why
Virtual try-on	fal-ai/image-apps-v2/virtual-try-on	Clothing on person
Product photo	fal-ai/image-apps-v2/product-photography	Studio lighting
Relighting	fal-ai/image-apps-v2/relighting	17 lighting presets
Remove object	fal-ai/image-apps-v2/object-removal	Text-based targeting
Style transfer	fal-ai/image-apps-v2/style-transfer	26 artistic presets
Outpaint	fal-ai/image-apps-v2/outpaint	Extend boundaries

Image: Enhancement

Need	Model	Price	Why
Upscale (portrait)	clarityai/crystal-upscaler	$0.016/MP	Facial detail focus
Remove background	fal-ai/birefnet/v2	-	Multiple models, up to 2304px
Segmentation	fal-ai/sam-3/image	$0.005	Text/point/box prompts

Image: Character/Identity

Need	Model	Why
Consistent character	fal-ai/photomaker	Identity-preserving portraits
Brand style	fal-ai/flux-2/lora	Custom trained LoRAs

Video: Tools

Need	Model	Price	Why
Upscale	clarityai/crystal-video-upscaler	$0.10/MP-sec	Up to 5K
Lipsync	fal-ai/sync-lipsync/v2/pro	~1.67x base	Natural features

Other

Need	Model	Price	Why
TTS	fal-ai/maya	$0.002/sec	Emotions, accents
Image → 3D	fal-ai/hunyuan3d-v3/image-to-3d	$0.375	GLB/OBJ/FBX

Detailed References

• references/video-generation.md - 16+ video models (incl. all Veo/Sora endpoints)
• references/image-tools.md - 20+ image models (incl. Gemini/GPT Image)
• references/other-tools.md - TTS, 3D, upscaling, lipsync

Common Patterns

import fal_client

# Product demo video
result = fal_client.subscribe(
    "fal-ai/kling-video/v2.1/pro/image-to-video",
    arguments={
        "prompt": "Product rotates smoothly, camera zooms in",
        "image_url": "https://example.com/product.jpg",
        "duration": "5"
    }
)

# Remove background
result = fal_client.subscribe(
    "fal-ai/birefnet/v2",
    arguments={
        "image_url": "https://example.com/photo.jpg",
        "model": "General"
    }
)

# Studio product photo
result = fal_client.subscribe(
    "fal-ai/image-apps-v2/product-photography",
    arguments={
        "product_image_url": "https://example.com/product.jpg",
        "aspect_ratio": "1:1"
    }
)

# Virtual try-on
result = fal_client.subscribe(
    "fal-ai/image-apps-v2/virtual-try-on",
    arguments={
        "person_image_url": "https://example.com/person.jpg",
        "clothing_image_url": "https://example.com/shirt.jpg"
    }
)