Comparisons

The best AI video connectors for Claude (2026)

· 7 min read

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Short answer: Claude writes, plans and codes, but it has no video model of its own. To get a video file out of a Claude chat you add a connector, a remote MCP server that gives Claude tools to generate video. The four worth knowing in 2026 are Runway (cinematic generation from Runway's own models), HeyGen (talking avatar videos), Dora (several third-party models such as Veo, Kling, SeeDance and Grok behind one connector) and Google's Genmedia MCP servers (Veo on your own Google Cloud project, for developers).

Details on the other services come from their own documentation, checked on October 24, 2026.

Quick comparison

Connector Best for Where it runs How you add it Sign-in
Runway Cinematic clips from Runway's models Remote: https://mcp.runwayml.com/mcp Claude custom connector Runway account (OAuth)
HeyGen Avatar and presenter videos from a script Remote: https://mcp.heygen.com/mcp/v1/ Claude custom connector HeyGen account
Dora Choosing between several video and image models per clip Remote: https://doravideo.com/mcp Claude custom connector Dora account (OAuth)
Google Genmedia Veo, Imagen-class images, TTS and music on your own Google Cloud Local servers you install Agent config (Claude Code, Gemini CLI and others) Your Google Cloud project

Where connectors work in Claude

  • Claude.ai and Claude Desktop: open Customize → Connectors, click + Add, then Add custom connector, and paste the server URL. Anthropic's help center says custom connectors are available on Free (one custom connector), Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. On Team and Enterprise an Owner adds it under Organization settings → Connectors, and each member clicks Connect.
  • Claude Code: it does not use the Desktop connectors. You add a remote server from the terminal, for example claude mcp add --transport http dora https://doravideo.com/mcp, and sign in when asked.
  • In a chat: open + → Connectors and switch the connector on for that conversation.

1. Runway

Runway runs a hosted generation server at mcp.runwayml.com that "creates media in chat", in the words of its developer docs, and its help center describes adding it to Claude as a custom connector and signing in with your Runway account. It is the straight route to Runway's own models without leaving Claude. Runway also has a separate Runway Dev server (dev.runwayml.com/mcp) for coding agents that manage a Developer Portal account; that one does not generate video.

Choose it if you already work in Runway or want its models specifically.

2. HeyGen

HeyGen's connector (https://mcp.heygen.com/mcp/v1/) lets Claude create avatar videos from a prompt: HeyGen handles the presenter, the voice and the visuals, and the finished videos land in your HeyGen projects. Its blog lists explainers, training, sales outreach and social clips as typical uses, and notes that your HeyGen plan sets how often and how long you can generate.

Choose it if you want a person on screen reading a script, not a generated scene.

3. Dora

Dora's connector gives Claude four tools: list_models, generate_video, generate_image and check_job. Claude sees the live model list and the coin cost of each option before it starts, so you can say "use the cheapest model" or "use Veo with sound" in plain words.

  • Models from several labs in one connector: Veo 3 Fast (Google), SeeDance 2 and 1.5 Pro (ByteDance), Kling 2.6 including Motion Control (Kuaishou), Grok Imagine (xAI), and image models such as Nano Banana Pro. Full list on the models page.
  • Photo to video and text to video, vertical or horizontal, plus images to use as first frames.
  • Measured: on October 23, 2026, a 4-second 480p vertical clip from a photo was ready 30 seconds after the request in Claude (how we timed it).
  • Same account everywhere: the coins are shared with doravideo.com and the iPhone app.
  • Worth knowing: there is no free tier; generating uses coins from a plan. See pricing. If a model rejects a prompt or fails, the coins are refunded.

Choose it if you want to pick the model per clip (realism, motion, sound, price) without a separate account with each lab.

4. Google Genmedia MCP servers

Google publishes open-source MCP servers for its generative media APIs in the vertex-ai-creative-studio repository on GitHub: Gemini image models (Nano Banana), Veo 3 and 3.1 for video, Gemini TTS and Chirp for speech, Lyria for music, and an AVTool server for compositing with FFmpeg. You install them locally and bill your own Google Cloud project.

Choose it if you are a developer with a Google Cloud project and want Veo inside Claude Code or another agent, with your own quotas and billing.

Use cases, and which connector fits

You want Good fit
A product clip or b-roll from a description Dora, Runway
An old photo or portrait that moves Dora (photo to video), Runway
A presenter reading your script HeyGen
The same character across episodes Dora (Same Character, up to 7 reference photos)
Video inside a coding workflow, on your own cloud bill Google Genmedia, or any remote connector in Claude Code

How to ask once a connector is on

Plain words work. Claude asks for anything missing (length, shape, model) before it spends credits:

"Make a 4-second vertical video of steam rising from a coffee mug by a window. Use the cheapest model and tell me what it costs before you start."

For the full list of video MCP servers beyond Claude, including fal.ai, Replicate, ComfyUI and Remotion, see the best video MCP servers for AI agents.

Frequently asked questions

Can Claude make videos?

Not on its own. Claude has no video model, but with a video connector (a remote MCP server such as Runway, HeyGen or Dora) it can call one, wait for the result and give you the file or link in the chat.

How do I add a video connector to Claude?

On Claude.ai or Claude Desktop, go to Customize → Connectors, click + Add, then Add custom connector, paste the server URL (for Dora, https://doravideo.com/mcp) and sign in. Then switch it on in a chat from + → Connectors.

Do Claude connectors work on the free plan?

Yes, with a limit. Anthropic's help center says Free users can add one custom connector; Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise can add more. The video service behind the connector usually needs its own plan or credits.

Do connectors work in Claude Code?

Yes, but Claude Code does not use the Desktop connectors. Add the remote server from the terminal, for example: claude mcp add --transport http dora https://doravideo.com/mcp, then sign in when prompted.

Which Claude video connector is best for talking avatars?

HeyGen, which is built around presenter and avatar videos from a script. For generated scenes, products or photos that move, Runway or Dora fit better.

Sources

Get the iPhone appUse it in Claude or ChatGPT

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