Comparison · Video models
MiniMax H3 vs Seedance 2.5
MiniMax H3 or Seedance 2.5? 2K and 15 s versus 1080p and 30 s, references, video editing, speech and a several-fold gap in per-second price.
Specs side by side
| MiniMax H3 | Seedance 2.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | MiniMax | ByteDance |
| Type | Video | Video |
| Modes | text-to-video image-to-video first-last-frame reference-to-video | text-to-video image-to-video first-last-frame reference-to-video video-edit |
| Released | 2026-07 | 2026-07 |
| Duration | 4-15 s | 4-30 s or auto (-1) |
| Resolutions | 768p, 2K | 480p, 720p, 1080p |
| Aspect ratios | 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16, adaptive | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 21:9, adaptive |
| Reference images | up to 9 | up to 30 |
| Reference videos | up to 3 | up to 10 |
| Frames | first and last frame | first and last frame |
| Audio | native audio | native audio, on/off switch |
| Prompt length | up to 7,000 chars | up to 20,000 chars |
Price per unit and per clip
| Model | Variant | Rate | 5 s clip | 10 s clip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MiniMax H3 | 768p | $0.161 / s | $0.804 | $1.61 |
| 2K | $0.261 / s | $1.30 | $2.61 | |
| Seedance 2.5 | 480p | $0.261 / s | $1.30 | $2.61 |
| 720p | $0.587 / s | $2.94 | $5.87 | |
| 1080p | $1.02 / s | $5.08 | $10.16 |
Prices exclude taxes and are charged from your prepaid USD balance. Failed generations cost nothing.
MiniMax H3 (also released as Hailuo 03) is several times cheaper per second and offers a higher resolution (2K). Seedance 2.5 is the pick when you need a single shot longer than 15 seconds, a large set of references, or editing and extending an existing video. For a typical 5-15 s reel I would start with H3.
Key differences
- Length. MiniMax H3 does 4-15 s, Seedance 2.5 4-30 s in one pass.
- Resolution. H3 has 768P and 2K (2560x1440). Seedance 2.5 has 480p, 720p and 1080p.
- References. H3: up to 9 images, 3 clips, 3 audio tracks. Seedance 2.5: up to 30 images, 10 clips, 10 audio tracks, real people allowed (with consent).
- Editing. Seedance 2.5 edits and extends finished video. H3 creates new shots and takes motion from a reference clip.
- Audio. Both generate sound with the picture: H3 in stereo, Seedance 2.5 in mono (speech, effects, music).
- Prompt. Up to 7,000 characters in H3, 20,000 in Seedance 2.5.
When to pick MiniMax H3
- Reels and shots up to 15 s when cost matters.
- 2K footage, for example for YouTube.
- Fast iterations: on another provider H3 returned 5 s in 14-28 s, Seedance 2.5 in about 165 s.
- Spoken lines in other languages: in my Polish test H3 got one word of twelve wrong, Seedance 2.5 more than half (ranking, in Polish).
When to pick Seedance 2.5
- A 20-30 s scene as one shot, no stitching.
- A project built from a dozen photos of a product or the same person.
- Extending a clip or changing part of an existing recording.
- Repeatable results with
seed.
Cost in practice
The gap is large. Seedance 2.5 at 1080p costs about 3.9 times as much per second as H3 at 2K, and at 720p about 3.6 times as much as H3 at 768P. One detail: Seedance 2.5 at 480p costs practically the same per second as H3 at 2K. Both bill extra for references: clips in video_urls add their own seconds, and H3 also charges for reference images six to nine (reference audio is free). Seedance 2.5 applies a billing floor tied to output length when a video is supplied as input. Rates: from $0.161 per second and from $0.261 per second; all models on /pricing.
Where Seedance 2.5 did better in my test: its coffee-pour shot scored 8/10 against 6.5 for H3. More on each model: MiniMax H3 (Hailuo) API, Seedance 2.5 API guide.
FAQ
MiniMax H3 or Seedance 2.5: which is better?
For short shots with sound, H3, since it is several times cheaper and was faster in my test. For long scenes, many references and video editing, Seedance 2.5.
How much do 15 seconds cost in each?
Fifteen times the per-second rate: from $0.161 per second in H3 (2K) and from $0.261 per second in Seedance 2.5 (720p). Studio shows the exact amount before you generate.
Can MiniMax H3 make 30 seconds?
No, the maximum is 15 s. Build a longer scene from two shots, for example using the last frame of the first as the first frame of the second.
Which has the higher resolution?
MiniMax H3, with a 2K tier (2560x1440). Seedance 2.5 tops out at 1080p.
Vendor examples
MiniMax H3
Seedance 2.5
Official examples from the model vendors, not our generations.