Seedance 2.5 makes up to 30 seconds in one shot and takes up to 50 reference files. Seedance 2.0 stops at 15 seconds, but it's the only one with 4K, and its ext route is the cheapest way to run either model: $0.134 per second at 720p, against $0.204 for 2.5. We ran the same prompt through 2.5 and both 2.0 routes on HiAPI to compare.
| On HiAPI | Seedance 2.5 | Seedance 2.0 ext | Seedance 2.0 standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 720p, per second | $0.204 | $0.134 | $0.293 |
| 1080p, per second | $0.516 | $0.342 | $0.729 |
| 4K, per second | — | $0.694 | $1.486 |
| Length per clip | 4–30 s | 4–15 s | 4–15 s |
| Reference files | Up to 30 images, 10 videos, 10 audio clips | Up to 9 images, 3 audio clips | Up to 9 images, 3 videos, 3 audio clips |
| Sound | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Text-to-video prices on HiAPI, checked October 6, 2026.
Same Prompt, Three Videos
We asked each model for an 8-second 720p clip with sound:
A barista in a small morning cafe pours steamed milk into a cup, drawing a latte art leaf.
The camera starts on her hands and slowly pulls back to reveal the counter and a sign on the wall that reads 'OPEN'.
Warm window light, realistic, smooth motion. Sound: milk steaming, cups clinking, quiet cafe chatter.
Seedance 2.5, 720p, 8 seconds, with sound. Current estimate: $1.63.
Seedance 2.0, ext route, 720p, 8 seconds, with sound. Current estimate: $1.07.
Seedance 2.0, standard route, 720p, 8 seconds, with sound. $2.34.
All three followed the whole prompt: the pour, the leaf, the pull-back and a readable "OPEN" sign, with steam and café sound. Seedance 2.5 drew the cleanest latte art. The standard 2.0 route added extra props, such as a pastry case and a neon sign. For an 8-second clip, the difference is small; the $0.134 ext route gave a result close to 2.5 for about two-thirds of the price.
At current rates, the 8-second estimates are $1.632, $1.072, $2.344, respectively. Generation took about 7 minutes for 2.5, 6 minutes for 2.0 ext and 4 minutes for 2.0 standard.
What a Clip Costs
| Clip length, 720p | Seedance 2.5 | Seedance 2.0 ext | Seedance 2.0 standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 s | $1.02 | $0.67 | $1.47 |
| 10 s | $2.04 | $1.34 | $2.93 |
| 15 s | $3.06 | $2.01 | $4.40 |
| 30 s (one shot) | $6.12 | — | — |
Seedance 2.0 can't make 30 seconds in one shot, so a 30-second 2.0 video means two 15-second clips joined in editing, with a visible cut. That is where 2.5 earns its higher price.
Seedance 2.5 Price on Other Platforms
| Seedance 2.5 text-to-video, 720p | Per second | 10-second clip |
|---|---|---|
| HiAPI | $0.204 | $2.04 |
| PiAPI | $0.35 | $3.50 |
| fal | $0.473 | $4.73 |
Public prices on each platform, checked October 6, 2026.
Which One to Use
- Use Seedance 2.5 for clips longer than 15 seconds, or when you have many references: product shots, a character sheet, a voice sample and a motion clip in one task.
- Use Seedance 2.0
extfor short clips where cost matters most, and for 4K. - Use Seedance 2.0 standard when you need a reference video with 2.0, or 480p drafts. Otherwise
extis cheaper.
You can try both on the Seedance 2.5 and Seedance 2.0 model pages.
The Requests We Used
Both models use the same endpoint, POST https://api.hiapi.ai/v1/tasks. Only the model ID changes:
{
"model": "seedance-2.5/text-to-video",
"input": {
"prompt": "A barista in a small morning cafe pours steamed milk into a cup...",
"aspect_ratio": "16:9",
"resolution": "720p",
"duration": 8,
"generate_audio": true
}
}
For Seedance 2.0 on the ext route, use "model": "seedance-2.0@ext" with the same input. For the standard route, use "model": "seedance-2.0". Seedance 2.5 also has seedance-2.5/image-to-video and seedance-2.5/reference-to-video; see Seedance 2.5 explained for what each one takes.
The response returns a task ID. Poll GET /v1/tasks/{taskId} every 10 seconds until the status is success, then download the video from output. Allow up to 10 minutes for an 8-second clip.
FAQ
How much does the Seedance 2.5 API cost?
On HiAPI, Seedance 2.5 text-to-video and image-to-video cost $0.204 per second at 720p and $0.516 at 1080p. A 10-second 720p clip is $2.04.
What is the cheapest Seedance API?
Seedance 2.0 on HiAPI's ext route, at $0.134 per second for 720p. For Seedance 2.5, HiAPI's $0.204 per second at 720p is below PiAPI ($0.35) and fal ($0.473).
How much does Seedance 2.0 cost?
On HiAPI, Seedance 2.0 costs $0.134, $0.342 and $0.694 per second at 720p, 1080p and 4K on the ext route, and $0.293 per second at 720p on the standard route.
Is Seedance 2.5 better than Seedance 2.0?
It can make longer clips (up to 30 seconds) and takes far more references. For short clips from a text prompt, our test showed only small differences, so 2.0 ext is often the better value.
Can I run Seedance 2.0 locally?
No. ByteDance hasn't released the model weights, so Seedance runs only through APIs and ByteDance's own apps.
