Correction, 2026-10-02: this page called base Wan 3.0 and Seedance 2.5 the only real options for a 30-second take; Wan 3.0 Prime also reaches 30 seconds, so we now give the lengths without that claim. It called base Wan 3.0 "the default for length" and "the cheapest route to a long single take that we host, by a wide margin", which went beyond the prices we can compare; the prices are now side by side. It credited Seedance 2.5 with "maturity" on our canvas and more generations behind it, which says nothing measured about results; that line is replaced by the median generation times we have. It also left out that Seedance 2.5 stops at 720p while Wan 3.0 goes to 1080p, that they run 4 to 30 and 2 to 30 seconds, and that Seedance's sound is on by default at the same price. The page makes no quality verdict and suggests a same-prompt test instead. The closing line now uses our standard wording.
Correction, 2026-10-01: we said Seedance's strength is taking a lot of reference input and holding it. We have not measured that. What we can say is which inputs each takes on the canvas: Seedance 2.5 a start image or up to 9 reference images, base Wan 3.0 one start image (its reference-to-video mode is API and MCP only, and clip-driven), Wan 3.0 Prime a start image or a reference video.
Correction, 2026-09-30: the price table still showed Wan 3.0 Prime at 68 credits for 10 seconds, a figure from its old flat rate (it is 189 at 720p), and presented document input as something the canvas offers. Both fixed, and Seedance 2.5 now has real 10 and 30 second prices.
Base Wan 3.0 and Seedance 2.5 both generate up to 30 seconds in a single pass on the 8frame canvas, and so does Wan 3.0 Prime. The cost gap is wide: base Wan 3.0 is 24 credits for 5 seconds at 480p and 48 at 720p, Seedance 2.5 is 70 and 157. For 30 seconds that is 142 against 417 at 480p, and 284 against 937 at 720p. They also differ in what they accept and how far they go: Wan 3.0 reaches 1080p, while Seedance 2.5 stops at 720p but takes up to 9 reference images and has sound on by default. We have not measured which one looks better, so this page gives the facts and a cheap way to test both on your own prompt.
The specs side by side
| Base Wan 3.0 | Wan 3.0 Prime | Seedance 2.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length per clip | 2 to 30 s | 2 to 30 s | 4 to 30 s |
| Resolutions | 480p, 720p, 1080p | 480p, 720p, 1080p | 480p, 720p |
| Node starts at | 1080p | 1080p | 720p |
| Sound | no sound setting on 8frame | on by default, same price | on by default, same price |
| Inputs on the canvas | prompt, one start image | prompt, a start image or a reference video | prompt, a start image or up to 9 reference images (not both), optional reference video |
| Median time, 5 s clip | no figure yet | no figure yet | 127 s at 480p, 287 s at 720p |
The price comparison
Canon 8frame prices in credits, a credit is $0.01 at pack rate:
| Clip | Base Wan 3.0 | Wan 3.0 Prime | Seedance 2.5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 s, 480p | 24 | 46 | 70 |
| 5 s, 720p | 48 | 95 | 157 |
| 5 s, 1080p | 95 | 189 | not offered |
| 10 s, 720p | 95 | 189 | 313 |
| 30 s, 480p | 142 | 276 | 417 |
| 30 s, 720p | 284 | 567 | 937 |
| 30 s, 1080p | 567 | 1,134 | not offered |
Correction, 2026-09-28: this section previously said Wan 3.0 Prime was flat-rate at any resolution. It is not: Prime is resolution-tiered and costs about twice base (46 / 95 / 189 for 5 seconds). For long takes the base model is the cheaper Wan, and it is the default recommendation here.
At the same length and resolution, Seedance 2.5 costs about three times base Wan 3.0 (417 against 142 for 30 seconds at 480p, 937 against 284 at 720p). Reference images do not change the Seedance price; a reference video does, to 291 credits for 5 seconds at 480p and 654 at 720p. Wan 3.0 Prime costs about twice base at every resolution.
What each takes on the canvas
Seedance 2.5 takes a start image or up to 9 reference images (not both), and optionally a reference video at the higher price above.
Base Wan 3.0 takes a prompt and one start image. Its reference-to-video mode is reachable only through the 8frame MCP connector, and it starts from a clip, not images.
Wan 3.0 Prime takes a start image or a reference video.
We have not measured how well either model keeps a product or a character the same across a long take, so check every frame. Alibaba's own API also accepts documents and public web pages as input for Wan 3.0; the 8frame canvas does not expose that.
Sound
Seedance 2.5 generates sound by default, and the price is the same with or without it. Wan 3.0 Prime does the same on 8frame. Base Wan 3.0 has no sound setting on 8frame. Alibaba's documentation says Wan 3.0 "natively outputs dialogue, BGM, and sound effects" with audio on by default in its API, but we have not verified what our base integration returns, so if the shot needs sound, check the file or plan to add it in the edit.
Resolution and the 1080p starting value
Seedance 2.5 tops out at 720p. Wan 3.0 goes to 1080p, and the Wan tool opens at 1080p: a 5-second clip left at that setting costs 95 on base and 189 on Prime, and an unset resolution is also billed at 1080p. Set it deliberately, especially for drafts.
Generation time
From our production data (completed tasks in the 120 days to 2026-09-30, measured from submitting to the first result), Seedance 2.5 has a median of 127 seconds for a 5-second clip at 480p and 287 seconds at 720p; 720p clips of 7 to 11 seconds have a median of 296 seconds. We have no production median for Wan 3.0 yet, so we will not guess one.
Test both on one prompt
We have not run a controlled same-prompt comparison of output quality, and we would rather say so than publish an impression as a verdict. The cheap way to decide for your shot: run the same prompt (and the same start image, if you use one) on both at 5 seconds and 480p. That is 24 credits on base Wan 3.0 plus 70 on Seedance 2.5, 94 for the pair; switch the Wan node from 1080p to 480p first. Compare motion, framing and any product or character detail, then render the long take only on the one you keep.
The thing neither solves
A 30-second single generation is one roll of the dice. If second 22 is wrong, you pay for all thirty again, on either model. That is why the workflow matters as much as the model choice.
Draft short and cheap, commit long once. Generate 5 seconds at 480p, confirm the motion and framing, then run the long take. On base Wan 3.0 that is 24 + 284 = 308 credits for a 30-second take at 720p, against 284 for a single blind attempt. On Seedance 2.5 it is 70 + 937 = 1,007.
What we have not tested
A controlled same-prompt comparison of output quality at 30 seconds. We can tell you exactly what each costs, what each accepts, and what the duration and resolution behaviour is, because those come from our own registry. We have not run a scored quality benchmark between them.
FAQ
Which is cheaper for a 30-second clip? Base Wan 3.0: 142 credits at 480p and 284 at 720p. Seedance 2.5 costs 417 and 937.
Which one goes to a higher resolution? Wan 3.0, up to 1080p (95 credits for 5 seconds on base). Seedance 2.5 runs at 480p or 720p.
Which one looks better? We have not measured it. Run the same prompt on both at 5 seconds and 480p (94 credits for the pair) and compare.
Is a 30-second single take better than six cuts? Only when the content is one continuous shot. Most ads are not, and length in one pass is the wrong tool for a sequence. See best AI video generator for long clips.
Does Wan 3.0 generate audio? Wan 3.0 Prime does on 8frame, by default. Base Wan 3.0 has no audio setting here; Alibaba's own API generates dialogue, music and effects by default, but we have not verified what our base integration returns.
Does sound cost extra on Seedance 2.5? No. Sound is on by default, and the price is the same with or without it.
Which one takes reference images? Seedance 2.5, up to 9 on the canvas, in place of a start image. Base Wan 3.0 takes one start image; Wan 3.0 Prime takes a start image or a reference video.
Sources
- Wan 3.0 in Alibaba's API (2 to 30 seconds; 480P, 720P and 1080P with 1080P as default; "natively outputs dialogue, BGM, and sound effects", audio on by default; document and web page input): Wan 3.0 video generation guide, checked 2026-10-02
- 8frame prices (calculateWan3Cost, calculateSeedance2Cost), lengths, resolutions, the Wan tool's 1080p and Seedance's 720p starting values, and sound settings: 8frame tool registry, read 2026-10-02
- Inputs per model on the canvas (Seedance start image, reference images or reference video; Wan 3.0 base and Prime) and MCP-only Wan 3.0 reference-to-video: 8frame tool configuration and MCP tool definitions, read 2026-10-02
- Median generation times (completed tasks, 120 days to 2026-09-30): 8frame production data, content fact sheet, read 2026-10-02
Draft five seconds, then commit thirty.
Try it without signing up: the 8frame canvas opens on a real board. The canvas is free and unlimited; generation is paid from $19/month.