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Pricing reviewed September 7, 2026Review dates and sources appear on each record.

Video models · September 2026

Choose the model behind the motion.

Start with MiniMax H3 and Seedance 2.5, then compare the same scene, references, and sound requirements. Pick an access path before committing to a workflow.

Current shortlist

Three paths into video generation.

These are documented capabilities and editorial starting points, not results from our own head-to-head benchmark. Each card links to the source behind its access and limits.

Hosted · Video

MiniMax H3 · hosted

Generate video with synchronized sound from text and references.

Where to use it
MiniMax API / Hailuo app

4–15 seconds. Full hosted system supports output up to 2K; that is not the downloadable base checkpoint’s resolution.

Model identifierMiniMax-H3
Official documentation
Downloadable · Video

MiniMax H3-Base

Build a local video-and-audio workflow with downloadable weights.

Where to use it
Official weights / ComfyUI

768p base output. FL2VA uses text and first/last frames; Ref2VA accepts multimodal references. Context-IR and Regenerate-2K are not released. Check the community license and runtime requirements.

Model identifierMiniMaxAI/MiniMax-H3 · FL2VA / Ref2VA
Official documentation ComfyUI · local base workflow
Hosted · Video

Seedance 2.5

Reference-led scenes, longer takes, and targeted video editing.

Where to use it
BytePlus LAS API / Jimeng / Doubao Pro

Up to 30 seconds with multi-round extension. The API ID shown belongs to BytePlus LAS. Consumer rollout, account access and API billing are separate.

Model identifierdreamina-seedance-2-5-260628
Official documentation BytePlus LAS API

Make the choice

What matters for your film?

Your requirementStart hereDecision to check
A hosted workflow with soundH3 hosted or Seedance 2.5Try your actual references; compare dialogue timing, motion and failed generations.
Downloadable weights and saved local graphsH3-Base in ComfyUIThe base model differs from the complete hosted system. Confirm GPU memory, precision, dependencies and license.
A longer single takeSeedance 2.5Compare a continuous take with shorter shots joined in an editor.
Reliable brand or product detailsApprove reference frames firstInspect logos, fine text, materials and geometry frame by frame; add final typography in the editor.

Seedance is listed here as a hosted service. A remote model used inside a creative tool still sends the job to a provider; that does not establish downloadable weights or offline operation.

Run a useful comparison in four shots

Use a fictional product or footage you have permission to use. Prepare one reference image, one aspect ratio and a short brief. Generate a product close-up, a simple camera move, a person interacting with the product, and a short spoken scene. Give each candidate the same creative requirements while respecting its input format.

  1. Save the setup. Record model and version, references, prompt, duration, resolution, sound settings and seed where available.
  2. Review usable footage. Score identity consistency, motion, physical coherence, sound timing and editability. Count rejected generations.
  3. Calculate finished cost. Divide total generation and retry spend by approved seconds. Include extensions, upscaling and finishing.
  4. Choose per shot. One model may suit dialogue while another fits movement or references. Keep the approved stills and final edit as the common foundation.

A first local H3 experiment

Open the official ComfyUI tutorial, choose the text/image or reference workflow, and follow its matching checkpoint and encoder requirements. Run the supplied workflow once before changing it. Start with a short base-resolution result; increase complexity only after measuring your setup.

Official H3 ComfyUI workflows

Before you budget a production

Confirm the provider’s current resolution, duration, sound, concurrency and regional limits in your account. Compare credits or per-second charges against the output you need. Text-token prices from the language-model calculator do not price video.

Choose narration, transcription and music →

Return to the full creative workflow →