Seedance API pricing

USD per second of finished video, live from GET /v1/catalog/media. A clip costs the rate times its length, set when the request is accepted. On Seedance 2 a 1080p clip at 16:9 or 9:16 with no reference images or audio bills at the lower 1080p rate; other 1080p settings bill a few cents more a second, and the model page lists both.

The 15-second 720p clip is the one people price across providers. Here it is $3.75 on Seedance 2, $7.88 at 1080p.

ByteDance sells Seedance through its own cloud, BytePlus ModelArk: create an account, make a key in its console, activate each Seedance version, and bill per second from a balance you top up there (quick start). Its per-second prices, which differ by resolution and by whether the input is a video, are on the ModelArk pricing page (read 2026-10-19).

Here the same four versions are on the key that calls every other model in the catalog: sign in to the console, add credit from $10, create a key, and send the short model id. There is no plan, no activation step, and a clip that fails is refunded.

Send the model and its input to POST /v1/generations. The answer comes back at once with the price set; a clip takes one to several minutes depending on length and resolution.

curl https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1/generations \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $UPLINK_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "seedance-2",
    "input": {
      "prompt": "A courier cycling through a wet night market, neon signs, handheld camera",
      "resolution": "720p",
      "duration": 8,
      "aspect_ratio": "16:9"
    }
  }'

Poll the generation until its status is succeeded or failed. A finished one lists the file URL and the charge.

curl https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1/generations/gen_... \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $UPLINK_API_KEY"

# "status": "succeeded" lists the file URL in "outputs";
# "charge" shows the seconds billed and the price.

The 8-second 720p clip above costs $2.00: $0.25 a second times 8.

Every per-second version takes image_urls for a first frame (and a last frame as the second URL), reference images and reference audio, and generate_audio for a soundtrack. Seedance 2.5 goes to 4 to 30 seconds.

curl https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1/generations \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $UPLINK_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "seedance-2.5",
    "input": {
      "prompt": "The same room, the curtains lift as a train passes outside",
      "image_urls": ["https://example.com/first-frame.jpg"],
      "resolution": "1080p",
      "duration": 15,
      "generate_audio": true
    }
  }'

Fifteen seconds at 1080p on Seedance 2.5 is $34.20; the same length at 720p is $18.90.

The two older versions bill per clip, by resolution and length (and on 1.5 Pro by whether it makes sound). Where ByteDance's price for the same clip is on record, it is the second line.

Seedance makes video, priced per second; Seedream makes images, priced per image. Both come from ByteDance and both run on this key. Use Seedream for a still or a first frame, then hand that frame to Seedance with image_urls. Veo 3.1 and Kling are on the text-to-video list with their per-clip prices, and the Veo 3.1 guide prices an 8-second clip next to Google's.

The price is set and charged when the request is accepted: the rate for the resolution times the duration you asked for. A clip that fails is refunded in full, automatically. Files are served from api.uplinkswitch.com for 30 days. Keep the key in an environment variable, call the API from your server, and set a monthly spend limit on the key in the console. The media guide covers the generations endpoint in full.

How much does the Seedance API cost per second?

Seedance 2.5 $1.26, Seedance 2 $0.25, Seedance 2 Fast $0.175, Seedance 2 Mini $0.1238 a second at 720p here, live from the catalog; 480p is half, 1080p about double, and Seedance 2 also renders 4k.

Is Seedance 2.0 free or paid?

Paid, per second of finished video. Here the lowest 720p rate is $0.1238 a second on Seedance 2 Mini, from prepaid credit from $10 with no plan, and a clip that fails is refunded.

Is Seedance expensive?

A 15-second 720p clip on Seedance 2 is $3.75 here and $7.88 at 1080p; a 30-second 1080p clip on Seedance 2.5 is $68.40. Each is the per-second rate times the length, with no plan behind it, and a clip that fails is not charged. ByteDance's own per-second prices are on its ModelArk pricing page, linked above.

Is Seedance 2.0 available by API?

Yes. Send seedance-2, seedance-2-fast or seedance-2-mini (and seedance-2.5 for the newer model) to POST /v1/generations with a prompt, a resolution and a duration. The ids are live now; the real-model check at /proof runs each of them every day.

What is the difference between Seedance 2.0 and 2.5?

Seedance 2.5 takes clips of 4 to 30 seconds and up to 30 reference images; Seedance 2 stops at 4 to 15 seconds but adds a 4k resolution. Per second here, 2.5 is $1.26 against $0.25 at 720p.

Seedance 2 Fast or Seedance 2 Mini?

Both stop at 720p and 4 to 15 seconds. Mini is $0.1238 a second at 720p and Fast $0.175; Fast is the one to try first when motion matters, Mini when you are making many drafts.

Is Seedance worth it?

For a draft, a 480p 5-second test on Seedance 2 Mini costs $0.31, so trying it is cheap. For a finished 1080p clip the numbers above are what you pay; compare them with the per-clip prices of Veo 3.1 and Kling on the text-to-video list before you choose.

Can I call Seedance with the OpenAI SDK?

Not through the images API: video goes through POST /v1/generations, a plain JSON call with the same key and base URL. Any HTTP client works; the examples above are curl.

What happens if a clip fails?

It is refunded in full, automatically. One still unfinished after 6 hours is marked failed and refunded. Finished clips stay downloadable for 30 days.

Does the same key work for Seedream and other models?

Yes. Seedream is the image family from the same developer, priced per image; the key calls it, every other image, video, speech and 3D model, and every chat model.