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Comparisons

# Seedance vs Seedream: what is the difference, and which do you need?

Makernice Team · 2026-11-11 · Updated 2026-11-12

Prices as of November 12, 2026 (price list v15).

## Key takeaways

-   Seedance models return video billed per second of output; Seedream models return images billed per image.
-   Seedance 2.5 runs 4 to 30 seconds and Seedance 2.0 runs 4 to 15 seconds; Seedream has no duration because each request returns one image.
-   A Seedream image can start a Seedance clip: download it, host it at your own public https URL and send that as image\_url in image-to-video, or two stills as image\_url and last\_image\_url in first and last frame.
-   Six Seedream ratios carry over to Seedance image-to-video (1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, and 21:9 on Seedream 5.5 and 5.0); 2:3 and 3:2 have no Seedance match.

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Seedance and Seedream are two ByteDance model families that do different jobs. Seedance turns text, images or references into video with audio; Seedream turns text or reference images into a still image. On Makernice both sit behind the same API key and the same request shape, so a common pattern is to make a still with Seedream and animate it with Seedance. This page lists the catalog facts and prices for each and does not compare output quality.

## What is the difference between Seedance and Seedream?

Seedance and Seedream differ in output type: Seedance returns video and Seedream returns still images. Seedance 2.5 and Seedance 2.0 are video models with four video modes: text-to-video (t2v), image-to-video (i2v), first and last frame (flf) and reference-to-video (r2v). Seedream 5.5, Seedream 5.0 Pro and Seedream 5.0 are image models with two modes: text-to-image (t2i) and image-to-image editing (i2i). The names differ by two letters, which is why search results often mix them up.

## How do the current Seedance and Seedream models line up?

Seedance 2.5 and Seedance 2.0 are billed per second of video, while Seedream 5.5, Seedream 5.0 Pro and Seedream 5.0 are billed per image. The table lists each catalog field for the five models.

| Spec | Seedance 2.5 | Seedance 2.0 | Seedream 5.5 | Seedream 5.0 Pro | Seedream 5.0 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Output | Video | Video | Image | Image | Image |
| Billed per | Second of output | Second of output | Image | Image | Image |
| Modes | t2v, i2v, flf, r2v | t2v, i2v, flf, r2v | t2i, i2i | t2i, i2i | t2i, i2i |
| Duration | 4 to 30 s, default 5 | 4 to 15 s, default 5 | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| resolution field | 480p, 720p, 1080p, 4k | 720p, 1080p | 1k, 2k | 1k, 2k | Not accepted |
| Default tier | 720p by default | 720p by default | 1k by default | 1k by default | Fixed at 2k |
| Prompt-only ratios | adaptive, 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 21:9, 9:21 | 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 | 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 2:3, 3:2, 21:9 | 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 2:3, 3:2 | 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 2:3, 3:2, 21:9 |
| Reference images | Up to 16 (r2v) | Up to 9 (r2v) | Up to 10 (i2i) | Up to 10 (i2i) | Up to 14 (i2i) |
| Audio | Always on, no switch | Always on, no switch | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |

Prompt-only ratios are the aspect\_ratio values accepted without an input image (t2v for Seedance, t2i for Seedream). Model pages: [Seedance 2.5](https://makernice.com/models/seedance-2-5/), [Seedance 2.0](https://makernice.com/models/seedance-2-0/), [Seedream 5.5](https://makernice.com/models/seedream-5-5/), [Seedream 5.0 Pro](https://makernice.com/models/seedream-5-0-pro/) and [Seedream 5.0](https://makernice.com/models/seedream-5-0/).

## Can Seedream make video, or Seedance make a still image?

No, neither model family crosses over: Seedream only makes images and Seedance only makes video. Seedream has no duration field and no video modes, and Seedance has no t2i or i2i mode, so a request that names a mode the model lacks is rejected. Seedance also does not take video as input: its inputs are a prompt plus images, either one frame, two frames or a set of references.

## How do you turn a Seedream image into a Seedance clip?

Generate the still with Seedream first, then send it to Seedance image-to-video. Pick an aspect ratio that Seedance also accepts, so the frame shape carries through:

```
{
  "model": "seedream-5.5",
  "mode": "t2i",
  "prompt": "A ceramic teapot on a sunlit kitchen windowsill, steam curling from the spout, shallow depth of field",
  "resolution": "1k",
  "aspect_ratio": "16:9"
}
```

When the image job succeeds, download the output and host it at your own public https URL. Don't pass the output URL itself: it needs your API key and answers with a 302 redirect, and image\_url must serve the image directly because redirects are not followed. Then send your URL as image\_url in a Seedance image-to-video request:

```
{
  "model": "seedance-2.5",
  "mode": "i2v",
  "prompt": "Steam rises and drifts toward the window as the camera slowly pushes in",
  "image_url": "https://your-cdn.example.com/teapot-still.png",
  "duration": 5,
  "resolution": "720p",
  "aspect_ratio": "16:9"
}
```

For a start and an end state, make two Seedream stills and send them to Seedance as image\_url and last\_image\_url in first and last frame mode. For a character or product seen from several angles, send several stills as reference\_images in reference-to-video, up to 16 on Seedance 2.5 and 9 on Seedance 2.0. Every image sent to Seedance must have sides from 300 to 6000 pixels, a width-to-height ratio between 2:5 and 5:2, and be a JPEG, PNG or WebP file.

## Which aspect ratios carry over from Seedream to Seedance?

Seedream 5.5 and Seedream 5.0 accept 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 2:3, 3:2 and 21:9. Of those, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16 and 21:9 also appear in Seedance 2.5 and Seedance 2.0 image-to-video. Seedream 5.0 Pro has the same list without 21:9. Seedream's 2:3 and 3:2 have no Seedance equivalent, and Seedance's 9:21 has no Seedream equivalent.

## What does a Seedream image plus a Seedance clip cost?

Seedream prices are per text-to-image image and Seedance prices are per second, the same in every mode, on price list v15 (November 12, 2026). A Seedream 5.5 1k still followed by a 5 second Seedance 2.5 clip at 720p costs $0.0156 for the image plus $1.30 for the clip.

| Model | Tier | Unit | Price |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Seedream 5.5 | 1k  | Per image | $0.0156 |
| Seedream 5.5 | 2k  | Per image | $0.0273 |
| Seedream 5.0 Pro | 1k  | Per image | $0.0351 |
| Seedream 5.0 Pro | 2k  | Per image | $0.0702 |
| Seedream 5.0 | 2k  | Per image | $0.0336 |
| Seedance 2.5 | 720p | Per second | $0.2592 |
| Seedance 2.5 | 1080p | Per second | $0.6415 |
| Seedance 2.0 | 720p | Per second | $0.1704 |
| Seedance 2.0 | 1080p | Per second | $0.4252 |

Image-to-image on Seedream 5.5 adds $0.00624 for each reference image; the quote itemizes it. For other video tiers and the Seedream editing prices, see the model pages or the [Pricing page](https://makernice.com/pricing/).

## Which should I choose, Seedance or Seedream?

Choose by the output you need: Seedance for a video clip with audio (4 to 30 seconds on Seedance 2.5, 4 to 15 on Seedance 2.0), and Seedream for a still image or an image edit. Use both when a Seedream still should become the first frame, or the references, of a Seedance clip.

## Frequently asked questions

#### Is Seedream 5 the same thing as Seedance 2?

No. Seedream 5.0 and Seedream 5.0 Pro make still images, and Seedance 2.0 makes video clips of 4 to 15 seconds. Both come from ByteDance and use the same Makernice request shape.

#### Can I send a Seedream image straight into Seedance 2.0?

Yes, after you host it yourself: download the image, put it at a public https URL and pass that as image\_url with mode i2v. Seedance 2.0 accepts 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4 and 9:16 in that mode, so a 2:3 or 3:2 still has no matching aspect\_ratio value.

#### Does Seedance accept a video as input?

No. Seedance takes a prompt plus up to two frames or a set of reference images. There is no video input on any Seedance model.

#### Which Seedream model takes the most reference images?

Seedream 5.0, with up to 14 images in image-to-image. Seedream 5.5 and Seedream 5.0 Pro take up to 10.

## Models in this post

Video

### Seedance 2.5

ByteDance's flagship for long takes: up to 30 seconds, 480p to 4K, and up to 16 reference images to keep every shot on-model. Audio is always on (no toggle).

By ByteDanceFrom $0.1152/s

https://makernice.com/models/seedance-2-5/

Video

### Seedance 2.0

The all-rounder for ads and social: 4–15 s clips at 720p or 1080p from text, an image, first and last frames, or 9 references. Audio is always on (no toggle).

By ByteDanceFrom $0.1704/s

https://makernice.com/models/seedance-2-0/

Image

### Seedream 5.5

ByteDance's Seedream 5.5: generate or edit images at 1K or 2K, with up to 10 reference images and an optional transparent background.

By ByteDanceFrom $0.0156/img

https://makernice.com/models/seedream-5-5/

Image

### Seedream 5.0 Pro

\-22%

ByteDance's Seedream 5.0 Pro: generate or edit images at 1K or 2K, guided by up to 10 reference images.

By ByteDanceFrom $0.0351/img

https://makernice.com/models/seedream-5-0-pro/

Image

### Seedream 5.0

\-4%

Blend up to 14 reference images into one: Seedream 5.0 is built for character sheets, collages and style fusion, priced as a single 2K tier.

By ByteDanceFrom $0.0336/img

https://makernice.com/models/seedream-5-0/