Video model alternative
MiniMax H3 vs Seedance 2.5
Two video models that generate sound with the picture, built for different jobs. MiniMax H3 is the one you can run yourself: open checkpoints at 768p, with 2K through MiniMax's API, in clips of 4 to 15 seconds. Seedance 2.5 is closed and goes long: 30-second takes from up to 50 references, up to 4K. The note below reads Imgo's live catalog for both.
Side by side
Every figure below is read from Imgo's model registry, the same specs requests are validated against, so the table cannot drift from them. Being in the registry is not the same as being live: the availability note says which models can be generated today.
| Capability | MiniMax H3 | Seedance 2.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Clip length | 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15s | 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30s |
| Resolution | 768p / 2k | 720p / 1080p / 4K |
| Aspect ratios | 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 21:9 |
| Start / end frame | Yes | Yes |
| Reference images | 9 | 50 |
| Reference video | Yes | Yes |
| Reference audio | Yes | Yes |
| Native audio | Yes | Yes |
| Reproducible seed | No | No |
What the table does not show
| Capability | MiniMax H3 | Seedance 2.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Weights and license | H3-Base is open under the MiniMax H3 Community License, which excludes the EU, the UK, the Republic of Korea and the USA; the 2K pass is not open-sourced | Closed; reached only through ByteDance's API |
| Resolution path | 768p from the open weights; 2K from H3-Regenerate-2K through MiniMax's API | 720p, 1080p or 4K in a single request |
| Reference limits | Ref2VA: up to 9 images, 3 video clips and 3 audio clips, 12 files in total; video and audio are each capped at 15 s in total | Up to 50 across images, video and audio; ByteDance lists 30 images, 10 video clips and 10 audio clips |
| Frames and references | Frames go to FL2VA and references to Ref2VA; one run never takes both | Start and end frames, or references; not both in one request |
| Sound | 32 kHz stereo on every clip, with no switch to turn it off; dialogue most stable in 11 listed languages | Native audio generated with the video |
Run this comparison yourself
Same prompt, same aspect ratio — only the model changes. Run it on each one and judge the difference on your own screen.
Test prompt · Aspect ratio 16:9
A red fox trots through fresh knee-deep snow at dawn. The camera tracks low beside it at the same speed, snow kicking up from its paws, breath visible in the cold air, warm golden backlight through bare birch trees.
MiniMax H3 isn't generatable on Imgo yet.
Seedance 2.5 isn't generatable on Imgo yet.
- Run it on Seedance 2.0 instead
Watch MiniMax H3 if…
You want to host the model yourself, fine-tune around it, or keep footage on your own hardware, and 768p drafts with a 2K finish through the API fit your pipeline. Read the license territories first.
Watch Seedance 2.5 if…
The shot runs past 15 seconds, the delivery needs 4K, or a scene has to carry more references than H3's 12-file budget allows.
What to use on Imgo today
If neither model shows as live above, Seedance 2.0 runs in Imgo's video generator today: clips up to 15 seconds, image, video and audio references, and native audio. The same prompt structure — subject, action, camera, sound — carries over.
Try Seedance 2.0 on Imgo →Frequently asked questions
- Can I generate MiniMax H3 or Seedance 2.5 videos on Imgo?
- The availability note at the top of this page reads Imgo's live model catalog, so it is the current answer. When we last checked, on 2026-10-08, neither was switched on; Seedance 2.0 was live in the video generator.
- Which one makes longer clips?
- Seedance 2.5: 5 to 30 seconds per pass. MiniMax H3 renders 4 to 15 seconds at 24 fps, so a 30-second piece takes two connected shots.
- Can I use MiniMax H3's open weights commercially?
- Under the MiniMax H3 Community License, with conditions: it does not cover the EU, the UK, the Republic of Korea or the USA; products earning more than US$20 million a year need written authorization; and commercial products must display "MiniMax H3" in their interface. This is a summary, not legal advice.
- Do both models generate audio?
- Yes. Every MiniMax H3 clip carries 32 kHz stereo sound, and Seedance 2.5 generates native audio with the video. Write dialogue, effects and ambience into the prompt with either model.