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Video model comparison · 2 models · Updated Nov 2, 2026

Grok Imagine Video 1.5 vs Seedance 2.5

Preferred for image to video: Seedance 2.5 · Lowest entry price: Grok Imagine Video 1.5 · Longest clips: Seedance 2.5. Quality scores are blind human-preference votes; specs and prices come from each lab’s listings.

  1. xAI

    Grok Imagine Video 1.5

    Released May 30, 2026

    • Text to video
    • Image to video
    • Audio input
    • Native audio
    • Arena1,456
    • From$0.08/s
    • Max length15 s
    Full specs Remove Grok Imagine Video 1.5

  2. ByteDance Seed

    Seedance 2.5

    Released Jul 31, 2026

    • Text to video
    • Image to video
    • Video editing
    • Audio input
    • Native audio
    • Arena1,477
    • From$0.103/s
    • Max length30 s
    Full specs Remove Seedance 2.5

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01 — At a glance

Where they differ

Quality is the arena score from blind, side-by-side human votes. Price, length and resolution come from each lab’s own listings.

  • Preferred for image to videoSeedance 2.5Grok Imagine Video 1.5 1,456 (#8) · Seedance 2.5 1,477 (#4) — blind human votes
  • Lowest entry priceGrok Imagine Video 1.5Grok Imagine Video 1.5 from $0.08/s (480p) · Seedance 2.5 from $0.103/s (480p)
  • Longest clipsSeedance 2.5Grok Imagine Video 1.5: 1–15 s · Seedance 2.5: 4–30 s
  • Highest resolutionGrok Imagine Video 1.5Grok Imagine Video 1.5: 1080p · Seedance 2.5: 720p
  • NewestSeedance 2.5Grok Imagine Video 1.5 May 30, 2026 · Seedance 2.5 Jul 31, 2026
  • Widest inputsSeedance 2.5Grok Imagine Video 1.5: Text prompts, Reference images, Audio · Seedance 2.5: Text prompts, Reference images, Audio, Video
  • Native audioBoth generate soundGenerates an audio track with the video: Grok Imagine Video 1.5 yes · Seedance 2.5 yes
  • Image to videoBoth animate imagesStarts from an uploaded image: Grok Imagine Video 1.5 yes · Seedance 2.5 yes
  • Self-hostingNo open weightsBoth are available only through APIs and apps
  • Most API hostsGrok Imagine Video 1.5Grok Imagine Video 1.5: 2 · Seedance 2.5: 1
02 — Side by side

Every spec in one table

Dashes mean the data is not published.

Grok Imagine Video 1.5 vs Seedance 2.5 specifications side by side
SpecificationGrok Imagine Video 1.5xAISeedance 2.5ByteDance Seed
Quality (blind human votes)
Text to video arenaElo-style score · higher is better—1,474 ±9#7 of 48 · 8,001 votes
Image to video arenaElo-style score · higher is better1,456 ±4#8 of 48 · 137,459 votes1,477 ±7#4 of 48 · 15,729 votes (best)
Price
Starting price$0.08/s 480p (best)$0.103/s 480p
Top price$0.25/s 1080p—
10-second clip$0.80at the starting rate (best)$1.03at the starting rate
Extra charges$0.01 per input image—
How it is billedPer secondBilled per video token ($10.70 per million); higher at 720p.
Output
ProducesVideo with soundVideo with sound
Resolutions480p · 720p · 1080p480p · 720p
Highest resolution1080p (best)720p
Clip length1–15 s4–30 s
Longest clip15 s30 s (best)
SoundAlways generatedOptional
Frame controlFirst and last frameFirst and last frame
Inputs
Text promptsYesYes
Start image (image to video)YesYes
Video inputNoYes
Audio inputYesYes
ReferencesUp to 14 reference images and 3 voice referencesUp to 50 image, video and audio assets
Access
WeightsProprietaryProprietary
API model IDgrok-imagine-video-1.5—
API hosts2 (best)1
ReleasedMay 30, 2026Jul 31, 2026
03 — Questions

Which should you choose?

Which is better, Grok Imagine Video 1.5 or Seedance 2.5?

For image to video, voters prefer Seedance 2.5 (Grok Imagine Video 1.5 1,456 (#8) · Seedance 2.5 1,477 (#4)). Arena scores come from blind, side-by-side human votes on the same prompts; when the gap is inside both models’ error margins we call it a tie. Test your own prompts before you commit.

Which is cheaper?

Grok Imagine Video 1.5 costs from $0.08/s (480p), up to $0.25/s (1080p); Seedance 2.5 costs from $0.103/s (480p). A 10-second clip at the lowest rate: Grok Imagine Video 1.5 $0.80, Seedance 2.5 $1.03. Prices are list rates and change often; check the lab before budgeting.

How long can the videos be, and at what resolution?

Grok Imagine Video 1.5: 1–15 s, 480p / 720p / 1080p; Seedance 2.5: 4–30 s, 480p / 720p.

What is the difference between Grok Imagine Video 1.5 and Seedance 2.5?

Grok Imagine Video 1.5 is a video model from xAI (May 30, 2026), taking text prompts, reference images and audio and producing video with sound. Seedance 2.5 is a video model from ByteDance Seed (Jul 31, 2026), taking text prompts, reference images, audio and video and producing video with sound.

Which is newer?

Grok Imagine Video 1.5 May 30, 2026; Seedance 2.5 Jul 31, 2026.

Which generates video with sound?

Generates an audio track with the video: Grok Imagine Video 1.5 yes; Seedance 2.5 yes.

Can I run any of these on my own hardware?

No open weights. Both are available only through APIs and apps.

04 — Keep comparing

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