Wan v2.6 vs Veo 3.1
Preferred for text to video: Veo 3.1 · Preferred for image to video: Veo 3.1 · Lowest entry price: Wan v2.6. Quality scores are blind human-preference votes; specs and prices come from each lab’s listings.
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 text to videoVeo 3.1Wan v2.6 1,327 (#21) · Veo 3.1 1,364 (#12) — blind human votes
- Preferred for image to videoVeo 3.1Wan v2.6 1,310 (#23) · Veo 3.1 1,398 (#13) — blind human votes
- Lowest entry priceWan v2.6Wan v2.6 from $0.10/s (720p) · Veo 3.1 from $0.20/s (720p–1080p)
- Longest clipsWan v2.6Wan v2.6: 5–10 s · Veo 3.1: 4, 6 or 8 s
- Highest resolutionVeo 3.1Wan v2.6: 1080p · Veo 3.1: 4K
- NewestWan v2.6Wan v2.6 Dec 16, 2025 · Veo 3.1 Oct 15, 2025
- Widest inputsWan v2.6Wan v2.6: Text prompts, Reference images, Audio, Video · Veo 3.1: Text prompts, Reference images, Video
- Native audioBoth generate soundGenerates an audio track with the video: Wan v2.6 yes · Veo 3.1 yes
- Image to videoBoth animate imagesStarts from an uploaded image: Wan v2.6 yes · Veo 3.1 yes
- Self-hostingNo open weightsBoth are available only through APIs and apps
- Most API hostsVeo 3.1Wan v2.6: 1 · Veo 3.1: 3
Every spec in one table
Dashes mean the data is not published.
| Specification |  Wan v2.6Alibaba (Qwen) |  Veo 3.1Google |
|---|---|---|
| Quality (blind human votes) | ||
| Text to video arenaElo-style score · higher is better | 1,327 ±7#21 of 48 · 54,050 votes | 1,364 ±14#12 of 48 · 13,741 votes (best) |
| Image to video arenaElo-style score · higher is better | 1,310 ±7#23 of 48 · 121,082 votes | 1,398 ±10#13 of 48 · 25,116 votes (best) |
| Price | ||
| Starting price | $0.10/s 720p (best) | $0.20/s 720p–1080p |
| Top price | $0.15/s 1080p | $0.60/s 4K, with audio |
| 10-second clip | $1.00at the starting rate (best) | $2.00at the starting rate |
| How it is billed | Per second | Per second |
| Output | ||
| Produces | Video with sound | Video with sound |
| Resolutions | 720p · 1080p | 720p · 1080p · 4K |
| Highest resolution | 1080p | 4K (best) |
| Clip length | 5–10 s | 4, 6 or 8 s |
| Longest clip | 10 s (best) | 8 s |
| Sound | Optional | Optional |
| Frame control | First frame only | First and last frame |
| Aspect ratios | — | 16:9 · 9:16 |
| Inputs | ||
| Text prompts | Yes | Yes |
| Start image (image to video) | Yes | Yes |
| Video input | Yes | Yes |
| Audio input | Yes | No |
| References | Video and audio | — |
| Access | ||
| Weights | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| API hosts | 1 | 3 (best) |
| Released | Dec 16, 2025 | Oct 15, 2025 |
Which should you choose?
Which is better, Wan v2.6 or Veo 3.1?
For text to video, voters prefer Veo 3.1 (Wan v2.6 1,327 (#21) · Veo 3.1 1,364 (#12)). For image to video, voters prefer Veo 3.1 (Wan v2.6 1,310 (#23) · Veo 3.1 1,398 (#13)). 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?
Wan v2.6 costs from $0.10/s (720p), up to $0.15/s (1080p); Veo 3.1 costs from $0.20/s (720p–1080p), up to $0.60/s (4K, with audio). A 10-second clip at the lowest rate: Wan v2.6 $1.00, Veo 3.1 $2.00. Prices are list rates and change often; check the lab before budgeting.
How long can the videos be, and at what resolution?
Wan v2.6: 5–10 s, 720p / 1080p; Veo 3.1: 4, 6 or 8 s, 720p / 1080p / 4K.
What is the difference between Wan v2.6 and Veo 3.1?
Wan v2.6 is a video model from Alibaba (Qwen) (Dec 16, 2025), taking text prompts, reference images, audio and video and producing video with sound. Veo 3.1 is a video model from Google (Oct 15, 2025), taking text prompts, reference images and video and producing video with sound.
Which is newer?
Wan v2.6 Dec 16, 2025; Veo 3.1 Oct 15, 2025.
Which generates video with sound?
Generates an audio track with the video: Wan v2.6 yes; Veo 3.1 yes.
Can I run any of these on my own hardware?
No open weights. Both are available only through APIs and apps.
