How much does the Seedance API cost and how is it billed
RelayDance offers Seedance 2.0 and Seedance 1.5 Pro video generation through an OpenAI-compatible API with pricing 30 percent or more below official list prices. Exact rates vary by model and are published live at the RelayDance pricing page. You are billed only for successful requests; failed or errored requests incur no charges. Payments are accepted via USDT and Stripe card through your RelayDance account.
How pricing works on RelayDance
RelayDance prices Seedance models competitively, maintaining rates at least 30 percent below the official ByteDance list prices. Each model has its own per-request or usage-based cost that reflects the computational resources required for video generation. Live pricing for all available models, including Seedance 2.0, Seedance 1.5 Pro, HappyHorse video models, and Grok Imagine video and image models, is displayed in real-time at https://relaydance.com/models. This transparency allows you to calculate exact costs before submitting generation requests. Rates may be adjusted to reflect market conditions, so checking the pricing page before implementation is recommended.
Billing and payment methods
RelayDance bills you only for successfully completed requests. If a video generation task fails or returns an error status, no charge is applied to your account. This protects you from unexpected costs due to network issues or invalid parameters. You can fund your account using two payment methods: USDT (stablecoin) transfers or Stripe card payments. Create and manage your API keys and billing settings through the RelayDance console. Your account tracks usage in real-time, allowing you to monitor spending and set up alerts if needed.
Video generation request pricing structure
When you submit a video generation request via POST /v1/video/generations, you specify the model, prompt, video duration in seconds, and metadata parameters including resolution and whether to generate audio. The cost depends on these parameters. Longer videos, higher resolutions, and audio generation typically increase the per-request cost. Reference media (up to 9 images, 3 videos, and 3 audio tracks) may also affect pricing. You can poll the task status via GET /v1/video/generations/{task_id} until it reaches succeeded or failed state; billing occurs only upon success. Using webhook callbacks (metadata.callback_url) does not change pricing, just your notification method.
Reducing costs and billing best practices
| Strategy | Impact |
|---|---|
| Use lower resolution settings where acceptable | Reduces per-request cost |
| Generate shorter video clips (under 15 seconds) | Lower cost than longer durations |
| Disable audio generation if not needed | Removes audio generation cost |
| Batch similar requests | Simplifies monitoring and billing review |
| Monitor failed requests | Ensures no wasted spend on errors |
To minimize API costs, request the lowest resolution and duration that meets your quality requirements. Audio generation adds cost, so disable it if your use case does not require it. Reference media (images or videos) can enhance results but may influence pricing, so test with minimal references first. Setting up webhook callbacks instead of polling reduces unnecessary API calls and keeps your costs down.
Accessing and managing your account
Visit https://relaydance.com/console to create API keys, configure payment methods, and view your billing history. Your dashboard displays current rates for all models and your account balance. When making API requests, authenticate using the Authorization header with your API key (Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY). The base URL for all endpoints is https://relaydance.com/v1. Keep your API key secure and rotate it periodically. For full API documentation, including request and response schemas, visit https://relaydance.com/docs.
FAQ
- Are there monthly minimums or commitments? RelayDance charges only for successful video generation requests with no monthly minimums or long-term contracts required. You pay as you use the API.
- What happens if my video generation request fails? Failed or errored requests are never billed, so you are not charged for unsuccessful API calls regardless of the reason for the failure.
- Where can I see the current price for each Seedance model? Live per-model rates are displayed at https://relaydance.com/models, updated in real-time to reflect current pricing.