Best Value

Wan 2.1

Alibaba · Up to 1080p · 10s max duration

VidScore benchmark data shows Wan 2.1 is the leading open-weight video model, generating 1080p output at an estimated $0.05/second ($3.00/minute) — 67% less than closed-source premium models. Alibaba's model scored 8.0/10 on VidScore's overall quality metric while being fully self-hostable, making it the top choice for teams requiring data sovereignty. In VidScore's open-source category, Wan 2.1 outperformed all competitors by 1.4 points on visual coherence. The model's Apache 2.0 license and active community have produced 200+ ControlNet extensions, enabling specialized workflows from pose-guided dance generation to architectural visualization.

Cost / sec

$0.05

Resolution

1080p

Max Duration

10s

Speed (5s)

55s

Cost Breakdown

Duration
Wan 2.1
5 seconds
$0.25
10 seconds
$0.50
30 seconds
$1.50
60 seconds
$3.00

How It Compares

Cost per Second (lower is better)

Wan 2.1$0.05/s
Average (all models)$0.08/s

Generation Time for 5s clip (lower is better)

Wan 2.155s
Average (all models)63s

Strengths & Weaknesses

thumb_upStrengths

  • Best open-weight model — self-hostable with Apache 2.0 license for full data control
  • Rich ecosystem of 200+ community extensions including ControlNet variants
  • Strong cost-efficiency at $0.05/sec with option to reduce further via self-hosting
  • Excellent Chinese text rendering and CJK typography support

thumb_downWeaknesses

  • Requires significant GPU resources (24GB+ VRAM) for local deployment
  • Generation speed slower than cloud-native competitors at ~135 seconds per 5-second clip
  • Prompt adherence for English complex prompts trails Sora 2 and Veo 3.1

API Access

DashScope APIReplicateHugging Face

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Wan 2.1 cost?

Wan 2.1 costs $0.05 per second of generated video, which works out to $3.00 per minute. This pricing is based on VidScore benchmark data as of April 2026.

Is Wan 2.1 good for TikTok and short-form content?

Wan 2.1 can produce short-form content at 1080p with up to 10-second clips. However, other models in our benchmark scored higher specifically for TikTok workflows. Check our comparison pages for side-by-side data.

How does Wan 2.1 compare to alternatives?

In VidScore benchmarks, Wan 2.1 by Alibaba generates 1080p video at $0.05/second with a ~55s turnaround for 5-second clips. See our head-to-head comparisons below for detailed breakdowns against specific competitors.

What resolution does Wan 2.1 support?

Wan 2.1 supports up to 1080p resolution with a maximum duration of 10 seconds per generation. It offers both text-to-video and image-to-video capabilities.

Compare Wan 2.1

See how Wan 2.1 stacks up against other AI video models with real benchmark data.

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