Seedance Lite Pricing & Cost
Seedance Lite is Bytedance's budget video model. Higher per-second cost than Seedance Pro but with broader duration support and a slightly different aesthetic. Mostly superseded by Pro for most workflows.
This page breaks down the credit cost for Seedance Lite when called via the AetherWave MCP server from Claude Code, Cursor, Continue, or any MCP-aware agent. Credits map to USD at a fixed rate, so the cost is predictable.
Full cost breakdown
Per-second tiered pricing. 5 cr/s at 480p, 9 at 720p, 16 at 1080p. Wider duration range (2-12s) than Pro.
Cost scenarios in USD
Here is what common workflows cost in USD at Seedance Lite's rate:
| Workflow | Credits | USD |
|---|---|---|
| 6-second clip | 30 cr | $0.15 |
| 10-second clip | 50 cr | $0.25 |
| 5x 6-second clips | 150 cr | $0.75 |
| Studio sub fits | 56 6s clips/mo (1,700 cr) | - |
How Seedance Lite compares
vs seedance-pro-t2v at 3-10 cr/s: Pro is cheaper at the same resolutions. Default to Pro unless you have a specific reason for Lite.
5 cr/s at 480p, 9 at 720p, 16 at 1080p
Best for: budget Bytedance video generation
seedance-pro-t2v at 3-10 cr/s
See the comparison above for when each one wins.
Run aetherwave_list_video_models from Claude Code to see the full live pricing across all models in one call. The MCP rubrics in each tool's description also route the agent automatically when a budget hint is in the prompt.
Where credits come from
You can fund your AetherWave account three ways:
- Free: Starter credits on signup plus up to 80 credits from one-time community quests (Discord, social shares, follow channels)
- Studio subscription: $9.99/mo for 1,700 credits monthly. Cancel any time.
- One-time bundles: starting at $4.99 for 500 credits, up to $79.99 for 9,000 credits. Bundle credits never expire.
Quick install
To run Seedance Lite from Claude Code, install the AetherWave MCP server with one command:
Get your free API key at your Profile page (Developer tab). The MCP exposes 31 tools total; aetherwave_generate_video is the one that gives the agent access to Seedance Lite.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Seedance Lite cost per generation?
Per-second tiered pricing. 5 cr/s at 480p, 9 at 720p, 16 at 1080p. Wider duration range (2-12s) than Pro.
How do AetherWave credits convert to USD?
Credits map to USD at a fixed rate, so Seedance Lite's 5 cr/s at 480p, 9 at 720p, 16 at 1080p translates to the per-generation figures in the scenario table above. Credits come from a Studio subscription, one-time bundles, or starter credits + community quests on the free tier.
Is Seedance Lite worth the cost vs cheaper alternatives?
vs seedance-pro-t2v at 3-10 cr/s: Pro is cheaper at the same resolutions. Default to Pro unless you have a specific reason for Lite. The right call depends on what matters most for your workflow: variation count, deterministic output, latency, or absolute quality ceiling.
Start running Seedance Lite
Free API key plus starter credits. One MCP install. First Seedance Lite generation in under five minutes.
Get Your Free API Key