Model comparisons
At 1080p, Wan 2.6 costs 25% less than Wan 3.0. Wan 3.0 renders up to 30 seconds per request; Wan 2.6 stops at 15.
Alibaba's Wan 2.6 image-to-video animates one opening frame into exactly 5, 10 or 15 seconds with generated sound, at 720p or 1080p. Choose a single take or a multi-shot edit, and add an audio track to drive timing.
View model details →View sample outputs →Alibaba's Wan 3.0 image-to-video starts from an opening frame and directs 2 to 30 seconds of motion with generated audio. An optional closing frame pins where the shot lands, at 480p, 720p or 1080p.
View model details →View sample outputs →Compare
Start with the input you have, the result you want and your budget. These are the differences that affect that choice.
Compare the published examples, then try the same input on both models with matching settings.
The Spicy Index and Freedom Score for both models, from the same daily calculation as the leaderboards.
| Measure | Wan 2.6 | Wan 3.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Spicy Index | 38.2 | 87.7 |
| Freedom Score | 12.7 | 96.0 |
| Evidence | Tested 4 of 6 probe types · 6 runs | Tested 6 of 6 probe types · 51 runs |
| Range if the rest pass | 12.7–93.3 | 96.0–100.0 |
| Price | $0.45 per 5-second clip | $0.45 per 5-second clip |
| Reviews | Read the Wan 2.6 review | Read the Wan 3.0 review |
Current price
A start price answers a different question than the one you have. These are the tiers both models publish, matched setting for setting, in US dollars per billed unit with no conversion step in between.
Swipe horizontally to compare all fields.
| Tier | Wan 2.6 | Wan 3.0 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 720p | $0.09 / output seconds | $0.09 / output seconds | Identical |
| 1080p | $0.135 / output seconds | $0.18 / output seconds | Wan 2.6 −25% |
Arithmetic on the published rates at each model's own default setting, not a quote. The console prices your actual settings before a request is accepted.
About this comparison
Every row here is read from the JSON Schema the endpoint validates against, so it matches what the API will really accept rather than a feature list written by hand.
Swipe horizontally to compare all fields.
| Controls and limits | Wan 2.6 | Wan 3.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Supported tasks | image-to-video | image-to-video |
| Clip length | 5–15 seconds | 2–30 seconds |
| Resolution tiers | 720p · 1080p | 480p · 720p · 1080p |
| Aspect ratios | Not offered | 16:9 · 9:16 · 1:1 · 4:3 · 3:4 · adaptive |
| Audio output | Yes | Yes |
| High-resolution tier | Yes | No |
| Seed | Yes | Yes |
| Negative prompt | Yes | No |
| Execution | Submit, then poll or take the callback | Submit, then poll or take the callback |
| Request timeout | 60 minutes | 180 minutes |
| Availability | Live | Live |
Do low-filter models allow every request?
Two separate facts sit behind these labels. The first is what we do, which is nothing: no platform content filter, and no maturity flag to set on a request. The second is what each model does on its own, and that is the only part that varies between these two.
Wan 2.6
This model declares no content filter. SpicyAPI forwards the request without adding a platform content scan; legal and consent duties remain with the customer.
Usage note Use only authorised material. Do not create sexual content involving minors, non-consensual intimate imagery, or deceptive impersonation of a real person.
Wan 3.0
This model declares no content filter. SpicyAPI forwards the request without adding a platform content scan; legal and consent duties remain with the customer.
Usage note Use only authorised, general-audience-safe material. Do not create sexual content involving minors, non-consensual intimate imagery, or deceptive impersonation of a real person.
Use these content labels to shortlist models, then open each model page for available examples and content-test details.
The label never changes your obligations. Age, consent, real-person likeness and the law where you operate stay with you, and SpicyAPI does not inspect each request.
Can I swap the model ID without changing the request body?
The task lifecycle is shared; the body is not. Each endpoint publishes its own JSON Schema and the API validates against that, so this is the list to reconcile before a switch.
How to choose
Wan 2.6 supports a high-resolution option.
Compare
The model identifiers are alibaba/wan-2.6/image-to-video and alibaba/wan-3.0/image-to-video, and both go in the same field of the same request.
Both run the same way: submit the task, then poll it or take the callback. Queueing and retry logic carry over unchanged.
Both use the same submit-and-track flow, but their required inputs may differ. Check each model page before switching.
One key, one balance, one set of spend caps. Both bill to the same account in US dollars, and the per-key daily, monthly and lifetime limits apply to whichever one you call.
Questions developers ask
Wan 2.6 is 25% cheaper at 1080p, the closest like-for-like setting the two publish. Prices may change; check the estimate shown for your actual settings before submitting.
Wan 2.6 allows 60 minutes per task and Wan 3.0 allows 180. Those are ceilings rather than typical times — most requests finish far sooner — but they are what your own client timeout has to survive.
Prices and capabilities shown here come from the current public model catalogue. Check each model page for its latest inputs and examples.