These two are the models to reach for when volume matters. Veo 3.1 Lite gives you 8 seconds with generated audio for 54 credits, about $0.54. Wan 3.0 gives you 5 seconds at 480p for 24 credits, about $0.24, scaling to 95 at 1080p. They are cheap in different ways and the difference decides which one belongs in your workflow.
TL;DR
- Veo 3.1 Lite: 54 credits per 8s at 720p with audio, 33 silent, 27 for 4s
- Wan 3.0 base: per second of output, so 5s costs 24 at 480p, 48 at 720p, 95 at 1080p. Durations 2 to 30 seconds
- Wan 3.0 Prime: flat 34 credits per 5 seconds at any resolution, 68 for 10s, 203 for 30s
- Veo Lite includes audio. Wan does not, so add an audio pass to any honest comparison
- Per second with audio, Veo Lite at 6.75 credits/s is the cheapest good video on the platform
The numbers
Canon 8frame prices, a credit is $0.01 at pack rate:
| Model | Clip | Credits | Audio | Per second |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 Lite | 8s at 720p | 54 | yes | 6.75 |
| Veo 3.1 Lite | 8s silent | 33 | no | 4.13 |
| Veo 3.1 Lite | 4s | 27 | yes | 6.75 |
| Wan 3.0 | 5s at 480p | 24 | no | 4.80 |
| Wan 3.0 | 5s at 720p | 48 | no | 9.60 |
| Wan 3.0 | 5s at 1080p | 95 | no | 19.00 |
| Wan 3.0 Prime | 5s, any resolution | 34 | no | 6.80 |
| Wan 3.0 Prime | 30s | 203 | no | 6.77 |
Read that carefully, because the headline "24 credits" is a 480p number. Comparing 480p Wan to 720p Veo Lite with audio is not a fair fight. At matched 720p and silent, Veo Lite is 4.13 credits per second and Wan is 9.60.
What each one is for
Veo 3.1 Lite is the volume workhorse. Audio included, 720p, Google's model family, and at 6.75 credits per second with sound it is the cheapest genuinely good video you can make here. A 1,000-credit Starter plan buys about 18 clips of 8 seconds with audio. This is the model to draft on, to storyboard with, and to use for anything where you need many variations of the same idea.
Wan 3.0 base earns its place through two things Veo does not offer: duration up to 30 seconds in a single generation, and resolution as a dial you control. If you need one continuous 20-second shot, Wan is the option. At 480p it is also the cheapest way to check whether a composition works before spending real credits.
Wan 3.0 Prime is the flat-rate tier: 34 credits per 5 seconds regardless of resolution, and it supports reference-to-video. If you want 1080p, Prime at 34 beats base at 95 decisively. The 30-second Prime clip at 203 credits is the cheapest long single take on the platform.
The trap in the Wan pricing
Wan 3.0 base defaults to 1080p, which is also the priciest tier. If you submit without setting resolution, you pay 95 credits for 5 seconds rather than 24. That default exists so nothing ever under-bills, but it means the model you chose because it was cheap will quietly cost four times what you expected. Set the resolution deliberately, every time.
The workflow that uses both
- Block the shot on Wan 3.0 at 480p, 24 credits. Is the composition right?
- Iterate on Veo 3.1 Lite silent, 33 credits per 8 seconds, until timing and motion hold
- For the final: Veo 3.1 Lite with audio at 54 if 8 seconds is enough, or Wan 3.0 Prime at 34 if you need 1080p or a longer take
Total for a shot that lands: under 150 credits, about $1.50.
What you give up going cheap
720p, mostly, and a ceiling on how complex the motion can get before it degrades. Both models handle straightforward subject and camera movement well and both struggle with the same things every model struggles with: hands, text in frame, and more than two people interacting. If your shot has a difficult physical event in it, the cheap tier will cost you more in retries than a more capable model would have cost outright.
FAQ
What is the cheapest AI video model on 8frame? Wan 3.0 at 480p, 24 credits per 5 seconds. With audio included, Veo 3.1 Lite at 54 credits per 8 seconds is the better value.
Is Wan 3.0 open source? No. Wan 3.0 is API-only with no published weights, and neither is Wan 2.5. The last downloadable Wan is 2.2 under Apache 2.0. See is Wan 3.0 open source.
Can I get a 30-second clip in one generation? Yes, with Wan 3.0. Base at 1080p that is 570 credits; Prime is 203.
Block cheap, iterate cheap, commit once. The 8frame canvas is free and unlimited, and generation is paid from $19/month.