Transparent API Pricing

Seed Audio 1.0 Pricing: API Rates and Plans Explained

Seed Audio 1.0 uses consumption-based pricing via Volcano Engine — pay only for what you generate. No monthly minimums, no credit limits, no locked tiers.

Seed Audio 1.0 API Pricing

All Seed Audio pricing is available through Volcano Engine (volcengine.com). Prices are in Chinese Yuan (CNY). International access via BytePlus may differ.

Model Price Output Format Notes
Seed Audio 1.0 (Voice) ¥5/万字符 WAV/MP3 TTS with zero-shot cloning
Seed Audio 1.0 (Music) ¥0.1/秒 WAV/MP3 Up to 5 min per generation
Seed Audio 1.0 (SFX) ¥0.05/秒 WAV/MP3 Foley and ambient sounds
Seed Audio 1.0 (Full Scene) ¥0.15/秒 WAV/MP3 Voice + music + SFX combined

Pricing effective at Seed Audio 1.0 launch (June 23, 2026). Check volcengine.com for current rates.

Seed Audio vs Competitor Pricing

How does Seed Audio 1.0 compare to ElevenLabs, Suno, and Udio on both price and capabilities?

Tool Pricing Model Cost Voice Music SFX Multi-Speaker
Seed Audio 1.0 Pay-per-use API ¥5/万 chars (voice) · ¥0.1/sec (music) · ¥0.05/sec (SFX) ✓ Zero-shot cloning ✓ Full compositions ✓ Any sound ✓ Native
ElevenLabs Subscription $5–$99/mo (char limits) ✓ Industry-leading ✗ Not supported ✗ Not supported Partial (Projects)
Suno Subscription $8–$24/mo (credits) ✗ Not for TTS ✓ Excellent quality ✗ Not supported ✗ Not supported
Udio Subscription $10–$30/mo (credits) Partial (in music) ✓ High quality ✗ Not supported ✗ Not supported

Why Seed Audio Is Cost-Effective

The real cost comparison for Seed Audio isn't just the price per character or per second — it's the cost of the entire audio production stack. Today, a professional audio production workflow requires ElevenLabs (or similar) for voice at $22–$99/month, Suno or Udio for music at $8–$30/month, and separate SFX libraries at $10–$50/month. That's $40–$180/month before accounting for the time spent mixing and editing outputs from three different tools.

Seed Audio 1.0 consolidates this entire stack into a single API. A production that generates 50,000 characters of voice (¥25), 10 minutes of music (¥60), and 5 minutes of SFX (¥15) pays ¥100 total — roughly $14 USD — with no subscriptions, no credit resets, and no monthly minimums. For light users, Seed Audio's pay-per-use model means you pay nothing in months where you don't generate audio.

For enterprise and high-volume users, Seed Audio via Volcano Engine supports volume discounts and prepaid packages. The all-in-one nature of Seed Audio also reduces integration overhead — one API, one SDK, one billing dashboard instead of managing multiple vendor relationships. As Seed Audio matures and third-party integrations expand, the cost advantage of its unified architecture will only grow.

Seed Audio Pricing — FAQ

How is Seed Audio 1.0 priced?
Seed Audio 1.0 uses consumption-based API pricing via Volcano Engine. Voice generation is billed per 10,000 characters (¥5), music generation per second of output (¥0.1/sec), SFX and ambient generation per second (¥0.05/sec), and full-scene generation (voice + music + SFX combined) at ¥0.15/sec. There are no monthly minimums or subscription fees for API access.
Is there a free tier or trial for Seed Audio?
Volcano Engine offers new account credits that can be used across all Seed models, including Seed Audio 1.0. Check the current Volcano Engine promotional page for trial credits. Consumer users can also access Seed Audio functionality through the Doubao app without direct API costs.
How does Seed Audio pricing compare to ElevenLabs?
ElevenLabs charges $5–$99/month for voice-only generation with character limits. Seed Audio 1.0 uses pay-per-use pricing with no monthly minimum, and generates not just voice but also music, SFX, and ambient audio. For productions that currently use both ElevenLabs and a music tool, Seed Audio's all-in-one pricing is typically more cost-effective.
Can I use Seed Audio for commercial projects?
Yes. Audio generated through the Seed Audio 1.0 API via Volcano Engine can be used for commercial purposes, subject to Volcano Engine's terms of service. This includes advertising, film, game audio, podcasts, and other commercial media. Always verify the current terms of service on volcengine.com for the latest commercial use guidelines.
Is Seed Audio pricing in USD or CNY?
Volcano Engine publishes Seed Audio pricing in Chinese Yuan (¥/CNY). International developers accessing Seed Audio through BytePlus may see pricing in USD. At current exchange rates, ¥5 per 10,000 characters for voice generation is approximately $0.70 USD — competitive with major Western TTS providers.
What payment methods does Volcano Engine accept?
Volcano Engine accepts major credit cards, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and bank transfers for enterprise accounts. International users typically pay via credit card or bank transfer. BytePlus (the international version) accepts standard international payment methods including Visa, Mastercard, and wire transfers.

Start Generating with Seed Audio

Set up the Seed Audio 1.0 API via Volcano Engine and generate your first voice, music, or sound effect in minutes.