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Review · Alibaba (Tongyi Lab)

Wan Review

7.7/10

our rating

Alibaba's open-source video model with native audio — free to run locally under Apache 2.0.

Strengths

  • +Open-source under Apache 2.0 — free locally with no fees or royalties
  • +Native audio (dialogue, lip-sync, ambient sound) in one render
  • +Full privacy and control when running locally
  • +No generation limits with your own GPU
  • +Also available via cloud APIs (fal.ai, DashScope) without your own hardware

Weaknesses

  • Local run requires a powerful GPU (min. 24 GB VRAM) and technical setup
  • Weaker rendering of hands, fingers, and on-image text
  • Audio sync can be imperfect (lips don't always match)
  • Higher barrier to entry for non-technical users than ready-made SaaS
  • Weaker in complex scenes with multiple characters

Pricing

Open-source (local)

Free

  • ·Apache 2.0, free of charge
  • ·No generation limits
  • ·Native audio

Requires GPU with 24 GB+ VRAM

Cloud (pay-as-you-go)

Free

  • ·No own GPU needed
  • ·fal.ai / DashScope API
  • ·1080p, native audio

~$0.75-1.50 per 10s clip (depending on resolution)

Best for

  • Free local video generation for technical users
  • Bulk content without monthly limits
  • Projects requiring full data privacy
  • Experiments and fine-tuning on your own hardware
  • Low-cost rendering via cloud API instead of subscriptions

Verdict

Wan (7.7/10) — alibaba's open-source video model with native audio — free to run locally under apache 2.0. Best choice if you need: Free local video generation for technical users, Bulk content without monthly limits. Main competitors: Sora 2, Kling 3, Hailuo.

Official website

Try Wan

https://wan.video