What MiniMax H3 is
MiniMax announced H3 on 31 July 2026 and described it as an omni-modal model for video. The official product name is "MiniMax H3". The names "Hailuo 3.0" and "H3" come from the consumer app Hailuo AI, where ordinary users can reach the model (MiniMax blog, 31 July 2026).
As input the model takes up to 9 images, 3 video clips and 3 audio files, up to 12 context files in total. The output is video up to 15 seconds long in 2K resolution with native stereo sound, so no separate voiceover step is needed.
The previous generation, Hailuo 2.3, runs alongside H3. MiniMax released it on 28 October 2025. It improved motion physics, added facial micro-expressions and camera control, and the Hailuo 2.3 Fast variant lets you pay half as much for batch generation (Hailuo 2.3 release news). H3 did not replace it: the two models coexist and differ in price, speed and feature set.
Open weights and what the license forbids
Open weights are rare for video models at this level, yet MiniMax released H3 that way. The catch is in the Community License: it bans running the model on your own hardware in the European Union, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea and the United States. Every other country is allowed, and Russia is not among the exclusions (HuggingFace discussion; a breakdown of the restrictions at TechTimes, 4 August 2026).
The ban covers only local deployment of the weights. If you call H3 through the official API, the territorial exclusions of the license do not apply to you.
The US exclusion traces back to a court case. In September 2025, Hollywood studios including Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal sued MiniMax for copyright infringement by Hailuo generations. In May 2026 the court denied MiniMax's motion to dismiss, and the case continues (analysis of the ruling, June 2026).
API prices and running it in ComfyUI
Rates from the official page platform.minimax.io/docs/guides/pricing-paygo:
| Model | 480p | 768p | 2K |
|---|---|---|---|
| MiniMax-H3 | - | $0.08 / sec | $0.13 / sec |
| MiniMax-H3-Max | $0.05 / sec | $0.08 / sec | - |
The first 5 input images are free on MiniMax-H3, after that each costs $0.04. On H3-Max the first 2 images are free, then $0.074 each. Upscaling a finished video from 768p to 2K costs an extra $0.05 per second.
Since the weights are open, you can run H3 locally in ComfyUI if your hardware can handle it and you are not in a country the license excludes. The license does not restrict Russia. For the exact node setup and VRAM requirements, check the current ComfyUI documentation and the model card on HuggingFace: the weights are heavy, and the settings change with tool updates.
What happened to MiniMax Music
MiniMax Music is a separate product that composes complete tracks: vocals, instrumentals and arrangement from a text and a style description. On 20 August 2026 MiniMax closed the paid Music Generation and Lyrics Generation API to new users. Existing customers keep access, while the free tier is switched off entirely. For newcomers MiniMax offers the consumer product MiniMax Audio or the open model MiniMax Music 3 on HuggingFace (Music Generation API docs).
Which MiniMax models are in codexkey
codexkey has MiniMax, but H3 is not in the catalog. As of 29 October 2026 it offers minimax-hailuo-02 (an earlier video model, compared with others in AI video generators in 2026) and the text models minimax-m3 ($0.06 / $0.2 per 1M tokens, input / output), minimax-m3.1-flash ($0.26 / $0.96) and the free minimax-m3-free. So you can generate Hailuo-style video through codexkey, but on Hailuo 02, not on H3.
The link to H3 still holds. A script, a storyboard or a text prompt that describes the frame, the camera movement and the sound precisely is easy to prepare in Claude or in minimax-m3 through codexkey, and the generation itself you then run on H3 in MiniMax or in ComfyUI.
You create a key in your account, and it looks like sk_cdx_.... You can pay with a card issued in Russia or through SBP (the Russian Faster Payments System), with no VPN and no account with a foreign vendor. Details are on the models page.
FAQ
When was MiniMax H3 released?
On 31 July 2026. In the Hailuo AI app, where ordinary users reach it, the model is called Hailuo 3.0.
Can I run MiniMax H3 locally in Russia?
Yes. The Community License bans self-hosting the weights only in the EU, the UK, South Korea and the US, and Russia is not among the excluded territories.
How much does video generation in MiniMax H3 through ComfyUI cost?
Through the official API one second of video costs $0.13 in 2K and $0.08 in 768p. Running locally through ComfyUI, you pay only for your own compute, provided your hardware meets the model's requirements.
How does Hailuo 2.3 differ from MiniMax H3?
Hailuo 2.3, released in October 2025, is the previous generation and focuses on motion physics and camera control. H3 is newer: it has native synchronized sound, resolution up to 2K and clips up to 15 seconds. Both models are available at the same time.
Does the MiniMax Music API still work?
For new users the paid Music Generation API has been closed since 20 August 2026. Existing paid customers kept access, and for newcomers MiniMax offers the MiniMax Audio product or the open model MiniMax Music 3.