Seedream 5.0 Flash vs Seedream 5.0 Pro

Seedream 5.0 Flash and Seedream 5.0 Pro side by side: specs, capabilities, parameters, and live pricing from the EmpirioLabs catalog.

ByteDance Image Generation

Seedream 5.0 Flash vs Seedream 5.0 Pro at a glance

Seedream 5.0 Flash and Seedream 5.0 Pro are both ByteDance models in the Image Generation category, available through the EmpirioLabs API.

Key differences

  • Seedream 5.0 Flash is the newer release (Sep 28, 2026); Seedream 5.0 Pro was released on Jul 8, 2026.

Seedream 5.0 Flash vs Seedream 5.0 Pro: specs

SpecSeedream 5.0 FlashSeedream 5.0 Pro
Model IDseedream-5-0-flashseedream-5-0-pro
AuthorByteDanceByteDance
ReleasedSep 28, 2026Jul 8, 2026
Input
Text Image
Text Image
Output
Image
Image
RegionMalaysiaMalaysia
Endpoints
POST /v1/images/generations
POST /v1/images/generations
Capabilities
image generation image editing layer decomposition interactive editing multi reference text rendering multilingual text transparent background
image generation image editing layer decomposition interactive editing multi reference text rendering multilingual text transparent background

Seedream 5.0 Flash vs Seedream 5.0 Pro: API pricing

Live rates from the EmpirioLabs catalog for both models. Each rate card always matches what the API charges.

Seedream 5.0 Flash vs Seedream 5.0 Pro: API parameters

Request parameters each model lists on EmpirioLabs, with the allowed values or range where one applies. A dash marks a parameter the model does not list.

ParameterSeedream 5.0 FlashSeedream 5.0 Pro
promptstringstring
imagearrayarray
imagesarrayarray
aspect_ratioauto, 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, 2:3, 21:9 Default: autoauto, 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, 2:3, 21:9 Default: auto
layer_decompositionboolean Default: falseboolean Default: false
quality1K, 1.5K, 2K Default: 2K1K, 1.5K, 2K Default: 2K
sizestringstring
use_custom_sizeboolean Default: falseboolean Default: false
custom_width15 to 860015 to 8600
custom_height15 to 860015 to 8600
watermarkboolean Default: falseboolean Default: false
output_formatjpeg, png Default: pngjpeg, png Default: png
backgroundopaque, transparent Default: opaqueopaque, transparent Default: opaque
response_formaturl, b64_json Default: urlurl, b64_json Default: url
prompt_optimization_mode-standard, fast Default: standard

Seedream 5.0 Flash vs Seedream 5.0 Pro: limits and notes

Seedream 5.0 Flash

Modes

  • Text to image
  • Single or multi-image to image
  • Interactive editing with coordinate or sketch markers
  • Layer decomposition into a base image plus up to 16 layers

Interactive editing

Mark the region to change directly on the input image with a sketch, circle, or arrow, then describe it in the prompt. For exact placement, use coordinate tags on a 0 to 1000 normalized grid:

Place the subject from image 1 <bbox>179 283 796 986</bbox> at the position in image 2 <bbox>118 331 933 871</bbox>.

Layer decomposition

Set layer_decomposition to true with exactly one input image to split it into a base image plus up to 16 transparent PNG layers. Every returned image carries its stacking order as z_index, and each layer also carries its position in the base image as bounding_box.absolute and bounding_box.normalized, plus a name and a description. Leave the prompt empty to let the model choose the elements, or name the elements or coordinate regions to separate. Resolution accepts 1K, 1.5K, or 2K, and matches the input image when unset.

Limits

  • One output image per request, except layer decomposition, which returns the base image plus its layers
  • Up to 10 reference images, and exactly one for layer decomposition or a transparent background
  • 1K, 1.5K, and 2K resolution tiers
  • PNG or JPEG output, and layers are always PNG
  • A transparent background needs one input image that already has an alpha channel, and PNG output
  • No grouped output, streaming, or web search

Billing

Every resolution tier bills at the same per-image rate, and reference images are free. Layer decomposition bills every returned image, the base image and each layer, at that same rate.

Content safety

Generated images pass an automated content-safety check. An image flagged as explicit is not returned. Because the image is generated before the check runs, a flagged generation is still billed.

Seedream 5.0 Pro

Modes

  • Text to image
  • Single or multi-image to image
  • Interactive editing with coordinate or sketch markers
  • Layer decomposition into a base image plus up to 16 layers

Interactive editing

Mark the region to change directly on the input image with a sketch, circle, or arrow, then describe it in the prompt. For exact placement, use coordinate tags on a 0 to 1000 normalized grid:

Place the subject from image 1 <bbox>179 283 796 986</bbox> at the position in image 2 <bbox>118 331 933 871</bbox>.

Layer decomposition

Set layer_decomposition to true with exactly one input image to split it into a base image plus up to 16 transparent PNG layers. Every returned image carries its stacking order as z_index, and each layer also carries its position in the base image as bounding_box.absolute and bounding_box.normalized, plus a name and a description. Leave the prompt empty to let the model choose the elements, or name the elements or coordinate regions to separate. Resolution accepts 1K, 1.5K, or 2K, and matches the input image when unset.

Prompt optimization

  • Standard (default): prioritizes prompt adherence and image quality
  • Fast: reduces generation latency with slightly lower image quality

Limits

  • One output image per request, except layer decomposition, which returns the base image plus its layers
  • Up to 10 reference images, and exactly one for layer decomposition or a transparent background
  • 1K, 1.5K, and 2K resolution tiers
  • PNG or JPEG output, and layers are always PNG
  • A transparent background needs one input image that already has an alpha channel, and PNG output
  • No grouped output, streaming, or web search

Billing

Layer decomposition bills every returned image, the base image and each layer, at half the standard per-image rate, tiered on the pixel count of that image.

Content safety

Generated images pass an automated content-safety check. An image flagged as explicit is not returned. Because the image is generated before the check runs, a flagged generation is still billed.

How to call Seedream 5.0 Flash and Seedream 5.0 Pro

Seedream 5.0 Flash runs through POST /v1/images/generations. The request returns a job_id right away; poll GET /v1/jobs/{job_id} until the job completes and read the output URLs from the result. Or add "sync": true to skip polling: the request stays open and returns the finished OpenAI-style image response directly, so OpenAI SDKs work as-is. Both models are called through the same endpoint. Set model to seedream-5-0-flash or seedream-5-0-pro. Get an API key from the EmpirioLabs dashboard.

cURL: submit the job
curl https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/images/generations \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "seedream-5-0-flash",
    "prompt": "Describe what you want Seedream 5.0 Flash to generate."
  }'

Seedream 5.0 Flash vs Seedream 5.0 Pro: common questions

What is the difference between Seedream 5.0 Flash and Seedream 5.0 Pro?

Seedream 5.0 Flash is the newer release (Sep 28, 2026); Seedream 5.0 Pro was released on Jul 8, 2026. The specs, rate cards, and parameters on this page come from the live EmpirioLabs catalog.

Which is newer, Seedream 5.0 Flash or Seedream 5.0 Pro?

Seedream 5.0 Flash is the newer release (Sep 28, 2026); Seedream 5.0 Pro was released on Jul 8, 2026.

Which has the lower rate, Seedream 5.0 Flash or Seedream 5.0 Pro?

The two models are priced on different units or tiers, so compare the live rate cards on this page. They always match what the API charges.

Can I switch between Seedream 5.0 Flash and Seedream 5.0 Pro without rebuilding my integration?

Yes. Both models use POST /v1/images/generations with the same EmpirioLabs API key, so most integrations switch by changing the model value. Check the parameters table on this page first if you rely on a model-specific parameter.

Can I try Seedream 5.0 Flash and Seedream 5.0 Pro in the browser before integrating?

Yes. Open each model in the EmpirioLabs playground and run the same prompt on both, with the parameters the API exposes.

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