Seedream 5.5 vs Seedream 4.5

Seedream 5.5 vs Seedream 4.5 at a glance

Seedream 5.5 and Seedream 4.5 are both ByteDance models in the Image Generation category, available through the EmpirioLabs API.

Key differences

• Seedream 5.5 is the newer release (Nov 9, 2026); Seedream 4.5 was released on Dec 3, 2025.
• Capabilities listed only for Seedream 5.5: image generation, image editing, layer decomposition, interactive editing, multi reference, multilingual text.
• Capabilities listed only for Seedream 4.5: editing, batch generation.

Seedream 5.5 vs Seedream 4.5: specs

Seedream 5.5 vs Seedream 4.5: API pricing

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

Seedream 5.5 vs Seedream 4.5: 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.

Seedream 5.5 vs Seedream 4.5: limits and notes

Seedream 5.5

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 99 layers, with optional text recognition

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 99 transparent PNG layers. max_images sets the most images returned, the base image included, from 2 to 100, and defaults to 30; a higher value allows a finer decomposition. 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. Scale each layer to its box when you reassemble the image. 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.

Text recognition

With text_recognition on, each regular text layer also returns text_recognition: its full text, the position of each line, and the styling of each run of text (a similar font, color, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, shadow, and translucency). Artistic text and handwriting are not recognized.

Transparency

background defaults to auto, which lets the model decide from the prompt and output format. Transparent returns an image with an alpha channel, from text alone or from up to 10 reference images that need no alpha channel, and requires PNG output. Opaque returns an image without one. Each returned image reports its actual transparency as background. Layer decomposition does not take background, and its layers are always transparent PNG.

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
• 1K, 1.5K, and 2K resolution tiers, or an exact size from 0.92MP to 4.62MP
• PNG or JPEG output, and layers are always PNG
• No grouped output, streaming, or web search

Billing

Each returned image bills at its own size: up to 2.61MP, which covers 1K and 1.5K, or above 2.61MP, which covers 2K. Every input image bills, the one for layer decomposition included. Layer decomposition bills every returned image, the base image and each layer, at its own size.

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 4.5

Text-to-image, single-reference editing, and multi-reference generation from up to 14 input images, plus batch sets of up to 15 related images. Every size bills at the same flat per-image rate, and input reference images are free.

Output

• 2K or 4K tiers, or an explicit size between 3.69MP and 16.78MP total pixels. JPEG output.

Batch mode

• sequential_image_generation auto generates a cohesive set; you are billed only for images actually returned.

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 5.5 and Seedream 4.5

Seedream 5.5 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-5-5 or seedream-4-5. Get an API key from the EmpirioLabs dashboard.

curl https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/images/generations \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "seedream-5-5",
    "prompt": "Describe what you want Seedream 5.5 to generate."
  }'

Seedream 5.5 vs Seedream 4.5: common questions

What is the difference between Seedream 5.5 and Seedream 4.5?

Seedream 5.5 is the newer release (Nov 9, 2026); Seedream 4.5 was released on Dec 3, 2025. Capabilities listed only for Seedream 5.5: image generation, image editing, layer decomposition, interactive editing, multi reference, multilingual text. Capabilities listed only for Seedream 4.5: editing, batch generation. The specs, rate cards, and parameters on this page come from the live EmpirioLabs catalog.

Which is newer, Seedream 5.5 or Seedream 4.5?

Seedream 5.5 is the newer release (Nov 9, 2026); Seedream 4.5 was released on Dec 3, 2025.

Which has the lower rate, Seedream 5.5 or Seedream 4.5?

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 5.5 and Seedream 4.5 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 5.5 and Seedream 4.5 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.