Seedream 4.0 AI Image Generator

Seedream 4.0 is the 4.0 generation of ByteDance's Seedream image models. On Pixmint it sits between the free Seedream 5.0 Flash and Seedream 5.0 Pro in price, at 8 credits per image. It takes a text prompt, accepts up to four reference images and can be used to edit photos in the AI image editor.

What stands out in our examples is its taste. Given the same short prompt as the other models, Seedream 4.0 tends to add polish: more color, more decoration, a more designed composition. Whether that is a feature or a bug depends on your prompt. If you give it a precise brief it follows it; if you give it room, it fills the room.

Like the other Seedream models on Pixmint, it renders at around 2K resolution. Free-credit images are scaled to 1024 px with a small watermark.

These six images were generated with Seedream 4.0 on Pixmint. The exact prompt is printed under each one, and you can copy any of them into the tool above. Each prompt was run once, so treat the notes as impressions from a single sample, not as a benchmark.

• Color and mood. Vivid, cheerful palettes. The red-umbrella alley is the most colorful night scene of all seven models.
• Designed-looking compositions. On the poster test it turned a one-line prompt into a layout with hierarchy and decoration.
• Illustration and icon styles. Light, airy watercolors and pastel 3D rooms suit it well.
• Mid-range price. At 8 credits it is cheaper than every OpenAI and Google model.

• It adds decoration you may not want. When a layout must be exact, say so in the prompt ("no decoration, centered, plain background") or use a model that follows plain layouts more literally.
• Highly photographic realism is not where it shines in our samples; the Nano Banana models and Seedream 5.0 Pro look more like photographs.
• As a single sample per prompt, these observations show tendencies, not guarantees.

Next to Seedream 5.0 Flash, which stays plain and literal, 4.0 is more ornamental and more colorful. Next to Seedream 5.0 Pro, which in our samples was darker, moodier and more detailed, 4.0 is lighter and sweeter.

Against GPT Image 2, which produced a designed, graphic look on the poster test, Seedream 4.0 is the cheaper way to get a decorated layout. Against the Nano Banana models it is less photographic and more illustrative.

The comparisons here are qualitative and based on the example images on this site. Image generation varies from run to run, so run your own prompt on two models before you commit. The models page lists every model with its price.

Seedream 4.0 costs 8 credits ($0.08) per image. Four images in one go cost 32 credits ($0.32). Failed images are refunded automatically, so you only pay for images you receive.

One credit is worth about $0.01 at the planned list price. The signup bonus of 50 credits and the 20 daily credits are enough to try several of the paid models, and the photo tools cost 15 credits per run.

Planned paid plans (not available yet): 500 credits for $4.90, 1,100 credits for $9.90, 2,400 credits for $19.90, or a monthly plan of 1,200 credits for $9.90. Paid plans are planned but not available yet, so nothing can be bought today (see pricing). If the largest planned pack (2,400 credits) goes on sale, it would cover roughly 300 Seedream 4.0 images.

Guests (no account) get 5 free Seedream 5.0 Flash images and 3 photo-tool uses per day. Signed-in users get 50 credits on their first sign-in plus 20 credits every day. Free outputs are up to 1024 px with a small watermark and are for personal non-commercial use.