GPT Image 2 vs Seedream 5.0 Lite
Which one, when — curated verdict, not a benchmark table
Both gpt-image-2 and seedream-5-0-260128 take text and image in and return an image, so the real split is billing: gpt-image-2 charges $5 per million input tokens and $30 per million output tokens, while seedream-5-0-260128 charges a flat $0.035 per call — they bill in different units, and no single conversion between them is honest. Pick seedream-5-0-260128 when you want a predictable per-image cost you can budget by request count; pick gpt-image-2, the newer of the two at 2026-04-21, when token-metered pricing fits your pipeline and you want its rate card to scale with prompt size.
Pricing
| GPT Image 2 | Seedream 5.0 Lite | Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per generated image | — | $0.035 | — |
| Input / 1M tokens | $5 | — | — |
| Output / 1M tokens | $30 | — | — |
These two models bill in different units, so no Δ is shown — converting between them would require an assumption we have not measured. Each card is listed in its own unit above.
Specs
| GPT Image 2 | Seedream 5.0 Lite | |
|---|---|---|
| Input modalities | text image | text image |
| Output modalities | image | image |
| Released | 2026-04-21 | 2026-01 |
| Output sizes |
|
|
| Input modes | text-to-image, image edit with mask inpainting | text-to-image, single-image image-to-image, multi-reference image-to-image (2–14 refs), batch/sequential image sets |
| Images per request | 10 | 15 |
| Formats | png, jpeg, webp | png, jpeg |
| Notes | Flexible resolutions: edges up to 3840px in multiples of 16, ratio <=3:1, ~0.65-8.3MP total (incl. 4K 3840x2160) editing with mask inpainting all image inputs processed at high fidelity significantly improved text rendering (precise placement can still struggle) | 2K/3K/4K output, png/jpeg text-to-image + single/multi-reference image editing batch generation with reference + generated images <=15 500 max IPM |
Specs are transcribed from each vendor’s documentation; a row a vendor does not publish is left out rather than inferred. Full sources: GPT Image 2 · Seedream 5.0 Lite
One prompt, both models — measured through the gateway
One prompt, one request per model, no retries and no cherry-picking — the first result each model returned. Neither size nor duration was pinned: each model used its own default, because a request shaped to fit all of them would flatter none. Files here are re-encoded for the web, so judge composition and prompt adherence, not compression.
Switch between them with one line
Both ids are in every tab below — the highlighted pair of lines is the only edit. Same endpoint, same key, same request shape.
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
base_url="https://synthorai.io/v1",
api_key="sk-syn-...",
)
resp = client.images.generate(
model="gpt-image-2",
# model="seedream-5-0-260128", # uncomment this line, comment the one above
prompt="a watercolor lighthouse at dawn",
size="1024x1024",
)
print(resp.data[0].b64_json[:80])import OpenAI from "openai";
const client = new OpenAI({
baseURL: "https://synthorai.io/v1",
apiKey: "sk-syn-...",
});
const resp = await client.images.generate({
model: "gpt-image-2",
// model: "seedream-5-0-260128", // uncomment this line, comment the one above
prompt: "a watercolor lighthouse at dawn",
size: "1024x1024",
});
console.log(resp.data?.[0]?.b64_json?.slice(0, 80));curl https://synthorai.io/v1/images/generations \
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk-syn-..." \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "gpt-image-2",
# "model": "seedream-5-0-260128", # uncomment this line, comment the one above
"prompt": "a watercolor lighthouse at dawn",
"size": "1024x1024"
}'package main
import (
"context"
"fmt"
"github.com/openai/openai-go/v3"
"github.com/openai/openai-go/v3/option"
)
func main() {
client := openai.NewClient(
option.WithBaseURL("https://synthorai.io/v1"),
option.WithAPIKey("sk-syn-..."),
)
resp, _ := client.Images.Generate(context.TODO(), openai.ImageGenerateParams{
Model: "gpt-image-2",
// Model: "seedream-5-0-260128", // uncomment this line, comment the one above
Prompt: "a watercolor lighthouse at dawn",
Size: "1024x1024",
})
fmt.Println(resp.Data[0].B64JSON[:80])
}import com.openai.client.OpenAIClient;
import com.openai.client.okhttp.OpenAIOkHttpClient;
import com.openai.models.images.*;
OpenAIClient client = OpenAIOkHttpClient.builder()
.baseUrl("https://synthorai.io/v1")
.apiKey("sk-syn-...")
.build();
ImagesResponse resp = client.images().generate(
ImageGenerateParams.builder()
.model("gpt-image-2")
// .model("seedream-5-0-260128") // uncomment this line, comment the one above
.prompt("a watercolor lighthouse at dawn")
.size("1024x1024")
.build());
System.out.println(resp.data().orElseThrow().get(0).b64Json().orElseThrow().substring(0, 80));FAQ
Which is cheaper, GPT Image 2 or Seedream 5.0 Lite?
They bill in different units, so there is no single honest number: GPT Image 2 and Seedream 5.0 Lite each appear in their own unit in the table above. Compare them on your own workload — the practical trade-off is described in the verdict at the top of this page.
Can I A/B test GPT Image 2 against Seedream 5.0 Lite without two integrations?
Yes. Both are served through the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint with one API key — switching is a one-line model-string change, so you can route a fraction of traffic to each and compare bills directly.
Does the price change with image size?
It depends on how the model bills. Per-image models charge the same regardless of prompt or output size; token-billed models scale with the resolution you render, so a 4K image costs a multiple of a small one. The table above shows which applies to each.