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GPT Image 1.5vs.Seedream 5.0 Flash

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Seedream 5.0 Flash has no arena rating yet. Seedream 5.0 Flash has no API price.

Same prompt, two images

Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.

GPT Image 1.5: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run
GPT Image 1.564 out of 100
Seedream 5.0 Flash: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run
Seedream 5.0 Flash34 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:GPT Image 1.5 slightly ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square cinematic full-body portrait of a fictional bicycle courier waiting under a transparent umbrella at a rainy tram stop in Hamburg at blue hour. She wears a mustard raincoat, navy trousers, red sneakers, a silver helmet, and carries a teal messenger bag. Keep both hands visible, render the bicycle correctly, use realistic wet-street reflections, and include no readable brand names.

What the rating looks at: Anatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Both models receive the same archived prompt in exactly one request, and the first result counts. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier and prompt processing can still differ. The images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:17 PM. Source

Seedream 5.0 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.018000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:29 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 0dff52ccd39400ac66ac8870c9ea937512ff1474688e70118688f420c38c2296

Seedream 5.0 Flash image SHA 256: ffb32d701168dd57095e39252aba67b191c008c7b9393ae22acf1e1b1caba9b9

Infographic

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:17 PM. Source

Seedream 5.0 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.018000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:30 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 1c9ff59c32621c8b48b002dacb0ae66487262280c7c0a5b3d6456c81b248ebe9

Seedream 5.0 Flash image SHA 256: 0758d1251491a26b5d7736c16597318e5807a92c30db03d9431d8584652aae3e

Product photography

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:16 PM. Source

Seedream 5.0 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.018000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:29 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 67cfa2f324447027ceb5f82e9446d40a1395b46ce425890a74606b4d97731cf6

Seedream 5.0 Flash image SHA 256: 3ea7343b12d253b6b0e090054c1e494f5a005632cc263a9b2df4d866ba6b02d0

Typography and layout

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:59 PM. Source

Seedream 5.0 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.018000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:29 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 6a4cec86850fd371b65274198e2bf630b3cf36a096f9fb953d4bfe17c3222ebe

Seedream 5.0 Flash image SHA 256: b9739c9a9ab67183f268f41b7ff62a9151cef9d0c8c168eba332a2b6af057426

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better
1,236

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 13 of 22

n/a

Seedream 5.0 Flash

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
54

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 43 of 74

56

Seedream 5.0 Flash

Rank 39 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
$0.13

GPT Image 1.5

expensive

n/a

Seedream 5.0 Flash

no API price

Ranks among the 22 image models with an arena rating and the 74 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

GPT Image 1.5

Subscription
No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.39 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 42 plans in Germany.
Via API
$0.13 per image, 100 images $13.30.

Seedream 5.0 Flash

Subscription
No ByteDance subscription includes this model. Through other providers from €6.83 a month (Poe Basic, with limited points). 18 plans in Germany.
Via API
No API price known. Access: API.
Weights
unknown.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

Arena rating (LMArena) from Oct 28, 2026 · GraduallyBench from Nov 1, 2026 · API prices from Oct 28, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (34 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

KennzahlGPT Image 1.5Seedream 5.0 Flash
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better1,236n/a
Arena rankRank 13 of 22n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating174,012n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 1005456
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition5861
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details3849
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency6434
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization5679
API price
Per imagelower is better$0.13n/a
100 images$13.30n/a
Profile
ReleasedDecember 2025n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locallyproprietaryunknown
LifecycleMarked as deprecated by OpenAI; removed from the API on December 1, 2026no notice
AccessAPI, Web appAPI
Parametersnot publishednot published
Largest output1,536 × 1,024 pixelsnot consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model4218

API prices for one image at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels according to Artificial Analysis.

Sources: GPT Image 1.5 model source, status source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Seedream 5.0 Flash model source (verified Nov 1, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

The stored benchmark database contains no measurement for GPT Image 1.5 and Seedream 5.0 Flash from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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