GPT Image 2.5 Sunburstvs.Seedream 5.0 Pro

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. In the arena, GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst leads. GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst costs 2.3 times as much per image.

Test images

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst54 out of 100

Seedream 5.0 Pro: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Seedream 5.0 Pro68 out of 100

Result for “Typography and layout”:Seedream 5.0 Pro ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square editorial poster for an imaginary night train called MONDFALTER. Show the exact German headline MONDFALTER and the exact subline BERLIN NACH LISSABON. Use a restrained midnight-blue and warm-cream palette, one stylized moth, strong Swiss-grid typography, generous negative space, and no additional words or logos.

What the rating looks at: Legible text, hierarchy, and composition.

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

Test protocol of the images

Each test attempt uses the same archived prompt and one request. The first output of that attempt counts. Repeats after technical test failures are disclosed for the affected images. 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 2.5 Sunburst: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:51 PM. Source

Seedream 5.0 Pro: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.045000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:32 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst image SHA 256: 2bcd5e2358dbf9e2f11336ebf6c4a4a15e0a9a10261dd74378d40985ac68ec6d

Seedream 5.0 Pro image SHA 256: 06eb1919b5157094ba0ecf0ddcfb921ebbfc937c496cee7627f4717fdd4a7d90

Infographic

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:52 PM. Source

Seedream 5.0 Pro: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.045000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:34 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst image SHA 256: 7dab94e5588be73aefe08f23f9d56ced4e2ddb2b29f754db41b057025cf34847

Seedream 5.0 Pro image SHA 256: bec4d5de9deed41729f7e7d93f77450e76ddd0f579b5f0c74244a25e0c03a224

Product photography

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:51 PM. Source

Seedream 5.0 Pro: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.045000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:29 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst image SHA 256: c648276704e06f7925f2325e8ffff0d9d0a9bd6c5bb4866785abac92ce97ff9a

Seedream 5.0 Pro image SHA 256: fd38abd0e7bde742e8e859fbcbc76e4e96f443673445378a42364bc56382ac57

Typography and layout

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Sep 28, 2026, 8:50 PM. Source

Seedream 5.0 Pro: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.045000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:05 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst image SHA 256: fd6a3767ba8253869cb94d5346f025541dac924c2190df2c37b366b182986cf8

Seedream 5.0 Pro image SHA 256: 4e9693d5da3e445b69cc5da6f869caddb88ca5560f010556b168ac8e9aaa70b2

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,427

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

Rank 1 of 21

1,250

Seedream 5.0 Pro

Rank 10 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

Rank 8 of 108

Seedream 5.0 Pro

Rank 6 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.21

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

expensive

$0.09

Seedream 5.0 Pro

expensive

Ranks among the 21 image models with an arena rating and the 108 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

Subscription: No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.39 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 62 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.21 per image, 100 images $21.07.

Seedream 5.0 Pro

Subscription: No ByteDance subscription includes this model. Through other providers from €6.83 a month (Poe Basic, with limited points). 38 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.09 per image, 100 images $9.

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 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 3, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (35 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst	Seedream 5.0 Pro
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,427	1,250
Arena rank	Rank 1 of 21	Rank 10 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	40,323	105,824
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	75	76
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	54	68
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	87	77
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	64	60
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	97	99
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.21	$0.09
100 images	$21.07	$9
Profile
Released	Sep 8, 2026	July 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	proprietary
Access	API	API, Web app
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	3,840 × 2,160 pixels	2K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	62	38

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

Sources: GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst model source (verified Sep 24, 2026) · Seedream 5.0 Pro model source (verified Aug 15, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

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

Arena rating per categoryfrom votes by users · higher is betterGPT Image 2.5 SunburstSeedream 5.0 Pro

Text to Image Arena1,2231,101ahead

Image Editing Arena1,1991,129ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,4161,248ahead

Text to Image: Agentic image generation1,3971,241ahead

Text to Image: Art1,4091,259ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon1,4561,264ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design1,4191,236ahead

Text to Image: Overall1,4271,250ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,4331,274ahead

Text to Image: Portraits1,4611,286ahead

Text to Image: Text rendering1,4661,255ahead

Image Editing: Agentic image generation1,5291,409ahead

Image Editing: Multi-image editing1,5211,413ahead

Image Editing: Agentic multi-image editing1,5411,425ahead

Image Editing: Overall1,5171,390ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 3, 2026 · LMArena from Oct 28, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst	Seedream 5.0 Pro	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,223	1,101	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,199	1,129	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,416	1,248	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Agentic image generation	1,397	1,241	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,409	1,259	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,456	1,264	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,419	1,236	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,427	1,250	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,433	1,274	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,461	1,286	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,466	1,255	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Agentic image generation	1,529	1,409	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Multi-image editing	1,521	1,413	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Agentic multi-image editing	1,541	1,425	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Overall	1,517	1,390	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026

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Predecessor and successor

PredecessorGPT Image 2.5 Sunburst vs. GPT Image 2Predecessor of GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst has no successor yet
No predecessor recorded for Seedream 5.0 Pro
Seedream 5.0 Pro has no successor yet

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