Seedream 4.0vs.MAI-Image-2.6

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Seedream 4.0 has no arena rating yet. Seedream 4.0 has no API price.

Test images

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

Seedream 4.0: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — Seedream 4.044 out of 100

MAI-Image-2.6: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — MAI-Image-2.688 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:MAI-Image-2.6 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.

“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

Seedream 4.0: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:24 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039287, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:42 AM. Source

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

Seedream 4.0 image SHA 256: 81b5aa023fa252472878015448b5ee1cefcbc61844dd6cff98997685d7ab1511

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: d35364051eca0758b88795df477d282641f6ca6892e81b904352e3fd5489ae69

Infographic

Seedream 4.0: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:25 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039317, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:42 AM. Source

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

Seedream 4.0 image SHA 256: 63dcddf4bf7bb58ea0c67eea96f2c71834158568f29ed3b7f2523b56a91e6526

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: cdc9c16cd554a18da292c721b142e5d78dd042fdde2539f797612bfd9cd674ef

Product photography

Seedream 4.0: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:24 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039292, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:41 AM. Source

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

Seedream 4.0 image SHA 256: 1fbad61d03b05e6cd8523e76409983e86c11c74fca2fa1a14d20f07f0d801519

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: a66f522e0ff2012b95dc3bc123216de7807206c9e91dd7711cd78eb34a234beb

Typography and layout

Seedream 4.0: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:01 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039252, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:41 AM. Source

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

Seedream 4.0 image SHA 256: 029be40f71522352246ad0de0de2e6c1ed2e45608f59c4f0e1be87b4dc2353c1

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: 48fa1551aee7dcd737179b5ae860d30562fbd234321b8d8ade334cb40291fb47

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Seedream 4.0

not in the arena

1,329

MAI-Image-2.6

Rank 4 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Seedream 4.0

Rank 47 of 108

MAI-Image-2.6

Rank 28 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

n/a

Seedream 4.0

no API price

$0.039

MAI-Image-2.6

fairly cheap

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.

Seedream 4.0

Subscription: No ByteDance subscription includes this model. Through other providers from €6.83 a month (Poe Basic, with limited points). 16 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, Web app.

MAI-Image-2.6

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.039 per image, 100 images $3.89.

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 (38 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	Seedream 4.0	MAI-Image-2.6
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	n/a	1,329
Arena rank	n/a	Rank 4 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	n/a	34,596
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	62	68
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	65	62
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	44	88
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	73	63
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	67	61
API price
Per imagelower is better	n/a	$0.039
100 images	n/a	$3.89
Profile
Released	September 2025	Jul 31, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	proprietary
Lifecycle	no notice	Preview in Microsoft Foundry
Access	API, Web app	API
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	4K	2,359,296 pixels
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	16	n/a

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

Sources: Seedream 4.0 model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · MAI-Image-2.6 model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 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 Seedream 4.0 and MAI-Image-2.6 from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

More comparisons with Seedream 4.0 and MAI-Image-2.6

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Seedream 4.0vs.MAI-Image-2.6

Test images

The numbers at a glance

Seedream 4.0

MAI-Image-2.6

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

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