Z-Image Turbovs.Seedream 4.5

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. Neither has an API price.

Test images

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

Z-Image Turbo: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Z-Image Turbo40 out of 100

Seedream 4.5: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Seedream 4.584 out of 100

Result for “Typography and layout”:Seedream 4.5 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

Z-Image Turbo: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=457367499, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

Seedream 4.5: fal, requested native 2048x2048 square, n=1, seed=607017308, estimated cost $0.040000, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 2, 2026, 2:50 PM. Source

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

Z-Image Turbo image SHA 256: 5297796931ae8a9259947d2ee85881444a6408266aa7c9bc45d365b56bd11fe1

Seedream 4.5 image SHA 256: 614d5b810be9f7cc54c999fb930e5bb1a7a5b58f7211a3b71aa92e83a360cf78

Infographic

Z-Image Turbo: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=364147116, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

Seedream 4.5: fal, requested native 2048x2048 square, n=1, seed=467481828, estimated cost $0.040000, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 2, 2026, 2:51 PM. Source

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

Z-Image Turbo image SHA 256: 2a0bbce06ee9f7e009876b2d9abc02657f7be5535cd79ab7f37df0bf61b141a8

Seedream 4.5 image SHA 256: ec1e2be1080670edf050cff00a094ff471c1b480a11a3922cf8c25f0ef0f6a5e

Product photography

Z-Image Turbo: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=453185405, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

Seedream 4.5: fal, requested native 2048x2048 square, n=1, seed=1880157282, estimated cost $0.040000, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 2, 2026, 2:50 PM. Source

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

Z-Image Turbo image SHA 256: 16330b5b71c71290aaa2994dd589e5e2088712d286fddcee8046e56c300f124e

Seedream 4.5 image SHA 256: 48a36dede8c680fa8e2231ac33a95b1417dcded96ad753c98218cc78ed96a65b

Typography and layout

Z-Image Turbo: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=249593273, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

Seedream 4.5: fal, requested native 2048x2048 square, n=1, seed=775629027, estimated cost $0.040000, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 2, 2026, 2:50 PM. Source

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

Z-Image Turbo image SHA 256: 0a9ee8166b04fc677b96ca3f74d8fcf37657d812f81d3b94940092aa661dba50

Seedream 4.5 image SHA 256: 62d4e5b0b3c9ca5a55952dc2c5aca878ed687c76f302ad632136bd3e6bee3872

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Z-Image Turbo

not in the arena

n/a

Seedream 4.5

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Z-Image Turbo

Rank 67 of 108

Seedream 4.5

Rank 64 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

n/a

Z-Image Turbo

no API price

n/a

Seedream 4.5

no API price

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.

Z-Image Turbo

Subscription: No Tongyi-MAI / Alibaba subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €12.72 a month (Recraft Basic, with limited credits). 3 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, local, Web app.
License: Open weights.

Seedream 4.5

Subscription: No ByteDance / Volcengine subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.36 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 39 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, Web app.
Weights: unknown.

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

GraduallyBench 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	Z-Image Turbo	Seedream 4.5
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	n/a	n/a
Arena rank	n/a	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	n/a	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	44	48
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	40	84
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	30	44
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	71	37
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	37	27
API price
Per imagelower is better	n/a	n/a
100 images	n/a	n/a
Profile
Released	Nov 26, 2025	n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locally	open	unknown
Lifecycle	no notice	Still-listed T2I/I2I model ID; Ark marks it as pending shutdown without giving a date in the reviewed source
Access	API, local, Web app	API, Web app
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	2K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	3	39

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

Sources: Z-Image Turbo model source (verified Nov 1, 2026) · Seedream 4.5 model source, status 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 Z-Image Turbo and Seedream 4.5 from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

More comparisons

Compare Z-Image Turbo and Seedream 4.5 with the models people compare them with most often.

Compare another matchup

First image modelSecond image model