# What Is Seedream 5.5? Features, Access, and API Pricing

[Read this article on Offloop](https://offloop.org/learn/seedream-5-5)

Yifei

See how Seedream 5.5 uses prompts to edit images, separate layers, and create transparent assets. Find where to try it and what we know about API pricing.

**Seedream 5.5** is an image generation and editing model released by ByteDance on November 9, 2026. Access is rolling out through Jimeng, Doubao, Doubao Work, and the Volcano Engine Ark Experience Center. [ByteDance Seed release announcement](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/blog/more-realistic-images-more-stable-editing-across-100-rounds-introducing-seedream-5-5)

Seedream 5.5 is most valuable as an image editor. You can use a prompt to recolor part of an existing image or isolate a subject, tasks that would often involve opening Photoshop. The cutout can go straight into a new layout as a transparent asset.

## What’s new in Seedream 5.5?

### Preserve image details across successive edits

For its launch demonstration, ByteDance edited the same portrait 100 times, using each result as the input for the next round. Clothing, accessories, and items on the table changed over successive edits. Details outside the requested changes remained recognizable. [ByteDance Seed release announcement](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/blog/more-realistic-images-more-stable-editing-across-100-rounds-introducing-seedream-5-5)

**A watch photo across 100 edits**

Creator Alisa Qian tested three models on the same watch photo, asking each one to advance the displayed time by one second per round. From left to right, the video shows **Seedream 5.5, GPT Image 2.5, and GPT Image 2.6**. All three start at 16:30:46. The corn packaging and cables in the background make it easy to see what changes outside the watch face. [Alisa Qian’s original post](https://x.com/alisaqqt/status/2119805701300408634)

![Round 0. All three models start with the same watch photo, showing 16:30:46.](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/alisa-watch-start.jpg)

Round 0. Still from Alisa Qian’s video.

![Round 50. Seedream retains the packaging and cables. Large patches of color appear in both GPT images.](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/alisa-watch-middle.jpg)

Round 50. The text on the packaging is still legible in the Seedream image. Areas outside the requested edit have visibly changed in both GPT images.

![Round 100. Seedream retains the original framing. GPT Image 2.6 produces a close-up of the watch.](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/alisa-watch-end.jpg)

Round 100. Seedream shows 16:32:26 and retains the wrist, packaging, and cables. The GPT Image 2.6 image shows the same time, but the framing has shifted to a close-up.

> [Watch the full video](https://x.com/alisaqqt/status/2119805701300408634)

### Generate transparent and partially transparent assets

Seedream 5.5 can output images with an alpha channel, so the background can be fully transparent and the edges can retain partial transparency. In ByteDance’s demonstration, the model extracts a flamingo from an existing image and outputs it as a separate asset with a transparent background. A designer can reposition it in the layout or place it on a new background. [Official Seedream 5.5 examples](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/seedream5_5)

![ByteDance’s demonstration of extracting a flamingo as a separate transparent asset](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/flamingo-cutout.webp)

Official example from ByteDance Seed.

[Open the full animation](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/sd55-r03zc-34532bd0.webp)

The BytePlus product page also lists layer features. If you want to separate an existing poster into pieces for a new layout, check whether your chosen interface supports layer separation and which export formats it offers. [BytePlus Seedream product page](https://www.byteplus.com/en/product/Seedream)

**Turning a night-market scene into separate assets**

Creator Xiguayang generated a night scene at a noodle stall with Seedream 5.5, then separated it into layers on the canvas. The left panel shows the full scene. The middle shows the street with the foreground elements removed. On the right, the sign, cook, wok, and tables appear as separate elements. That lets you reposition the cook and sign independently when adapting the image for landscape and portrait posters. [Xiguayang’s layer separation example](https://x.com/ccning5375/status/2119803245606625306)

![The noodle stall image, background plate, and separated elements](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/night-market-layers.jpg)

Xiguayang’s layer separation result.

### Clearer small text and more lifelike rendering

ByteDance’s blue morpho butterfly infographic uses eight close-ups to show details such as the antennae, wing veins, and scales. Each has a short Chinese annotation. Zoom in to see whether the characters with more strokes remain legible and whether each numbered label points to the right detail. [ByteDance Seed release announcement](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/blog/more-realistic-images-more-stable-editing-across-100-rounds-introducing-seedream-5-5)

![Blue morpho butterfly infographic with eight close-ups and small Chinese annotations](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/4xfa4mw8l84mx.webp)

Official example from ByteDance Seed.

ByteDance’s internal evaluation covered Chinese, English, and densely arranged small text. It counted wrong or missing characters and malformed glyphs. Under ByteDance’s grading system, Seedream 5.5 had a **0.4%** rate of severe text errors and a **1.7%** rate of minor errors. Other examples in the release show portraits by a window and the appearance of fabric and skin under soft light. [ByteDance Seed release announcement](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/blog/more-realistic-images-more-stable-editing-across-100-rounds-introducing-seedream-5-5)

In one set of perfume bottle tests, Orylia asked for a cylindrical cap. In one result, the reflections on the glass and the textures of the stone and fabric looked natural, but the cap came out square. For a product page, I’d provide a reference photograph and compare the generated bottle and cap with the real product. [Orylia’s test record](https://orylia.ai/ai-models/seedream-5-5)

![Seedream 5.5 perfume image from Orylia with a square bottle cap](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/7b5dd1a8-2139-472a-a36f-77e4bf182a51.webp)

Orylia’s second perfume image.

**Chinese infographics on Suzhou embroidery and cloisonné**

Creator 蜡笔进化论 generated two infographics on traditional crafts with Seedream 5.5. The Suzhou embroidery image labels the needle, thread, and embroidery frame around the main illustration. The cloisonné image connects the steps with arrows and puts the craft notes on the right. Both show how the model lays out illustrations and Chinese annotations together. [Infographic examples from 蜡笔进化论](https://x.com/crayon1267/status/2119988767293653068)

![Suzhou embroidery infographic with labels for the needle, thread, and embroidery frame](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/suxiu.jpg)

Suzhou embroidery infographic.

![Cloisonné infographic with production steps on the left and craft notes on the right](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/jingtailan.jpg)

Cloisonné production infographic.

**A night scene in the style of a slice-of-life drama**

UMINEKO STUDIO shared a set of images in the style of a slice-of-life drama, generated with Seedream 5.5. Two characters occupy the center of this image. The cooler streetlights under the bridge and the warm light on the wall to the right give the background depth. The characters’ poses and the lighting tell most of the story, which makes the image useful for discussing a shot’s composition and color. [UMINEKO STUDIO’s sample stills](https://x.com/UminekoStudio/status/2119782661749407939)

![Night scene with two characters in the middle of a road under a bridge](https://offloop.org/editorial/seedream-5-5/umineko-still.jpg)

Seedream 5.5 example from UMINEKO STUDIO.

## Where I’d use Seedream 5.5

For an approved product image, I’d start with a well-defined change, such as recoloring one area or replacing a promotional badge. After each round, I’d check the label text, product outline, and framing against the original before deciding whether to edit the new version further.

When making stickers or character assets for more than one layout, I’d extract them with transparent backgrounds and check the edges against the actual backgrounds. Dark backgrounds make pale fringes especially easy to spot.

## How to use Seedream 5.5

ByteDance announced four places to try Seedream 5.5, and access is rolling out. If you already use Jimeng or Doubao, start by editing an image there. [Official access options](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/blog/more-realistic-images-more-stable-editing-across-100-rounds-introducing-seedream-5-5)

* **Jimeng on the web**. Open “创作” (Create), then select Seedream 5.5 under “生成” (Generate) or “画布” (Canvas).
* **Doubao on the web or in the app**. Open “图像生成” (Image Generation) and select Seedream 5.5 from the model list.
* **Doubao Work**. Open “技能” (Skills) and look for Seedream 5.5.
* **Volcano Engine Ark Experience Center**. Open “视觉模型” (Vision Models), then “图片生成” (Image Generation), and look for Doubao-Seedream-5.5.

Select the model and upload the original product photo. In the same prompt, name the part you want to change and the details you want to preserve.

> Change only the bottle cap from black to matte silver. Keep its shape. Preserve the label text, bottle proportions, camera angle, background, and shadows.

If the label becomes distorted, retry from the original. Narrow the prompt to the cap’s surface and specify that the bottle and the label below the cap should stay as they are.

## Is the Seedream 5.5 API available, and what does it cost?

**In China**, the Volcano Engine Ark Experience Center offers a way to try Seedream 5.5. As of November 10, 2026, the public API documentation and pricing pages reviewed did not list a production model ID or standard rates for 5.5. IT Home reported a sample price of **about ¥0.28** to edit one square 2K image. [Volcano Engine Ark image generation API documentation](https://ark.volcengine.com/region:cn-beijing/docs/image-generation-api.md) · [IT Home’s release coverage](https://www.ithome.com/1/024/379.htm)

**Outside China**, the BytePlus product page lists a first-purchase offer for Seedream 5.5, with prices **starting at US$0.02 per image**, with credits valid for 30 days. At the time of review, the Try now button still opened 5.0 Pro, and the public ModelArk pricing page did not list a standard pay-as-you-go rate for 5.5. [BytePlus Seedream product page](https://www.byteplus.com/en/product/Seedream) · [ModelArk pricing](https://docs.byteplus.com/docs/en/modelark/model-pricing.md)

If you want to add Seedream 5.5 to a batch generation workflow, wait for the platform to confirm the API model ID and standard rates before setting a budget. Estimate the cost of an image from first draft to approval, including edits and retries.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I use Seedream 5.5 for free?

ByteDance’s release announcement did not specify a universal free allowance. Check your Jimeng or Doubao account for trial limits, credit charges, and membership terms. The BytePlus first-purchase bundle is a separate API offer.

### Can Seedream 5.5 output transparent PNGs?

Ask for a transparent background in your prompt. If your interface offers PNG export, select the option that preserves the alpha channel. [Official Seedream 5.5 examples](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/seedream5_5)

### Has Seedream 5.5 Pro been released?

As of November 10, 2026, ByteDance had released Seedream 5.5 and announced that 5.5 Pro would follow. It had yet to give a Pro release date. [ByteDance Seed release announcement](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/blog/more-realistic-images-more-stable-editing-across-100-rounds-introducing-seedream-5-5)

### Do I need to upload a reference image?

A text description is enough to generate an image from scratch. Upload the original or a reference if you want to edit a photo or retain the appearance of a specific product. [Official Seedream 5.5 examples](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/seedream5_5)

### Can Seedream 5.5 edit every image 100 times?

ByteDance demonstrated 100 consecutive edits on the same image, and Alisa Qian’s watch video shows the result of changing the time round by round. How well the model preserves the image depends on the source and the requested changes. Public materials do not specify a maximum number of edits for the 5.5 API. [ByteDance Seed release announcement](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/blog/more-realistic-images-more-stable-editing-across-100-rounds-introducing-seedream-5-5) · [Alisa Qian’s original post](https://x.com/alisaqqt/status/2119805701300408634)

### Can I enter Doubao-Seedream-5.5 as the API model ID?

Doubao-Seedream-5.5 is the name shown in the Volcano Engine Ark Experience Center. For API requests, use the model ID published in the Ark documentation or the inference endpoint ID required by your integration. As of November 10, 2026, the public model list reviewed did not include a production API ID for 5.5. [Volcano Engine Ark model list](https://ark.volcengine.com/region:cn-beijing/docs/model-list)

### What is the difference between Seedream 5.5 and Seedance?

Seedream 5.5 generates and edits images. The Seedance family generates video. The watch video documents a series of image edits, with one still image produced per round. [ByteDance Seed model catalog](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/models)

## Further reading

* [Seedream 5.5 vs GPT Image 2.6](https://offloop.org/learn/seedream-5-5-vs-gpt-image-2-6)

## References

* [\[1\] ByteDance Seed release announcement](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/blog/more-realistic-images-more-stable-editing-across-100-rounds-introducing-seedream-5-5)
* [\[2\] Alisa Qian’s original post](https://x.com/alisaqqt/status/2119805701300408634)
* [\[3\] Official Seedream 5.5 examples](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/seedream5_5)
* [\[4\] BytePlus Seedream product page](https://www.byteplus.com/en/product/Seedream)
* [\[5\] Xiguayang’s layer separation example](https://x.com/ccning5375/status/2119803245606625306)
* [\[6\] Orylia’s test record](https://orylia.ai/ai-models/seedream-5-5)
* [\[7\] Infographic examples from 蜡笔进化论](https://x.com/crayon1267/status/2119988767293653068)
* [\[8\] UMINEKO STUDIO’s sample stills](https://x.com/UminekoStudio/status/2119782661749407939)
* [\[9\] Volcano Engine Ark image generation API documentation](https://ark.volcengine.com/region:cn-beijing/docs/image-generation-api.md)
* [\[10\] IT Home’s release coverage](https://www.ithome.com/1/024/379.htm)
* [\[11\] ModelArk pricing](https://docs.byteplus.com/docs/en/modelark/model-pricing.md)
* [\[12\] Volcano Engine Ark model list](https://ark.volcengine.com/region:cn-beijing/docs/model-list)
* [\[13\] ByteDance Seed model catalog](https://seed.bytedance.com/zh/models)

Updated November 10, 2026