Black Forest Labs' 12-billion parameter flow transformer for high-quality text-to-image generation, suitable for personal and commercial use with streaming support
Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
FLUX.1 [dev]
24.6
arena score
#16 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Skill signature
· Text-to-Image
Seedream 4.0
24.7
arena score
#15 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Vote tally
Where the votes landed
FLUX.1 [dev]
0.0%
win rate
Ties
0.0%
Seedream 4.0
100.0%
win rate
0.0%
0.0% ties
100.0%
Shared challenges
13
Challenge by challenge
The strongest take from each model on every shared challenge, with the AI judge's read.
Geometric Composition
Text-to-Image“A glass cube on a wooden table. Inside the cube is a small blue sphere. On top of the cube sits a red book. A green plant is behind the cube, partially visible through the glass. Soft window light from the left.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent photorealistic texture on the red book cover.
- + Sharp and clean glass rendering with realistic internal reflections.
- + High-quality soft lighting and bokeh effect in the background.
- − The plant is behind the glass but is not clearly visible 'through' the glass as specified, appearing more as a background element.
- − The sphere is quite large, deviating slightly from the 'small' description.
Seedream 4.0
- + Perfectly adheres to the spatial prompt of the plant being seen through the glass cube.
- + Follows the scale instructions well with a 'small' blue sphere.
- + Includes realistic refractions and reflections on the table surface.
- − The vertical edges of the glass cube look slightly irregular or hand-drawn.
- − General image sharpness is lower compared to Model A.
Verdict: FLUX.1 [dev] produces a much more polished and professional-looking photograph with superior textures, but Seedream 4.0 follows the prompt's logical arrangement more accurately, specifically concerning the visibility of the plant through the glass. FLUX.1 [dev] is the likely winner for its sheer visual quality, despite the plant placement being less integrated with the glass cube.
Candid Street Photography
Text-to-Image“A candid street photo of an elderly Japanese man repairing a red bicycle in light rain, reflections on wet pavement, shallow depth of field, 50mm lens, natural skin texture, imperfect framing, motion blur from passing cars, cinematic but realistic, no stylization.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Exceptional photographic realism with natural skin textures and lighting.
- + Great depth of field and professional use of 50mm lens aesthetics.
- + Realistic rain effect and pavement reflections.
- − The subject is holding the bicycle rather than actively 'repairing' it.
- − Missing the motion blur from passing cars requested in the prompt.
Seedream 4.0
- + Strong adherence to the 'repairing' aspect of the prompt with tools and pose.
- + Excellent interpretation of motion blur from passing cars.
- + Good use of 'imperfect framing' to create a candid street photography feel.
- − Lower visual quality with noticeable AI artifacts, especially on the hands and tools.
- − Spokes and mechanics of the bicycle are inconsistent and visually messy.
- − The rain is less visible compared to Model A.
Verdict: FLUX.1 [dev] produces a much higher quality, more photorealistic image, but Seedream 4.0 follows the specific prompt details like 'repairing' and 'motion blur' more accurately. Ultimately, FLUX.1 [dev] is preferred as a final image because Seedream 4.0 suffers from severe artifacts in the subject's hands and the bicycle's geometry.
Fantasy Warrior
Text-to-Image“Close portrait of a battle-worn paladin in ornate engraved plate armor, hair braided with small beads, faint scars and dirt on the skin, warm torchlight reflecting off metal, shallow depth of field, bokeh sparks, lifelike eyes, highly detailed texture on leather straps and cloth underlayer.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Extremely high resolution and clarity on the face
- + Beautiful lighting and bokeh quality
- + Excellent iris and skin texture detail
- − Missed the request for hair beads
- − Skin appears too clean and 'pretty' for a battle-worn character
- − Armor is simple rather than ornate
Seedream 4.0
- + Followed all prompt instructions including hair beads, scars, and dirt
- + Ornate engraving on the plate armor is highly detailed
- + Atmospheric lighting with the visible torch and sparks
- − Slightly lower skin texture resolution compared to Model A
- − Composition is slightly more cluttered with the bright fire source
Verdict: While FLUX.1 [dev] produced a stunningly clear portrait, it failed to include several key prompt elements like the hair beads, scars, and ornate armor details. Seedream 4.0 followed the prompt much more accurately, capturing the 'battle-worn' aesthetic and the specific engraved details requested, making it the more successful interpretation of the text.
Modern Clean Menu
Text-to-Image“Modern minimalist restaurant menu design, white background with colorful food photos in grid, sections for appetizers/pizza/mains, bold sans-serif fonts, vibrant accents, clean professional layout for casual dining.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent professional layout that looks like a real restaurant menu
- + Good adherence to font requirements with bold sans-serif headings
- + Clean and minimalist aesthetic with effective use of white space
- − The 'grid' for photos is loosely interpreted and not a strict central element
- − Text below headings is gibberish placeholder text
Seedream 4.0
- + Strong adherence to the 'grid' request for food photos
- + High-quality, vibrant food photography
- + Clearly readable section headings
- − Fails the menu design aspect by including no price or item details
- − Poor composition with text overlapping or cutting off awkwardly
- − Does not follow the white background requirement effectively as the photos dominate the space
Verdict: FLUX.1 [dev] successfully creates a functional and professional menu layout that adheres to the minimalist and professional requirements, whereas Seedream 4.0 creates a collage of food photos that lacks actual menu content. FLUX.1 [dev] is the clear winner for its superior composition and stylistic accuracy for the requested 'menu design'.
Magic Burger Explosion: Fiery Photorealism Challenge
Text-to-Image“Ad for 'Magic Burger'. Dynamic, exploded burger with all components (bun, patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sauce) suspended in mid-air. Emphasize photorealistic detail and a sense of motion. Dark, fiery background with glowing embers. Integrate text: 'MAGIC BURGER' as a prominent title, 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' as a secondary message, and '€6.99' in a starburst, all rendered with a fiery, glowing effect.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent photorealistic texture on the burger components
- + Clean, professional food styling and lighting
- + Matches the price from the prompt exactly
- − Failed to include the primary 'MAGIC BURGER' title text
- − Missing the requested starburst for the price
- − Composition feels static rather than dynamic and exploded
Seedream 4.0
- + Strong adherence to all text requirements including the fiery title and starburst
- + Very dynamic composition with motion trails and an 'exploded' feel
- + Excellent background atmosphere with glowing embers and fire
- − Incorrect price value (5.99 instead of 6.99)
- − The burger architecture is a bit chaotic with overlapping halves
- − Some texture detail on the bun is slightly blurred by the glow effects
Verdict: Seedream 4.0 is the clear winner for its superior adherence to the complex layout and text instructions, successfully rendering the fiery 'MAGIC BURGER' title and starburst that FLUX.1 [dev] omitted. While FLUX.1 [dev] produced a cleaner product shot, it failed to capture the 'dynamic' and 'exploded' motion requested in the prompt, resulting in a more generic stack of ingredients.
Chalkboard Menu
Text-to-Image“Handwritten-style chalkboard menu in a cozy café, all text rendered in the exact same realistic chalk handwriting style with natural variations in letter size, slight slant, and chalk texture — no printed or digital fonts anywhere on the board. Title at the top in elegant cursive chalk handwriting: ‘TODAY’S SPECIALS – APRIL 30, 2026’. Below it, three menu items also in the same handwritten chalk style: ‘Truffle Mushroom Risotto – $24’, ‘Grilled Octopus with Lemon & Herbs – $28’, ‘Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – $9’. At the very bottom, smaller text in the identical handwritten chalk style (slightly smaller but still clearly legible with the same handwriting characteristics): ‘All items made fresh daily • Ask about our gluten-free options’. Warm ambient café lighting, visible chalk dust and smudges, realistic handwriting imperfections, no clean printed text anywhere.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent text legibility and spelling accuracy.
- + Clean composition with consistent spacing.
- + Distinctive use of different handwritten styles for headers and menu items.
- − The chalk texture looks a bit too 'clean' and digital, lacking dusty smear marks.
- − Small typos appear in the bottom-most fine print ('drish' instead of 'dish').
Seedream 4.0
- + Highly realistic chalk texture with authentic smudges and dust patterns.
- + Excellent adherence to the 'handwritten-style' with natural variations in letter size and slant.
- + Accurate transcription of the requested menu items and prices.
- − The 'TODAY'S SPECIALS' header uses a mix of block and cursive rather than the requested 'elegant cursive'.
- − Some minor chalk dust makes the lower text slightly harder to read compared to Model A.
Verdict: FLUX.1 [dev] produced a very clean and readable board with perfect spelling on the main items, but it feels slightly more like a digital font than real chalk. Seedream 4.0 is much more successful in capturing the requested 'chalk texture' and 'natural variations,' looking significantly more like an actual physical chalkboard in a café. Seedream 4.0 is the preferred choice for its superior realism and texture.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent anatomical proportions and clean line work
- + Balanced and clean composition with a cinematic lighting feel
- + Creative literal interpretation of the horse being the central focus above the atmosphere
- − Failed the negative constraint: the astronaut is riding the horse, not vice versa
- − The horse's legs have minor anatomical distortions near the hooves
Seedream 4.0
- + Higher texture detail in the spacesuit and horse's coat
- + Vibrant and busy background with beautiful nebulae
- + Detailed reflections in the astronaut's visor
- − Failed the negative constraint: the astronaut is riding the horse, not vice versa
- − The horse's front right leg is anatomically broken or poorly merged with the body
Verdict: Both models failed the specific instruction to place the horse on top of the astronaut, instead defaulting to the standard image of an astronaut riding a horse. FLUX.1 [dev] produced a cleaner, more stylized image, while Seedream 4.0 provided more intricate textures but suffered from significant anatomical defects in the horse's legs.
The Capybara Taxi Driver
Text-to-Image“Photorealistic scene inside a yellow New York taxi at night. A capybara is driving, wearing a yellow taxi driver cap and a dark jacket. It has a calm, professional expression and both front paws on the steering wheel. In the back seat sits a human businesswoman in a coat, looking at her phone with a completely normal, bored expression (as if this is just another normal ride). Through the windows you can see the streets of Manhattan at night with blurred lights. Realistic taxi interior, photorealistic, detailed fur and fabric, 35mm lens, night lighting with reflections, shallow depth of field.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent photographic quality and lighting
- + Captures a calm and professional expression on the capybara
- + High detail in the passenger's face and phone
- − The passenger is sitting in the front seat next to the driver instead of the back seat
- − The capybara's paws are not both on the steering wheel as requested
Seedream 4.0
- + Perfect adherence to the spatial layout with the passenger in the back seat
- + Both paws are clearly on the steering wheel
- + Realistic perspective through the car window
- − Slightly lower resolution and clarity compared to Model A
- − The text on the cap's hat is nonsensical ('TAT')
Verdict: While FLUX.1 [dev] produced a more visually striking and polished image, it failed several key spatial instructions, placing the passenger in the front seat. Seedream 4.0 followed the prompt much more accurately, correctly positioning the passenger in the back and showing the capybara with both paws on the wheel.
The Halloween Invitation
Text-to-Image“Vintage gothic Halloween party invitation. Dark parchment poster, spooky border with webs and thorns, central glowing jack-o-lantern, bats, twisted trees, moody night sky. Add elegant gothic title text saying "Halloween Party Invitation", a small scroll banner saying "You are invited to a night of frights", and event details at the bottom: Date: 30.10.2026 Time: 7pm Location: The Arches, NYC Spooky but polished, cinematic lighting, square format.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
0% wins
0% ties
100% wins
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Clean vector-style graphic design
- + Excellent focus on the jack-o-lantern and thorn border elements
- + Consistent lighting across the central elements
- − Significant spelling errors throughout the text (e.g., 'Falloween Rantcy', 'You Tre')
- − Does not include the webs requested in the prompt
- − Text is repeated or formatted poorly at the bottom
Seedream 4.0
- + Perfect text accuracy for the title and event details
- + Highly atmospheric cinematic lighting with realistic textures
- + Includes all requested elements including webs, thorns, and parchment effects
- − The text on the small scroll banner is slightly distorted/messy
- − The composition is a bit crowded towards the top
Verdict: Seedream 4.0 is the clear winner as it followed every instruction, including the specific text strings and the inclusion of cobwebs. FLUX.1 [dev] produced a visually striking image but failed significantly on the typography and omitted the requested spider webs.
Isometric Miniature Diorama Scenes
Text-to-Image“Create a clear, 45° top-down isometric miniature 3D cartoon scene of Japan's signature dish: sushi, with soft refined textures, realistic PBR materials, gentle lighting, on a small raised diorama base with minimal garnish and plate. Solid light blue background. At top-center: 'JAPAN' in large bold text, 'SUSHI' below it, small flag icon. Perfectly centered, ultra-clean, high-clarity, square format.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent adherence to the 'soft refined texture' and 'gentle lighting' instructions
- + High-quality 3D miniature aesthetic with a nice depth of field effect
- + Includes a raised diorama base as requested
- − Text rendering is inaccurate with 'SUSH CATON' instead of 'SUSHI'
- − The flag icon is stylized but less recognizable than a standard flag
Seedream 4.0
- + Perfect text rendering for 'JAPAN' and 'SUSHI'
- + Includes a variety of sushi types (rolls, nigiri, ikura) as a creative interpretation
- + Strong adherence to the 'solid light blue background' and top-down isometric angle
- − The 'raised diorama base' is less distinct, appearing more as a standard plate than a diorama
- − Lighting is a bit harsh compared to the 'gentle' requirement in the prompt
Verdict: Seedream 4.0 follows the text instructions perfectly, providing clean and readable typography. While FLUX.1 [dev] captures the soft 'miniature 3D cartoon' aesthetic and diorama base better, its inability to spell the simple text 'SUSHI' makes Seedream 4.0 the more successful overall image for this specific prompt.
Adorable Baby Animals in Sunny Meadow
Text-to-Image“Hyper-photorealistic scene of fluffy baby animals—a golden retriever puppy, tabby kitten, baby bunny, and red fox kit—with big expressive eyes and ultra-detailed soft fur, playfully chasing butterflies and tumbling together in a lush wildflower meadow, warm golden sunrise light with god rays and dew sparkles, joyful wholesome vibe, 8K masterpiece.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent color vibrance and lighting
- + Clean, high-quality digital illustration style
- − Failed to include a tabby kitten, providing two dogs instead
- − Style is more '3D animation' than the requested 'hyper-photorealistic'
- − Anatomy is stylized and cartoonish rather than realistic
Seedream 4.0
- + Successfully included all four requested animals: puppy, kitten, bunny, and fox kit
- + High adherence to 'hyper-photorealistic' and 'god rays' lighting effects
- + Dynamics of animals 'tumbling and chasing' is very well captured
- − The dew sparkles are slightly over-exaggerated, looking like floating droplets
- − The fox's front right leg has some anatomical merging issues with the fur
Verdict: Seedream 4.0 followed the prompt much more accurately, including all specific animal types and capturing a much more realistic, photographic aesthetic. FLUX.1 [dev] produced a high-quality image, but it appeared more like a Pixar-style animation and failed to include the tabby kitten.
Vintage Cafe Logo
Text-to-Image“Vintage minimalist restaurant logo for "Caffè Florian", retro cloche dome with steam and "Est. 1720" banner, classic typography, warm brown and cream tones, subtle texture on light background, vector emblem style.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Strong minimalist aesthetic with sharp vector lines.
- + Excellent use of the warm brown and cream color palette.
- + Good inclusion of all requested elements including a cloche and banner.
- − Significant spelling errors in both the main brand name and the word 'RESEAURANT'.
- − Includes extraneous numbers like '11011' and '1941' that were not requested.
Seedream 4.0
- + Perfect text rendering with no spelling errors in 'Caffè Florian' or 'Est. 1720'.
- + Excellent subtle paper texture on the background as requested.
- + Balanced composition that creates a cohesive emblem look.
- − Slightly less 'minimalist' than the other model as it uses more shading on the cloche.
Verdict: Seedream 4.0 is the clear winner because it followed all text prompts perfectly, whereas FLUX.1 [dev] struggled with significant spelling errors in both the brand name and the descriptive text. Seedream 4.0 also captured the requested subtle texture much better while maintaining a classic vintage aesthetic.
Apollo 11: Journey to Tranquility
Text-to-Image“Create a clean, modern vector infographic poster about the Apollo 11 mission. NASA-inspired palette (navy, white, muted red, light gray). Flat-vector style, crisp lines, consistent iconography, subtle gradients only. Steps (stop at landing): 1. Launch (Saturn Vicon) 2. Earth Orbit (Earth + orbit ring icon) 3. Translunar (trajectory arc icon) 4. Lunar Orbit (Moon + orbit ring icon) 5. Descent (lunar module descending icon) 6. Landing (lunar module on the surface icon) Small supporting elements (minimal text): • Crew strip: three silhouette icons with only last names: Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins. • Landing site marker: Moon pin labeled "Tranquility" only. Layout constraints: generous margins, large readable labels, clean background with subtle stars. Vector-only, print-poster look, high resolution.”
FLUX.1 [dev]
Seedream 4.0
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [dev]
- + Excellent adherence to the requested NASA color palette.
- + Sophisticated layout with high-quality vector aesthetics and consistent iconography.
- + Captures the 'modern infographic' vibe perfectly with integrated diagrams.
- − Text is largely illegible/gibberish throughout the image.
- − Includes extra planets like Saturn which were not part of the mission context.
Seedream 4.0
- + High degree of text accuracy for headings and crew names.
- + Strictly follows the numbered 6-step sequence requested in the prompt.
- + Clear and easy-to-follow linear composition for an educational infographic.
- − Visual style feels a bit dated and 'clip-art' like compared to a modern vector poster.
- − Text rendering becomes cluttered and overlaps in the numbering section.
Verdict: FLUX.1 [dev] produced a much more visually stunning and professional-grade vector illustration that fits the 'modern' and 'NASA-inspired' aesthetic, though its text is nonsensical. Seedream 4.0 followed the specific structural instructions and labels much better, making it more functional as an actual infographic despite the lower artistic quality. Seedream 4.0 is the likely winner for successfully representing all 6 specific steps with legible text.
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ByteDance's image generation model with integrated text-to-image and image editing capabilities in a unified architecture, supporting up to 4K resolution