# Seedream 5.0 Lite

> ByteDance's image generation model with built-in reasoning, example-based editing, and deep domain knowledge, supporting up to 3K resolution

## Quick Reference

- Model ID: seedream-5-lite
- Creator: ByteDance
- Status: active
- Family: seedream
- Base URL: https://api.lumenfall.ai/openai/v1

## Specifications

- Max Resolution: 3072x3072
- Max Input Images: 14
- Input Modalities: text, image
- Output Modalities: image

## Model Identifiers

- Primary Slug: seedream-5-lite

## Dates


## Tags

image-generation, text-to-image, image-editing

## Available Providers

### Replicate

- Config Key: replicate/seedream-5-lite
- Provider Model ID: bytedance/seedream-5-lite
- Pricing:
  - source: official
  - currency: USD
  - components: [{"type" => "output", "metric" => "image", "unit_price" => 0.035}]
  - source_url: https://replicate.com/bytedance/seedream-5-lite
  - effective_at: 2026-02-24


## Performance Metrics

Provider performance over the last 30 days.

### replicate

- Median Generation Time (p50): 41708ms
- 95th Percentile Generation Time (p95): 69545ms
- Average Generation Time: 45310ms
- Success Rate: 91.1%
- Total Requests: 124
- Time to First Byte (p50): 41708ms
- Time to First Byte (p95): 69511ms


## Arena Benchmarks

### Over-the-top cartoon caricature

- Elo: 1232
- Record: 3W / 4L / 1T (8 battles)
- Rank: #1 of 13

### Modern Clean Menu

- Elo: 1206
- Record: 9W / 1L / 0T (10 battles)
- Rank: #6 of 19

### Adorable Baby Animals in Sunny Meadow

- Elo: 1204
- Record: 6W / 2L / 1T (9 battles)
- Rank: #4 of 23

### Bald man challenge

- Elo: 1202
- Record: 12W / 2L / 1T (15 battles)
- Rank: #3 of 14

### Man and Car in California

- Elo: 1183
- Record: 8W / 20L / 1T (29 battles)
- Rank: #11 of 13

### Studio Ghibli Anime Style

- Elo: 1168
- Record: 7W / 2L / 2T (11 battles)
- Rank: #11 of 13

### Neutral Expression to Genuine Smile

- Elo: 1166
- Record: 11W / 5L / 1T (17 battles)
- Rank: #6 of 12

### Isometric Miniature Diorama Scenes

- Elo: 1165
- Record: 6W / 4L / 1T (11 battles)
- Rank: #11 of 19

### Night Sky Transformation

- Elo: 1149
- Record: 6W / 1L / 2T (9 battles)
- Rank: #10 of 15

### Candid Street Photography

- Elo: 1144
- Record: 3W / 7L / 1T (11 battles)
- Rank: #14 of 22

### Vintage Cafe Logo

- Elo: 1132
- Record: 4W / 2L / 0T (6 battles)
- Rank: #16 of 19

### Heroic Super Hero Portrait

- Elo: 1108
- Record: 2W / 4L / 0T (6 battles)
- Rank: #16 of 19

### Golden Hour Stroll

- Elo: 1106
- Record: 4W / 6L / 0T (10 battles)
- Rank: #10 of 12

### Fantasy Warrior

- Elo: 1093
- Record: 3W / 7L / 0T (10 battles)
- Rank: #18 of 19

### Apollo 11: Journey to Tranquility

- Elo: 1012
- Record: 0W / 4L / 0T (4 battles)
- Rank: #18 of 19

### Intricate Floral Mandala

- Elo: 1006
- Record: 0W / 5L / 0T (5 battles)
- Rank: #15 of 15


## Use Cases & Category Performance

### Portrait (Image Editing)

- Rank: #2 of 14
- Elo: 1259
- Record: 23W / 7L / 2T (32 battles)
- Win Rate: 71.9%

### Anime (Image Editing)

- Rank: #4 of 13
- Elo: 1207
- Record: 7W / 2L / 2T (11 battles)
- Win Rate: 63.6%

### Text Rendering (Text-to-Image)

- Rank: #8 of 21
- Elo: 1229
- Record: 13W / 7L / 0T (20 battles)
- Win Rate: 65.0%

### Photorealism (Image Editing)

- Rank: #8 of 16
- Elo: 1228
- Record: 41W / 34L / 5T (80 battles)
- Win Rate: 51.2%

### Product, Branding & Commercial (Text-to-Image)

- Rank: #12 of 19
- Elo: 1162
- Record: 4W / 2L / 0T (6 battles)
- Win Rate: 66.7%

### Photorealism (Text-to-Image)

- Rank: #19 of 22
- Elo: 1155
- Record: 3W / 7L / 1T (11 battles)
- Win Rate: 27.3%

### Portrait (Text-to-Image)

- Rank: #19 of 19
- Elo: 1091
- Record: 3W / 7L / 0T (10 battles)
- Win Rate: 30.0%


## Image Gallery

21 images available for this model.
- Curated examples: 5
  - "A breathtaking, high-fantasy architectural marvel of a floating library suspended above a sea of golden clouds at sun..."
  - "Cinematic wide-angle shot of a luxurious, high-end perfumery boutique. In the center of the frame, a sophisticated gl..."
  - "A high-resolution, long-exposure photograph of a cascading waterfall deep within a lush, temperate rainforest. Shimme..."
  - "A hyper-realistic cinematic close-up of a weathered, vintage leather traveler's journal resting on a rustic wooden ta..."
  - "A sun-drenched, rustic bakery storefront with a large wooden sign that reads "FLOUR & BLOOM" in elegant, hand-painted..."
- Competition results: 16
  - Over-the-top cartoon caricature: #1 of 13 (Elo 1232)
  - Modern Clean Menu: #6 of 19 (Elo 1206)
  - Adorable Baby Animals in Sunny Meadow: #4 of 23 (Elo 1204)
  - Bald man challenge: #3 of 14 (Elo 1202)
  - Man and Car in California: #11 of 13 (Elo 1183)
  - Studio Ghibli Anime Style: #11 of 13 (Elo 1168)
  - Neutral Expression to Genuine Smile: #6 of 12 (Elo 1166)
  - Isometric Miniature Diorama Scenes: #11 of 19 (Elo 1165)
  - Night Sky Transformation: #10 of 15 (Elo 1149)
  - Candid Street Photography: #14 of 22 (Elo 1144)
  - Vintage Cafe Logo: #16 of 19 (Elo 1132)
  - Heroic Super Hero Portrait: #16 of 19 (Elo 1108)
  - Golden Hour Stroll: #10 of 12 (Elo 1106)
  - Fantasy Warrior: #18 of 19 (Elo 1093)
  - Apollo 11: Journey to Tranquility: #18 of 19 (Elo 1012)
  - Intricate Floral Mandala: #15 of 15 (Elo 1006)

## Example Prompt

The following prompt was used to generate an example image in our playground:

A sun-drenched, rustic bakery storefront with a large wooden sign that reads "FLOUR & BLOOM" in elegant, hand-painted serif typography. Through the large glass window, a tiny capybara is napping peacefully among the sacks of grain.

## Code Examples

### Text to Image (Generation)

#### cURL

curl -X POST \
  https://api.lumenfall.ai/openai/v1/images/generations \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LUMENFALL_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "seedream-5-lite",
    "prompt": "A serene mountain landscape at sunset",
    "size": "1024x1024"
  }'

# Response:
# { "created": 1234567890, "data": [{ "url": "https://...", "revised_prompt": "..." }] }

#### JavaScript

import OpenAI from 'openai';

const client = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
  baseURL: 'https://api.lumenfall.ai/openai/v1'
});

const response = await client.images.generate({
  model: 'seedream-5-lite',
  prompt: 'A serene mountain landscape at sunset',
  size: '1024x1024'
});

// { created: 1234567890, data: [{ url: "https://...", revised_prompt: "..." }] }
console.log(response.data[0].url);

#### Python

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key="YOUR_API_KEY",
    base_url="https://api.lumenfall.ai/openai/v1"
)

response = client.images.generate(
    model="seedream-5-lite",
    prompt="A serene mountain landscape at sunset",
    size="1024x1024"
)

# { created: 1234567890, data: [{ url: "https://...", revised_prompt: "..." }] }
print(response.data[0].url)

### Image Editing

#### cURL

curl -X POST \
  https://api.lumenfall.ai/openai/v1/images/edits \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LUMENFALL_API_KEY" \
  -F "model=seedream-5-lite" \
  -F "image=@source.png" \
  -F "prompt=Add a starry night sky to this image" \
  -F "size=1024x1024"

# Response:
# { "created": 1234567890, "data": [{ "url": "https://...", "revised_prompt": "..." }] }

#### JavaScript

import OpenAI from 'openai';
import fs from 'fs';

const client = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
  baseURL: 'https://api.lumenfall.ai/openai/v1'
});

const response = await client.images.edit({
  model: 'seedream-5-lite',
  image: fs.createReadStream('source.png'),
  prompt: 'Add a starry night sky to this image',
  size: '1024x1024'
});

// { created: 1234567890, data: [{ url: "https://...", revised_prompt: "..." }] }
console.log(response.data[0].url);

#### Python

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key="YOUR_API_KEY",
    base_url="https://api.lumenfall.ai/openai/v1"
)

response = client.images.edit(
    model="seedream-5-lite",
    image=open("source.png", "rb"),
    prompt="Add a starry night sky to this image",
    size="1024x1024"
)

# { created: 1234567890, data: [{ url: "https://...", revised_prompt: "..." }] }
print(response.data[0].url)


## About

## Overview
Seedream 5.0 Lite is a diffusion-based image generation model developed by ByteDance that integrates logical reasoning with high-fidelity visual synthesis. Unlike standard text-to-image models, it features native support for example-based editing and is capable of producing outputs at resolutions up to 3K. Its primary distinction lies in its ability to process complex instructions that require deep domain knowledge, bridging the gap between creative prompting and technical accuracy.

## Strengths
*   **High-Resolution Output:** Native support for generating images at up to 3K resolution, reducing the reliance on external upscalers for detailed assets.
*   **Structured Reasoning:** The model utilizes built-in reasoning capabilities to better interpret complex prompts, ensuring that spatial Relationships and multi-subject interactions remain consistent with the input text.
*   **Example-Based Editing:** Beyond simple text-to-image, the model excels at image-to-image tasks where an existing image serves as a structural or stylistic reference for modifications.
*   **Domain-Specific Knowledge:** Demonstrates a high degree of accuracy when rendering subjects that require specialized knowledge, such as technical diagrams, specific architectural styles, or culturally nuanced details.

## Limitations
*   **Computational Latency:** Due to the internal reasoning steps and high-resolution output capabilities, inference times may be longer compared to more streamlined, lower-resolution diffusion models.
*   **Lite vs. Full Tradeoffs:** As a "Lite" version, this model is optimized for a specific balance of speed and cost; it may lack some of the extreme atmospheric nuance or compositional complexity found in larger, non-lite iterations of the Seedream family.
*   **Consistency in Sequence:** While strong at individual image generation and editing, maintaining strict character or environmental consistency across a long sequence of many disparate images can still require significant prompt engineering.

## Technical Background
Seedream 5.0 Lite belongs to the Seedream family of multimodal models, utilizing an architecture that accepts both text and image inputs. A key technical decision in its development was the integration of a reasoning module that pre-processes prompts to ensure logical consistency before the diffusion process begins. This allows the model to handle "long-tail" knowledge prompts that typically challenge general-purpose generators.

## Best For
Seedream 5.0 Lite is best suited for professional design workflows where resolution and adherence to specific references are critical, such as concept art, marketing assets, and iterative image editing. It is particularly effective for users who need to perform "resynthesis" or stylistic transfers using an example image as a baseline.

You can experiment with Seedream 5.0 Lite and integrate it into your production environment through Lumenfall’s unified API and playground, which provides a consistent interface for testing its 3K output and reasoning capabilities.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How much does Seedream 5.0 Lite cost?

Seedream 5.0 Lite starts at $0.035 per image through Lumenfall. Pricing varies by provider. Lumenfall does not add any markup to provider pricing.

### How do I use Seedream 5.0 Lite via API?

You can use Seedream 5.0 Lite through Lumenfall's OpenAI-compatible API. Send requests to the unified endpoint with model ID "seedream-5-lite". Code examples are available in Python, JavaScript, and cURL.

### Which providers offer Seedream 5.0 Lite?

Seedream 5.0 Lite is available through Replicate on Lumenfall. Lumenfall automatically routes requests to the best available provider.

### What is the maximum resolution for Seedream 5.0 Lite?

Seedream 5.0 Lite supports images up to 3072x3072 resolution.

## Links

- Model Page: https://lumenfall.ai/models/bytedance/seedream-5-lite
- About: https://lumenfall.ai/models/bytedance/seedream-5-lite/about
- Providers, Pricing & Performance: https://lumenfall.ai/models/bytedance/seedream-5-lite/providers
- API Reference: https://lumenfall.ai/models/bytedance/seedream-5-lite/api
- Benchmarks: https://lumenfall.ai/models/bytedance/seedream-5-lite/benchmarks
- Use Cases: https://lumenfall.ai/models/bytedance/seedream-5-lite/use-cases
- Gallery: https://lumenfall.ai/models/bytedance/seedream-5-lite/gallery
- Playground: https://lumenfall.ai/playground?model=seedream-5-lite
- API Documentation: https://docs.lumenfall.ai