Doubao Image 豆包图像 (Seedream)
ByteDance's Seedream image generation inside the Doubao app
Overview
Doubao Image is the AI creation area of ByteDance's Doubao assistant, powered by Seedream models (4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 Lite, Flash and Pro) and strong on Chinese prompts and in-image Chinese text. Creation is free in the app, with paid Pro plans from ¥68 a month. 豆包 AI 创作由字节跳动 Seedream 模型驱动；API 通过火山方舟（国内）或 BytePlus ModelArk（海外）提供。
Pricing
Pricing shown for reference only. These figures reflect RECATOOLS research as of 12 Oct 2026 and may be out of date or incomplete. This is not financial or purchasing advice — always confirm the current price on the provider’s official website before making any decision.
- Image creation and editing
- AI cut-out, erase, mark-up edit, outpainting and sharpening
- 5x or more the free quota for expert and office-task modes
- Professional image and video design in office-task mode
- 4x the Standard quota
- 10x the Standard quota
- 5.0 Flash $0.018, 5.0 Lite $0.035, 4.5 $0.04
- 5.0 Pro $0.045 to $0.09 by resolution
- Moderated failures not billed
Use cases
What you can produce with Doubao Image 豆包图像 (Seedream)
- Images from Chinese or English prompts in the Doubao app
- Legible Chinese characters in posters, banners and product graphics
- Editing by marking areas, erasing objects, extending the canvas or cutting out a subject
- Upscaling and sharpening of low-resolution images
- Text-dense infographics and layouts with Seedream 5.0 Pro (API)
- Image separation into editable layers with Seedream 5.0 Pro (API)
- Seedream access through Volcano Engine (China) or BytePlus ModelArk (international)
ASEAN Perspective
Doubao Image 豆包图像 (Seedream) in Southeast Asia
中文场景下与 Ideogram 形成对照——后者主打英文图内文字，前者则在中文图内文字上有压倒性优势。
Doubao's image creation runs on ByteDance's Seedream models and is especially good at Chinese prompts and Chinese text inside images. Basic use is free in the app, and the API is cheap: BytePlus lists Seedream 5.0 Flash at $0.018 an image.
Outside mainland China, doubao.com shows a regional-restriction notice and points to ByteDance's international Dola app, so the API is the realistic route overseas. Downloads carry AI-content labels required by Chinese law. Strong for Chinese-language work, awkward for consumers in Southeast Asia.
What we found
Doubao Image is the AI creation area of ByteDance's Doubao assistant, and its engine is the Seedream model family from ByteDance's Seed team. The models have changed fast: Volcano Engine's price list now carries Seedream 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 Lite, 5.0 Flash and 5.0 Pro. Seedream 5.0 Pro was unveiled at Volcano Engine's FORCE conference on 23 June 2026, and Seed's own page highlights text-dense infographics, editing guided by arrows or sketches, separating an image into editable layers, and native text in about a dozen languages.
Inside the Doubao app, image creation is still free, with cut-outs, object erasing, mark-up edits, outpainting and upscaling. On 24 June 2026 Doubao launched paid Pro plans at ¥68, ¥200 and ¥500 a month, and the App Store also lists a ¥99 creation credit pack; Beijing Daily reported Doubao's statement that existing free functions stay free. Earlier versions of this page described the product as entirely free.
Access is the main obstacle. From outside mainland China, doubao.com shows a regional-restriction notice, asks visitors to sign in with a phone number, Feishu or Douyin, and points them to Dola, ByteDance's international assistant. Developers have a cleaner route: BytePlus ModelArk prices Seedream in US dollars, from $0.018 an image for 5.0 Flash to $0.09 for 5.0 Pro above 1.5K, while Volcano Engine charges ¥0.12 to ¥0.60 an image in mainland China.
The constraints are regulatory as well as technical. Since 1 September 2025, Chinese rules have required visible and embedded labels on AI-generated content, and Doubao downloads carry a watermark that the same rules forbid removing. ByteDance has said the Doubao model is meant for use within mainland China.
It suits Chinese-language creators, sellers and developers who want strong Chinese typography cheaply. Outside China, the API is the more practical route than the consumer app.
Compiled by RECATOOLS from public sources: vendor documentation and pricing, code repositories and published reporting.
Frequently asked questions
About this listing
This entry was compiled from publicly available data including Doubao Image 豆包图像 (Seedream)'s official website, press releases, documentation, and reputable third-party publications. RECATOOLS is not affiliated with Doubao Image 豆包图像 (Seedream) unless explicitly stated.
Third-party AI tools update their pricing, features, availability, and policies frequently. Information here may be outdated by the time you read this — we make reasonable efforts to keep listings current, but cannot guarantee absolute accuracy.
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