Seedream 4.0 is ByteDance's image model that generates and edits in one architecture, at 1K, 2K or 4K. On APIMart you call it as seedream-4.0 for text to image, reference-based editing and batches of up to 15 images, billed per image.
Service Highlights

Image link valid for 72 hours
Transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Pay only for what you use.
| Variant | Tier | GoldCurrent price | Platinum | Diamond | Official | Your savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
seedream-4-0 | 1K/2K/4K | 0.195Credits(~$0.0195)/pic | 0.1853Credits(~$0.0185)/pic | 0.1755Credits(~$0.0176)/pic | 0.2438Credits(~$0.0244)/pic | 20% |
* Actual costs are subject to final output.
Seedream 4.0 (also written Seedream 4 or Seedream v4) is the ByteDance image model that put generation and editing into a single model. Through one APIMart key you can turn a prompt into a 1K, 2K or 4K image, edit a photo with a sentence, or send reference images and get up to 15 consistent variations back in one task. Every resolution costs the same per image.
50K+
Active Users
99.9%
Uptime
2x
Faster
20%
Cost Savings
Call seedream-4.0 on APIMart with one POST request. Generation is asynchronous: submit a task, then poll the task endpoint to get the image URLs.
Save the key you created above in the APIMART_API_KEY environment variable and send it as Authorization: Bearer <key> on every request.
POST /v1/images/generations with model seedream-4.0, your prompt, size and resolution. Add image_urls to edit images or to generate a batch. The response returns a task_id.
Send GET /v1/tasks/{task_id} every few seconds until the task is completed, then read the image URLs from result.images[0].url. Results are kept for 72 hours, so download the files you want to keep.
See the Seedream 4.0 API reference for the full pixel table and every parameter.
curl -X POST https://api.apimart.ai/v1/images/generations \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $APIMART_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "seedream-4.0",
"prompt": "A retro jazz festival poster with the title \"BLUE NOTE NIGHTS\" and the date \"10.01–10.07\" in bold serif letters, saxophone silhouette, warm orange and navy palette",
"size": "16:9",
"resolution": "2K"
}'import os
import time
import requests
API_BASE = "https://api.apimart.ai"
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['APIMART_API_KEY']}"}
# 1. Submit the generation task
payload = {
"model": "seedream-4.0",
"prompt": "A retro jazz festival poster with the title \"BLUE NOTE NIGHTS\" and the date \"10.01–10.07\" in bold serif letters, saxophone silhouette, warm orange and navy palette",
"size": "16:9",
"resolution": "2K"
}
resp = requests.post(f"{API_BASE}/v1/images/generations", headers=headers, json=payload, timeout=60)
resp.raise_for_status()
task_id = resp.json()["data"][0]["task_id"]
# 2. Poll the task until it finishes
for _ in range(200):
task_resp = requests.get(f"{API_BASE}/v1/tasks/{task_id}", headers=headers, timeout=30)
task_resp.raise_for_status()
task = task_resp.json()["data"]
if task["status"] == "completed":
print(task["result"]["images"][0]["url"][0])
break
if task["status"] == "failed":
raise RuntimeError(task.get("error", {}).get("message", "generation failed"))
time.sleep(3)
else:
raise TimeoutError(f"task {task_id} did not finish in time; continue GET polling with this task ID")curl -X POST https://api.apimart.ai/v1/images/generations \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $APIMART_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "seedream-4.0",
"prompt": "Place the product from image 1 on the marble counter from image 2, keep the label and colors unchanged, soft morning light",
"image_urls": [
"https://example.com/product.jpg",
"https://example.com/background.jpg"
],
"size": "auto",
"resolution": "2K"
}'TASK_ID="task_xxx" # replace with the task_id returned by the POST request
curl "https://api.apimart.ai/v1/tasks/$TASK_ID" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $APIMART_API_KEY"| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
model | string | Required | Default: seedream-4.0 | Model ID. seedream-4.0, seedream-4-0 and Seedream-4.0 are all accepted. |
prompt | string | Required | Default: — | Text description of the image or the edit, up to 1,000 characters. |
size | string | Optional | Default: 1:1 | Aspect ratio: 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 3:2, 2:3, 2:1, 1:2, 21:9, 9:21, or auto to match the reference image (requires image_urls). |
resolution | string | Optional | Default: 2K | 1K, 2K or 4K. All three cost the same per image. |
n | integer | Optional | Default: 1 | Number of images, 1–15. Values above 1 need at least one reference image, and references plus n must total 15 or fewer. |
image_urls | array | Optional | Default: — | Reference images as public URLs or base64 data URIs, JPEG or PNG, up to 10 MB each. Adding them switches to image editing or reference-based generation. |
optimize_prompt_options | string | Optional | Default: standard | standard for higher quality, or fast for quicker results with regular quality. |
sequential_image_generation | string | Optional | Default: disabled | Set to auto with sequential_image_generation_options.max_images (1–15) to generate a related set. Becomes auto automatically when n is above 1. |
watermark | boolean | Optional | Default: false | Add a watermark to the generated images. |
nsfw_check | boolean | Optional | Default: false | Moderate the prompt and input images before the task is submitted. |
Compare every Seedream model on APIMart. One API key calls all of them through the same endpoint, billed per image.
| Model | Best for | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Seedream 5.0 Pro API | Quality-first single images with dense text, up to 10 references, point and box edits and layer splitting | 1K / 1.5K / 2K |
| Seedream 5.0 Flash API | The Seedream 5.0 Pro feature set at one lower price for every size, with no reference surcharge | 1K / 1.5K / 2K |
| Seedream 5.0 Lite API | 2K to 4K output, PNG or JPEG, and batches of up to 15 images per request | 2K / 3K / 4K |
| Seedream 4.5 API | 2K or 4K posters with stronger typography and reference fidelity, batches of up to 15 | 2K / 4K |
| Seedream 4.0 APIThis page | 1K, 2K and 4K at one price, image editing and batches of up to 15 with references | 1K / 2K / 4K |
Generation, editing and batch output from one model ID
Workflows that use 4K output, editing and batch generation
Set up your account, add balance and send your first request
Sign up for APIMart and top up your balance. Billing is pay-as-you-go with no minimum, and the balance works across every model on the platform.
Create a key in the console. You will send it in the Authorization header of every request.
POST to /v1/images/generations with model seedream-4.0, a prompt, size and resolution, then poll the returned task_id for the image URL.
What users say about Seedream 4.0 API on APIMart
“Text rendering finally works. We generate event posters with accurate titles and dates - something that always failed with other models.”
Mike Chen
Marketing Developer
“Batch generation changed our workflow. We generate 15 product variations in one call, pick the best, done. Massive time saver.”
Sarah Kim
E-commerce Tech Lead
“Reference image support is a game-changer for brand consistency. Upload brand assets, get on-brand visuals every time.”
James Liu
Creative Agency CTO
“Fast generation speed transformed our content pipeline. We can now produce high-quality visuals at scale without compromising quality.”
Anna Park
Content Platform Engineer
“0.2 Credits(~$0.02) per image with this quality? We migrated from a 2000 Credits(~$200)/month subscription and now spend less while generating more.”
David Wang
Startup Founder
“The unified edit+generate model means one API for everything. Removed 3 other services from our stack.”
Lisa Zhang
Full Stack Developer
Answers about parameters, batch output, resolution and pricing
Seedream 4.0 is ByteDance's image creation model that handles text-to-image generation and image editing in one unified architecture, with output up to 4K and support for several input and output images at once. On APIMart it is available through the Seedream 4.0 API with the model ID seedream-4.0.
Yes. Seedream 4 and Seedream v4 are short names for Seedream 4.0. In API requests you can send seedream-4.0, seedream-4-0 or Seedream-4.0 as the model value; they all call the same model.
It is an asynchronous REST API. You POST /v1/images/generations with model seedream-4.0 and a prompt, receive a task_id, then poll GET /v1/tasks/{task_id} until the task is completed and read the image URLs. The example section on this page has ready-to-run cURL and Python code.
Required: model and prompt (up to 1,000 characters). Optional: size (an aspect ratio or auto), resolution (1K, 2K or 4K), n (1–15), image_urls, optimize_prompt_options (standard or fast), sequential_image_generation with sequential_image_generation_options.max_images, watermark and nsfw_check. The parameter table above lists types and defaults.
Choose 1K, 2K (default) or 4K with 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 3:2, 2:3, 2:1, 1:2, 21:9 or 9:21, or auto to match the reference image. Output sizes are fixed per ratio, for example 2048x2048 for 1:1 at 2K and 5404x3040 for 16:9 at 4K; custom pixel sizes are not accepted.
Yes. Put one or more images in image_urls and describe the edit in the prompt, for example removing an object, changing text on a sign or relighting a scene. Use size auto to keep the reference image's aspect ratio.
Provide at least one reference image and set n, or set sequential_image_generation to auto with max_images. Reference images plus generated images must total 15 or fewer. A text-only request without image_urls always returns a single image.
Each reference must be a public URL or a base64 data URI in JPEG or PNG, no larger than 10 MB and 6000x6000 pixels in total, with sides over 14 px and an aspect ratio between 1:3 and 3:1. The number of references plus n cannot exceed 15.
Seedream 4.0 is billed per generated image, and 1K, 2K and 4K cost the same. The pricing table on this page shows the current Gold member price (20% below list) alongside Platinum (24%) and Diamond (28%) prices. Batch tasks are pre-authorized by the requested count and settled on the images actually produced.
No. APIMart has no free quota for the Seedream 4.0 API. It is pay-as-you-go with no subscription, and failed tasks are not charged.
Sign up for APIMart, open the API Keys page in your dashboard and create a key. The same key works for the Seedream 4.0 API and every other Seedream version and model on APIMart.
Seedream 4.0 is the only one of them with 1K, 2K and 4K at one price. Seedream 4.5 drops 1K and improves reference fidelity and dense text. Seedream 5.0 Lite adds 3K and PNG output, while Seedream 5.0 Pro and Flash are single-image 1K–2K models with layer splitting. The Seedream API overview compares them with live prices.
Describe the subject, style, lighting and layout in plain sentences, and put any on-image text in double quotes. For edits, say what to change and what to keep, for example "replace the dog with a Schnauzer, keep the background unchanged".
Yes. The playground at the top of this page runs real Seedream 4.0 generations in your browser. Sign in, add balance and click Run; each image is billed at the same price as an API call, with no subscription. Results are kept for 72 hours.
The full Seedream 4.0 reference, with every parameter, the complete pixel table and request examples, is in the APIMart docs under Images > Seedream 4.0. The task status endpoint is documented under Tasks.
Yes. watermark defaults to false, so images have no watermark unless you set it to true. Set nsfw_check to true to review the prompt and input images before the task is submitted; it is off by default and adds no cost when unused.
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