Image model vs image model
ERNIE Image vs Seedream 4.0
ERNIE Image ranks 35th of the 49 models we list with a text-to-image arena score; Seedream 4.0 hasn’t been rated yet. They cost about the same ($0.03 against $0.03 an image).
Where they sit among all 56 image models
Up and to the left is better pictures for less money. Hover or tap a dot for its numbers, then click it to compare that model with ERNIE Image. Models the arena hasn’t rated yet sit in the grey lane at the bottom.
Which one to pick
Pick ERNIE Image if
- you want a model with a track record: it ranks 35th of the 49 models we list with a text-to-image arena score, and Seedream 4.0 has no arena score yet
- you want open weights you can run yourself
The specs
| Spec | ERNIE Image | Seedream 4.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per image | $0.03 | $0.03 |
| 100 images | $3.00 | $3.00 |
| Text-to-image Elo | 907 ±10 (#82 in the arena) | Not scored yet |
| Editing Elo | Not scored yet | Not scored yet |
| Arena votes | 10,760 | — |
| Edits uploaded pictures | No | No |
| Largest size | — | — |
| Open weights | Yes | No |
| Zero data retention | — | No |
| Lab | Baidu | ByteDance |
| Official name | ERNIE Image | Seedream 4.0 |
| Released | April 2026 | September 2025 |
Elo ± is the 95% margin. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from the Vercel AI Gateway and fal.ai.
Questions
Which is better, ERNIE Image or Seedream 4.0?
ERNIE Image ranks 35th of the 49 models we list with a text-to-image arena score; Seedream 4.0 hasn’t been rated yet. They cost about the same ($0.03 against $0.03 an image).
Which is cheaper, ERNIE Image or Seedream 4.0?
They cost about the same: ERNIE Image $0.03 and Seedream 4.0 $0.03 for a 1024×1024 image.
Can ERNIE Image and Seedream 4.0 edit images?
Not on ModelCompare: both only make new pictures from a prompt here.
How can I compare ERNIE Image and Seedream 4.0 myself?
Open the comparison, type one prompt and both models draw it side by side, each with what it cost and how long it took. You sign up with Google before your first run, and new accounts start with free credit.
Related comparisons
Where the numbers come from
Quality scores are Elo ratings from the Artificial Analysis image arenas, where people vote between two pictures made from the same prompt without knowing which model made which. The vote split comes from the Elo gap. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from the Vercel AI Gateway and fal.ai; models billed per token are estimated at the quality the arena scored. The sample pictures are our own runs. Updated October 25, 2026.