Image model vs image model
GLM-Image vs Seedream 4.0
GLM-Image ranks 39th of the 49 models we list with a text-to-image arena score; Seedream 4.0 hasn’t been rated yet. Seedream 4.0 costs 1.7× less ($0.05 against $0.03 an image).
At a glance
Longer bar means the bigger number. Elo bars start at 800.
Price per image · 1024×1024, lower is better
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 GLM-Image. Models the arena hasn’t rated yet sit in the grey lane at the bottom.
Which one to pick
Pick GLM-Image if
- you want a model with a track record: it ranks 39th 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
Pick Seedream 4.0 if
- price matters: 100 images cost $3.00, against $5.00 with GLM-Image
The specs
| Spec | GLM-Image | Seedream 4.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per image | $0.05 | $0.03 |
| 100 images | $5.00 | $3.00 |
| Text-to-image Elo | 885 ±18 (#88 in the arena) | Not scored yet |
| Editing Elo | Not scored yet | Not scored yet |
| Arena votes | 2,457 | — |
| Edits uploaded pictures | No | No |
| Largest size | — | — |
| Open weights | Yes | No |
| Zero data retention | — | No |
| Lab | Z.ai | ByteDance |
| Official name | GLM-Image | Seedream 4.0 |
| Released | January 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, GLM-Image or Seedream 4.0?
GLM-Image ranks 39th of the 49 models we list with a text-to-image arena score; Seedream 4.0 hasn’t been rated yet. Seedream 4.0 costs 1.7× less ($0.05 against $0.03 an image).
Which is cheaper, GLM-Image or Seedream 4.0?
Seedream 4.0: $0.03 for a 1024×1024 image, against $0.05 for GLM-Image. 100 images cost $3.00 and $5.00.
Can GLM-Image and Seedream 4.0 edit images?
Not on ModelCompare: both only make new pictures from a prompt here.
How can I compare GLM-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.