Seedream 5.5 is live: transparent PNG, $0.035

Seedream 5.5 is live on LaoZhang API from November 13, 2026, one day after BytePlus released it. A transparent product image used to take a generate step and a layer split; now one background parameter returns a transparent PNG for $0.035, with any default-group token.

Published: November 13, 2026
Last checked: November 13, 2026
Status: Live; available in the default group

Key facts

Item	Details
Model ID	`seedream-5-5-261028`; `dola-seedream-5-5-261028` also works, at the same price
Released by BytePlus	November 12, 2026
Live on LaoZhang API	November 13, 2026
Endpoint	`POST /v1/images/generations`, JSON body
Token	`default` group; Usage first or Per-call billing mode
Price	$0.035 per output image at any size, plus $0.008 per reference image
Sizes	`1K`, `1.5K`, `2K` (default), or exact pixels; no 3K or 4K
What’s new	Transparent PNG output; up to 99 layers, with a count cap and text recognition
Account	No BytePlus account needed

A bookstore window at night with a cat asleep on a stack of books and a hand-lettered OPEN LATE sign, generated by Seedream 5.5 — Text-to-image in the Seedream 5.5 guide: size 2K, watermark false. Returned at 2496×1664, resized for this page

A white ceramic mug with small blue flowers on a transparent background, generated by Seedream 5.5 — The request in Get started below: background transparent, output_format png, size 1K. Returned as a 1024×1024 RGBA PNG

What you can do with it

Use case	How to ask for it	Result
Product cutouts, stickers, and icons	`"background": "transparent"` with PNG output	An RGBA PNG you can place on any background, $0.035
Editable posters and ads	`"layer_decomposition": true` with `text_recognition`	Background plus transparent layers; text layers include the words, font, and color
A product in a new scene	Up to 10 images in `image`	One image built from your references; two references cost $0.051
A layer split on a budget	`"max_images": 6`	At most 6 images, at most $0.218

Pricing

Seedream 5.5 costs $0.035 per output image at 1K, 1.5K, or 2K.

Each reference image adds $0.008, including the first: one reference costs $0.043 in total, two cost $0.051, and ten cost $0.115.
Layer decomposition is billed for every returned image, including the background. Six images from one input cost 6 × $0.035 + $0.008 = $0.218.
Non-200 responses, such as parameter errors and moderation blocks, aren’t charged.
A client timeout doesn’t cancel a request that the server finishes. Check call logs for actual charges.

The full rules are in Billing in the Seedream 5.5 guide.

Who is affected

If you want to call Seedream 5.5: your existing default-group token works. You don’t need a BytePlus or Volcengine account or a new token group.
Tokens with the Usage-based billing mode: switch the token to Usage first or Per-call before you call this model.
Seedream 5.0 Flash, 5.0 Pro, 5.0, 4.5, and 4.0 users: those models keep working as before. To move to 5.5, change model and check the points below.

Moving from 5.0 Flash or 5.0 Pro:

Remove sequential_image_generation and stream; 5.5 doesn’t support them.
Expect PNG output by default. Send "output_format": "jpeg" if your pipeline needs JPEG.
Keep size at 2K or below; 5.5 has no 3K or 4K.

Get started

Prepare a token

In Token management, use or create a token in the default group with the Usage first billing mode, then export it:

export LAOZHANG_API_KEY="YOUR_LAOZHANG_API_KEY"

Generate a transparent PNG

curl --fail-with-body "https://api.laozhang.ai/v1/images/generations" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LAOZHANG_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "seedream-5-5-261028",
    "prompt": "A ceramic coffee mug with small blue flowers, product shot",
    "background": "transparent",
    "output_format": "png",
    "size": "1K",
    "response_format": "url",
    "watermark": false
  }' \
  -o mug.json

The image link is in data[0].url, and data[0].background is transparent.

Save the image

Image links are temporary, so download the file right away:

python3 -c "import json, urllib.request; urllib.request.urlretrieve(json.load(open('mug.json'))['data'][0]['url'], 'mug.png')"

For edits with reference images, layer decomposition, and Python examples, see the Seedream 5.5 API guide.

Seedream 5.5 or Seedream 5.0

All Seedream versions use the same endpoint and token, so you can switch by changing model.

	Seedream 5.5	Seedream 5.0 Flash / 5.0 Pro
Transparent output	`background` on generate and edit requests	Only through layer decomposition
Layers	Background + up to 99, a count cap, text style recognition	Background + up to 16
Price per image	$0.035	Flash $0.018, Pro $0.12
Reference images	$0.008 each	Flash free; Pro $0.003 each after the first

Choose Seedream 5.5 for transparent assets, fine-grained layers, and posters whose text you want to edit.
Choose Seedream 5.0 Flash for low-cost bulk images.
Choose Seedream 5.0, 4.5, or 4.0 for 3K or 4K output, or for several related images per request.

FAQ

What is the Seedream 5.5 model ID on LaoZhang API?

seedream-5-5-261028, called through POST /v1/images/generations. The BytePlus name dola-seedream-5-5-261028 also works at the same price.

Do I need a BytePlus account to call Seedream 5.5?

No. A LaoZhang API token in the default group is enough. Use the Usage first or Per-call billing mode.

How much does Seedream 5.5 cost per image?

$0.035 per output image at 1K, 1.5K, or 2K, plus $0.008 for each reference image. Layer decomposition is billed for every returned image, including the background.

Can Seedream 5.5 make 4K images?

No. The largest size is 2K, or exact pixels up to 4,624,220 in total, such as 2048x2048. For 3K use Seedream 5.0, and for 4K use Seedream 4.5 or 4.0.

Can one request return several images?

Only with layer decomposition, which returns a background and its layers together. Seedream 5.5 doesn’t support sequential generation, so send one request per image, or use Seedream 5.0 for several related images in one request.

Seedream 5.5 API guide: request examples, parameters, layer fields, and billing
Seedream API guide: Seedream 5.0 Flash, 5.0 Pro, 5.0, 4.5, and 4.0
Choose an image generation API
BytePlus ModelArk image generation API (checked November 13, 2026)
BytePlus ModelArk model list (checked November 13, 2026)
Models and pricing
LaoZhang API announcements