Seed Models by ByteDance
ByteDanceProprietary
5 models2024–2026Up to 256k ctxFrom $0.25/1M input
Details
ResearcherByteDance
LicenseProprietary
Commercial useCommercial use: conditional
Models5
Released2024–2026
Max context256k
Capabilities
Vision3 of 5 models
Multimodal3 of 5 models
Reasoning3 of 5 models
Function Calling3 of 5 models
Tool Use3 of 5 models
Structured Outputs3 of 5 models
About
Seed is a family of 5 AI models by ByteDance, released between 2024 and 2026.
Current Variants
Use-when guidance is based on each model's tracked capabilities, context window, release date, and replacement status.
5 in view
Seed 1.6Current
Use when the workload needs 256k context, reasoning, and tool use.
2026-03256k contextreasoningtool use
Seed 1.6 FlashCurrent
Use when the workload needs 256k context, reasoning, and tool use.
2026-03256k contextreasoningtool use
Seed 1.8Current
Use when the workload needs 256k context, reasoning, and tool use.
2025-12256k contextreasoningtool use
| Model | Use when | Released | Signals | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed 1.6 | Use when the workload needs 256k context, reasoning, and tool use. | 2026-03 | 256k contextreasoningtool use | Current |
| Seed 1.6 Flash | Use when the workload needs 256k context, reasoning, and tool use. | 2026-03 | 256k contextreasoningtool use | Current |
| Seed 1.8 | Use when the workload needs 256k context, reasoning, and tool use. | 2025-12 | 256k contextreasoningtool use | Current |
| Seed XL | Use when provider availability and model metadata match the workload. | 2024-09 | — | Current |
| Seed Large | Use when provider availability and model metadata match the workload. | 2024-09 | — | Current |
Release Timeline
3 release groups2026-03
2 current
Seed 1.6
Current256k contextreasoningtool use
Seed 1.6 Flash
Current256k contextreasoningtool use
2025-12
1 current
Seed 1.8
Current256k contextreasoningtool use
2024-09
2 current
Current
Current
Specifications(5 models)
| Model | Released | Context | Vision | Multimodal | Reasoning | Fn Calling | Tool Use | Structured Outputs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed 1.6 | 2026-03 | 256k | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seed 1.6 Flash | 2026-03 | 256k | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seed 1.8 | 2025-12 | 256k | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seed XL | 2024-09 | — | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Seed Large | 2024-09 | — | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Available From(2 providers)
Pricing
| Model | Provider | Input / 1M | Output / 1M | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed 1.6 | Vercel AI Gateway | $0.25 | $2 | Serverless |
| Seed 1.8 | Volcengine | $0.25 | $2 | Serverless |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Seed used for?
- Seed is used for vision and multimodal work, reasoning, and agent workflows and tool use. The family description and listed model capabilities point to those workloads as the best fit.
- How does Seed compare to UI-TARS?
- Seed by ByteDance is strongest where you need vision and multimodal work, while UI-TARS by ByteDance is the closest related family to check for agents. Seed has 5 listed variants and reaches up to 256k context, while UI-TARS reaches up to 128k context, so compare the specs and pricing tables before choosing a production model.
- Which Seed model should I use?
- For the lowest listed input price, start with Seed 1.6 through Vercel AI Gateway at $0.25/1M input tokens. For the most capable/latest local choice, evaluate Seed 1.6 with 256k context and reasoning, tool use, function calling, structured outputs, and multimodal inputs.
