The best AI image generator, tested
Every AI image model on this site ran the same twelve prompts: text in a poster, a product on white, a face and hands, a logo, a market, a woodblock print, a chart, a wide banner, an infographic, a pizza, a five-object placement test and an edit of an earlier result. Nothing was re-rolled. This page ranks them prompt by prompt, with every model's picture under each verdict. The September 18 additions are Qwen Image 3 and both Krea 2 tiers. Krea has no targeted-edit endpoint in this test; its unsupported edit is retained. Shared-source, repeated GPT Image 2.5 edits appear on the Flare/Sunburst comparison.
Anvisha Pai, Co-founder & CEO, Voyager
The short answer
- 1.Nano Banana Pro is the best all-round model: text, charts, infographics, edits and art styles all near the top, with the best value at its price. $0.134 per 1k or 2k image via Gemini API.
- 2.GPT Image 2.5 Flare is the model inside ChatGPT and the best at text, logos and following a hard brief. $0.05268 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal.
- 3.GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst for product and food photography, where its lighting and texture lead. $0.05268 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal.
- 4.Seedream 5.0 Pro is the value pick: correct text, charts and edits from a much cheaper model. $0.0675 per image up to 1536 by 1536 in area via fal.
- 5.FLUX.2 Max for photographic scenes, faces and food with a filmic finish. $0.07 per 1k image via BFL API.
- 6.Nano Banana 2 as the cheap default when the brief has no text in it; it invents taglines and buttons when it does. $0.067 per 1k image via Gemini API.
Every model, measured
| Model | Vendor | Price | Seconds per image | 12 pictures cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLUX.2 Pro | Black Forest Labs | $0.03 per 1k image via BFL API | 8 to 16 | $0.495 |
| FLUX.2 Flex | Black Forest Labs | $0.05 per 1k image via BFL API | 9 to 13 | $1.05 |
| FLUX.2 Max | Black Forest Labs | $0.07 per 1k image via BFL API | 14 to 35 | $1.11 |
| GPT Image 2.5 Flare | OpenAI | $0.05268 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal | 16 to 66 | $0.54 |
| GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst | OpenAI | $0.05268 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal | 23 to 41 | $0.54 |
| GPT Image 2 | OpenAI | $0.211 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal | 72 to 163 | $2.16 |
| Grok Imagine 2.0 | xAI | $0.04 per image via xAI API | 11 to 95 | $0.72 |
| Grok Imagine Pro | xAI | $0.05 per image via xAI API | 5 to 8 | $0.60 |
| Grok Imagine | xAI | $0.02 per image via xAI API | 6 to 32 | $0.24 |
| HiDream-I1 Full | HiDream.ai | $0.05 per megapixel via fal | 13 to 104 | $0.95 |
| Ideogram 4.0 | Ideogram | $0.015 per 1024 by 1024, balanced via fal | 9 to 33 | $0.2195 |
| Krea 2 Medium | Krea | $0.03 per image without style references via fal | 15 to 27 | $0.33 |
| Krea 2 Large | Krea | $0.06 per image without style references via fal | 25 to 47 | $0.60 |
| Nano Banana 2 | Google DeepMind | $0.067 per 1k image via Gemini API | 9 to 14 | $0.96 |
| Nano Banana 2 Lite | Google DeepMind | $0.0336 per 1k image via Gemini API | 3 to 4 | $0.408 |
| Nano Banana Pro | Google DeepMind | $0.134 per 1k or 2k image via Gemini API | 15 to 87 | $1.80 |
| Qwen Image 3 | Alibaba | $0.04 per 1k image via fal | 10 to 156 | $0.76 |
| Qwen-Image | Alibaba | $0.02 per megapixel via fal | 5 to 26 | $0.38 |
| Recraft V4.1 | Recraft | $0.035 per raster image via Recraft API | 8 to 16 | $0.385 |
| Recraft V3 | Recraft | $0.04 per raster image via Recraft API | 5 to 14 | $0.48 |
| Seedream 5.0 Pro | ByteDance | $0.0675 per image up to 1536 by 1536 in area via fal | 26 to 80 | $0.81 |
| Seedream 5.0 Lite | ByteDance | $0.035 per image via fal | 23 to 39 | $0.42 |
| Seedream 4.5 | ByteDance | $0.04 per image via fal | 9 to 16 | $0.48 |
Seconds and cost are from our own runs of the same 12 prompts through every model, one try each.
Text in an image
This prompt in full →The OpenAI models and Nano Banana Pro set all three lines correctly. Seedream 4.5, both Recraft models, Ideogram and FLUX.2 Flex all failed in different ways.
Logo mark
This prompt in full →GPT Image 2.5 Flare's mark is the one to trace. Both Nano Banana 2 tiers added a tagline nobody asked for.
Product on white
This prompt in full →GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst and Flare are catalogue-ready. Recraft V4.1 and Seedream 5.0 Pro redesigned the product.
Edit an existing image
This prompt in full →GPT Image 2.5 Flare and Nano Banana Pro changed only what was asked. Several models recoloured the base too.
Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2.5 and Seedream 5.0 Pro got every value and month right. Ideogram inverted the axis; Grok Imagine 1.0 had two Junes. Qwen Image 3 garbles month names, Krea Medium makes floating blocks, and Krea Large scrambles the vertical scale.
Infographic with steps
This prompt in full →Nano Banana Pro's card is the most finished; GPT Image 2.5 and Grok Imagine Pro are publishable. Recraft V3 photographed a board instead. Qwen Image 3 and Krea Large keep the four steps readable; Krea Medium changes the heading and adds copy.
Wide aspect ratio
This prompt in full →Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2, Seedream 5.0 Pro and Ideogram left the copy space empty. Five models filled it with invented headlines. Qwen Image 3 adds invented text to the reserved empty space.
Face and hands
This prompt in full →Every model got the fingers right. Nano Banana Pro and GPT Image 2.5 Flare have the most natural skin and light.
Food photography
This prompt in full →GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst wins on cheese pull and crust; Nano Banana 2 and FLUX.2 Max are close.
Busy scene
This prompt in full →GPT Image 2.5 Flare's market is the most complete. Ideogram returned a cut-out collage.
Specific art style
This prompt in full →Nano Banana Pro and GPT Image 2.5 Flare made prints, not paintings. Recraft V3 returned a photograph.
Hard composition
This prompt in full →GPT Image 2.5 Flare, Nano Banana Pro, FLUX.2 Pro and Grok Imagine 2.0 placed all five objects exactly.
Head to head
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI image generator in 2026?
On the same twelve prompts, Nano Banana Pro is the best all-round model, GPT Image 2.5 Flare leads on text, logos and precise briefs, GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst on product and food, and Seedream 5.0 Pro is the value pick. Every verdict on this page links to the pictures behind it.
What is the best free AI image generator?
Nano Banana is free in the Gemini app with daily limits, GPT Image 2.5 is free in ChatGPT with limits, Grok Imagine is free on X, and Ideogram and Seedream have free app tiers. The APIs are paid. Each model page lists the free tier and its catch.
Which AI image generator is best for text?
GPT Image 2.5, GPT Image 2, Nano Banana Pro and Seedream 5.0 Pro all set a three-line poster correctly. The text-in-an-image page shows every model's attempt.
How much does an AI image cost?
From about a cent and a half per image for Ideogram 4.0 at its Balanced tier to about $0.21 for GPT Image 2 at its top quality, on fal, read on 10 September 2026. Nano Banana Pro is a flat $0.15 on fal. The table above shows what our twelve prompts cost on every model.
Is Midjourney on this page?
No. Midjourney has no API, so it cannot run our fixed prompt set under the same conditions as the others. The roster is every model hosted on fal that Voyager can run.
Voyager
Run any of these inside Voyager
Voyager is an agent for creative work that runs every model on this page. Brief it, and it picks the model for the job, makes the thing and hands back something you can edit. Create an account to get started.