The cheapest image generator APIs in my data cost well under a cent per image at the lowest quality tier. GPT Image 2.5 at low quality is $0.00588 per 1024x1024 image and GPT Image 2 at low quality is $0.006. Among other models at 1K, FLUX.2 [klein] 4B ($0.014) and Imagen 4 Fast ($0.02) are the cheapest. Price rises sharply at 4K, where Nano Banana 2 goes from $0.067 to $0.151 per image and FLUX 3 Image reaches $0.607.
This article compares list prices only, taken from official price pages as of 2026-10-11 (USD). I did not run image tasks or measure image quality, so every number is a sticker price per output image.
What "cheapest" means for image APIs
Image APIs bill per image, not per token. Three things change the price:
- Resolution. Some models charge more for 4K than for 1K.
- Quality tier. GPT Image models price low, medium and high quality separately.
- Where you buy it. The same model can cost different amounts through the model maker, a host such as Replicate or fal.ai, or a marketplace like WaveSpeed.
Some listings say "starting price" or "lowest listed setting", and the exact size behind them is not always stated. Check the setting before you budget.
Cheapest options at 1K
| Model | Provider | Setting | Per image |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT Image 2.5 | OpenAI | Low quality, 1024x1024 | $0.00588 |
| GPT Image 2 | OpenAI | Low quality, 1024x1024 | $0.006 |
| FLUX.2 [klein] 4B | Black Forest Labs | Text-to-image, from 1 MP | $0.014 |
| Imagen 4 Fast | Google Vertex AI | Standard | $0.02 |
| Qwen-Image 3.0 | Alibaba Cloud Model Studio | 1k / 2k | $0.03 |
| FLUX.2 [pro] | Black Forest Labs | From 1 MP | $0.03 |
| Nano Banana 2.1 | 1K | $0.0336 | |
| Nano Banana 2 Lite | 1K | $0.0336 | |
| Recraft V4.1 | Recraft | Raster | $0.035 |
| Seedream 5.0 Pro | WaveSpeed | Default, starting price | $0.0405 |
The two GPT Image low-quality tiers are far below everything else. Among the rest, FLUX.2 [klein] 4B at $0.014 sits well under the $0.03 to $0.07 range of the larger FLUX.2 models (pro, flex and max).
4K: where the bill jumps
Few listings include 4K. For models with both a 1K and a 4K rate in my data:
| Model | Provider | 1K per image | 4K per image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2.1 | $0.0336 | $0.113 | |
| Nano Banana 2 | $0.067 | $0.151 | |
| Nano Banana Pro | $0.134 (1K / 2K) | $0.24 | |
| FLUX 3 Image | Black Forest Labs | $0.048 | $0.607 |
- Nano Banana 2.1 has the lowest 4K price at $0.113, below Nano Banana 2 at $0.151.
- FLUX 3 Image has the steepest jump. It goes from $0.048 at 1K to $0.607 at 4K.
If you only need 1K or 2K, the 4K rate is irrelevant. If you need 4K, budget for it separately.
Quality tiers: GPT Image low, medium and high
All prices below are for 1024x1024 output.
| Model | Low | Medium | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT Image 2 | $0.006 | $0.053 | $0.211 |
| GPT Image 1.5 | n/a | $0.034 | $0.133 |
| GPT Image 1 Mini | n/a | $0.011 | n/a |
For GPT Image 2, the jump from low ($0.006) to high ($0.211) is very large. I have no quality scores for these tiers, so test outputs on your own prompts before choosing one.
Other models have tiers too. Ideogram 4.5 via fal.ai is $0.06 at medium and $0.22 at high. Recraft V4.1 is $0.035 for raster, while V4.1 Pro is $0.21.
Same model, different providers
- Nano Banana 2, 1K: WaveSpeed $0.063 (default, starting price), Google $0.067, Replicate $0.067, fal.ai $0.08.
- Nano Banana 2, 4K: Google $0.151, Replicate $0.151, fal.ai $0.16.
- Nano Banana Pro, 4K: Google $0.24, WaveSpeed $0.24, Replicate $0.30.
- GPT Image 2, medium: Replicate $0.047, OpenAI $0.053, Together AI $0.053 (lowest listed setting), WaveSpeed $0.057 (starting price).
- Seedream 5.0 Pro, 1K: WaveSpeed $0.0405 (starting price), Replicate $0.045.
- FLUX.2 [pro]: Black Forest Labs, fal.ai, Replicate and Together AI all list $0.03.
Host listings can change separately from the model maker's, so recheck before committing a budget.
Budgeting by price band
- Under two cents per image: GPT Image 2.5 low ($0.00588), GPT Image 2 low ($0.006), GPT Image 1 Mini medium ($0.011), FLUX.2 [klein] 4B ($0.014).
- Two to four cents: Imagen 4 Fast ($0.02), Qwen-Image 3.0 ($0.03), FLUX.2 [pro] ($0.03), Nano Banana 2.1 at 1K ($0.0336), GPT Image 1.5 medium ($0.034), Recraft V4.1 raster ($0.035).
- Four to ten cents: Imagen 4 ($0.04), GPT Image 2 medium ($0.053), Imagen 4 Ultra ($0.06), Nano Banana 2 at 1K ($0.063 to $0.067), Seedream 5.0 Pro at 2K via Replicate ($0.09).
- Over ten cents: Nano Banana 2.1 at 4K ($0.113), GPT Image 2 high ($0.211), Nano Banana Pro at 4K ($0.24), FLUX 3 Image at 4K ($0.607).
Multiply your image count by the rate for the exact resolution and quality you need. The cost calculator compares setups side by side, and the methodology explains how I handle costs on my text task pages.
What these prices leave out
I did not run image prompts or track how often a generation is discarded and retried. A cheap image that needs three tries costs more than one good expensive image, so track retry rates in your own tests. Price per image is not price per useful image.
FAQ
Which image API is cheapest per image?
GPT Image 2.5 at low quality is the lowest at $0.00588 per 1024x1024 image, just under GPT Image 2 at low quality ($0.006). Outside OpenAI, FLUX.2 [klein] 4B at $0.014 and Imagen 4 Fast at $0.02 are lowest.
How much more does 4K cost than 1K?
It depends on the model. Nano Banana 2 goes from $0.067 at 1K to $0.151 at 4K, more than double. FLUX 3 Image goes from $0.048 to $0.607, a far larger jump.
Is the same model cheaper through a host like Replicate or WaveSpeed?
Sometimes. Nano Banana 2 at 1K is $0.063 on WaveSpeed against $0.067 on Google, but $0.08 on fal.ai. GPT Image 2 at medium is $0.047 on Replicate against $0.053 on OpenAI. Compare the exact listing you plan to use.