GPT Image 2 vs GPT Image 2.5 Flare vs 2.5 Sunburst
GPT Image is the family behind ChatGPT's image generator, sold on the API under the gpt-image name. Three models are live in September 2026: GPT Image 2.5 Flare, the fast default that now powers ChatGPT; GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst, the precision tier for edits; and GPT Image 2, the April 2026 model they replaced, still on the API. Each has its own page with prices, quality ladders and the same twelve prompts.
OpenAI · facts checked
Which one to pick
GPT Image 2.5 Flare
$0.053 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal
Default choice. Fastest, and a quarter of GPT Image 2's price at high quality on fal's list.
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
$0.053 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal
Retouching and edits where every untouched pixel must stay put.
GPT Image 2
$0.211 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal
Only if a pipeline is already tuned to it; the 2.5 models do the same jobs faster and cheaper.
Side by side, measured
| Model | Price | Seconds per image | 12 prompts cost | Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPT Image 2.5 Flare | $0.053 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal | 16 to 66 | $0.54 | Exact pixel dimensions from a 1:3 strip to a 3:1 banner, up to 3840 on the long edge |
| GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst | $0.053 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal | 23 to 41 | $0.54 | Exact pixel dimensions from a 1:3 strip to a 3:1 banner, up to 3840 on the long edge |
| GPT Image 2 | $0.211 per 1024 by 1024, high quality via fal | 72 to 163 | $2.16 | Ask for exact pixel dimensions, anything from a 1:3 strip to a 3:1 banner up to 3840 on the long edge |
Seconds and cost are from our own runs of the same 12 prompts through each model; open a model for every picture and the request behind it.
Every version
| Version | Released | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| GPT Image 1 gpt-image-1 | First API release of the model behind ChatGPT's March 2025 image generation. Text rendering, edits and transparent backgrounds. | |
| GPT Image 1 Mini gpt-image-1-mini | Cost-cut variant, roughly 80 percent cheaper than GPT Image 1. | |
| GPT Image 1.5 gpt-image-1.5 | Precise edits that keep untouched detail intact, up to four times faster, 20 percent cheaper. | |
| GPT Image 2 gpt-image-2 | Reasoning before drawing, custom pixel sizes up to 3840 on the long edge, three quality tiers, batch support. | |
| GPT Image 2.5 Flare gpt-image-2.5-flare | The fast default. Up to 50 percent lower latency than Images 2.0, better lighting and textures, xhigh and max quality tiers. | |
| GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst gpt-image-2.5-sunburst | The precision tier, slower, for edits where fidelity matters most. Same token prices as Flare. |
Frequently asked questions
Which GPT Image model does ChatGPT use?
ChatGPT Images 2.5, which OpenAI rolled out to every plan including free on 8 September 2026. On the API the equivalents are gpt-image-2.5-flare and gpt-image-2.5-sunburst.
Is GPT Image the same as DALL-E?
No. DALL-E was OpenAI's earlier image family. GPT Image replaced it in 2025 with a model that generates images inside the GPT model itself, which is why it handles text and instructions differently.
Do the GPT Image models have a free tier?
In ChatGPT, yes, with an unpublished daily cap. On the API, no.