image model comparison
Gemini 3 Pro Image vs GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst
Gemini 3 Pro Image and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst are both current image models, from Google and OpenAI. Gemini 3 Pro Image is 60% cheaper per 1M input tokens than GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst, $2 vs $5. On Arena Text-to-Image, Gemini 3 Pro Image scores 1246 Elo and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst 1409 Elo (Arena, measured November 4, 2026).
- Higher Arena Text-to-Image
- GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst1409 Elo against 1246 Elo
- Lower price per 1M input tokens
- Gemini 3 Pro Image$2 against $5
- Newer release
- GPT Image 2.6 SunburstNov 2026 against May 2026
Data verified November 6, 2026 · Dataset 2026-11-06
Side by side
Gemini 3 Pro Image and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst, line by line
Prices in effect today, compared at the same tier wherever both list one. The better value in each row is highlighted.
| Fact | Gemini 3 Pro Image | GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Price per image | $0.134 (1K or 2K) | Not listed |
| Price per 1M input tokens | $2 (better) | $5 |
| Price per 1M output tokens | $12 | Not listed |
| Independent benchmarks | ||
| Arena Text-to-Image | 1246 Elo (#8 of 10) | 1409 Elo (#2 of 10) (better) |
| Arena Image Edit | 1390 Elo (#7 of 9) | 1476 Elo (#3 of 9) (better) |
| Specs | ||
| Provider | OpenAI | |
| Release date | May 28, 2026 | November 4, 2026 |
| Access | API only | API only |
| Context window | 65,536 tokens | Not reported |
| Max output | 32,768 tokens | Not reported |
| Input | text, image | text, image |
| Output | text, image | image |
Scores:Arena · 2026-11-06
Charts
Against every current image model
Where Gemini 3 Pro Image and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst land among the current models of their task, on every independent benchmark, on price and on context.
Where each stands
On Arena Text-to-Image, Gemini 3 Pro Image ranks #8 and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst #2 of 10 current models. Each bar is the share of current models it beats: on score, price and context.
Independent benchmarks
Arena Text-to-Image
Gemini 3 Pro Image:#8of 10
1,246 Elo · ahead of 22%
GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst:#2of 10
1,409 Elo · ahead of 89%
Arena Image Edit
Gemini 3 Pro Image:#7of 9
1,390 Elo · ahead of 25%
GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst:#3of 9
1,476 Elo · ahead of 75%
Price and context
Price per image
Gemini 3 Pro Image:#5of 5
$0.134 · cheaper than 0%
GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst: Not listed
Quality against price
Gemini 3 Pro Image scores 1,246 at $0.134 (price per image). The line joins the current models no other beats on both price and Arena Text-to-Image score; hover any point to name it.
Quality against price: the data
| Model | Provider | Price per image | Arena Text-to-Image (Elo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2.1 | $0.034 | 1,325 | |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image | $0.034 | 1,249 | |
| Gemini 3 Pro Image | $0.13 | 1,246 | |
| grok-imagine-image | xAI | $0.020 | 1,169 |
| FLUX1.1 [pro] | Black Forest Labs | $0.040 | 1,016 |
Cost
What each costs
Example workloads at each provider's listed rates, then every other rate either one lists. The cheaper figure in each row is highlighted.
Prices, like for like
For price per 1M input tokens, GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst costs 2.5 times as much as Gemini 3 Pro Image, at each provider's listed rates.
Price per 1M input tokens
GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst costs 2.5× as much
- Gemini 3 Pro Image
- $2
- GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst
- $5
| Workload or rate | Gemini 3 Pro Image | GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Example workloads | ||
| 1,000 images | $134 (1K or 2K) | Not listed |
| Other listed rates | ||
| 1M input tokens, cached | Not listed | $1.25 |
| 1M input tokens, image input | Not listed | $8 |
| 1M output tokens, image output | Not listed | $30 |
Your own bill will differ. These figures use list prices and example workloads. The AI Model Cost Audit reviews your real usage, shortlists models that score as well for each task for less, and estimates the savings.
Launch price $100, regular price $150
Verdict
When to choose each
Gemini 3 Pro Image
Where it leads
- Lower price per 1M input tokens, $2 vs $5
- Also outputs text
Best for
- Professional image generation and editing
Watch out for
- Pricing differs by standard, batch, flex, and priority consumption
GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst
Where it leads
- Higher Arena Text-to-Image score, 1409 Elo vs 1246 Elo
- Higher Arena Image Edit score, 1476 Elo vs 1390 Elo
- A cached-input rate, $1.25 per 1M tokens
Best for
- Detailed compositions, brand-consistent edits and animated GIFs where quality matters most
Watch out for
- Arena's first ratings put it below GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst: 1409 against 1427 for generation and 1476 against 1517 for editing, on fewer than 4,000 votes so far
- OpenAI's pricing page lists no batch rate for 2.6 yet, while GPT Image 2.5 costs half in batch
From benchmark to production
Building on Gemini 3 Pro Image or GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst?
Public scores rarely hold on your own data. We test both models on your real tasks, then build the agent or pipeline around the one that wins.
AI Model Cost AuditLaunch price $100, regular price $150What the audit includes
FAQ
Gemini 3 Pro Image vs GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst FAQ
Which is cheaper, Gemini 3 Pro Image or GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst?
Gemini 3 Pro Image is 60% cheaper per 1M input tokens than GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst, $2 vs $5.
Do Gemini 3 Pro Image and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst discount cached input?
GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst lists a cached-input rate of $1.25 per 1M tokens, 75% below its standard input rate. No cached-input rate is listed for Gemini 3 Pro Image.
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, Gemini 3 Pro Image or GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst?
GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst leads on Arena Text-to-Image, 1409 Elo to 1246 Elo; GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst leads on Arena Image Edit, 1476 Elo to 1390 Elo. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
How do Gemini 3 Pro Image and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst differ in features?
Gemini 3 Pro Image produces text and image; GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst produces image.
Further reading
More on Gemini 3 Pro Image and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst
Related comparisons
- Gemini 3 Pro Image vs GPT Image 2.6 Flare
- GPT Image 2.5 Flare vs GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst
- Gemini 3 Pro Image vs Nano Banana 2.1
- GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst vs GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst
- Gemini 3 Pro Image vs GPT Image 2.5 Flare
- GPT Image 2.6 Flare vs GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst
- Gemini 3 Pro Image vs GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
- GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst vs Nano Banana 2.1
- Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image vs Gemini 3 Pro Image
- GPT Image 2 vs GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst
- Gemini 3.1 Flash Image vs Gemini 3 Pro Image
- Gemini 3 Pro Image vs GPT Image 2
Production evaluation
Choosing between Gemini 3 Pro Image and GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst?
Public benchmarks narrow the shortlist. We run both on your own tasks, data and cost limits, then build the routing and review controls to run the winner in production.
- A head-to-head evaluation on your real workload
- Routing between models by cost and difficulty