image model comparison
GPT Image 2.5 Flare vs GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
GPT Image 2.5 Flare and GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst are both current image models, from OpenAI. Both cost $5 per 1M input tokens. On Arena Text-to-Image, GPT Image 2.5 Flare scores 1398 Elo and GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst 1425 Elo (Arena, measured October 7, 2026).
Data verified October 12, 2026 · Dataset 2026-10-12
Side by side
Standard-tier prices in effect today. The better value in each row is highlighted.
| Fact | GPT Image 2.5 Flare | GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1M input tokens | $5 | $5 |
| Arena Text-to-Image | 1398 Elo (#2 of 9) | 1425 Elo (#1 of 9) (better) |
| Arena Image Edit | 1481 Elo (#2 of 8) | 1524 Elo (#1 of 8) (better) |
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI |
| Release date | September 8, 2026 | September 8, 2026 |
| Access | API only | API only |
| Context window | Not reported | Not reported |
| Max output | Not reported | Not reported |
| Input | text, image | text, image |
| Output | image | image |
Scores:Arena · 2026-10-12
When to choose each
GPT Image 2.5 Flare
Best for
- Fast, high-volume everyday image generation
Watch out for
- OpenAI publishes no per-image price, and its GPT Image 2 calculator does not estimate 2.5 token use, so cost per image has to be measured
- No independent image-quality benchmark is recorded here
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
Best for
- Hero imagery, detailed edits and text-heavy graphics where quality matters most
Watch out for
- OpenAI publishes no per-image price, and its GPT Image 2 calculator does not estimate 2.5 token use, so cost per image has to be measured
- No independent image-quality benchmark is recorded here
GPT Image 2.5 Flare vs GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst FAQ
Which is cheaper, GPT Image 2.5 Flare or GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst?
Both cost $5 per 1M input tokens.
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, GPT Image 2.5 Flare or GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst?
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst leads on Arena Text-to-Image, 1425 Elo to 1398 Elo; GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst leads on Arena Image Edit, 1524 Elo to 1481 Elo. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
Related comparisons
- FLUX1.1 [pro] vs GPT Image 2.5 Flare
- FLUX1.1 [pro] vs GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
- Gemini 3 Pro Image vs GPT Image 2.5 Flare
- Gemini 3 Pro Image vs GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
- GPT Image 2.5 Flare vs Nano Banana 2.1
- GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst vs Nano Banana 2.1
- GPT Image 2 vs GPT Image 2.5 Flare
- GPT Image 2 vs GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
Production evaluation
Choosing between GPT Image 2.5 Flare and GPT Image 2.5 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