GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst benchmarks, pricing and specs
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst is an OpenAI model released on September 8, 2026 that takes text and image input and produces image. It costs $5 per 1M input tokens. It scores 1425 Elo on Arena Text-to-Image, #1 of 9 current models (Arena, measured October 7, 2026).
- Per 1M input tokens
- $5
- Arena Text-to-Image
- 1425 Elo · #1/9
Data verified October 12, 2026 · Dataset 2026-10-12
Key facts
- Provider
- OpenAI
- Model family
- GPT Image
- Release date
- September 8, 2026
- Status
- Current
- Access
- API only
- API model id
- gpt-image-2.5-sunburst
- Context window
- Not reported
- Max output
- Not reported
- Input
- text, image
- Output
- image
- Task families
- image
- Declared capabilities
- image generation, image editing, image to image
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst pricing
It is tied for the most expensive of 5 current image models priced per 1M input tokens.
Independent benchmark results
Scores come from independent evaluators that ran the model themselves, pinned to a dated snapshot. Rank is among current models in the same snapshot. OpenAI's own launch figures are listed under strengths with the publisher named, because they are not measured the same way.
| Benchmark | Score | Rank | Measured | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arena Text-to-Image | 1425 Elo | #1 of 9 | October 7, 2026 | Arena · 2026-10-12 |
| Arena Image Edit | 1524 Elo | #1 of 8 | October 6, 2026 | Arena · 2026-10-12 |
Strengths, cautions and best uses
Strengths
- OpenAI's most capable image generation and editing model, with six quality settings from low to max
- Token rates match GPT Image 2: $5 per 1M text input tokens, $8 per 1M image input tokens and $30 per 1M image output tokens, half that in batch
Cautions
- 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
Best for
- Hero imagery, detailed edits and text-heavy graphics where quality matters most
Alternatives to GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
The closest current imagemodels by price. The cheapest model that scores as well or better is listed first; failing that, the cheapest one within 3% of the benchmark's scale.
Gemini 3 Pro Image
- 60% cheaper per 1M input tokens, $2 vs $5
- 177 points lower on Arena Text-to-Image, 1248 vs 1425
- From Google
GPT Image 2.5 Flare
- Same price per 1M input tokens, $5
- 27 points lower on Arena Text-to-Image, 1398 vs 1425
Nano Banana 2.1
- 97 points lower on Arena Text-to-Image, 1328 vs 1425
- From Google
FLUX1.1 [pro]
- 409 points lower on Arena Text-to-Image, 1016 vs 1425
- From Black Forest Labs
Compare GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst with
Other GPT Image models
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst FAQ
How much does GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst cost?
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst costs $5 per 1M input tokens at the standard tier. It is tied for the most expensive of 5 current image models priced per 1M input tokens. Source: OpenAI, verified October 12, 2026.
How does GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst score on independent benchmarks?
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst scores 1425 Elo on Arena Text-to-Image, #1 of 9 current models (Arena, measured October 7, 2026) and 1524 Elo on Arena Image Edit, #1 of 8 current models (Arena, measured October 6, 2026). These are independent evaluations, not OpenAI's own launch figures.
Is GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst open source or API only?
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst is available through OpenAI's API only; its weights are not published.
What are the best alternatives to GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst?
The closest current alternatives by price and measured performance are Gemini 3 Pro Image (60% cheaper per 1M input tokens, $2 vs $5), GPT Image 2.5 Flare (same price per 1M input tokens, $5), Nano Banana 2.1 (97 points lower on Arena Text-to-Image, 1328 vs 1425) and FLUX1.1 [pro] (409 points lower on Arena Text-to-Image, 1016 vs 1425).
Sources
- GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst model · OpenAI · official · verified October 12, 2026
- OpenAI API changelog · OpenAI · official · verified October 12, 2026
- Arena leaderboard dataset (lmarena-ai/leaderboard-dataset) · Arena · independent · verified October 12, 2026 · CC-BY-4.0
Cite this page
Van Data Team. "GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst Benchmarks, Pricing and Specs." AI Model Benchmark Dataset 2026-10-12. https://vandatateam.com/ai-model-benchmarks/gpt-image-2-5-sunburst
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Production evaluation
Deciding whether GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst fits your workload?
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