Choosing an image model without burning credits

Prices across models differ by a factor of ten, and the difference in output is often far smaller than that. Guessing which model to use is the fastest way to spend credits without learning anything.

Start at the cheap end

Nano Banana and Seedream 4 sit at the bottom of the catalog. For finding a composition they are enough: you are working out whether the prompt makes sense, not chasing final detail.

Move up a tier only once you know what you want

Once the composition is right, switch to a pro tier. What the higher price buys is detail and consistency, and neither is worth anything while the framing is still wrong.

• Nano Banana 2 lite for fast iteration

• Seedream 5 pro for a high-resolution final

• GPT Image 2 when the prompt is long and full of instructions

A reference image changes the maths

Attaching a reference moves the job to an image-to-image model, and its price can differ from the text mode. The number is on the generate button before you press it.