Best AI for Image Generation
AI models for creating, editing, and manipulating images
What to Look For
- Photorealism quality
- Text rendering accuracy
- Editing capabilities (inpainting, outpainting, style transfer)
- Style diversity and artistic range
- Output resolution
- Pricing per image or per generation
- Generation speed for interactive workflows
Top Recommended Models
Seedance 2.0
ByteDance
$3.00/M in · $70.00/M out
GPT Image 1
OpenAI
$10.00/M in · $40.00/M out
GPT Image 1.5
OpenAI
$8.00/M in · $32.00/M out
How We Ranked These
Models are ranked by their average benchmark score across all available benchmarks in the relevant categories. For “Image Generation”, we filter models that match specific criteria (such as modality, tier, or benchmark category) and then sort by aggregate performance.
Benchmark data comes from official sources and is updated regularly. Pricing reflects the latest published API rates. We do not accept payment for rankings — placement is determined entirely by benchmark performance.
Why It Matters
AI image generation has reached a level of quality where generated images are often indistinguishable from photographs and professional illustrations. The best image generation models can produce photorealistic portraits, detailed product shots, architectural visualizations, and artistic compositions from natural language descriptions. They understand complex spatial relationships, lighting, perspective, and material textures, making them powerful tools for designers, marketers, and content creators.
Text rendering within images has historically been a weakness of generative models, but the latest generation has made significant strides. Top models can now render readable text on signs, labels, and documents within generated images. Editing capabilities have also matured, with models supporting inpainting, outpainting, style transfer, and targeted modifications to specific regions of an image while preserving the rest. This makes iterative design workflows practical, where you refine a generated image through successive edits rather than regenerating from scratch.
When selecting an image generation model, evaluate photorealism quality, text rendering accuracy, style diversity, and the resolution of generated outputs. Pricing varies widely, from per-image fees to subscription models to open-source options you can self-host. Consider whether you need specialized capabilities like consistent character generation across multiple images, brand-specific style adaptation, or batch generation for high-volume production. Speed also matters for interactive creative workflows where rapid iteration is essential.
Compare the top image generation models side by side
See how Seedance 2.0, GPT Image 1, GPT Image 1.5 stack up against each other across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.
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See Top ModelsFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best AI for image generation?
Based on our benchmark analysis, Seedance 2.0 by ByteDance is currently the top-ranked AI model for image generation, with an average benchmark score of 0.0. GPT Image 1 and GPT Image 1.5 are also strong contenders.
How do you rank AI models for image generation?
We rank models using a combination of benchmark scores, pricing data, and capability analysis. For image generation, we prioritize photorealism quality and text rendering accuracy. Models are sorted by their average benchmark score across relevant categories.
Are open-source models good for image generation?
Open-source models have improved significantly and can be excellent for image generation, especially when budget or data privacy are concerns. Among our ranked models, FLUX.2 Dev and Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large are strong open-source options.