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GPT Image comparison · November 2026

GPT Image 2.5 vs GPT Image 2.6

Choose 2.6 when explicit planning controls or SVG and GIF delivery matter. Keep 2.5 when your existing still-image workflow already gives you the result you need. Both families offer Flare and Sunburst; the useful decision starts with the job.

Try the image generator

One product brief, two Flare interpretations

Both received the same teapot brief at medium quality. 2.6 uses low complexity. Compare the crop, light and label; these individual results cannot establish a general quality winner.

GPT Image 2.5 Flare

Flare · medium quality · 1536 × 1024. A wider crop gives the teapot, cup and olive branch more breathing room.

GPT Image 2.6 Flare

Flare · medium quality · low complexity · 1536 × 1024. A closer crop and warmer light change the mood while keeping the requested objects.

New in the 2.6 API: low, medium and high complexity, plus SVG and animated GIF generation.
Same standard token rates: $5 text input, $8 image input and $30 image output per million tokens. Actual cost depends on usage.
Four fresh image pairs: identical prompts within each pair, medium quality, one sample per model. Inspect the details at full size.

See the difference in real image pairs

Each pair uses an identical prompt and medium quality through the model API. Flare is paired with Flare and Sunburst with Sunburst. 2.6 uses high complexity for text and composition, low for the edit. Each pair contains one stochastic sample; the observations apply to these images.

Typography · Sunburst

Readable words, different spacing

Sample read: Both follow the brief

Prompt: Landscape 3:2 editorial poster for a fictional independent print fair. Warm ivory paper, oversized forest green typography at left reading exactly "PRINT / PLAY", below it exactly "SATURDAY 14 NOV" and below that exactly "10 AM — 6 PM". At right a sculptural cobalt blue paper ribbon above a coral sphere. Crisp Swiss grid, generous margins, sharp ink edges, no other lettering, no watermark.

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

Sunburst · medium quality. The requested headline, date and time are present. The ribbon overlaps the sphere; inspect the line breaks before export.

GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst

Sunburst · medium quality · high complexity. The same words are present with a larger headline and a more open ribbon. A single clean poster does not guarantee every text prompt will succeed.

Composition · Flare

Count the stars, then check their positions

Sample read: Both retain the key objects

Prompt: Landscape 3:2 handcrafted paper-cut illustration of a tiny observatory at night. Exactly three orange stars above a deep navy dome, one cream crescent moon in the upper right, one red bicycle to the left of the observatory door and two mint green trees to the right. Layered paper textures, warm amber window light, clean edges, no text, no extra stars, balanced editorial composition.

GPT Image 2.5 Flare

Flare · medium quality. Three orange stars, a crescent at upper right, a bicycle at left and two trees at right are visible. The observatory and sky use a restrained layout.

GPT Image 2.6 Flare

Flare · medium quality · high complexity. The requested counts and sides are retained, with a more prominent telescope and sharper tree shapes. This pair supports a tie on the listed object constraints.

Reference edit · Sunburst

A shared reference makes drift easier to see

Sample read: Both make the requested change

Prompt: Change only the teapot body color to glossy deep cobalt blue in this reference photograph. Preserve the round brass lid, handle and spout shape, the cream SLOW MORNING label and its exact text, the cream cup to the right, the pale blue plinth, olive branch, framing, lighting and all other objects. Do not add objects or text.

GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst

Sunburst · medium quality. Both edits start from the 2.5 hero image above. This result changes the body to blue and keeps the cup, brass lid, label and overall framing recognizable.

GPT Image 2.6 Sunburst

Sunburst · medium quality · low complexity. The same reference and edit prompt produce a blue body with the surrounding scene retained. Inspect the spout, handle and label at full size for small changes.

Documented capability coverage

Use these cards to check API requirements. Each score is the percentage of the named features documented for that version; visual quality and generation speed are assessed separately.

Core tasks · generation and image editing

Both: 2 of 2
GPT Image 2.5100
GPT Image 2.6100

Transparent raster output · PNG and WebP

Both: 2 of 2
GPT Image 2.5100
GPT Image 2.6100

Explicit complexity · low, medium and high

2.6: 3 of 3
GPT Image 2.50
GPT Image 2.6100

Generation formats · PNG, JPEG, WebP, SVG and GIF

2.5: 3 of 5 · 2.6: 5 of 5
GPT Image 2.560
GPT Image 2.6100

Method: documented supported items ÷ listed items × 100, checked November 5, 2026. The four cards have equal weight in the editorial coverage rating. 0 means the named control is not documented for that version. SVG and GIF are generation formats in the OpenAI Image API; this site currently exports PNG, JPEG and WebP stills. These scores describe feature coverage and do not measure visual quality or user satisfaction.

GPT Image 2.5 vs 2.6: controls, formats and cost

Official API capabilities and the controls available in this site’s generators are labeled separately. Check the workflow you will actually use before choosing a version.

API model IDs

Choose the matching variant

GPT Image 2.5

gpt-image-2.5-flare and gpt-image-2.5-sunburst

GPT Image 2.6

gpt-image-2.6-flare and gpt-image-2.6-sunburst

Flare or Sunburst?

Match the variant to the task

GPT Image 2.5

Flare for everyday generation; Sunburst for editing precision.

GPT Image 2.6

Flare for fast iteration; Sunburst for detailed compositions and edits.

Complexity control · API

2.6

GPT Image 2.5

No explicit low / medium / high complexity setting documented.

GPT Image 2.6

Low, medium or high planning complexity; high by default. Separate from rendering quality, with no separate complexity fee.

Still-image output · API

Both

GPT Image 2.5

PNG, JPEG and WebP; transparent backgrounds with PNG or WebP.

GPT Image 2.6

PNG, JPEG and WebP; transparent backgrounds with PNG or WebP.

SVG and GIF · API

2.6 for these formats

GPT Image 2.5

Documented generation outputs are raster still images.

GPT Image 2.6

SVG and animated GIF generation. These formats are not supported by the image edit endpoint.

Markup-guided edits · API

Check the integration

GPT Image 2.5

The current guide documents markup with supported 2.5 models; check the endpoint and model you select.

GPT Image 2.6

Markup-guided edits through the Image API. This site has no brush or markup upload control.

Standard API token prices

Same rates; usage varies

GPT Image 2.5

Per million tokens: text input $5, image input $8, image output $30.

GPT Image 2.6

The same standard rates: text input $5, image input $8, image output $30.

Cost per finished image

Measure your own workload

GPT Image 2.5

Depends on input, output size, quality, retries and actual token usage.

GPT Image 2.6

Also depends on actual usage. SVG additionally bills the authoring model used to produce the vector document.

Controls on this site

Choose the controls you need

GPT Image 2.5

1K / 2K / 4K resolution choices, references and background settings.

GPT Image 2.6

Quality, complexity, aspect ratio, references and background settings. PNG / JPEG / WebP still-image output.

Site credits and ChatGPT access

Review the selected tool

GPT Image 2.5

The displayed site credit total applies to this independent generator. A ChatGPT subscription is separate.

GPT Image 2.6

Check the displayed site credit total before generation. API formats and ChatGPT saved references are not all exposed here.

Which version should you choose?

2.6 is the stronger starting point for new API workflows that need its extra controls and delivery formats. For ordinary stills, the sample pairs give no reason to declare a universal quality winner. Keep the version that passes your own brief with fewer revisions. If the newer controls fit your brief, open the GPT Image 2.6 generator and test one prompt with Flare and Sunburst.

Choose GPT Image 2.5 when…

Your still-image workflow is already approved

If the prompt, crop and editing behavior already meet your requirements, keep a known baseline while testing the new version on a copy of the same brief.

You use the existing resolution controls

This site’s 2.5 generator offers the 1K, 2K and 4K workflow. Choose it when those controls fit your current delivery process.

You want a useful comparison baseline

The 2.5 samples already satisfy the short poster text and object-count requests here. Compare spelling, geometry and revision effort before replacing a working pipeline.

Choose GPT Image 2.6 when…

You need to set planning complexity

Start low for a focused change and compare medium or high for dense layouts. Higher complexity can add latency and unintended changes, so keep the rest of the request fixed.

The deliverable needs SVG or GIF

Use a compatible OpenAI Image API integration for editable vector graphics or short animated loops. The still-image generator on this site does not expose those export formats.

You are evaluating a new workflow

Pair Flare with fast iteration or Sunburst with detailed visual work. Run your real text and reference constraints through both versions; inspect every result before scaling up.

Choose by the work you need to finish

Keep the prompt, reference images and target format together. A model is useful when the result survives your final spelling, layout and reference checks.

Product photos and ecommerce stills

Choose Test Flare in both versions

Both hero samples preserve the requested product setup. Decide with your actual label, crop and lighting brief, then compare how many revisions you need.

Posters with exact short text

Choose Compare Sunburst at a fixed quality

Both poster samples render the requested words. Check line breaks, punctuation and small text in the full-size file; a clean sample cannot guarantee a longer layout.

Dense multi-object compositions

Choose Try 2.6 with explicit complexity

The added control lets you compare low, medium and high planning. Our object-count pair passes in both versions, so use your harder brief to judge the benefit.

A narrow edit to a reference photo

Choose Sunburst; begin with a small change

Both shared-reference edits retain the surrounding scene. In 2.6, low complexity is a useful first setting for a focused change. Inspect the edges and repeat the preservation constraints.

Vector artwork or animated loops

Choose 2.6 through a compatible API tool

SVG and GIF generation are documented in the OpenAI Image API. They require a workflow that exposes those formats; this site’s generator currently delivers raster stills.

An established 2.5 production pipeline

Choose Keep 2.5 as your baseline

Run a representative batch through 2.6 before switching. Compare accepted results, edits required and actual cost per usable asset instead of relying on the version number.

GPT Image 2.5 vs GPT Image 2.6 FAQ

1

What is the main difference between GPT Image 2.5 and 2.6?

GPT Image 2.6 adds an explicit low, medium or high complexity control and documents SVG and animated GIF generation through the Image API. Both versions offer Flare and Sunburst, reference-image editing and raster output. The setting and format you need are a clearer reason to switch than the version number alone.

2

Is GPT Image 2.6 always better at image quality?

Our four single-sample pairs do not establish that. Both versions follow the short text and object constraints shown here. Compare your own prompts, references and intended output size, then record how many usable images and revisions each version needs.

3

Are these real GPT Image model outputs?

Yes. All eight samples were generated for this page through the named Flare or Sunburst model API. Within each pair the written prompt and medium quality are the same. The 2.6 planning settings are stated beside the results. Both edits use the 2.5 hero image as their shared reference. Each result is a single stochastic sample.

4

Is GPT Image 2.6 cheaper than 2.5?

Their standard OpenAI token rates match: $5 per million text input tokens, $8 per million image input tokens and $30 per million image output tokens. Equal rates do not guarantee equal cost per image because token usage and retries vary. This independent site bills site credits shown in the generator; those credits are separate from OpenAI API billing and ChatGPT subscriptions.

5

How are quality and complexity different?

Quality controls rendering quality. Complexity controls planning before rendering and is available as low, medium or high in 2.6, with high as the default. A focused edit may work well at low complexity; a dense composition may benefit from higher complexity. OpenAI documents no separate fee for changing complexity, but latency and the result can change.

6

Which version should I use for Flare or Sunburst?

Compare the same variant across versions. OpenAI positions Flare for everyday generation or fast iteration and Sunburst for editing precision or detailed visual work. A comparison of 2.5 Sunburst with 2.6 Flare changes both the version and the variant, making the result harder to interpret.

7

Can I create SVG or GIF files on this site?

The 2.6 generator on this site currently requests PNG, JPEG or WebP still images. For SVG or animated GIF output, use an integration that exposes the documented OpenAI Image API generation formats. Those formats are not supported by the image edit endpoint. ChatGPT’s saved-reference and GIF interface is a separate product experience.

8

Can either version preserve a reference image exactly?

Inspect the finished file every time. Both versions support editing, but nearby pixels, labels or geometry can still change. Name the one change and the elements to preserve, then compare the output with the original. For a longer edit chain, keep the original reference and check for cumulative drift.

Put your own image brief to the test

Choose the available model, describe the result you need and review the displayed credit total. Keep the prompt and reference so the next version has the same brief.

Open the image generator

Continue your GPT Image comparison

Open the model tools or compare other image workflows before choosing a production setup.

GPT Image 2.5 image generator

Use Flare or Sunburst with the existing resolution and reference controls.

GPT Image 2.6 image generator

Try the quality and complexity controls for a raster still-image workflow.

GPT Image 2 vs Nano Banana Pro

Compare an earlier GPT Image workflow with Nano Banana Pro for image generation and editing.

ChatGPT image generator alternative

Explore a standalone image workflow with an explicit prompt and output settings.