Best AI image generator
We never take money for a place in a ranking. Read how we make money.
The verdict
Best overall
- Scores 100 on images, the highest of 4 models we track for this job.
- Also the cheapest model that passes our test for this job.
- Also the highest-scoring model for this job.
Image models are judged by eye, so we use people’s blind votes. Pricing varies by size and quality setting, which we are adding model by model.
How we tested
The images score is Arena’s text-to-image votes, scaled 0 to 100 among the image models we track.
Scores are provisional until our own test rig runs these tasks. A model “passes our test” for this job at a score of 50 or more.
Scores and cost at your volume
| Model | Score | Passes |
|---|---|---|
| gpt-image-2 | 100 | Yes |
| Nano Banana 2 | 43 | No |
| Nano Banana Pro | 37 | No |
| Grok Imagine Image | 0 | No |
Who should pick something else
- For product shots that must match a real item, test with your own photos; votes measure general appeal.
- If you need to run it yourself, check each model page for open weights.
Questions
Which AI makes the best images?
The best overall pick below leads people’s blind votes among the image models we track.
How much does an AI image cost?
From a cent to tens of cents per image depending on model and size. We are adding per-image prices to each model page.
Changes to this guide
- 25 Oct 2026: First version, on provisional scores from Arena and Epoch AI.