The short answer
OpenAI Images (gpt-image) is billed per token (~$0.02-0.25/image). It has no free tier (None (pay-per-use; shared org credits)). The paid plans we list start at $2.50 in / $8.00 out per 1M tokens (gpt-image-1-mini).
Plans and prices
| Plan | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| gpt-image-1-mini | $2.50 in / $8.00 out per 1M tokens | Cheapest/fastest tier; cached input $0.25/1M. Batch: $1.25 in / $4.00 out. |
| gpt-image-1.5 | $8.00 in / $32.00 out per 1M tokens | Dec 2025 model; per-image square approx $0.009/$0.034/$0.133 for low/med/high. Batch: $4 in / $16 out. |
| gpt-image-2 (flagship) | $8.00 in / $30.00 out per 1M tokens | Current top model; per-image square approx $0.006/$0.053/$0.211 low/med/high. Batch: $4 in / $15 out. |
| gpt-image-1 (original) | ~$0.02 / $0.07 / $0.19 per image | Per-image low/medium/high quality (1024x1024); token-based ($5 text in, $10 image in, $40 image out per 1M). |
How OpenAI Images (gpt-image) bills you
The pricing model is per token (~$0.02-0.25/image). Foundation-model image API with best-in-class docs, a playground, and instruction-following generation/editing baked into the same platform as GPT. Best suited to: frontier image gen + editing inside the openai platform.
What to watch for on the bill
- More expensive and slower than self-hosted open-weight diffusion models for high-volume use
The pricing page we read
Source: https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/pricing. Prices change, so confirm there before you commit.
Compare OpenAI Images (gpt-image) with alternatives
- OpenAI Images (gpt-image) vs Google Imagen / Gemini Image pricing
- OpenAI Images (gpt-image) vs fal.ai pricing
- OpenAI Images (gpt-image) vs Replicate pricing
Other image generation apis: Google Imagen / Gemini Image, fal.ai, Replicate, Stability AI, Black Forest Labs (FLUX).
Looking at quality rather than price? See the OpenAI Images (gpt-image) score on APIbenchmarks. Full entry: OpenAI Images (gpt-image) pricing.