Correction, 2026-10-02: this page ranked models on quality we have not measured ("strongest at", "the reason it wins this category", "photoreal detail"); it now compares prices, sizes, shapes and reference limits only. It recommended Imagen 4 Fast and Midjourney V7, and we cannot currently confirm that either is working on 8frame, so neither is recommended now. It priced FLUX.2 [pro] generation by the megapixel (about 2 per extra one), but every FLUX.2 [pro] size on 8frame is about one megapixel, so it is 5 per image, and a 21:9 pick comes out as 16:9. It gave Seedream's 14 references and 6 credits without saying that is Seedream 5 Lite, while the tool opens on Seedream 5 Pro (7 at 1K, up to 10 references). It quoted GPT Image at up to 116, which is a four-image run on high; per image it is 2 on low to 29 on high for a square. It said generating at 4K is usually cheaper than upscaling, when Nano Banana 2 at 1K (11) plus a BRIA upscale (6) is 17 against 22 at 4K. And it said watermark-free work means paying someone; free tiers differ, so check each one.
Correction, 2026-10-01: we listed Smart Edit alongside the canvas editing tools and gave Topaz a 1,685-credit ceiling on its generative models. Smart Edit (33 credits) runs only through 8frame's MCP connector, and Topaz's generative models are not available on 8frame: Topaz here is a fixed 4x precision path at 11 credits per started 24-megapixel block of output, up to 281. We also put Flux Kontext at 7 to 13 credits: Kontext Max is a flat 13, but FLUX.2 [pro] edit bills by input plus output megapixels, about 7 for a 1 MP image and around 36 for a 12 MP phone photo.
Correction, 2026-09-30: we said Midjourney has no per-image price on 8frame (it is 32 credits on V8, 28 on V7), described FLUX.2 [pro] as about 5 credits per megapixel (5 for the first, about 2 per extra), capped Topaz at 281 (generative models reach 1,685), cited an earlier in-house text-rendering comparison we cannot produce, and generalised about free tiers. All fixed.
There is no single best AI image generator in 2026; there is a model that fits each job, and on 8frame the price per image runs from 2 credits to 42. Nano Banana 2 or Nano Banana Pro when you need a 4K setting. Seedream 5 Lite when the brief needs many reference images (up to 14). GPT Image 2 on low quality (2 credits) or FLUX.2 [pro] (5) when you are iterating and cost per attempt is the constraint. Flux Edit when the image already exists and you just need it changed. All of them run on one 8frame canvas off one credit balance, which is what makes picking per brief practical instead of a subscription problem.
TL;DR
- 4K without an upscale pass: Nano Banana 2 at 8, 11, 17 or 22 credits per image (0.5K, 1K, 2K, 4K), up to 4 images per run; Nano Banana Pro at 21, or 42 at 4K
- Many reference images: Seedream 5 Lite at 6 credits takes up to 14 (Seedream 5 Pro, which the tool opens on, takes 10, at 7 for 1K or 13 for 2K)
- Cheap iteration: GPT Image 2 at low quality, 2 credits (it opens on high: 29 for a square image, 20 for other shapes), FLUX.2 [pro] and Seedream 4 at 5, Seedream 5 Lite, FLUX 1.1 Pro and Grok Image 2.0 Low at 6
- Editing what you already made: Flux Edit, a flat 13 credits on Kontext Max or about 7 on FLUX.2 [pro] edit for a 1 MP image (more for larger ones)
- 1,000 credits on the $19 Starter plan is about 165 to 500 images on those entry tiers, watermark-free on every plan
Which model for which job
4K and fine detail. Nano Banana 2 (Google) is what the Nano Banana tool opens on, at 1K for 11 credits. It runs 8, 11, 17 or 22 credits per image at 0.5K, 1K, 2K or 4K, returns up to 4 images from a single run, takes up to 10 reference images and offers 4:5 and 21:9 among its 10 shapes. Nano Banana Pro is 21 credits at 1K and 2K and 42 at 4K; the picker's Standard is Nano Banana Classic at 6. Nano Banana 2 and Pro are the only image models with a 4K setting on 8frame. Before you reach for an upscaler, do the sum: a 4K image on Nano Banana 2 is 22 credits; a 1K image (11) plus a BRIA upscale (6, 2x or 4x) is 17; a 1K image plus Topaz's 4x (11, since the output stays under 24 megapixels) is 22.
Text inside the image. When the output needs legible words (a label, a headline in the frame, a sign), start with Nano Banana Pro: Google says it generates "more accurate, legible text directly in the image". Run the same prompt on GPT Image 2 for a second take, and read every result back letter by letter; generated text needs checking on every model. GPT Image 2 is priced per image by quality and shape: 2 on low, 8 on medium for a square image (6 for other shapes), and 29 on high for a square image (20 for other shapes). It opens on high, so the entry tier is cheap only once you switch to it.
Many reference images. Seedream 5 Lite takes up to 14 reference images, the most of any image model on 8frame (Nano Banana and GPT Image 2 take 10, Reve 6, Grok Image 2.0 and Qwen Image 3 take 3). It runs 6 credits, outputs at 2K or 3K and offers 8 shapes including 21:9. If a brief needs the same product, set or illustrated style across 20 images, this is the model that accepts the most material to work from; check each output against your references. The mechanics are covered in multi-reference conditioning. Seedream 5 Pro, which the Seedream tool opens on, is 7 credits at 1K and 13 at 2K and takes up to 10 references.
Cheap iteration. When you're still finding the idea, resolution and polish are spend you can save. GPT Image 2 on low at 2 credits, FLUX.2 [pro] and Seedream 4 at 5, and Seedream 5 Lite, FLUX 1.1 Pro or Grok Image 2.0 Low at 6 all cost two to six cents per attempt at credit-pack rates. Find the composition cheaply, then re-run the winner on the model and size you will deliver.
Editing rather than generating. Flux Edit changes an existing image from a prompt. On Kontext Max it is a flat 13 credits. On FLUX.2 [pro] edit, which the tool opens on, the price follows the image size, input plus output megapixels: about 7 credits for a 1 MP image, about 20 at 2048 x 2048, around 36 for a 12 MP phone photo. When a hero shot is approved and only the surface, the color, the light or the background needs to change, describe that change on the approved image instead of starting a fresh generation, and compare the result with the original before you send it. Smart Edit (33 credits) is reachable only through 8frame's MCP connector, not on the canvas.
Midjourney. Midjourney V8 is on the canvas at 32 credits per job of four images, 8 per image. V7 is still in the model picker (marked experimental, 28 credits), but we cannot confirm it is currently working on 8frame, so we do not recommend it. Whether a Midjourney subscription of your own is worth it is broken down in is Midjourney worth it.
The full roster and what an image costs
Credits per image, from the 8frame model registry, checked 2026-10-02. One credit is about a cent at credit-pack rates.
| Model | Credits | Tiers and limits | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2 (Google) | 8 / 11 / 17 / 22 | 0.5K / 1K / 2K / 4K, up to 4 images per run, up to 10 references | What the Nano Banana tool opens on (1K, 11); 4K setting |
| Nano Banana Pro (Google) | 21, or 42 at 4K | 1K / 2K / 4K, up to 10 references | 4K setting; Google pitches it for legible text |
| Seedream 5 Pro (ByteDance) | 7 at 1K, 13 at 2K | Two resolution tiers, up to 10 references | What the Seedream tool opens on |
| Seedream 5 Lite (ByteDance) | 6 | 2K or 3K, up to 14 references, 8 shapes including 21:9 | The most references on 8frame |
| Seedream 4 (ByteDance) | 5 | Previous generation, still hosted | Same price as FLUX.2 [pro] |
| Imagen 4 (Google) | 4 / 8 / 12 | Fast, Standard, Ultra | Still in the picker, but we cannot confirm it is working on 8frame: not recommended |
| FLUX.2 [pro] (Black Forest Labs) | 5 | Every size about one megapixel; a 21:9 pick comes out as 16:9; no reference images | One flat price per image |
| FLUX 1.1 Pro (Black Forest Labs) | 6 | One reference image | One flat price per image |
| Grok Image 2.0 (xAI) | 6 to 15 | 9 at 1K (the default), 6 at 1K Low, 11 at 2K; up to 3 references, each adding 1 or 2 | Offers 2:1 and 1:2 shapes |
| Reve 2.1 | 34 | Same price to generate, edit or remix; up to 6 references | One price for all three modes |
| GPT Image 2 (OpenAI) | 2 to 29 | Low 2, medium 8 (6 for other shapes), high 29 (20 for other shapes); up to 4 images per run, up to 10 references | Opens on high quality |
| Midjourney V8 | 32 per job of four | 8 per image | V7 (28) not recommended: we cannot confirm it is working |
Two things stand out. First, per image the roster runs from 2 credits (GPT Image 2 on low) to 42 (Nano Banana Pro at 4K), and the setting moves the price as much as the model does: GPT Image 2 runs 2 to 29 on quality and shape alone, Nano Banana 2 runs 8 to 22 on size. Second, a model can be one of the dearer ones at its default and the cheapest at its bottom setting: GPT Image 2 opens on high (29 for a square image) and costs 2 on low.
What each tool starts on before you change anything, and what that costs, is in AI image default settings by model.
The cheap path: about 165 to 500 images on a $19 plan
The Starter plan is $19 a month for 1,000 credits, and unused credits roll over while the subscription is active. Run that through the entry tiers:
- GPT Image 2 at low quality, 2 credits: 500 images (switch it from the high-quality default first)
- FLUX.2 [pro] or Seedream 4 at 5 credits: 200 images
- Seedream 5 Lite, FLUX 1.1 Pro or Grok Image 2.0 Low at 6 credits: about 165 images
- Nano Banana 2 at 0.5K, 8 credits: 125 images
- Nano Banana 2 at 1K, its default, 11 credits: about 90 images
- Nano Banana 2 at 4K, 22 credits: about 45 images
Generation on 8frame needs a paid plan; signing up gives you no credits. Every output is watermark-free on every plan, including Starter. If your comparison set is free tools, read best free AI image generators first, and check each free tool's daily caps, watermark and licence terms on the vendor's own pricing page.
Finishing is where credits quietly go
Generation is often not the whole bill. Budget for the pass after it.
Topaz upscaling starts at 11 credits per started 24-megapixel block of output and scales with output size, up to 281 (8frame runs Topaz's fixed 4x precision path); BRIA Increase Resolution is a flat 6 for 2x or 4x, up to 8192 x 8192. Decide early whether you'd rather generate at 4K on Nano Banana or generate small and upscale. Background removal (12 credits), Relight, Retexture and Restore+ are all on the same canvas and the same balance. Flux Edit (a flat 13 on Kontext Max, about 7 on FLUX.2 [pro] edit for a 1 MP image and more for larger ones) is the one to reach for when you can describe the change in a sentence.
A chain that keeps costs down: a cheap model to find the composition, the model and size you will deliver to render the winner, Flux Edit for variants, and an upscale only if the delivery spec demands it. For product shots, see best AI for product photography; for Nano Banana, Seedream and FLUX side by side, with a test prompt to run yourself, see Nano Banana vs Seedream vs Flux. Nano Banana 2 and Seedream 5 get a direct comparison in Nano Banana 2 vs Seedream 5.
FAQ
What is the best AI image generator in 2026?
It depends on what the brief needs, and we have not ranked the models on quality. For a 4K setting, Nano Banana 2 or Pro. For many reference images, Seedream 5 Lite (up to 14). For words in the frame, start with Nano Banana Pro, which Google pitches for legible text, test GPT Image 2 on the same prompt, and read every word back. For the cheapest drafts, GPT Image 2 on low (2 credits) or FLUX.2 [pro] (5). Running one brief through several models on the same canvas is the way to choose.
What is the cheapest AI image generator?
On 8frame, per image: GPT Image 2 on low quality at 2 credits, FLUX.2 [pro] and Seedream 4 at 5, Seedream 5 Lite, FLUX 1.1 Pro and Grok Image 2.0 Low at 6. At credit-pack rates that's two to six cents an image, and 1,000 credits on the $19 Starter plan covers about 165 to 500 of them. Whether the output works for your brief is something to check on your own prompt.
Do AI image generators add a watermark?
It depends on the tool and the plan, so check each tool's own pricing page. 8frame does not add one, on any plan including the $19 Starter.
Sources
- Nano Banana Pro and legible text: Google, "Nano Banana Pro" (published 2025-11-20), checked 2026-10-02
- Every 8frame price, tier, size and limit on this page (Nano Banana 2 8 / 11 / 17 / 22, Nano Banana Pro 21 / 42, Seedream 5 Pro 7 / 13, Seedream 5 Lite 6, Seedream 4 5, FLUX.2 [pro] 5, FLUX 1.1 Pro 6, Grok Image 2.0 6 to 15, Reve 34, GPT Image 2 per-image table, Midjourney V8 32 per four, Imagen 4 4 / 8 / 12, Flux Edit, Topaz, BRIA, background removal), tool defaults and reference limits: 8frame tool registry credit functions and tool configuration, checked 2026-10-02
- FLUX.2 [pro] output sizes (1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3 and 3:4 presets of about one megapixel, so 21:9 maps to 16:9) and its refusal of reference images: 8frame FLUX generation code, read 2026-10-02
- Shapes per model (Nano Banana 10 including 4:5 and 21:9, Seedream 5 eight including 21:9, Grok Image 2.0 including 2:1 and 1:2): 8frame aspect-ratio configuration, read 2026-10-02
- Imagen 4 and Midjourney V7 working state not confirmed: 8frame internal production check, 2026-10-01
- Smart Edit as an MCP-only tool; Topaz limited to the 4x precision path (Recovery and Redefine not reachable): 8frame front and back registries and MCP connector config, checked 2026-10-01
- Flux Edit pricing (FLUX.2 [pro] edit billed on input plus output megapixels; Kontext Max flat 13): 8frame backend tool registry, FLUX_KONTEXT pricing branch and calculateFlux2Cost, read 2026-10-02
Every model above is on the same canvas and the same credit balance, so you can put four of them on the same brief and compare before you commit. Plans start at $19 a month.
Try it without signing up: the 8frame canvas opens on a real board. The canvas is free and unlimited; generation is paid from $19/month.