$0.004 vs $0.08 Per Image: Can You Tell the Difference?
We ran the same prompts on Qwen Z-Image ($0.004), GPT Image 1.5 ($0.013), Seedream 5.0 Lite ($0.028), and Nano Banana 2 ($0.04). The results might surprise you — and save you thousands.
We took four image generation models at wildly different price points and ran the exact same prompts through each one. The cheapest is 10x less than the most expensive.
Can you tell which is which?
The models
| Model | Creator | Price used | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qwen Z-Image | Alibaba | $0.004/img | KIE AI |
| Seedream 5.0 Lite | ByteDance | $0.0275/img | KIE AI |
| GPT Image 1.5 | OpenAI | $0.013/img | Replicate |
| Nano Banana 2 | $0.04/img | Google Gemini API |
We used Nano Banana 2 through Google’s own Gemini API (it’s the Gemini 3.1 Flash Image model). At $0.04/image it’s comparable to DALL-E 3 pricing but with significantly better output quality. GPT Image 1.5 is the same model powering ChatGPT’s image generation — available via API at $0.013/image on Replicate.
Test 1: Product photography
Prompt: “A minimal flat-lay photo of a white ceramic coffee mug on a light oak table, soft morning light from the left, shallow depth of field, commercial product photography style”
All four models produced clean product shots. Nano Banana 2 added coffee and props for context. Z-Image is the most minimal but perfectly usable at 10x less cost.
Test 2: Text rendering
Text in images is where cheap models usually fall apart. Let’s see.
Prompt: “A neon sign on a dark brick wall that reads ‘OPEN 24 HOURS’ in glowing pink letters, rain-wet street reflections, cinematic night photography”
All four nailed “OPEN 24 HOURS” on the sign. Seedream’s reflection reads “HOOBS” instead of “HOURS” — a minor slip. Nano Banana 2 added the most scene detail (taxi, pedestrian). GPT Image 1.5 went with a dramatic angle.
Test 3: Creative illustration
Prompt: “An isometric 3D illustration of a tiny Japanese ramen shop at night, warm yellow light spilling from the windows, a cat sitting outside, Studio Ghibli inspired, detailed miniature diorama style”
All four delivered charming Ghibli-style ramen shops with cats. Nano Banana 2 went full diorama with a surrounding village and multiple cats. Seedream’s is the cleanest miniature. Z-Image is simpler but still captures the mood at $0.004.
Test 4: Image editing
Can these models handle editing as well as generation? We took a photo and asked each model to swap the background.
Prompt: “Change the background to a sunset beach scene, keep the subject unchanged”
Original photo:
Results:
All four preserved the subject and created convincing sunset beaches. The edge blending is seamless across all models — even Z-Image at $0.004 produced a result you’d struggle to distinguish from the $0.04 options.
One caveat with Seedream: it doesn’t support automatic aspect ratio matching for input images. When you provide a reference image, the output may come back in a different aspect ratio than the original. GPT Image 1.5, Nano Banana 2, and Z-Image all preserve the source aspect ratio automatically. If you’re doing batch image editing where consistent dimensions matter (e.g. product photos, thumbnails), this is something to watch out for with Seedream — you’ll need to crop or resize the output yourself.
The cost at scale
Let’s say you’re generating 10,000 images per month — a realistic number for an e-commerce platform, marketing team, or SaaS product.
| Model | Cost/image | 10K images/mo | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT Image 1.5 | $0.054 | $540 | $6,480 |
| Nano Banana 2 | $0.04 | $400 | $4,800 |
| Seedream 5.0 Lite | $0.0275 | $275 | $3,300 |
| GPT Image 1.5 (Replicate) | $0.013 | $130 | $1,560 |
| Z-Image | $0.004 | $40 | $480 |
Switching from Nano Banana 2 to Seedream saves you $1,500/year. Switching to Z-Image for non-critical images saves $4,320/year.
And that’s just one model. The provider you choose matters just as much.
Same model, different price
Here’s what caught our eye: the same model costs very different amounts depending on which provider you use.
Nano Banana 2 pricing by provider:
| Provider | Price/image | vs cheapest |
|---|---|---|
| KIE AI | $0.04 | baseline |
| Muapi | $0.06 | +50% |
| Replicate | $0.067 | +68% |
| fal.ai | $0.08 | +100% |
Same model. Same output. 2x price difference. If you’re on fal.ai paying $0.08, you could switch to KIE AI and cut your bill in half overnight.
Our recommendation
For most teams, Seedream 5.0 Lite is the right default. It offers the best quality-per-dollar ratio — close enough to Nano Banana 2 in output quality, but 31% cheaper. ByteDance has clearly invested in making this model punch above its weight.
Use Z-Image for bulk operations where speed and cost matter more than aesthetics — thumbnails, prototypes, placeholder content.
Use Nano Banana 2 when you need the absolute best quality and are willing to pay for it — hero images, marketing materials, customer-facing content where every pixel matters.
Compare for yourself
We built Inference Hub so you don’t have to check 7 different pricing pages. Select any model, see every provider ranked by price.
The data in this post is live on the site — prices update as providers change their rates.