ChatGPT alternatives
By Daniel Reeve · tested and updated September 2026
Image generation is highly model-dependent. The same prompt can produce very different style, text quality, anatomy, realism and brand fit depending on the model.
Quick answer
Do not choose an image model on sample galleries, which are curated. Choose on resolution ceiling and reference-image support, because those decide whether it can do your job at all.
Decision map
Create three visual directions for this landing page hero: one editorial, one product-focused, one minimalist.
Hands, faces, text, logos, product accuracy, resolution and rights.
Use images for direction, then polish in a design tool.
Model by model
| Area | Useful for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Concept art | AI can quickly create many visual directions. | Avoid using protected brand assets or people without rights. |
| Marketing images | Useful for drafts, mood boards and variants. | Final ads need legal, brand and quality review. |
| Text in images | Some models still struggle with exact typography. | Use design tools for final text-heavy graphics. |
| Multi-model workflow | MultipleChat can help users compare several image models from one place. | Prompt quality and iteration still matter. |
Verified image models
Google publishes its image model specifications in detail; most vendors do not. Read on 2026-09-10 from the Gemini image generation documentation and xAI model documentation.
| Model | Resolutions | Reference images | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image | 1K only | up to 14 reference images | Fastest and cheapest; no Google Search grounding. |
| Gemini 3.1 Flash Image | 512px, 1K, 2K, 4K | 10 object + 4 character-consistency images | Generalist workhorse; Google Search and Image Search grounding. |
| Gemini 3 Pro Image | 1K, 2K, 4K | 6 object + 5 character + 3 style references | Premium tier for complex visual tasks; highest world knowledge. |
| Grok Imagine Image 2.0 | not published | not published | xAI's image endpoint; a video model (Imagine Video 1.5) sits alongside it. |
Test it properly
Ask for the same character or product in two different scenes. Consistency between generations is the thing that separates a usable image workflow from a novelty, and it is exactly what reference-image support is for.
Then check the output resolution against what you actually need. A model capped at 1K is fine for the web and useless for print, and that limit does not appear in any sample gallery.
Sources
Every figure on this page was read from the official documentation below on 2026-09-10. Prices, limits and model names change without notice — the source is authoritative, this page is not.
FAQ
It depends on resolution and control rather than on brand. Google documents Gemini 3 Pro Image for complex work at 1K, 2K and 4K with up to 6 object, 5 character and 3 style references; Gemini 3.1 Flash Image as the generalist across 512px to 4K; and Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image as the fast, cheap 1K option (Gemini image docs, checked 2026-09-10).
Keeping a subject consistent between generations. Gemini 3.1 Flash Image documents 10 object references plus 4 character-consistency images; the Pro model adds style references. If you need the same character across a sequence, this capability matters far more than raw resolution.
The Gemini models apply a SynthID watermark to every generated image, so provenance is detectable by design in that ecosystem. Detection across all generators is a much weaker guarantee, and anyone selling you a universal AI-image detector is overstating what is possible.
Yes. OpenAI's pricing page documents image generation across the tiers — limited and slower on Free, more on Go, and unlimited and faster on Pro. It does not publish the same model-level resolution and reference-image detail Google does, so we are not printing figures we could not read at source.
Gemini 3 Pro Image and Gemini 3.1 Flash Image both document 4K support; the Lite model is 1K only. If you are producing print or large-format work, that single row rules the Lite model out regardless of its speed advantage.
That is a licensing question, not a capability one, and it varies by provider, by plan and by jurisdiction. Read the terms for the specific account you generate under — and remember the watermark means the image's origin is not private.