The number that matters is not the sticker price of a plan. It is the price you pay for an image you actually keep. Those two numbers differ because every generation costs a fixed number of credits, while each plan sells those credits at a different effective rate.
Below is the full math for the nine plans currently on the pricing page: credits per generation, effective cost per credit, the break-even point between subscriptions and one-time packs, and the places where credits are easiest to waste.
How GPT Image 2 credits work
Every generation consumes a fixed number of credits based on the mode and resolution. The plan only changes what a credit costs.
Text-to-image and image-to-image have separate credit costs. A higher resolution multiplies the cost, and editing an uploaded image costs twice as much as generating from text at the same resolution.
The exact credit cost is shown before a task is submitted. Paid credits are deducted only after the upstream task is accepted, and a failed task is refunded to the original credit balance.
- Text-to-image: 3 credits at 1K, 6 at 2K, 12 at 4K.
- Image-to-image: 6 credits at 1K, 12 at 2K, 24 at 4K.
- One-time packs expire after 30, 60, or 90 days depending on the pack.
- Monthly and yearly plans provide credits for their billing period.
Text to image
- 1K
- 3
- 2K
- 6
- 4K
- 12
Image to image
- 1K
- 6
- 2K
- 12
- 4K
- 24
| Output | 1K | 2K | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text to image | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| Image to image | 6 | 12 | 24 |
Credit costs come from the server-side image generation configuration. Choosing a different plan changes the dollar value of a credit, never the number of credits a generation costs.
What an image costs on each plan
Divide the plan price by its included credits to get the effective price per credit. Multiply that rate by the credits a generation costs.
The table below applies that formula to all nine plans, ordered from yearly to monthly to one-time. The last three columns show text-to-image costs; image-to-image costs are exactly double at the same resolution.
Starter
- Billing
- Yearly
- Price
- $180 / yr
- Credits
- 3,600
- Effective $/credit
- $0.050
- Text to image 1K
- $0.150
- Text to image 2K
- $0.300
- Text to image 4K
- $0.600
Standard
- Billing
- Yearly
- Price
- $588 / yr
- Credits
- 9,000
- Effective $/credit
- $0.065
- Text to image 1K
- $0.196
- Text to image 2K
- $0.392
- Text to image 4K
- $0.784
Premium
- Billing
- Yearly
- Price
- $1,188 / yr
- Credits
- 21,600
- Effective $/credit
- $0.055
- Text to image 1K
- $0.165
- Text to image 2K
- $0.330
- Text to image 4K
- $0.660
Starter
- Billing
- Monthly
- Price
- $19 / mo
- Credits
- 300
- Effective $/credit
- $0.063
- Text to image 1K
- $0.190
- Text to image 2K
- $0.380
- Text to image 4K
- $0.760
Standard
- Billing
- Monthly
- Price
- $59 / mo
- Credits
- 750
- Effective $/credit
- $0.079
- Text to image 1K
- $0.236
- Text to image 2K
- $0.472
- Text to image 4K
- $0.944
Premium
- Billing
- Monthly
- Price
- $119 / mo
- Credits
- 1,800
- Effective $/credit
- $0.066
- Text to image 1K
- $0.198
- Text to image 2K
- $0.397
- Text to image 4K
- $0.793
Starter
- Billing
- One-time
- Price
- $15
- Credits
- 120
- Effective $/credit
- $0.125
- Text to image 1K
- $0.375
- Text to image 2K
- $0.750
- Text to image 4K
- $1.500
Standard
- Billing
- One-time
- Price
- $45
- Credits
- 360
- Effective $/credit
- $0.125
- Text to image 1K
- $0.375
- Text to image 2K
- $0.750
- Text to image 4K
- $1.500
Premium
- Billing
- One-time
- Price
- $89
- Credits
- 840
- Effective $/credit
- $0.106
- Text to image 1K
- $0.318
- Text to image 2K
- $0.636
- Text to image 4K
- $1.271
| Plan | Billing | Price | Credits | Effective $/credit | Text to image 1K | Text to image 2K | Text to image 4K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Yearly | $180 / yr | 3,600 | $0.050 | $0.150 | $0.300 | $0.600 |
| Standard | Yearly | $588 / yr | 9,000 | $0.065 | $0.196 | $0.392 | $0.784 |
| Premium | Yearly | $1,188 / yr | 21,600 | $0.055 | $0.165 | $0.330 | $0.660 |
| Starter | Monthly | $19 / mo | 300 | $0.063 | $0.190 | $0.380 | $0.760 |
| Standard | Monthly | $59 / mo | 750 | $0.079 | $0.236 | $0.472 | $0.944 |
| Premium | Monthly | $119 / mo | 1,800 | $0.066 | $0.198 | $0.397 | $0.793 |
| Starter | One-time | $15 | 120 | $0.125 | $0.375 | $0.750 | $1.500 |
| Standard | One-time | $45 | 360 | $0.125 | $0.375 | $0.750 | $1.500 |
| Premium | One-time | $89 | 840 | $0.106 | $0.318 | $0.636 | $1.271 |
Prices are in USD. One-time packs include a fixed credit balance with an expiry date; subscriptions provide credits for the billing period. The per-image figures are estimates from list prices and exclude taxes or payment fees.
The cheapest plan depends on how many images you keep
The lowest price per credit is not the same as the lowest total spend.
A yearly plan has the lowest effective rate, but it only saves money if you use most of the credits before they expire. A one-time pack costs more per credit, yet it can be cheaper overall for a single project.
Use the included credit capacity as a sanity check. A yearly Starter plan includes 3,600 credits, enough for 1,200 text-to-image images at 1K, 600 at 2K, or 300 at 4K.
One project or a short campaign
Start with a one-time pack. You pay once, nothing renews, and the credit balance sets a natural budget. Check the expiry date before buying the largest pack.
Weekly or daily generation
A monthly plan gives predictable capacity at a lower effective rate than one-time credits. Move to yearly billing only after you know your monthly usage.
High-volume production
Yearly Premium has the largest credit balance and one of the lowest effective rates. It only makes sense when you can consume thousands of credits per year.
If you are unsure, buy the smallest plan that covers one month of real work. Upgrading later is easier than recovering value from unused credits.
Subscription or one-time credit pack?
Choose by expiry risk, not by sticker price.
Effective rates on the current plans run $0.050 – $0.065 per credit on yearly plans, $0.063 – $0.079 on monthly plans, and $0.106 – $0.125 on one-time packs. A one-time credit can cost up to about 2.5 times as much as the cheapest yearly credit.
That discount is compensation for commitment. Subscription credits are tied to a billing period, while one-time credits expire on a fixed date. Neither is automatically better; the right choice is the one whose expiry you will actually use.
- Choose one-time if you need images for a single launch, client deliverable, or seasonal campaign.
- Choose monthly if your output varies and you want to stop without a long commitment.
- Choose yearly if you already generate every week and can use the larger balance.
- Do not buy a large pack only because the per-credit rate is lower. Unused credits have a cost too.
How to lower the cost per usable image
The biggest savings come from fewer wasted generations, not from chasing the cheapest credit.
- 1
Match resolution to the final use
A 1K image costs 3 credits, 2K costs 6, and 4K costs 12. Use 1K for drafts and social previews; pay for 2K or 4K only when the final asset needs the detail.
- 2
Explore in text-to-image first
Image-to-image costs twice as much at the same resolution. Iterate the concept with text-to-image, then switch to editing when you need to preserve a specific image.
- 3
Start from a tested prompt
The prompt library includes full prompts, settings, and notes on why each one works. Starting from a known structure reduces blind retries.
- 4
Change one variable at a time
If a result misses, adjust the subject, composition, lighting, or text constraint separately. Rewriting the whole prompt makes it harder to learn what fixed the problem.
- 5
Use the free image to test the workflow
After email verification, a new account can generate one free 1K text-to-image image. Use it to check prompt style and output quality before buying credits.
A failed task is refunded, but a technically successful image that you discard still costs credits. Prompt quality is the main cost lever after resolution.
GPT Image 2, ChatGPT Plus, or the OpenAI API?
Three different billing models, often confused because they all produce images.
This site is an independent GPT Image 2 generator with its own credit system. ChatGPT Plus is an OpenAI subscription that includes image generation inside ChatGPT. The OpenAI API is a developer product billed by usage. They are separate products with separate prices.
ChatGPT Plus is listed by OpenAI at $20 per month at the time of writing and includes image generation inside ChatGPT subject to plan limits. API pricing is set by OpenAI and depends on the model and usage. Check OpenAI's current pricing before comparing.
This GPT Image 2 generator
- Billing
- Credits: one-time, monthly, or yearly
- Best for
- Direct image generation with resolution control
- What you get
- Text-to-image and image-to-image at 1K, 2K, or 4K; prompt library; saved tasks.
ChatGPT Plus
- Billing
- Monthly subscription set by OpenAI (about $20/month at the time of writing)
- Best for
- Image generation inside ChatGPT alongside chat
- What you get
- Access to ChatGPT and its image features, subject to OpenAI's plan limits.
OpenAI API
- Billing
- Usage-based billing from OpenAI
- Best for
- Developers building image features into an app
- What you get
- API access with an API key; billed by OpenAI according to usage.
| Option | Billing | Best for | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| This GPT Image 2 generator | Credits: one-time, monthly, or yearly | Direct image generation with resolution control | Text-to-image and image-to-image at 1K, 2K, or 4K; prompt library; saved tasks. |
| ChatGPT Plus | Monthly subscription set by OpenAI (about $20/month at the time of writing) | Image generation inside ChatGPT alongside chat | Access to ChatGPT and its image features, subject to OpenAI's plan limits. |
| OpenAI API | Usage-based billing from OpenAI | Developers building image features into an app | API access with an API key; billed by OpenAI according to usage. |
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI. Third-party prices and plan limits can change; verify them with OpenAI before making a purchase decision.
What the price does not cover
A short list of costs and constraints that are easy to miss.
- Taxes, currency conversion, and payment-provider fees are not included in the USD list prices.
- One-time credits expire; an unused balance is not a refund.
- Commercial use and content rules are governed by the terms of service, not by the credit price.
- A generation can succeed technically and still be unusable. That is a prompt or workflow cost, not a billing error.
- ChatGPT Plus and OpenAI API costs are billed separately by OpenAI and are not part of this credit balance.
GPT Image 2 cost FAQ
Direct answers to the questions that decide the real price per image.
What is the cheapest GPT Image 2 image?+
On the current plans, the lowest effective rate is the yearly Starter plan at $0.05 per credit. At that rate, a 1K text-to-image image costs $0.15 and a 4K text-to-image image costs $0.60.
How many images does a $15 one-time pack include?+
The $15 Starter pack includes 120 credits: 40 text-to-image images at 1K, 20 at 2K, or 10 at 4K. Image-to-image halves those counts because it costs 6, 12, and 24 credits.
Is a 4K image worth four times the credits of 1K?+
Only when the output needs the detail: print, large displays, or dense layouts. For social posts and drafts, 1K costs 3 credits instead of 12 and is usually enough to judge the composition.
Do failed generations consume credits?+
No. Paid credits are deducted after the upstream task is accepted, and a failed task is refunded to the original balance.
Do credits roll over?+
One-time packs have a fixed validity period, so unused credits expire. Subscription plans provide credits for their billing period. Check the plan details on the pricing page before buying.
Why does image editing cost double?+
Image-to-image uses a reference image and more processing. It costs 6 credits at 1K, 12 at 2K, and 24 at 4K, compared with 3, 6, and 12 for text-to-image.
Are all prices in USD?+
Yes. Every plan price and per-image estimate on this page is in US dollars and excludes taxes or payment fees.
Where can I see the exact cost before generating?+
The generator shows the credit cost for the selected mode and resolution before you submit. The pricing page lists every plan and the full credit matrix.
Keep reading
Put the numbers to work
Generate a 1K image and see the real cost
Start with the free 1K text-to-image image after email verification, then decide whether a pack or a subscription fits your volume.
This is an independent GPT Image 2 generator and is not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI. Prices and plan details on this page reflect this site's current server configuration; third-party product prices are set by their providers and can change.
Last updated: October 2026