OpenAI versus xAI. Sunburst is the new OpenAI flagship at 20 credits, while Grok Imagine Image 2.0 is a 10 credit photorealism option.
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst from OpenAI and Grok Imagine Image 2.0 from xAI represent two different approaches to AI image generation. GPT Image 2.5 generation and editing with explicit sizes or automatic source sizing. On the other side, xAI's next-generation image model for precise editing, crisp text rendering, improved factuality, and production-ready visual work.
At 10 credits, Grok Imagine Image 2.0 costs 10 credits less than GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst (20 credits). The question is whether the extra cost of GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst translates into meaningfully better results for your use case. For product visuals, text-heavy designs, realistic scenes, and precise image edits, Grok Imagine Image 2.0 is hard to beat at its price point. But if you need hero stills, precision editing, photorealism, and production text rendering, GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst may justify the premium.
Updated October 2026
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst costs 10 credits more per generation — that adds up fast. Start with Grok Imagine Image 2.0 for most work. It handles product visuals, text-heavy designs, realistic scenes, and precise image edits well. Save GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst for when you specifically need hero stills and the quality difference matters.
| Provider | OpenAI | xAI |
| Released | Sep 2026 | Aug 2026 |
| Cost | 201K/302K | 101K/152K |
| Speed | Medium | Medium |
| Reference images | Up to 16 | Up to 3 |
| Editing |
Grok Imagine Image 2.0 is 50% cheaper than GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst. Here's how credits add up at scale.
| Volume | GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst | Grok Imagine Image 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 images | 200 | 100 |
| 50 images | 1,000 | 500 |
| 100 images | 2,000 | 1,000 |
At 10 credits per image, Grok Imagine Image 2.0 gives you more generations for your plan. Good enough quality for most everyday use.
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst is worth the extra credits when the output needs to be perfect — portfolio pieces, client work, or final deliverables.
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst supports 16 reference images to keep subjects, styles, and characters consistent across generations.
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