gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image vs GPT Image 2
Which one, when — curated verdict, not a benchmark table
Both are image models that charge the same $30 per million output tokens, so the real split is on input: gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image takes text and images at $0.25 per million versus $5 for gpt-image-2, making it 20x cheaper to feed prompts and reference images. Pick gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image for prompt-heavy or image-in-image-out pipelines where input volume dominates the bill, and note it can also return text alongside images, with a 4096-token output cap and thinking that cannot be turned off. Choose gpt-image-2 when you want a pure image-out endpoint from OpenAI and input cost is a minor line item.
Pricing
| gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image | GPT Image 2 | Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input / 1M tokens | $0.25 | $5 | 0.05× |
| Output / 1M tokens | $30 | $30 | = |
Rates from the live catalog at build time; each model page carries the current card.
Where they sit — output price per 1M tokens across all 8 image-generation models on this billing unit (log scale)
Specs
| gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image | GPT Image 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Input modalities | text image | text image |
| Output modalities | text image | image |
| Released | 2026-06-30 | 2026-04-21 |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | — |
| Output sizes | 1K only (1:1 = 1024x1024) |
|
| Input modes | text-to-image, interleaved generation + editing, up to 14 reference images | text-to-image, image edit with mask inpainting |
| Images per request | — | 10 |
| Formats | — | png, jpeg, webp |
| Notes | 1K (1024px) output only 10 aspect ratios (1:1, 3:2, 2:3, 3:4, 4:3, 4:5, 5:4, 9:16, 16:9, 21:9) and up to 14 reference images interleaved generation and editing with fast multi-turn local edits sub-2s end-to-end latency SynthID + C2PA watermarking always on | Flexible resolutions: edges up to 3840px in multiples of 16, ratio <=3:1, ~0.65-8.3MP total (incl. 4K 3840x2160) editing with mask inpainting all image inputs processed at high fidelity significantly improved text rendering (precise placement can still struggle) |
Specs are transcribed from each vendor’s documentation; a row a vendor does not publish is left out rather than inferred. Full sources: gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image · GPT Image 2
One prompt, both models — measured through the gateway
One prompt, one request per model, no retries and no cherry-picking — the first result each model returned. Neither size nor duration was pinned: each model used its own default, because a request shaped to fit all of them would flatter none. Files here are re-encoded for the web, so judge composition and prompt adherence, not compression.
Switch between them with one line
Both ids are in every tab below — the highlighted pair of lines is the only edit. Same endpoint, same key, same request shape.
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
base_url="https://synthorai.io/v1",
api_key="sk-syn-...",
)
resp = client.images.generate(
model="gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image",
# model="gpt-image-2", # uncomment this line, comment the one above
prompt="a watercolor lighthouse at dawn",
size="1024x1024",
)
print(resp.data[0].b64_json[:80])import OpenAI from "openai";
const client = new OpenAI({
baseURL: "https://synthorai.io/v1",
apiKey: "sk-syn-...",
});
const resp = await client.images.generate({
model: "gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image",
// model: "gpt-image-2", // uncomment this line, comment the one above
prompt: "a watercolor lighthouse at dawn",
size: "1024x1024",
});
console.log(resp.data?.[0]?.b64_json?.slice(0, 80));curl https://synthorai.io/v1/images/generations \
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk-syn-..." \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image",
# "model": "gpt-image-2", # uncomment this line, comment the one above
"prompt": "a watercolor lighthouse at dawn",
"size": "1024x1024"
}'package main
import (
"context"
"fmt"
"github.com/openai/openai-go/v3"
"github.com/openai/openai-go/v3/option"
)
func main() {
client := openai.NewClient(
option.WithBaseURL("https://synthorai.io/v1"),
option.WithAPIKey("sk-syn-..."),
)
resp, _ := client.Images.Generate(context.TODO(), openai.ImageGenerateParams{
Model: "gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image",
// Model: "gpt-image-2", // uncomment this line, comment the one above
Prompt: "a watercolor lighthouse at dawn",
Size: "1024x1024",
})
fmt.Println(resp.Data[0].B64JSON[:80])
}import com.openai.client.OpenAIClient;
import com.openai.client.okhttp.OpenAIOkHttpClient;
import com.openai.models.images.*;
OpenAIClient client = OpenAIOkHttpClient.builder()
.baseUrl("https://synthorai.io/v1")
.apiKey("sk-syn-...")
.build();
ImagesResponse resp = client.images().generate(
ImageGenerateParams.builder()
.model("gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image")
// .model("gpt-image-2") // uncomment this line, comment the one above
.prompt("a watercolor lighthouse at dawn")
.size("1024x1024")
.build());
System.out.println(resp.data().orElseThrow().get(0).b64Json().orElseThrow().substring(0, 80));FAQ
Which is cheaper, gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image or GPT Image 2?
gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image is cheaper on input / 1m tokens ($0.25 vs $5, 20× apart). Other rows may point the other way — the table above carries the full card, and real cost depends on your mix.
Can I A/B test gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image against GPT Image 2 without two integrations?
Yes. Both are served through the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint with one API key — switching is a one-line model-string change, so you can route a fraction of traffic to each and compare bills directly.
Does the price change with image size?
It depends on how the model bills. Per-image models charge the same regardless of prompt or output size; token-billed models scale with the resolution you render, so a 4K image costs a multiple of a small one. The table above shows which applies to each.