ChatGPT Image 2.5
Pick ChatGPT Image 2.5 when you want to match a look you already made with it.
Open ChatGPT Image 2.5 in Image LabHead-to-head · Image Lab
ChatGPT Image 2.5 vs ChatGPT Image 2.6
Two generations of OpenAI’s default image model, with the same four ad sizes, the same edit support, and the same quote at the same size. ChatGPT Image 2.6 adds a separate reasoning step before it draws, which Image Lab runs at high.
Runs online, no installIncluded in plans from $19/moSpecs checked 5 November 2026 from the live Image Lab catalog
Catalog specs
Side by side in Image Lab.
Modes, edits, aspect ratios, size, and output come from the live Image Lab catalog, not from a ranked shoot-out.
Spec
ChatGPT Image 2.5
ChatGPT Image 2.6
Provider
ChatGPT Image 2.5
OpenAI
ChatGPT Image 2.6
OpenAI
Modes
ChatGPT Image 2.5
Text to image · Image to image
ChatGPT Image 2.6
Text to image · Image to image
Edit from a still
ChatGPT Image 2.5
Yes, one source still
ChatGPT Image 2.6
Yes, one source still
Aspect ratios
ChatGPT Image 2.5
4: 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, 16:9
ChatGPT Image 2.6
4: 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, 16:9
Size in Image Lab
ChatGPT Image 2.5
1024 × 1024 at 1:1
ChatGPT Image 2.6
1024 × 1024 at 1:1
Output
ChatGPT Image 2.5
Raster still
ChatGPT Image 2.6
Raster still
Prompt length
ChatGPT Image 2.5
Up to 8 KB
ChatGPT Image 2.6
Up to 8 KB
Large source stills
ChatGPT Image 2.5
No extra scaling
ChatGPT Image 2.6
No extra scaling
Best for
ChatGPT Image 2.5
Product shots and image-to-image edits.
ChatGPT Image 2.6
Product shots, layouts with text, and edits that change only what you ask.
Which to pick
Which one should you use?
ChatGPT Image 2.5 and ChatGPT Image 2.6 share the same Image Lab envelope: the four ad sizes (16:9, 1:1, 4:5, 9:16), text-to-image, and edits from one source still. They are quoted the same at the same size and input, so the choice is not cost. ChatGPT Image 2.6 is the newer model. It splits a reasoning step out from rendering quality, and Image Lab runs both at high. Clip Studio does not publish a quality benchmark, so run the same prompt on both and keep the one you like. Each model also has a Sunburst variant for intricate detail.
ChatGPT Image 2.6
Pick ChatGPT Image 2.6 for new work, especially busy layouts and edits that must change only what you ask.
Open ChatGPT Image 2.6 in Image LabQuestions, answered
ChatGPT Image 2.5 vs ChatGPT Image 2.6 FAQ
What changed from GPT Image 2.5 to GPT Image 2.6?
GPT Image 2.6 adds a separate reasoning step that plans the image before it draws. Rendering quality is now its own setting. Image Lab runs 2.6 at high quality with high reasoning. On fal, 2.6 also offers markup edits and GIF output, which Image Lab does not offer yet.
Does GPT Image 2.6 use more of my plan?
No. In Image Lab both are quoted from the same size price table, so the same aspect ratio and input use the same share of the allowance. Both are included in every Clip Studio plan and use the same monthly generation allowance, and each setup is quoted in Image Lab before you generate. Plan details live on the pricing page.
Do both support the same sizes and edits?
Yes. Both make the four ad sizes (16:9, 1:1, 4:5, 9:16) and edit from one source still.
Are ChatGPT Image 2.5 and ChatGPT Image 2.6 free?
No. Both run in Image Lab, which is included in every Clip Studio plan, and every plan opens every Image Lab model. Clip Pro is $9 for your first month, then $19/mo.
More compares
Related head-to-heads.
ChatGPT Image 2.5 vs ChatGPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
Same OpenAI model family, same four ad sizes, same edit support, and the same quote at the same size. Sunburst is the precision variant for intricate detail and tightly scoped edits, with longer generation times.
Open compareNano Banana 2.1 vs ChatGPT Image 2.5
Both generate and edit stills from one source image. Nano Banana 2.1 accepts ten aspect ratios at 1K; ChatGPT Image 2.5 (GPT Image 2.5 on fal) accepts the four ad sizes: 16:9, 1:1, 4:5, and 9:16.
Open compareChatGPT Image 2.5 vs Seedream 5 Pro
Both generate and edit stills from one source image. ChatGPT Image 2.5 takes the four ad sizes; Seedream 5 Pro takes all ten Image Lab aspect ratios at about 2.2–2.4 megapixels.
Open compareIdeogram V4.5 vs ChatGPT Image 2.5 for text in images
Ideogram V4.5 is the Image Lab model listed for posters, logos, and stills with readable text, at a 2K-band size across ten aspect ratios. ChatGPT Image 2.5 is listed for product shots and edits at the four ad sizes.
Open compare