GPT Image 2.5
GPT Image 2.5 is an advanced image generation and editing model launched by OpenAI. It is designed to deliver sharper image quality, higher fidelity to reference images, and more refined image optimization. The model can generate more natural lighting and textures, preserve subject features more reliably, and execute complex visual instructions with greater precision in multi-round editing scenarios.
Available Models
GPT Image 2.5 Flare Lite
GPT Image 2.5 Flare Lite is APIPod's cost-oriented routing variant for GPT Image 2.5 Flare rather than a separate OpenAI model. It uses the shared generation and editing contract with lower-cost configured channels, suited to high-volume batch generation on a budget.
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst Lite
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst Lite is APIPod's cost-oriented routing variant for GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst rather than a separate OpenAI model. It uses the shared generation and editing contract with lower-cost configured channels, suited to iterative creative work on a budget.
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst
GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst is the precision tier of OpenAI's GPT Image 2.5 image generation and editing family, exposed through APIPod's official-route public ID. It builds on Flare with tighter editing accuracy and multi-round controllability, suited to production-ready campaign key visuals and polished product imagery.
GPT Image 2.5 Flare
GPT Image 2.5 Flare is the speed-focused tier of OpenAI's GPT Image 2.5 image generation and editing family, exposed through APIPod's official-route public ID. It sharpens detail, lighting and texture over GPT Image 2 and supports the extra xhigh/max fidelity tiers, making it the default choice for high-volume generation and creator content.
GPT Image
2.5
Fast on Flare, precise on Sunburst
Two tiers of OpenAI's latest image generation: Flare for high-volume speed (~50% lower latency than GPT Image 2), Sunburst for surgical multi-round editing — both with exclusive xhigh/max quality tiers.
Prompt
Keep the portrait, blue backdrop and printed-photo edges exactly the same; change only the outfit to a tailored charcoal suit with subtle fabric texture...
Two Variants, One Family
Flare is the default — fast and better than 2.0. Sunburst trades some speed for surgical editing precision.
Flare
RecommendedThe everyday variant: high-volume generation, creator content and rapid prototyping. Higher quality than 2.0 with latency cut by ~50% — sharper detail, more natural light, richer texture.
- ~50% lower latency than GPT Image 2
- Sharper detail, natural lighting, richer texture
- High-concurrency batch generation & social assets
Sunburst
Precision FlagshipBuilds on Flare with tighter editing accuracy and multi-round controllability — changes apply only to the designated area and multi-round edits never drift.
- Edit only the designated region
- Multi-round edits stay consistent
- Better subject fidelity in reference-driven edits
Both tiers unlock the exclusive xhigh / max quality settings and share GPT Image 2's request schema, so switching tiers is a one-line model ID change. Each tier is available as an Official and a Lite edition; see the comparison below.
Official or Lite? Pick the right edition
Both Flare and Sunburst come in an Official edition and a Lite edition. The request parameters are identical; they differ in where the image is generated and how you are billed.
Official
OpenAI official- Served by OpenAI's official API with identical output
- Low and medium quality cost far less than flat per-image pricing; 1K low is under 1 cent per image
- Up to 10 images per request, all quality tiers including xhigh / max
- Every task shows its actual token usage on your bill
Lite
Best value- Much cheaper for high quality and 4K: 4K max is only $0.10 per image
- Fixed, predictable pricing for per-order cost accounting
- Transparent backgrounds directly from text-to-image
- Up to 4 images per request; non-official channels may show minor differences
| Compare | Official | Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Generation channel | Relayed via OpenAI's official API | Third-party lower-cost channels |
| Billing | Actual token usage at official rates | Per image, by resolution only |
| Charging flow | $0.50 pre-charge, settled and refunded on completion | Charged once on submission, no settlement |
| Ref. price: 1K · low | ≈ $0.006 / image | $0.02 / image |
| Ref. price: 1K · high | ≈ $0.05 / image | $0.02 / image |
| Ref. price: 4K · max | ≈ $0.40 / image | $0.10 / image |
| Images per request (n) | 1–10 | 1–4 |
| Transparent background | Requires a reference image (edit / image-to-image) | Text-to-image and image-to-image |
| Output consistency | Identical to OpenAI | Close to official, minor differences possible |
Choose by scenario
Official reference prices are estimated from OpenAI's published per-image token usage (including one input image); the actual charge is based on token usage when the task completes. User-level discounts apply to both editions. See the pricing page for current prices.
Why GPT Image 2.5?
The latest GPT Image generation ships in two tiers — Flare for speed, Sunburst for precision — sharing one async workflow and six quality levels.
Up to 50% Faster
Generation latency drops by up to 50% compared with GPT Image 2, so drafts and iterations come back sooner.
Stronger Subject Preservation
Reference-image edits hold on to subjects, shapes and identity with noticeably better fidelity than the previous generation.
Natural Light & Texture
Lighting falls more naturally and material textures — ceramic, fabric, metal, skin — render with crisper micro-detail.
Continuous Edit Consistency
Sequential edits keep labels, edges, geometry and approved details intact across rounds instead of drifting with every change.
Full Capability Matrix
Six quality tiers including exclusive xhigh/max fidelity, transparent backgrounds, and up to 16 reference images — on one asynchronous endpoint.
Quality Tiers
auto, low, medium, high plus two 2.5-exclusive tiers — xhigh and max for the hardest images.
Aspect Ratios
Sixteen aspect ratios across the 1K/2K/4K pixel tiers, from square social assets to 21:9 cinematic banners.
Generation Modes
Text-to-image and reference-image editing through one async task API. Transparent-background PNG output at medium quality and above.
Use Cases
Sample prompts showcasing what GPT Image 2.5 handles best — copy, adapt, and generate.
A square studio product photo of a cobalt-blue ceramic mug on a pale gray backdrop, soft light from the left, handle to the right. Preserve the ceramic texture; leave the upper-left quarter empty for headline copy. No text, no logos.
Change only the background from pale gray to warm beige. Keep the mug's shape, color, handle direction, lighting and shadows exactly as they are; preserve the empty headline space.
An Instagram Story-style shot of a cosplayer crouching and facing the camera, playful hand gestures, dramatic rim lighting, magazine-cover composition with clean negative space on top.
Keep the portrait, blue backdrop and printed-photo edges exactly the same; change only the outfit to a tailored charcoal suit with subtle fabric texture. Photorealistic studio lighting.
Integrate in Minutes
One async endpoint for generation and editing. Submit a task, poll the status endpoint, and download your images.
import requests import time API_BASE = "https://api.apipod.ai/v1" headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer $API_KEY"} # 1. Submit generation task resp = requests.post( "https://api.apipod.ai/v1/images/generations", headers=headers, json={ "model": "gpt-image-2.5", "prompt": "A cobalt-blue ceramic mug on a pale gray studio backdrop...", "quality": "xhigh", "aspect_ratio": "1:1", "resolution": "2K" } ) task_id = resp.json()["data"]["task_id"] # 2. Poll status until completed while True: res = requests.get( f"https://api.apipod.ai/v1/images/status/{task_id}", headers=headers ).json() if res["data"]["status"] == "completed": print(res["data"]["result"][0]) break time.sleep(2)
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about GPT Image 2.5 on APIPod.
What is GPT Image 2.5?
GPT Image 2.5 is OpenAI's latest image generation and editing family, released on September 8, 2026 across ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work and Codex plans. It ships in two tiers — Flare (speed) and Sunburst (precision) — improving on GPT Image 2 with lower latency, stronger subject preservation from reference images, more natural lighting and material texture, and better consistency across continuous edits.
What's new compared to GPT Image 2?
Three things: Flare cuts generation latency by ~50% versus GPT Image 2.0; fidelity improves across the board (sharper detail, more natural light, richer texture, better subject fidelity in reference edits); and both tiers add exclusive xhigh and max quality levels on top of low/medium/high/auto. Every other parameter, endpoint and response field is identical, so migrating is a one-line model ID change.
What are the flare and sunburst variants?
Flare is the default, recommended tier — fast and better than 2.0, ideal for high-concurrency batch generation, creator content and rapid prototyping. Sunburst is the precision flagship: it builds on Flare with tighter editing accuracy and multi-round controllability, for production-ready campaign key visuals and polished product imagery. Pick a tier by using the public model ID gpt-image-2.5-flare or gpt-image-2.5-sunburst.
What's the difference between Official and Lite, and which should I use?
Both take exactly the same parameters; they differ in channel and billing. Official (gpt-image-2.5-flare / gpt-image-2.5-sunburst) is served by OpenAI's official API, billed by actual token usage, matches official output and allows up to 10 images per request. Lite (the -lite suffix) runs on lower-cost channels with a flat per-image price by resolution (1K $0.02, 2K $0.06, 4K $0.10) and up to 4 images per request. Choose Official for low/medium quality or when output must match OpenAI; choose Lite for high-or-above quality, 4K images or a fixed budget.
How do I generate images with a transparent background?
Set background to transparent and quality to medium or higher; the output is a PNG with an alpha channel (jpeg is not supported). On the Official edition, transparent backgrounds require a reference image (edit / image-to-image). For transparent output straight from text-to-image, use the Lite edition.
Can I use the generated images commercially?
Yes. Images generated through APIPod can be used in commercial projects, subject to OpenAI's usage policies and applicable content guidelines.
How is GPT Image 2.5 priced?
Official is billed at OpenAI's official token rates (input $8 / 1M tokens, image output $30 / 1M tokens): $0.50 is pre-charged on submission, the task is settled by actual usage on completion, any excess is refunded automatically, and the final charge is based on the result. Lite is a flat per-image price by resolution only: 1K $0.02, 2K $0.06, 4K $0.10 per image, regardless of quality. Upstream generation failures follow the channel's billing rules; see the pricing page for current prices.
Start Creating with GPT Image 2.5
Flare for speed, Sunburst for precision — one API key, one async endpoint.