GPT Image 1.5vs.HiDream-O1-Image

Which one is better?

GPT Image 1.5 leads in both ratings: in our own test and in the arena. Both are in the lower half there, though. GPT Image 1.5 costs 3.3 times as much per image.

Test images

Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.

GPT Image 1.5: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — GPT Image 1.589 out of 100

HiDream-O1-Image: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — HiDream-O1-Image45 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:GPT Image 1.5 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square cinematic full-body portrait of a fictional bicycle courier waiting under a transparent umbrella at a rainy tram stop in Hamburg at blue hour. She wears a mustard raincoat, navy trousers, red sneakers, a silver helmet, and carries a teal messenger bag. Keep both hands visible, render the bicycle correctly, use realistic wet-street reflections, and include no readable brand names.

What the rating looks at: Anatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Each test attempt uses the same archived prompt and one request. The first output of that attempt counts. Repeats after technical test failures are disclosed for the affected images. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier and prompt processing can still differ. The images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:17 PM. Source

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1735022440, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 0dff52ccd39400ac66ac8870c9ea937512ff1474688e70118688f420c38c2296

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 9ac2cbe23ee6a63b0daacd665a40c3471c52c52fd6ad23e46d3027bb95f8c880

Infographic

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:17 PM. Source

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1456348218, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 1c9ff59c32621c8b48b002dacb0ae66487262280c7c0a5b3d6456c81b248ebe9

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 258eece8b53e4df0c990b78dee2e02ec57569b1c823c3feff2ab54671240d66f

Product photography

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:16 PM. Source

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=124666889, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 67cfa2f324447027ceb5f82e9446d40a1395b46ce425890a74606b4d97731cf6

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 5a9cd3c59556412e4de93a3ef5c4121ec12b6cc02730cad527619c2d8a889783

Typography and layout

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:59 PM. Source

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=2131088503, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:41 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 6a4cec86850fd371b65274198e2bf630b3cf36a096f9fb953d4bfe17c3222ebe

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 418a9b974b87b751ad2e4e98cdf6b8d7e2f8f352aed63d25be84c02377f310d1

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,236

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 13 of 21

1,115

HiDream-O1-Image

Rank 19 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 29 of 108

HiDream-O1-Image

Rank 77 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.13

GPT Image 1.5

expensive

$0.04

HiDream-O1-Image

fairly cheap

Ranks among the 21 image models with an arena rating and the 108 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

GPT Image 1.5

Subscription: No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.36 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 42 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.13 per image, 100 images $13.30.

HiDream-O1-Image

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.04 per image, 100 images $4.
License: Open weights.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

Arena rating (LMArena) from Nov 6, 2026 · GraduallyBench from Nov 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 6, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (38 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

Kennzahl	GPT Image 1.5	HiDream-O1-Image
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,236	1,115
Arena rank	Rank 13 of 21	Rank 19 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	173,798	79,970
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	68	34
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	60	18
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	52	31
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	89	45
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	72	43
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.13	$0.04
100 images	$13.30	$4
Profile
Released	December 2025	May 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	open
Lifecycle	Marked as deprecated by OpenAI; removed from the API on December 1, 2026	no notice
Access	API, Web app	API, local
Parameters	not published	8 billion
Largest output	1,536 × 1,024 pixels	2,048 × 2,048 pixels
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	42	n/a

API prices for one image at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels according to Artificial Analysis.

Sources: GPT Image 1.5 model source, status source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · HiDream-O1-Image model source (verified Aug 15, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.

Arena rating per categoryfrom votes by users · higher is betterGPT Image 1.5HiDream-O1-Image

Text to Image Arena1,124978ahead

Image Editing Arena1,116953ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,2181,121ahead

Text to Image: Agentic image generation1,2371,111ahead

Text to Image: Art1,2251,117ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon1,2441,118ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design1,2381,130ahead

Text to Image: Overall1,2361,115ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,2471,109ahead

Text to Image: Portraits1,2591,105ahead

Text to Image: Text rendering1,2511,134ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 6, 2026 · LMArena from Nov 6, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	GPT Image 1.5	HiDream-O1-Image	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,124	978	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,116	953	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,218	1,121	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Agentic image generation	1,237	1,111	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,225	1,117	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,244	1,118	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,238	1,130	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,236	1,115	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,247	1,109	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,259	1,105	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,251	1,134	LMArenaRetrieved Nov 6, 2026

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