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GPT Image 1.5vs.Ideogram 4.0

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Ideogram 4.0 has no arena rating yet. GPT Image 1.5 costs 2.2 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: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run
GPT Image 1.552 out of 100
Ideogram 4.0: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run
Ideogram 4.022 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:GPT Image 1.5 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.

“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

Ideogram 4.0: together, requested 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:28 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 0dff52ccd39400ac66ac8870c9ea937512ff1474688e70118688f420c38c2296

Ideogram 4.0 image SHA 256: d63d24515e4c3a8b7feafecaf995a511433307ae5faae1a1c26b2f0289578af9

Infographic

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

Ideogram 4.0: together, requested 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:28 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 1c9ff59c32621c8b48b002dacb0ae66487262280c7c0a5b3d6456c81b248ebe9

Ideogram 4.0 image SHA 256: f57e6f5b7ae9038953087720387aa4a901832a1794dbb5e3f337f9d3ef213d62

Product photography

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

Ideogram 4.0: together, requested 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:27 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 67cfa2f324447027ceb5f82e9446d40a1395b46ce425890a74606b4d97731cf6

Ideogram 4.0 image SHA 256: 59b59cf5294653460f06085eedcfeb676b8c50f88f58f038b32659841f0500dd

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

Ideogram 4.0: together, requested 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:01 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 6a4cec86850fd371b65274198e2bf630b3cf36a096f9fb953d4bfe17c3222ebe

Ideogram 4.0 image SHA 256: 088eabf7b8c37bd377011dd2649a2deeee49ffb903e4798a6930bb94144f1eb4

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better
1,236

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 13 of 21

n/a

Ideogram 4.0

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
68

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 29 of 108

55

Ideogram 4.0

Rank 57 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
$0.13

GPT Image 1.5

expensive

$0.06

Ideogram 4.0

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.

Ideogram 4.0

Subscription
Free to use at Ideogram (Ideogram Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €21.20 a month (Ideogram Plus, with limited credits). Through other providers from ≈ €9.54 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 16 plans in Germany.
Via API
$0.06 per image, 100 images $6.
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.

KennzahlGPT Image 1.5Ideogram 4.0
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better1,236n/a
Arena rankRank 13 of 21n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating173,798n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 1006855
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition6067
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details5222
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency8959
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization7273
API price
Per imagelower is better$0.13$0.06
100 images$13.30$6
Profile
ReleasedDecember 2025June 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locallyproprietaryopen
LifecycleMarked as deprecated by OpenAI; removed from the API on December 1, 2026no notice
AccessAPI, Web appAPI, Web app, local
Parametersnot published9.3 billion
Largest output1,536 × 1,024 pixels2K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model4216

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) · Ideogram 4.0 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 1.5Ideogram 4.0
Text to Image ArenaGPT Image 1.5: 1,124Ideogram 4.0: 1,003GPT Image 1.5 ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 6, 2026

All individual values with sources
RatingGPT Image 1.5Ideogram 4.0Source
Text to Image Arena1,1241,003Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026

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