Ideogram 4.0vs.Ideogram 4.5

Is the extra cost worth it?

Probably not. In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. Ideogram 4.5 costs 1.7 times as much per image.

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

Ideogram 4.0: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Ideogram 4.079 out of 100

Ideogram 4.5: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Ideogram 4.516 out of 100

Result for “Typography and layout”:Ideogram 4.0 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square editorial poster for an imaginary night train called MONDFALTER. Show the exact German headline MONDFALTER and the exact subline BERLIN NACH LISSABON. Use a restrained midnight-blue and warm-cream palette, one stylized moth, strong Swiss-grid typography, generous negative space, and no additional words or logos.

What the rating looks at: Legible text, hierarchy, and composition.

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

Test protocol of the images

Both models receive the same archived prompt in exactly one request, and the first result counts. 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

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

Ideogram 4.5: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=676327336, prompt expansion disabled, quality low, estimated cost $0.030000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:44 PM. Source

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

Ideogram 4.0 image SHA 256: d63d24515e4c3a8b7feafecaf995a511433307ae5faae1a1c26b2f0289578af9

Ideogram 4.5 image SHA 256: 765cb852ecb10a396bad4bd18c2dc9fcc77221ffff3f0b94ef9eccf4d190b418

Infographic

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

Ideogram 4.5: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1482950298, prompt expansion disabled, quality low, estimated cost $0.030000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:44 PM. Source

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

Ideogram 4.0 image SHA 256: f57e6f5b7ae9038953087720387aa4a901832a1794dbb5e3f337f9d3ef213d62

Ideogram 4.5 image SHA 256: c97b4321e68bf1617a4dc96b5e1f9372344b09b9ff987f07d0e9813e6210c656

Product photography

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

Ideogram 4.5: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1376877115, prompt expansion disabled, quality low, estimated cost $0.030000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:44 PM. Source

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

Ideogram 4.0 image SHA 256: 59b59cf5294653460f06085eedcfeb676b8c50f88f58f038b32659841f0500dd

Ideogram 4.5 image SHA 256: b9427281a64b3103f52f439b8797bd11763f813a8ef142bf79d96e936b349ae1

Typography and layout

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

Ideogram 4.5: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=988679089, prompt expansion disabled, quality low, estimated cost $0.030000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:44 PM. Source

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

Ideogram 4.0 image SHA 256: 088eabf7b8c37bd377011dd2649a2deeee49ffb903e4798a6930bb94144f1eb4

Ideogram 4.5 image SHA 256: ebe1fe3dccf258807db9a9063c1034185c1b3e91f0d8c9bd86c53525d374dd9c

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Ideogram 4.0

not in the arena

n/a

Ideogram 4.5

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Ideogram 4.0

Rank 33 of 74

Ideogram 4.5

Rank 38 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.06

Ideogram 4.0

fairly cheap

$0.10

Ideogram 4.5

expensive

Ranks among the 22 image models with an arena rating and the 74 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

Ideogram 4.0

Subscription: Free to use at Ideogram (Ideogram Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €21.30 a month (Ideogram Plus, with limited credits). Through other providers from ≈ €9.59 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 16 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.06 per image, 100 images $6.
License: Open weights.

Ideogram 4.5

Subscription: No Ideogram subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €9.59 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 33 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.10 per image, 100 images $10.
Weights: unknown.

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

GraduallyBench from Nov 1, 2026 · API prices from Oct 28, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (34 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	Ideogram 4.0	Ideogram 4.5
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	n/a	n/a
Arena rank	n/a	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	n/a	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	59	56
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	79	16
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	8	59
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	62	68
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	85	82
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.06	$0.10
100 images	$6	$10
Profile
Released	June 2026	n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locally	open	unknown
Access	API, Web app, local	API
Parameters	9.3 billion	not published
Largest output	2K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	16	33

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

Sources: Ideogram 4.0 model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Ideogram 4.5 model source (verified Nov 1, 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 betterIdeogram 4.0Ideogram 4.5

Text to Image Arena1,0021,015level

Artificial Analysis from Oct 28, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	Ideogram 4.0	Ideogram 4.5	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,002	1,015	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Oct 28, 2026

Compare another matchup

First image modelSecond image model

More matchups

Compare Ideogram 4.0 and Ideogram 4.5 with other important image models.

View the complete image model comparison

Same prompt, two images

The numbers at a glance

Ideogram 4.0

Ideogram 4.5

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

Compare another matchup

Related image model comparisons