ARENA Leaderboard

See how AI image models stack up against each other. How it works

Which model makes the best edits?

Same source image, same instruction, blind community votes. See which models handle edits best.

Best AI Models for Image Editing

16 models ranked · Last update: April 22, 2026 8:42 PM

#	Model	Price	¢/img	Speed	Elo
1	Nano Banana Pro Google	$$$	6.7¢		1250
2	Nano Banana 2 Google	$$	2.2¢		1241
3	GPT Image 1.5 OpenAI	$	0.9¢		1229
4	FLUX.2 [flex] Black Forest Labs	$$$	6¢		1226
5	Nano Banana Google	$$	3.9¢		1222
6	Seedream 5.0 Lite ByteDance	$$	3.5¢		1217
7	Seedream 4.5 ByteDance	$$	4¢		1216
8	FLUX.2 [pro] Black Forest Labs	$$	1.5¢		1208
9	Wan 2.6 Alibaba	$$	3¢		1206
10	FLUX.2 [max] Black Forest Labs	$$	3¢		1204

11	Grok Imagine Image xAI	$$	2¢		1201
12	Grok Imagine Image Pro xAI	$$$	7¢		1200
13	Qwen Image Edit 2511 Alibaba	$$	3¢		1194
14	Reve Image 1.0 Reve AI	$$	4¢		1185
15	Seedream 4.0 ByteDance	$$	3¢		1173
16	Z-Image Turbo Alibaba	$	0.5¢		1045

As of April 2026, Google dominates the image editing leaderboard with Nano Banana Pro (Elo 1249) securing a 69.1% win rate, holding an 8-point lead over its sibling model, Nano Banana 2 (Elo 1241). The competition for the third position is razor-thin, with GPT Image 1.5 (Elo 1229) maintaining a slight 3-point advantage over Black Forest Labs' FLUX.2 [flex] (Elo 1226). Notably, GPT Image 1.5 secures the number three spot as a budget-tier model, offering a competitive 59.4% win rate at roughly 13% of the cost per image compared to the top-ranked Nano Banana Pro.

Elo vs Cost

Elo vs Speed

1 without speed data omitted.

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Challenges

Man and Car in California Image Editing Photorealism

“Make a photo of the man driving the car down the California coastline”

Input

Top 3

1

GPT Image 1.5

2

Nano Banana Pro

3

Wan 2.6

Bottom 3

Seedream 5.0 Lite

Grok Imagine Image

Seedream 4.0

13 models competed

Vote on this challenge All results & rankings

Bald man challenge Image Editing Photorealism Portrait

“Give the person a full, thick head of natural hair with realistic texture, density, and a natural hairline. Preserve facial features and lighting.”

Input

Top 3

Edited result

Original image

Before After

1

Nano Banana Pro

Edited result

Original image

Before After

2

Nano Banana 2

Edited result

Original image

Before After

3

Seedream 5.0 Lite

Bottom 3

Edited result

Original image

Before After

Wan 2.6

Edited result

Original image

Before After

Seedream 4.0

Edited result

Original image

Before After

Z-Image Turbo

15 models competed

Vote on this challenge All results & rankings

Night Sky Transformation Image Editing Photorealism

“Change the scene to night: a deep, dark sky with subtle, glistening stars visible behind the mountain.”

Input

Top 3

Edited result

Original image

Before After

1

Nano Banana Pro

Edited result

Original image

Before After

2

Reve Image 1.0

Edited result

Original image

Before After

3

GPT Image 1.5

Bottom 3

Edited result

Original image

Before After

Wan 2.6

Edited result

Original image

Before After

FLUX.2 [flex]

Edited result

Original image

Before After

Z-Image Turbo

16 models competed

Vote on this challenge All results & rankings

Over-the-top cartoon caricature Image Editing

“Create a caricature of me and my job. Make it exaggerated and humorous, incorporating my profession as a tv show anchor and my love for dogs and hockey.”

Input

Top 3

1

Nano Banana 2

2

Nano Banana Pro

3

GPT Image 1.5

Bottom 3

Grok Imagine Image

Wan 2.6

Reve Image 1.0

13 models competed

Vote on this challenge All results & rankings

Neutral Expression to Genuine Smile Image Editing Photorealism Portrait

{
  "action": "image_edit",
  "reference": "uploaded neutral portrait",
  "change": "Warm genuine Duchenne smile: lips curved up, slight natural teeth, soft eye crinkles, subtle cheek raise",
  "details": "Realistic smiling skin (dimples if present, soft cheek shadows), slightly brighter eyes; keep exact eye shape/color/iris",
  "preserve_exact": "Face identity/structure, eyes/nose/lips/eyebrows, hair, skin texture/pores/freckles, makeup, clothing, head pose, background, lighting, shadows, framing",
  "no_changes": "No face shape change, no new features, no gaze shift, no hair/clothing/lighting/background edits",
  "style": "Ultra-photorealistic 8K portrait, sharp face focus, natural soft lighting, realistic skin glow"
}

Input

Top 3

Edited result

Original image

Before After

1

Nano Banana

Edited result

Original image

Before After

2

GPT Image 1.5

Edited result

Original image

Before After

3

Nano Banana Pro

Bottom 3

Edited result

Original image

Before After

FLUX.2 [max]

Edited result

Original image

Before After

FLUX.2 [pro]

Edited result

Original image

Before After

Reve Image 1.0

14 models competed

Vote on this challenge All results & rankings

Studio Ghibli Anime Style Image Editing Anime

“Transform this photo into a Studio Ghibli–inspired illustration. Use soft pastel colors, hand-painted textures, gentle lighting, dreamy backgrounds, and a warm, nostalgic mood”

Input

Top 3

1

Nano Banana 2

2

FLUX.2 [max]

3

Seedream 4.5

Bottom 3

GPT Image 1.5

Wan 2.6

Nano Banana

14 models competed

Vote on this challenge All results & rankings

Golden Hour Stroll Image Editing Photorealism

“Add dynamic motion to this photo: make hair blow in the wind, add leaves flying, energetic and lively feel.”

Input

Top 3

1

Wan 2.6

2

Seedream 4.5

3

Nano Banana Pro

Bottom 3

Seedream 4.0

Reve Image 1.0

FLUX.2 [pro]

13 models competed

Vote on this challenge All results & rankings

FAQ

What is the best AI image editing model?

Based on blind community voting, Nano Banana Pro is currently the #1 ranked AI image editing model with an Elo rating of 1250. Rankings update in real time as new votes come in.

How are AI image editing models ranked on Lumenfall?

Lumenfall Arena ranks AI models through blind community voting. In each matchup, two models generate from the same prompt and voters pick the better result without seeing model names. Votes are processed using TrueSkill, a Bayesian rating algorithm developed by Microsoft Research, that produces a single Elo score reflecting each model's relative quality.

What is an Elo rating for AI models?

An Elo rating is a numerical score representing a model's skill relative to other models. Under the hood, Lumenfall uses TrueSkill, which tracks two values per model: mu (estimated skill) and sigma (uncertainty). The displayed Elo is calculated as 1000 + 10 x (mu - 3*sigma), a conservative lower bound. A model must prove itself consistently across many matchups to earn a high rating.