What is the best AI text-to-image model?

Based on blind community voting, GPT Image 1.5 is currently the #1 ranked AI text-to-image model with an Elo rating of 1280. Rankings update in real time as new votes come in.

How are AI text-to-image 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.

Best AI Models for Art

Art · Text-to-Image

Elo rankings from blind votes across 2 challenges in this category.

Imagen 3.0 Generate 002

1182 #21

Recraft V4

Highlights

10 images

Price · Performance

Best models, by

Every ranked model plotted by price against its Elo. The upper-left frontier is the best value: top quality at the lowest cost.

Best Text-to-Image Models by Price

1 model without pricing omitted.

Best AI Models for Art

48 models ranked · Last update: September 8, 2026 10:58 PM

#	Model	Price	¢/img	Elo
1	GPT Image 1.5 OpenAI	$	0.9¢	1280
2	GPT Image 2 OpenAI	$$	3.9¢	1268
3	DALL-E 3 OpenAI	$$	4¢	1239
4	FLUX.2 [klein] 9B Black Forest Labs	$	0.6¢	1231
5	GPT Image 1 Mini OpenAI	$	0.5¢	1229
6	DALL-E 2 OpenAI	$$	1.6¢	1223
7	FLUX.2 [pro] Black Forest Labs	$$	1.5¢	1222
8	FLUX1.1 [pro] Black Forest Labs	$$	4¢	1221
9	Recraft V4 Pro Recraft AI	$$$$	25¢	1212
10	Qwen Image 2.0 Alibaba	$$	3.5¢	1209

11	Seedream 4.5 ByteDance	$$	4¢	1208
12	Wan 2.5 (Preview) Alibaba	$$$	5¢	1207
13	FLUX.2 [dev] Black Forest Labs	$$	1.2¢	1207
14	FLUX.2 [klein] 4B Black Forest Labs	$	0.1¢	1200
15	HiDream I1 Fast HiDream AI	$	0.5¢	1195
16	Recraft V4.1 Recraft AI	$$	4¢	1195
17	Z-Image Turbo Alibaba	$	0.5¢	1194
18	Qwen Image Alibaba	$$	2¢	1189
19	Nano Banana Pro Google	$$$	6.7¢	1186
20	Imagen 3.0 Generate 002 Google	$$	3¢	1183
21	Recraft V4 Recraft AI	$$	4¢	1182
22	FLUX.2 [dev] Turbo fal	$	0.8¢	1180
23	HiDream I1 Full HiDream AI	$$$	5¢	1178
24	FLUX.1 Kontext [max] Black Forest Labs	$$$	8¢	1176
25	Wan 2.7 Pro Alibaba	$$$	7.5¢	1164
26	Nano Banana 2 Google	$$	2.2¢	1159
27	FLUX1.1 [pro] Ultra Black Forest Labs	$$$	6¢	1158
28	Recraft V4.1 Pro Recraft AI	$$$$	25¢	1152
29	Grok Imagine Image Pro xAI	$$$	7¢	1150
30	Imagen 4.0 Generate 001 Google	$$	4¢	1149

OpenAI dominates the Art category with a top-three sweep led by GPT Image 1.5, which maintains a 1280 Elo and 87.5% win rate despite significantly slower speeds. While Black Forest Labs’ FLUX.2 [klein] 9B is the highest-rated non-OpenAI model, it sits 49 Elo points behind the leader, highlighting a clear preference for OpenAI's aesthetic output in artistic prompts compared to its closer competition on the overall leaderboard.

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Highlighted challenges

GPT Image 2 is first to make it GPT Image 2

Text-to-Image Art Photorealism

The Reversed Rodeo

This competition tests how well AI image models truly understand language versus how much they rely on visual habits from their training data. The prompt is deliberately simple on the surface but devilishly hard in practice. Most models default to the familiar trope of an astronaut riding a horse. By forcing the reversal, we measure three critical capabilities that separate good models from great ones: Strict instruction following (including negations) Accurate subject-object relationships and spatial hierarchy Resistance to strong dataset biases

Text-to-Image 3D Imaging & Modeling Photorealism

Geometric Composition

A spatial-reasoning test. Each object has a precise relationship (inside, on top, behind, seen through the glass), so it measures whether a model follows explicit placement instructions and handles transparency and refraction rather than just approximating the scene.

View all challenges

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Models · slot A

Art · Text-to-Image

Highlights

Best models, by

Best Text-to-Image Models by Price

Best Text-to-Image Models by Speed

Best AI Models for Art

Highlighted challenges

The Reversed Rodeo

Geometric Composition

Cast your vote

Suggest a prompt