GPT Image 2 API Cost Calculator: Official 2026 Token Rates
Use the GPT Image 2 API cost calculator with official 2026 token rates for text input, image input, cached input, and image output.
GPT Image 2 API Cost Calculator: Official 2026 Token Rates
Last updated: 2026-04-29
GPT Image 2 is no longer a pricing forecast. OpenAI's current API pricing page lists gpt-image-2 with official token rates for text input, image input, cached input, and image output.
Need the answer fast? Use the GPT Image 2 API cost calculator to estimate a workflow, or open the free GPT Image 2 playground to test a prompt before you model monthly spend.
TL;DR
Best next step: if you already know your monthly image count, go straight to the calculator. If you are still testing quality, use the playground first and measure retries.
| Cost item | Official GPT Image 2 rate |
|---|---|
| Text input | $5.00 / 1M tokens |
| Cached text input | $1.25 / 1M tokens |
| Image input | $8.00 / 1M tokens |
| Cached image input | $2.00 / 1M tokens |
| Image output | $30.00 / 1M tokens |
Use this formula:
monthly cost =
text input tokens * 5 / 1,000,000
+ cached text input tokens * 1.25 / 1,000,000
+ image input tokens * 8 / 1,000,000
+ cached image input tokens * 2 / 1,000,000
+ image output tokens * 30 / 1,000,000
For a quick estimate, use our GPT Image 2 cost calculator. It is now the canonical calculator path on gptimage2.to after consolidating the former GPT Image news and design sites into this domain.
Cost calculator shortcut
Use these inputs in the calculator:
| If your workflow is... | Start with this calculator setup |
|---|---|
| Simple text-to-image | 1 prompt, 1 output image, no image input |
| Product photo edit | 1 text prompt, 1-3 reference images, 1 output image |
| Batch creative testing | expected prompts per user * expected retries |
| Template generation | repeated prompt text, cached-input scenario if available |
Open: GPT Image 2 API cost calculator.
What changed after launch
Before April 21, 2026, this page estimated price from earlier OpenAI image models. That wording is now obsolete. The useful question is no longer "will GPT Image 2 have a price?" It is "how many text, image input, and image output tokens does my workflow use?"
| Workflow | Main cost driver |
|---|---|
| Text-to-image generation | Image output tokens |
| Image editing with references | Image input + image output tokens |
| Repeated template prompts | Cached text or cached image input |
| High-retry creative workflows | Failed or discarded outputs |
How to budget safely
Start with three assumptions:
- How many images will users request each month?
- How many input images or references will each request include?
- How many attempts are needed before the user accepts one result?
The third point matters. A model can look cheap on the pricing page and still become expensive if users need many retries.
Try before budgeting
If your estimate depends on retry rate, test the prompt in the free playground before multiplying usage. The playground now runs a safety review before generation, so blocked prompts or unsafe reference images do not consume the upstream image relay.
Recommended flow:
- Draft the prompt in the playground.
- Save the number of attempts needed for an acceptable image.
- Put that retry rate into the cost calculator.
- Recheck OpenAI's official pricing before quoting a customer.
Developer checklist
- Check your own account access and rate limits before shipping.
- Log token usage by workflow, not just by model.
- Separate draft, default, and premium image modes in your product.
- Cache repeated text prompts and image references when the API allows it.
- Review the pricing page again before locking a customer quote.
- Keep a safety review in front of generation if users can submit arbitrary prompts or reference images.
FAQ
Is GPT Image 2 API pricing official now?
Yes. OpenAI lists gpt-image-2 on its API pricing page with token rates.
Is there one flat price per image?
Not as the main billing primitive. The official pricing page gives token rates, so the final cost depends on input and output token usage.
Is ChatGPT Plus pricing the same as API pricing?
No. ChatGPT plans and OpenAI API billing are separate products.
Can I try GPT Image 2 before calculating API cost?
Yes. Use the free playground for prompt testing, then use the cost calculator once you know the likely retry rate.
Sources
Source: OpenAI — API pricing Source: OpenAI Developers — Image generation guide Source: OpenAI — Introducing ChatGPT Images 2.0
GPT Image 2 Countdown is not affiliated with OpenAI. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.