Image Model Comparison - When to Use Each magicdoor.ai Image Model

Last updated: August 5, 2026.

magicdoor.ai currently offers 8 active image models in the image selector, plus a legacy Imagen 4 resolver for older saved workflows. Choose by verified capability: generation, editing, reference-image support, 2K output, or upscaling. Recraft V4 does not edit images, and Recraft Upscaler should be treated as a final resolution step rather than a generator.

Use this guide when you are deciding which image model to use for generation, editing, background cleanup, or upscaling. For exact pricing across chat and image models, see the model cost guide. For billing mechanics, including the $6/month base subscription and included $1 in credits, read usage-based pricing.

If your main question is whether you need a separate image subscription at all, read the pay-as-you-go AI image generator guide.

Quick reference

• Lowest-cost generation: Google Nano Banana 2
• Generation and editing at $0.039/image: Google Nano Banana 2
• Generation without editing: Recraft V4
• Editing at $0.04/image: Flux.1 Kontext Pro
• Generation and editing at $0.05/image: Flux 2 Pro
• Up to 10 reference images: Seedream 5 Pro
• Up to 4 input images: ChatGPT Image 2
• Higher-resolution output: Google Nano Banana Pro (2K)
• OpenAI image workflow: ChatGPT Image 2
• Upscaling only: Recraft Upscaler

Current model list

Legacy resolver note: Imagen 4 remains resolvable as a legacy image model at $0.05/image with no editing support, but it is not in the active image selector.

How to choose

Choose by job, not by ranking

There is no permanent "best image model" on magicdoor.ai. A practical choice depends on the work in front of you:

• Drafting many directions: use Seedream 5 Pro or Google Nano Banana 2.
• Editing an existing image: use Google Nano Banana 2, Flux.1 Kontext Pro, Seedream 5 Pro, Flux 2 Pro, Google Nano Banana Pro (2K), or ChatGPT Image 2.
• Generation without an editing requirement: Recraft V4 is available at $0.04/image.
• Generation with editing support: compare Google Nano Banana 2, Seedream 5 Pro, Flux.1 Kontext Pro, Flux 2 Pro, Google Nano Banana Pro (2K), and ChatGPT Image 2.
• Higher-resolution generation: use Google Nano Banana Pro (2K).
• Final resolution only: use Recraft Upscaler.

Start cheap when you are exploring

If you are still figuring out composition, style, or wording, start with Seedream 5 Pro or Google Nano Banana 2. They keep experimentation inexpensive while still supporting image input for edits.

Compare editing-capable models by cost and inputs

Flux 2 Pro supports generation and editing at $0.05/image. Flux.1 Kontext Pro also supports editing at $0.04/image. If reference-image capacity matters, Seedream 5 Pro supports up to 10 references and ChatGPT Image 2 supports up to 4 images.

Use Recraft V4 only when editing is not required

Recraft V4 costs $0.04/image and generates new images, but it does not support editing. If you expect to revise an uploaded result, choose one of the six editing-capable models instead.

Use ChatGPT Image 2 when you want the OpenAI image path

ChatGPT Image 2 is the OpenAI image option and supports editing with up to 4 input images. It costs $0.15/image, the highest current per-image price in the active selector.

Use Google Nano Banana Pro (2K) when resolution matters earlier

Google Nano Banana Pro (2K) costs $0.14 per image and is useful when you want higher-resolution output without waiting until the final upscale step.

Use editing and background removal before regenerating

When the core image is working, change only the failing part. In the image workspace, upload or paste the image and describe the change in the same prompt-first flow; there is no separate Generate/Edit mode to enable. Use image editing for localized fixes, inpainting for detail changes, and background removal when the subject is right but the setting is not.

Use Recraft Upscaler at the end

If the image is already good but resolution is not, use Recraft Upscaler. It is often cheaper than regenerating the whole image with a more expensive model.

Recommended workflows

Idea-to-final workflow

1. Start with Seedream 5 Pro or Google Nano Banana 2.
2. If the task changes, choose another model based on editing support, reference-image limits, output resolution, and price.
3. Use Flux.1 Kontext Pro or another editing-capable model for specific edits, inpainting, or background cleanup.
4. Finish with Recraft Upscaler if the image is approved and only needs more resolution.

Multi-reference workflow

1. Use Seedream 5 Pro when you need up to 10 reference images.
2. Use ChatGPT Image 2 when up to 4 input images are enough and you want the OpenAI image option.
3. For a single existing image, compare the other editing-capable models by cost.
4. Use Google Nano Banana Pro (2K) when higher-resolution generation is needed before final upscaling.

Lowest-cost workflow

1. Generate several options with Seedream 5 Pro.
2. Edit promising options with Google Nano Banana 2 or Flux.1 Kontext Pro.
3. Only rerun the winning concept on a pricier model if the quality gap matters.
4. Upscale instead of regenerating when resolution is the only issue.

For prompt-level tactics that reduce failed generations, see image prompt enhancement.

Before you spend more on a model

When an image is close, the cheaper fix is often not another premium generation. Try these checks first:

• If the prompt is vague, use image prompt enhancement before generating more variants.
• If only part of the image is wrong, use editing or inpainting instead of restarting.
• If the subject is good but the background is wrong, remove or replace the background before changing models.
• If the image is approved but too small, use Recraft Upscaler rather than regenerating.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, read how to generate AI images on magicdoor.ai. If you already know you want to compare the active image models directly, open the image workspace.

Common mistakes

• Using premium models before you know the direction.
• Regenerating a whole image when a targeted edit would do.
• Paying for higher-resolution output before the content is approved.
• Ignoring the upscaler when the only problem is size.
• Treating Recraft V4 as an editing model when it is best used for fresh design-oriented generation.
• Presenting legacy resolver-only models as active selector choices.

Bottom line

There is no single best image model across every task. The useful pattern on magicdoor.ai is:

• start with a cheaper model,
• switch models when the required capability changes,
• edit, inpaint, or remove backgrounds only where needed,
• upscale only at the end.

That sequence keeps image generation useful without making every iteration expensive. For model-specific workflow examples, see ChatGPT Image 2 on magicdoor.ai and advanced image workflows.