Nano Banana, GPT Image, FLUX, Grok — Which AI Image Model to Use on Sonna?

Sonna offers one of the widest selections of AI image generation models available on any single platform. From ultra-low-cost generations at 70 credits to high-fidelity professional upscaling at 3,395 credits, there is a model for every budget and workflow.

This guide walks through every image model currently available on Sonna, with real credit costs, strengths, weaknesses, and the clearest possible guidance on when to use each one.

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Full Model Overview

Model	Credits	Best For
Qwen Z-Image	70 cr	Budget rapid concepts
Grok Image	340 cr	Balanced quality/cost
Qwen Image	340 cr	Style-consistent edits
Seedream 5 Lite	465 cr	Fast, clean generations
Seedream 4.5	550 cr	Photorealism, portraits
GPT Image 2	510–1,360 cr	Instruction-following edits
FLUX.2 Pro	425–595 cr	Artistic, stylized work
FLUX 1 Kontext Pro	425 cr	In-context image editing
GPT Image 1.5	340–1,870 cr	Advanced editing, composition
Nano Banana 2	680–1,530 cr	Photorealistic generation
Nano Banana Pro	1,530–2,035 cr	Highest quality generation
FLUX 2 Flex	1,190–2,035 cr	Creative fine-tuned outputs
Topaz Image Upscale	850–3,395 cr	Resolution upscaling

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Budget Picks: Maximum Output Per Credit

Qwen Z-Image — 70 credits

Qwen Z-Image is Sonna's most affordable image model by a wide margin. At just 70 credits per generation, it lets you rapidly explore concepts, iterate on prompts, and produce large batches without making a dent in your monthly allowance.

The output quality is solid for ideation and rough mockups. It won't match the photorealism of Nano Banana or the editing precision of GPT Image, but for quick concept visualization, nothing on the platform comes close to its cost efficiency. Free plan users cannot access image generation — you'll need a Pro/Max plan or PAYG credits.

Use when: Brainstorming, batch concept generation, low-stakes social media assets.

Grok Image — 340 credits

Grok Image offers a strong quality-to-cost ratio. At 340 credits flat, it sits in the same price band as Qwen Image but with a distinctive visual style — punchy, high-contrast outputs that work well for editorial and graphic content.

Use when: Social content, blog illustrations, fast quality generations where you don't need photorealism.

Qwen Image — 340 credits

Qwen Image is primarily an image-to-image model, making it valuable for style transfer and guided edits. It accepts an input image and applies your prompt instructions to transform it consistently. At 340 credits, it's one of the most affordable editing tools on the platform.

Use when: Style transfer, applying a consistent aesthetic across multiple images, guided transformations.

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Photorealism: The Best Models for Lifelike Results

Seedream 5 Lite — 465 credits

Seedream 5 Lite is a clean, fast model tuned for photorealistic output. It punches above its price point, delivering high-quality results on portraits, environments, and product shots at a flat 465 credits.

Use when: You want photorealism without spending over 500 credits per generation.

Seedream 4.5 — 550 credits

Seedream 4.5 is the full-fidelity version of the Seedream lineup. It excels at portraits, lifestyle photography simulation, and scenes that require realistic lighting and texture. For headshots, product photography mockups, or any image where "it looks real" is the goal, Seedream 4.5 is a reliable go-to.

Use when: Professional portraits, product shots, photorealistic scenes, any image intended to look like a real photograph.

Nano Banana 2 — 680–1,530 credits

Nano Banana 2 is Google's flagship image generation model on Sonna. It produces consistently high-quality photorealistic images across a wide range of subjects and styles. The credit range (680–1,530) reflects different output resolutions and modes.

It handles complex scenes, architectural visualization, and character consistency particularly well. For most use cases that require high-quality output, Nano Banana 2 is the sweet spot between quality and cost.

Use when: High-quality photorealistic generations, complex multi-element scenes, architecture, character design.

Nano Banana Pro — 1,530–2,035 credits

Nano Banana Pro is the highest-quality text-to-image model available on Sonna. It builds on Nano Banana 2 with enhanced prompt adherence, better detail rendering, and improved handling of text within images.

At 1,530–2,035 credits per generation, it is one of the more expensive options on the platform. The quality difference is most apparent in high-complexity prompts and scenes where fine detail matters. If you're generating assets for professional use — marketing campaigns, book covers, premium content — Nano Banana Pro delivers results that justify the cost.

Use when: Commercial-grade assets, print materials, maximum quality is non-negotiable.

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Editing and Instruction-Following Models

GPT Image 2 — 510–1,360 credits

GPT Image 2 from OpenAI is built around prompt-following accuracy. It excels at following detailed, multi-step instructions: "add a window on the left wall," "change the jacket color to navy blue," "remove the background and place the subject on white." The credit range covers different resolution outputs.

It's the go-to model when you need the image to match a specific brief precisely.

Use when: Precise edits, instruction-heavy prompts, iterating on a reference image with exact modifications.

GPT Image 1.5 — 340–1,870 credits

GPT Image 1.5 covers a wider credit range (340–1,870), which reflects its broad capability set — from lightweight generations to high-resolution composites and complex edits. It performs especially well in in-painting workflows and compositional editing.

Use when: In-painting, compositional editing, generating variants of existing images, complex multi-element compositions.

FLUX 1 Kontext Pro — 425 credits

FLUX 1 Kontext Pro is a flat-rate, context-aware editing model. It's designed to keep the non-edited elements of an image consistent while applying your described changes — making it ideal for iterative refinement workflows where you want to modify one element without disrupting the rest of the composition.

Use when: Iterative image editing, element-specific modifications, workflows where composition consistency matters.

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Artistic and Stylized Models

FLUX.2 Pro — 425–595 credits

FLUX.2 Pro is Black Forest Labs' latest model in the FLUX series. It produces bold, stylized outputs with excellent handling of artistic directions — illustration, concept art, stylized photography, and graphic design. The 425–595 cr range maps to different quality and resolution tiers.

It performs better than photorealistic models when the goal is a distinctive aesthetic rather than a realistic look.

Use when: Illustration, concept art, design mockups, any image where visual style is more important than photorealism.

FLUX 2 Flex — 1,190–2,035 credits

FLUX 2 Flex sits at the top of the FLUX lineup. It is a fine-tuned, high-resolution model designed for outputs that require both artistic control and fine detail. The higher cost reflects its capability for creative fine-tuning and complex stylistic compositions.

Use when: High-end creative work, fine-tuned stylistic outputs, complex artistic compositions where both resolution and style need to be precise.

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Upscaling: Topaz Image Upscale — 850–3,395 credits

Topaz Image Upscale is not a generation model — it's a dedicated AI upscaling tool. It takes an existing image and increases its resolution using Topaz Labs' upscaling technology, which preserves detail and reduces artifacts far better than standard interpolation.

The credit cost (850–3,395) scales with the degree of upscaling and input image size. Use it as a final step when you need print-quality or large-format output from a web-resolution generation.

Use when: Preparing images for print, large-format display, or any context where the generated resolution isn't sufficient.

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Group by Use Case

For Editing and Instruction-Following

Best: GPT Image 2, FLUX 1 Kontext Pro, GPT Image 1.5

For Photorealism

Best: Nano Banana 2, Seedream 4.5, Nano Banana Pro

For Budget / High Volume

Best: Qwen Z-Image (70 cr), Grok Image (340 cr), Seedream 5 Lite (465 cr)

For Artistic / Stylized Output

Best: FLUX.2 Pro, FLUX 2 Flex

For Upscaling

Only option: Topaz Image Upscale

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Quick Decision Guide

"I need the highest possible quality and budget isn't a constraint" → Nano Banana Pro

"I want great photorealism at a reasonable cost" → Nano Banana 2 or Seedream 4.5

"I need to edit an existing image with precise instructions" → GPT Image 2 or FLUX 1 Kontext Pro

"I'm exploring ideas and want to generate a lot quickly" → Qwen Z-Image or Grok Image

"I want stylized, artistic output, not photography" → FLUX.2 Pro

"I need to upscale an image for print or large-format" → Topaz Image Upscale

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Credit Planning

All image models require a Pro/Max plan or PAYG credits — image generation is not available on the Free plan. If you're using the Sonna Developer API, you receive a 10% discount on image generation costs.

Plan	Monthly Credits	Monthly Price
Free	10,000 cr	Free (no image access)
Pro	102,000 cr	Rp139,000/mo
Max	187,000 cr	Rp232,000/mo

PAYG top-ups are available if you exceed your monthly allowance: Starter (62,500 cr / Rp94,000), Plus (125,000 cr / Rp174,000), Creator (250,000 cr / Rp317,000).

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Browse the full model catalog with live credit costs on the Models page. Ready to start generating? Head to Sonna Creative and pick your model.