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Six image models compared: which one to start with for photos, readable text, logos, illustration and concept art.
Run one prompt across up to 5 of 6 image models · needs an active Pro or Smart plan
The best AI image generator depends on the picture you need. Nano Banana Pro is the strongest all-rounder for detailed, photorealistic images, Ideogram is the pick when words have to be readable or a logo needs clean typography, GPT Image follows precise design briefs, and Leonardo leads on characters and concept art. No single image model wins every brief, which is why this ranking is sorted by use case.
All six models below are available in MultipleChat's Image Generator: you write one prompt, select up to five models and compare the images side by side. Use the quick picks to choose a starting set, then let the results decide.
Quick picks
Photos and realism
Nano Banana Pro
Detailed, high-fidelity output. Also try GPT Image and SD3.
Readable text in the image
Ideogram
Keeps words legible on posters and signs. GPT Image and SD3 as second opinions.
Logos and brand graphics
Ideogram
Clean typography for logos and wordmarks. GPT Image for design visuals that follow a precise brief.
Precise marketing briefs
GPT Image
Strong prompt following and clear compositions.
Characters and concept art
Leonardo
Polished game assets and stylized, cinematic looks.
Fast drafts and ideas
Nano Banana
Quick, versatile generation for exploring many directions.
Google's higher-quality Gemini image model is the one we start most photo, product and editorial briefs with: it handles detail, lighting and realism well. It is not the best at everything. For words inside the image or logos, add Ideogram; for precise design briefs, GPT Image; for characters, Leonardo. Running two or three of them on the same prompt is usually faster than forcing one model to behave.
Try this prompt
Strength
Detailed, high-fidelity images; strong realism, lighting and product shots.
Weakness
More than you need for rough drafts; explore with Nano Banana first.
When to use
Photorealistic scenes, product photos, demanding final images.
Strength
Follows complex instructions and builds clear, coherent compositions.
Weakness
Not the most distinctive style; Leonardo or SD3 often suit art briefs better.
When to use
Marketing visuals, social graphics, precise multi-element prompts.
Strength
Best known for legible text inside images: posters, signs, logos.
Weakness
Pick another model when the image has no words and realism matters most.
When to use
Posters, thumbnails with headlines, typographic layouts.
Strength
Polished game assets, characters and stylized, cinematic imagery.
Weakness
Leans stylized; for neutral product shots start elsewhere.
When to use
Characters, concept art, game and fantasy visuals.
Strength
Gemini's native image generation: fast and versatile for everyday visuals.
Weakness
Less detail than Nano Banana Pro on demanding final images.
When to use
Quick drafts, exploring directions, everyday pictures.
Strength
Stable Diffusion 3: flexible open-model styles, with better text rendering and composition than earlier Stable Diffusion.
Weakness
Rarely the first pick; most useful as an extra take.
When to use
Photo, flat and editorial illustration styles, a third opinion next to the leaders.
Ranking reviewed October 2026 for the six image models in MultipleChat: GPT Image (OpenAI), Nano Banana and Nano Banana Pro (Google), Ideogram, Leonardo (Leonardo.Ai) and SD3 (Stability AI). Scores are our editorial judgement of each model's typical results for the use cases listed, not a published benchmark.
Do skin, materials, light and small objects look right at full size?
Does it produce what you asked for, including layout and the number of objects, or what it thinks you wanted?
Can it spell? Are headlines, signs and labels legible and correctly placed?
Photorealism, illustration, vector graphics, concept art: which styles does the model handle naturally?
Can the output sit next to your existing visuals, with consistent colours and a clean composition?
Lead with the subject, then the setting, light and style. Put any words that must appear in quotes and keep them short.
Use the quick picks: for example Nano Banana Pro and GPT Image for a product photo, plus Ideogram if the image needs a headline.
Judge realism, typography, composition and brand fit on the actual images instead of guessing from a model's reputation.
Run the prompt again on the best model, or take the image into Image Studio to change the background, colours or style with a plain-language instruction.
There is no single best AI image generator for every job. Nano Banana Pro is the strongest all-rounder for detailed, photorealistic images; Ideogram wins when the image contains text or a logo; Leonardo for characters and concept art; GPT Image for following precise prompts and design briefs; SD3 for flexible illustration styles. In MultipleChat you can run one prompt across up to five of them and pick by looking at the results.
Start with Nano Banana Pro and GPT Image, and add SD3 for another take. Describe the camera view, the lighting and the setting, as you would brief a photographer.
Ideogram for readable text on posters, signs and logos; GPT Image for brand graphics that follow a precise brief. Put the exact words in quotes and keep them short. Use AI for logo directions and have a designer finalise the mark.
Send the same prompt to several models and look at the images side by side. In MultipleChat's Image Generator you select up to five of the six models for one prompt and choose one of five aspect ratios: 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3 or 3:4.
Image generation and Image Studio need an active Pro or Smart plan, including the matching team plans. Pro costs $20 per month and Smart adds more room for image generation. Image actions are not available during free trials.
It depends on the model provider's terms and your plan. Read the current licence of the model you used before publishing, and avoid prompts that copy trademarks, real people or a living artist's style.
Run the same prompt across up to five of GPT Image, Nano Banana, Nano Banana Pro, Ideogram, Leonardo and SD3, then refine the winner in Image Studio. All in one $20 Pro plan, next to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Perplexity for chat.
See plansAlso see: Best free AI image generators (other tools) · AI image generator · Which AI should I use? (quiz) · Best AI for other tasks · AI for your profession
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