The 2026 image timeline
1–15 January 2026
5 models · 2 providersFlux and PrunaAI shipped 5 image models between 1 January 2026 and 15 January 2026. Of the 5, 3 have a spec page, 1 is folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants and 1 has no page of its own. Cheapest complete job in the window: 1 credit on Pruna Image Edit. Highest output in it: 4K on Pruna Image Edit.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pruna Image EditAI-powered image editing with Pruna | PrunaAI | 1 credit | 4K | 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 2:3 |
| Flux 2 FlashUltra-fast image generation with Flux 2 | Flux | 1 credit | 4K | 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16 |
| Flux 2 Flash TurbovariantTurbo speed image generation with Flux 2 | Flux | 2 credits | 4K | 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16 |
| Flux 2 Klein 4B Base EditFlux 2 Klein 4B Base Edit is a compact yet powerful image editing model built on the Flux 2 architecture. It enables high-quality… | Flux | 1 credit | — | 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 |
| Flux 2 Klein 9B BaseText-to-image generation with FLUX.2 [klein] 9B Base from Black Forest Labs. Enhanced realism, crisper text generation, and… | Flux | 2 credits | — | 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16 |
26 January – 1 February 2026
3 models · 2 providersHunyuan and PrunaAI shipped 3 image models between 26 January 2026 and 1 February 2026. Of the 3, 2 have a spec page and 1 is folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 4 credits on FireRed Image Edit.
- New name on the roster: Hunyuan.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HunyuanImage 3.0 Instruct EditHunyuanImage 3.0 Instruct Edit is an advanced instruction-following image editing model by Tencent. It allows users to modify and… | Hunyuan | 9 credits | — | 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16, auto |
| HunyuanImage 3.0 Instruct Text to ImagevariantHunyuanImage 3.0 Instruct Text to Image is a powerful text-to-image model by Tencent that generates high-quality images from… | Hunyuan | 9 credits | — | 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16, auto |
| FireRed Image EditAdvanced image editing model for prompt-guided modifications, inpainting, and creative edits | PrunaAI | 4 credits | — | 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 |
2–10 February 2026
6 models · 3 providersKling, Qwen and Sourceful shipped 6 image models between 2 February 2026 and 10 February 2026. Of the 6, 2 have a spec page, 3 are folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants and 1 has no page of its own. Cheapest complete job in the window: 3 credits on Kling Image 3.0. Highest output in it: 4K on Riverflow 2.0.
- New name on the roster: Sourceful.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverflow 2.0Sourceful powerful ai model for text to image generations | Sourceful | 14 credits | 4K | 1:1, 21:9, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4 |
| Kling Image 3.0Kling V3 text-to-image generation with high-quality photorealistic and artistic outputs | Kling | 3 credits | 2K | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2 |
| Qwen Image 2 EditQwen Image 2 Edit is an image editing model that allows users to modify and enhance images based on specific instructions. It is… | Qwen | 4 credits | — | 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 |
| Qwen Image 2 Edit ProvariantQwen Image 2 Edit Pro is an advanced image editing model that allows users to modify and enhance images based on specific… | Qwen | 8 credits | — | 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 |
| Qwen Image 2 Pro Text to ImagevariantQwen Image 2 Pro is a powerful text-to-image model that generates high-quality images from textual descriptions. It is designed… | Qwen | 8 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Qwen Image 2 Text to ImagevariantQwen Image 2 is a powerful text-to-image model that generates high-quality images from textual descriptions. It is designed to… | Qwen | 4 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
13–17 February 2026
7 models · 2 providersByteDance and Recraft shipped 7 image models between 13 February 2026 and 17 February 2026. Of the 7, 2 have a spec page and 5 are folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 4 credits on Seedream 5.0 Lite Edit. Highest output in it: 4K on Seedream 5.0 Lite.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seedream 5.0 Lite EditvariantSeedream 5.0 for image editing | ByteDance | 4 credits | — | 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 |
| Seedream 5.0 LitevariantSeedream 5.0 Lite model for text to image generations | ByteDance | 4 credits | 4K | 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16 |
| Recraft 4 Pro Text to ImagevariantRecraft 4 Pro is a powerful text-to-image model that generates high-quality images from textual descriptions. It is designed to… | Recraft | 25 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft 4 Pro Text to VectorvariantRecraft 4 Pro is a powerful text-to-image model that generates high-quality images from textual descriptions. It is designed to… | Recraft | 30 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft 4 Text to ImageRecraft 4 is a powerful text-to-image model that generates high-quality images from textual descriptions. It is designed to… | Recraft | 4 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft 4 Text to VectorvariantRecraft 4 is a powerful text-to-image model that generates high-quality images from textual descriptions. It is designed to… | Recraft | 8 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft V4Latest Recraft V4 text-to-image model with exceptional design quality and typography support | Recraft | 5 credits | — | 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, 2:3, 16:9 |
26 February – 5 March 2026
3 models · 2 providersGoogle and Luma shipped 3 image models between 26 February 2026 and 5 March 2026. Of the 3, 2 have a spec page and 1 is folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 1 credit on Luma UNI 1 Max. Highest output in it: 4K on Nano Banana 2.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2Ultra-fast lightweight image generation with Nano Banana 2 for rapid creative iteration | 4 credits | 4K | 8:1, 4:1, 21:9, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3 | |
| Nano Banana 2 EditvariantFast image editing model from Nano Banana 2 for quick prompt-based image modifications | 4 credits | 4k | 8:1, 4:1, 21:9, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3 | |
| Luma UNI 1 MaxLuma Uni-1 (Max) — a reasoning-first image model that plans intent before generating, tuned for art-directed, cinematic results… | Luma | 1 credit | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
1 April 2026
3 models · 1 providerWan shipped 3 image models on 1 April 2026. Of the 3, 3 are folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 3 credits on Wan 2.7 Image to Image.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wan 2.7 Image to ImagevariantWAN 2.7 transforms and edits existing images with text-guided instructions, supporting up to 4 reference images for creative… | Wan | 3 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Wan 2.7 Pro Text to ImagevariantWAN 2.7 Pro generates premium-quality images from text prompts with superior detail and composition | Wan | 8 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Wan 2.7 Text to ImagevariantWAN 2.7 generates high-quality images from text prompts with advanced prompt understanding and detailed output | Wan | 3 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
6–21 April 2026
4 models · 3 providersBaidu, OpenAI and Wan shipped 4 image models between 6 April 2026 and 21 April 2026. Of the 4, 3 have a spec page and 1 is folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 1 credit on ERNIE Image Turbo. Highest output in it: 4K on GPT Image 2 Image to Image.
- New name on the roster: Baidu.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wan 2.7 Pro EditWAN 2.7 Pro delivers professional-grade image editing and transformation with text-guided instructions, supporting up to 4… | Wan | 8 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| ERNIE Image TurboBaidu ERNIE Image (Turbo) — an 8B diffusion-transformer distilled for fast generation, strong at posters, comics, and… | Baidu | 1 credit | — | 1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9 |
| GPT Image 2 Image to ImagevariantOpenAI GPT Image 2 image-to-image. Edits or remixes a reference image (up to 16 inputs) using a text prompt; supports up to 4K… | OpenAI | 11-21 credits | 4K | 3:1, 21:9, 2:1, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3 |
| GPT Image 2 Text to ImageOpenAI GPT Image 2 text-to-image. High-fidelity image generation with strong prompt adherence; supports up to 4K rendering. | OpenAI | 11-21 credits | 4K | auto, 1:1, 3:2, 2:3, 4:3, 3:4 |
22 April – 8 May 2026
5 models · 2 providersHiDream and Imagine shipped 5 image models between 22 April 2026 and 8 May 2026. Of the 5, 4 have a spec page and 1 is folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 1 credit on HiDream O1 Image. Highest output in it: 2K on ImagineArt 2.0.
- New name on the roster: HiDream.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ImagineArt 2.0ImagineArt 2.0 text-to-image with true-to-life realism, precise text rendering, and cinematic lighting. Supports 1K/2K output and… | Imagine | 5 credits | 2K | 4:1, 3:1, 21:9, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3 |
| HiDream O1 ImageHiDream O1 pixel-native text-to-image that reasons before it draws. Unified model producing high-resolution images up to 2K, with… | HiDream | 1 credit | — | 1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9 |
| HiDream O1 Image DevHiDream O1 Image (Dev) — the faster, distilled tier of the pixel-native text-to-image model. Lower cost with strong prompt… | HiDream | 1 credit | — | 1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9 |
| HiDream O1 Image Dev EditvariantHiDream O1 image editing (Dev) — the distilled, faster editing tier. Instruction-driven edits on a supplied image at up to 2K. | HiDream | 1 credit | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| HiDream O1 Image EditHiDream O1 image editing. Instruction-driven edits and subject-driven changes on a supplied image at up to 2K resolution. | HiDream | 1 credit | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
12–14 May 2026
8 models · 2 providersKrea and Recraft shipped 8 image models between 12 May 2026 and 14 May 2026. Of the 8, 2 have a spec page and 6 are folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 3 credits on Krea 2 Medium.
- New name on the roster: Krea.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krea 2 LargevariantKrea 2 Large text-to-image — the larger tier of Krea 2 with strong aesthetics, tunable creativity, and optional style references. | Krea | 5 credits | — | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 2.35:1, 4:5 |
| Krea 2 MediumKrea 2 Medium text-to-image. Fast, photoreal generation with tunable creativity levels and optional style references. | Krea | 3 credits | — | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 2.35:1, 4:5 |
| Recraft 4.1 Pro Text to ImagevariantRecraft V4.1 Pro text-to-image. Premium tier with enhanced detail, fidelity, and prompt adherence for professional use. | Recraft | 21 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft 4.1 Pro Text to VectorvariantRecraft V4.1 Pro text-to-vector. Premium tier vector graphics generation with crisper paths, richer detail, and better prompt… | Recraft | 30 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft 4.1 Text to ImageRecraft V4.1 standard text-to-image. High-quality image generation from prompts with strong style control and consistency. | Recraft | 4 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft 4.1 Text to VectorvariantRecraft V4.1 standard text-to-vector. Generates editable vector graphics (SVG) from text prompts — ideal for logos, icons, and… | Recraft | 8 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft 4.1 Utility Pro Text to ImagevariantRecraft V4.1 Utility Pro text-to-image. Pro-quality output via the utility SKU, priced the same as standard V4.1 Pro T2I. | Recraft | 21 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Recraft 4.1 Utility Text to ImagevariantRecraft V4.1 Utility tier text-to-image. Lightweight variant priced the same as standard V4.1 T2I. | Recraft | 4 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
1–2 June 2026
3 models · 2 providersMicrosoft and NVIDIA shipped 3 image models between 1 June 2026 and 2 June 2026. Of the 3, 2 have a spec page and 1 is folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 4 credits on Cosmos 3 Super.
- New names on the roster: NVIDIA, Microsoft.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmos 3 SuperNVIDIA Cosmos 3 Super text-to-image. High-fidelity generation with optional agentic refinement and prompt expansion for strong… | NVIDIA | 4 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Mai Image 2.5 EditMicrosoft MAI-Image-2.5 image editing (pixel-level, cleanup, backgrounds, text) | Microsoft | 5 credits | — | auto, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16 |
| Mai Image 2.5 Text to ImagevariantMicrosoft MAI-Image-2.5 photorealistic text-to-image with sharp text rendering | Microsoft | 5 credits | — | 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 2:3 |
3 June – 5 August 2026
4 models · 3 providersByteDance, Google and Ideogram shipped 4 image models between 3 June 2026 and 5 August 2026. Of the 4, 2 have a spec page and 2 are folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 4 credits on Nano Banana 2 Lite. Highest output in it: 2K on Seedream 5.0 Pro.
- New name on the roster: Ideogram.
| Model | Built by | Credits per job | Max output | Aspect ratios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideogram V4Ideogram V4 text-to-image. Creates high-quality images, posters, and logos with crisp visuals, accurate text rendering, fine… | Ideogram | 6 credits | — | 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4 |
| Nano Banana 2 LitevariantGoogle Nano Banana 2 Lite - fastest, most cost-efficient Gemini image model, fixed 1K output, 14 aspect ratios | 4 credits | — | auto, 1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 3:4, 4:3 | |
| Seedream 5.0 ProByteDance's flagship text-to-image model — deep-thinking prompt understanding, native text rendering in 14 languages, and precise… | ByteDance | 7 credits | 2K | 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 |
| Seedream 5.0 Pro EditvariantGrounded, region-precise image editing — changes one element while keeping the rest of the frame intact, with layer separation,… | ByteDance | 7 credits | — | 21:9, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16 |
When 2026 was busy
7 of the twelve months carried a image release; the busiest window was 12–14 May 2026, with 8.
- January 2026
- 7
- February 2026
- 16
- March 2026
- 1
- April 2026
- 8
- May 2026
- 12
- June 2026
- 5
- August 2026
- 2
Who shipped image in 2026
Recraft (11), ByteDance (4) and Flux (4) led on volume. SKUs, not quality — four tiers of one model count four times.
| Provider | Models | Spec pages | First | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recraft | 11 | 3 | 17 February 2026 | 14 May 2026 |
| ByteDance | 4 | 1 | 13 February 2026 | 5 August 2026 |
| Flux | 4 | 3 | 15 January 2026 | 15 January 2026 |
| HiDream | 4 | 3 | 8 May 2026 | 8 May 2026 |
| Qwen | 4 | 1 | 10 February 2026 | 10 February 2026 |
| Wan | 4 | 1 | 1 April 2026 | 6 April 2026 |
| 3 | 1 | 26 February 2026 | 30 June 2026 | |
| Hunyuan | 2 | 1 | 26 January 2026 | 26 January 2026 |
| Krea | 2 | 1 | 12 May 2026 | 12 May 2026 |
| Microsoft | 2 | 1 | 2 June 2026 | 2 June 2026 |
| OpenAI | 2 | 1 | 21 April 2026 | 21 April 2026 |
| PrunaAI | 2 | 1 | 1 January 2026 | 1 February 2026 |
| Baidu | 1 | 1 | 15 April 2026 | 15 April 2026 |
| Ideogram | 1 | 1 | 3 June 2026 | 3 June 2026 |
| Imagine | 1 | 1 | 22 April 2026 | 22 April 2026 |
| Kling | 1 | 1 | 5 February 2026 | 5 February 2026 |
| Luma | 1 | 1 | 5 March 2026 | 5 March 2026 |
| NVIDIA | 1 | 1 | 1 June 2026 | 1 June 2026 |
| Sourceful | 1 | 0 | 2 February 2026 | 2 February 2026 |
What 2026 moved
Firsts, measured against every image model released before them. “New name on the roster” is the provider label in the catalog, not the company — one lab can hold several labels.
- 26 January – 1 February 2026
- New name on the roster: Hunyuan.
- 2–10 February 2026
- New name on the roster: Sourceful.
- 6–21 April 2026
- New name on the roster: Baidu.
- 22 April – 8 May 2026
- New name on the roster: HiDream.
- 12–14 May 2026
- New name on the roster: Krea.
- 1–2 June 2026
- New names on the roster: NVIDIA, Microsoft.
- 3 June – 5 August 2026
- New name on the roster: Ideogram.
Dates are each model’s released_at value, walked in order and grouped until a window held 3 or more. Credits are what one complete generation costs per the model’s own price matrix; where it states none, the headline rate is shown and the model sits out the cheapest-in-window line.
Other release years
Frequently asked questions
How many AI image models were released in 2026?+
Versely's catalog carries 51 image models with a 2026 release date, from 19 providers, arriving in 11 launch windows between 1 January 2026 and 5 August 2026.
What was the biggest AI image launch of 2026?+
12–14 May 2026, with 8 image models from Krea and Recraft. Of the 8, 2 have a spec page and 6 are folded into a parent model's page as tier or mode variants. Cheapest complete job in the window: 3 credits on Krea 2 Medium.
Which company released the most AI image models in 2026?+
Recraft, with 11 of the 51 image models dated 2026 — first on 17 February 2026, most recently on 14 May 2026. ByteDance shipped 4, Flux shipped 4, HiDream shipped 4.
What changed in AI image generation in 2026?+
Measured against everything the catalog carried before it: New name on the roster: Hunyuan; New name on the roster: Sourceful; New name on the roster: Baidu.
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