How to Compare AI Image Models Side by Side

You pick Nano Banana for one draft, FLUX for another, GPT Image for a third, and you still cannot tell which model matches the brief. Tab switching burns credits and attention. TheFluxTrain’s image compare page runs the same prompt across up to four models at once, so you judge outputs in columns instead of guessing from separate tabs.

Note: Each model still costs its own credits. A three-model run is roughly the sum of three single generations. Plan prompts before you hit Generate.

Quick answer: Open Compare image models (or click Compare models on any live image model page), add up to four text-to-image models, write one prompt, set shared aspect ratio and resolution, then Generate. Each model fills its own column so you can pick a winner without retyping the prompt.

Why compare AI image models in one place?

Model cards and demo galleries hide the real tradeoffs. Typography, skin texture, and prompt following only show up when the prompt and aspect ratio stay fixed. Side-by-side comparison is how you decide which model to keep for a client board, a storyboard beat, or a product still.

I build creative tools for a living, and I still waste runs by hopping between generators. A shared prompt bar with columns is the boring fix that actually sticks.

Useful links:

• Image from text studio for single-model iteration after you pick a winner
• Model catalog for capability notes before you compare
• Prompt enhancer if the brief is still mushy

How do you open the compare page?

Two paths:

1. Go straight to /image/compare.
2. Open an image model page such as Nano Banana 2 and click Compare models. That deep-links with the current model already selected (?models=nano-banana-2).

Coming-soon models and upscalers do not show the link. Compare is for text-to-image models from the from-text roster (Nano Banana, Seedream, GPT Image 2, WAN 2.7 Pro, Z-Image Base, FLUX.2 Pro — the same set as /image/from-text).

How do you compare AI image models side by side?

What you’ll need

• A TheFluxTrain account with enough credits for N models × one generation
• A clear prompt (subject, lighting, camera, style)
• 2–4 models you actually care about, not every model on the list

Steps

1. Open Compare image models.
2. Use Add model until you have two to four columns (max four).
3. Remove a column with the X if you over-added. Keep at least one.
4. Type one prompt in the floating bar at the bottom.
5. Set aspect ratio. Set resolution when Nano or Seedream is in the set.
6. Hit Generate. Each column gets its own pending card, then its own result.

Example

Prompt: Mid-century living room, soft afternoon window light, oak coffee table,
editorial interior photo, 35mm, subtle film grain
Aspect: 16:9
Models: nano-banana-2, flux-2-pro, gpt-image-2

After the run, keep the winner in From Text and iterate there. Compare is for selection, not for twenty rounds of polishing.

What settings are shared across models?

One prompt bar drives every column:

Credit estimate in the prompt bar is the sum across selected models. If you are short, drop a column before you generate.

What does a good compare run look like?

A useful compare run:

• Uses the same brief you would send a human art director
• Limits the set to models that fit the job (skip Z-Image Base on a typography bake-off unless you care)
• Reviews columns for the trait you care about — faces, text, product edges — not vague “vibes”
• Ends with one winner moved to From Text for follow-up edits

Weak runs look like four unrelated style prompts in one session, or four models you already know you will not ship.

What are the limits of image model compare?

• Image only for now. Video compare is not on this page.
• Text-to-image roster. Reference-image and upscale flows stay on their own studios.
• Credits stack. Four models ≈ four generations. Budget for that.
• Per-model quirks remain. Resolution and quality still clamp to what each provider accepts.
• Not a leaderboard. Outputs are samples for your prompt, not a global ranking of “best AI image model.”

How do you try it on TheFluxTrain?

1. Pick a starting model from the model catalog.
2. Click Compare models, or open Compare image models directly.
3. Add one or two rivals, paste a real brief, generate once.
4. Keep the winner in From Text and continue the job there.

If you need a full pipeline after you choose a model — characters, video, edit timeline — Explore templates still apply. Compare is the selection step before that workflow.

Frequently asked questions

How many AI image models can I compare at once?

Up to four. Add models from the header until you hit the limit; remove one before adding another if you need to swap.

Does compare use the same prompt for every model?

Yes. One floating prompt sends the same text (and shared aspect ratio) to every selected model so the columns stay fair.

Which models are available on the compare page?

The text-to-image set from Image → From Text: Nano Banana 2, Nano Banana Pro, Seedream 5 Pro, GPT Image 2, WAN 2.7 Pro, Z-Image Base, and FLUX.2 Pro.

How do credits work when comparing models?

You pay for each model’s generation. The credit badge shows the total for the current selection before you click Generate.

Can I compare video models here?

Not yet. This page is image-only. Video-to-video compare is planned as a separate surface.

How do I open compare from a model page?

On an available image model page, click Compare models next to All models. You land on /image/compare with that model already in a column.

What if two models need different resolutions?

Pick a shared resolution in the prompt bar. The app clamps per model (for example Seedream will not take 4K even if Nano is set to 4K).

Should I keep iterating on the compare page?

Use compare to shortlist. Once you have a winner, move to From Text or your usual studio for longer iteration and reference workflows.