TL;DR
- Ideogram 3.0 Character (
ideogram-v3-character) is billed per image on HiAPI, with the tier set byrendering_speed: TURBO $0.09, BALANCED $0.13, QUALITY $0.18. Omit the field and BALANCED applies. - The cheapest way to run a character scene: TURBO at $0.09 per image — about 111 images for $10, enough to settle your prompt and reference photo.
- It's live on HiAPI: open the model page, upload one character reference, and generate. New accounts get 200 free credits.
Price table
| Tier (rendering_speed) | Per image | 100 images | 1,000 images |
|---|---|---|---|
| TURBO | $0.09 | $9.00 | $90.00 |
| BALANCED (default) | $0.13 | $13.00 | $130.00 |
| QUALITY | $0.18 | $18.00 | $180.00 |
HiAPI current prices, checked October 21, 2026.
Only the tier affects the price: the character reference, source image, and mask are free, and the output aspect ratio follows your reference at no extra cost. You pay for successful images; failed tasks are refunded in full after the terminal failure state.
The series also includes a masked local-repaint endpoint, ideogram-v3-character/edit, at exactly the same three-tier prices — see the API guide.
Same prompt, three tiers, real outputs
Identical prompt and reference photo; only rendering_speed changes:
The fox mascot waving behind a lemonade stand at a sunny summer fair, bunting flags and balloons, no text
(Upload the fox mascot photo as the character reference.)
| TURBO $0.09 | BALANCED $0.13 | QUALITY $0.18 |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
ideogram-v3-character, same prompt and same reference, 1:1, 992×992, WebP. Left to right: TURBO $0.09, BALANCED $0.13, QUALITY $0.18.
What you can see:
- Composition and character hold across all three: same stand position, waving pose, bunting and balloons.
- TURBO simplifies flag edges and background figures; QUALITY adds finer fur texture and awning folds.
- Moving from TURBO to QUALITY adds $0.09 per image.
Choosing a tier and spending less
- Draft with TURBO: iterate on prompts, references, and framing at $0.09 each.
- Finalize with QUALITY: upgrade only the keepers at $0.18.
- BALANCED for everyday: one-step output at $0.13 when you don't want two passes.
- Save the
seed(integer, 0–2147483647) from a run you like: same prompt, same reference, same seed reproduces the image, cutting re-roll costs. expand_promptis on by default and expands your prompt automatically; passfalsewhen the prompt must run exactly as written.
Compared with related models (HiAPI prices)
| Model | Tiers (per image) | Reference images | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
ideogram-v3-character | TURBO $0.09; BALANCED $0.13; QUALITY $0.18 | exactly 1 | WebP |
ideogram-v4 | TURBO $0.05; BALANCED $0.10; QUALITY $0.17 | none | — |
gemini-nano-banana-2.1 | 1K $0.022; 2K $0.036; 4K $0.058 | up to 10 | jpg / png |
nano-banana-pro | 1K $0.057; 2K $0.057; 4K $0.10 | multiple | — |
gpt-image-2/image-to-image | 1K $0.03; 2K $0.04; 4K $0.06 | — | — |
seedream-5.0-pro/image-to-image | 1K $0.06; 2K $0.10 | — | — |
For "lock one character with one reference, keep the face across scenes," use ideogram-v3-character. For pure text-to-image drafting at volume, ideogram-v4 TURBO at $0.05 costs less — the two pair well in one pipeline. See the prompt guide for scene-by-scene recipes.
Monthly budgets
| Images / month | All TURBO | All BALANCED | All QUALITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | $9.00 | $13.00 | $18.00 |
| 1,000 | $90.00 | $130.00 | $180.00 |
| 10,000 | $900.00 | $1,300.00 | $1,800.00 |
A common production mix is "TURBO drafts + QUALITY finals": 900 TURBO drafts plus 100 QUALITY finals per month runs about $99.00.
FAQ
- Yes, failed tasks are free. The task holds credits on creation and refunds them in full at the terminal failure state.
- No, reference images don't cost anything. Billing counts output images and tier only; the character reference, source image, and mask are free.
- Yes, both endpoints share the same prices.
ideogram-v3-character(new scenes) andideogram-v3-character/edit(masked local repaint) have identical three-tier pricing. - No, the tier doesn't change unless you send it. Omit
rendering_speedand BALANCED at $0.13 applies; passTURBOexplicitly to save. - Yes, $10 is enough to start. New accounts get 200 credits (2,000 credits = $1); at $0.09 per TURBO image, $10 yields about 111 images.
Next step: copy the lemonade-stand prompt above, generate your first image, and upload your character reference for a TURBO round. For code and parameters, see How to Use Ideogram 3.0 Character API.
