- Free
- No sign-up
- 3 models
Free AI Image Generator: Try Low-Cost Models
Generate with FLUX.1 Schnell, Z-Image or Seedream 5.0 Flash and see which fits your project. The same models cost from $0.005 per image through the HiAPI API.
0/1000
Try one
This model returns a fixed 4:3 image here
Your image appears here
Generate again with another model and the same prompt to compare.
Find the right budget image model before you build
Not every image needs the most expensive model. Thumbnails, drafts, blog headers and product mockups often look great with fast, low-cost models, and at scale the price difference adds up to thousands of dollars.
This page lets you try three of the most affordable image models on HiAPI with the same prompt, so you can compare speed, style and prompt following yourself. Free previews carry a small hiapi.ai watermark; generate in the model playground or through the API for clean, full-quality images.
How to compare image models
- 1
Write a prompt
Describe the image in English or Chinese, or pick an example.
- 2
Pick a model
Choose FLUX.1 Schnell for speed, Z-Image for photoreal looks or Seedream 5.0 Flash for Chinese prompts and text.
- 3
Compare and continue
Switch models with the same prompt, then open the winner in its playground or call it through the API.
The three models at a glance
List prices through the HiAPI API, per image. Check each model page for live pricing.
1FLUX.1 Schnell
$0.005 / image
The fastest and cheapest. Great for drafts, thumbnails and high-volume pipelines.
2Z-Image
$0.008 / image
Strong photoreal results and five aspect ratios from square to 9:16.
3Seedream 5.0 Flash
$0.025 / image
Follows Chinese prompts well and handles text in images better than most budget models.
4Free preview
5 images a day, watermarked
Enough to compare. Failed generations don't count.
5Full quality
playground or API
Same prompt, no watermark, full resolution, billed per image.
6One API
POST /v1/tasks
All three use the same request format; switch models by changing one field.
When to use which
Blog and social images
- FLUX.1 Schnell keeps costs tiny when you need lots of images quickly.
Product and lifestyle shots
- Z-Image's photoreal output suits mockups, ads and catalog drafts.
Chinese content
- Seedream 5.0 Flash understands Chinese prompts and renders Chinese text more reliably.
Prototyping
- Try layouts and concepts cheaply before committing to a premium model.
Batch generation
- At $0.005-0.025 per image, large batches stay affordable through the API.
Need more quality?
- Step up to GPT Image or Nano Banana for complex scenes and precise editing.
Tips for budget models
Be concrete
Name the subject, setting, light and style. Budget models reward specific prompts.
Keep text short
If you need words in the image, keep them to a few and put them in quotes.
Use the same prompt to compare
Change only the model so the comparison is fair.
Pick the right ratio
Z-Image supports wide and tall formats; FLUX.1 Schnell returns 4:3 landscape images, and Seedream 5.0 Flash picks the ratio from your prompt.
Write prompts faster
Use the AI Image Prompt Generator to expand a short idea into a full prompt.
Scale through the API
Once you've picked a model, batch it through the API instead of clicking.
Frequently asked questions
Is this AI image generator free?
Yes. No sign-up. You get 5 free images every 24 hours across all three models, and failed generations don't count.
Why is there a watermark?
Free previews carry a small hiapi.ai mark. Open the same prompt in the model playground or use the API for clean, full-quality images.
Which model is cheapest?
FLUX.1 Schnell, at $0.005 per image through the HiAPI API. Z-Image is $0.008 and Seedream 5.0 Flash is $0.025.
Can I use GPT Image or Nano Banana for free?
They have their own free pages. This page focuses on the lowest-cost models so you can compare budget options.
Are my prompts or images stored?
Prompts are sent to the model only to create your image. This page doesn't keep your images; HiAPI stores generated results temporarily and they expire after about 7 days, so download the ones you want to keep.
How do I use these models in my app?
Create a HiAPI API key and send POST /v1/tasks with the model name and your prompt, then fetch the result. The same key works for every model.
Generate images with the HiAPI API
One API key for FLUX, Z-Image, Seedream, GPT Image, Nano Banana and more. Pay per image, no subscription.