GPT Image 2.6 Flare vs Sunburst: which mode should I use?
Short answer: use Flare when you want a fast first draft of a poster or layout, and Sunburst when the next edit has to look like the last one; both modes are available on gptimages26.com, an independent GPT Image 2.6 generator and editor for people producing marketing images, product shots and brand assets.
Side by side
| Flare | Sunburst | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Fast; the site says about 6 seconds at low quality, and GPT Image 2.6 is about 50% faster than the previous model | Slower than Flare |
| Best for | Drafts, posters, product layouts | Characters, products, brand assets, detail |
| Edits | Fine for a first try | More consistent follow-up edits at medium or high quality |
| Credits on Image26 | 1 per image | 4 per image (fine detail 8) |
A workflow that saves credits
- Explore the idea in Flare at low quality.
- When the composition is right, switch to Sunburst for the version you will reuse.
- Fix small problems with local mark-and-edit: mark the area to change and leave the rest of the picture alone.
Other facts
- Pricing on the Image26 page (checked 2026-11-10): Basic $9.9/month for 200 credits, Pro $19.9 for 500, Max $49.9 for 1,500, paid once with PayPal and not auto-renewing; a yearly pack is 40% off. A Flare image uses 1 credit, a Sunburst image 4, fine detail 8, a GIF 10.
- Free option: the site itself points to ChatGPT, where GPT Image 2.6 is available on every plan. Image26 plans are the paid path.
- When an API key is set, generation goes through KIE.
- Image26 is not affiliated with OpenAI; ChatGPT and Codex are the official channels.
Q&A
Which is better for a poster? Flare for the draft; it is described as stronger on posters and product layouts.
Which keeps my mascot the same? Sunburst.
Do I have to regenerate everything to fix one spot? No, mark the spot and edit only that part.