GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst vs Flare — precise or dramatic, same price

OpenAI's GPT Image 2.5 comes to eroq as Sunburst and Flare, and the choice between them has nothing to do with money. GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst and GPT Image 2.5 Flare both cost 31 credits / image, both typically finish in about 15 seconds, both follow a prompt closely and both render legible lettering. What differs is temperament. Sunburst is the precise one: clean composition, controlled light, and the sharpest in-image text of the lineup. Flare is the dramatic one: the same adherence with bolder colour, heavier atmosphere and more presence. If your brief describes a layout, pick Sunburst. If it describes a mood, pick Flare. If you cannot tell, split a batch and let the pictures decide.

The numbers

	Sunburst	Flare
Price per image	31 credits / image	31 credits / image
At the entry pack	$0.31	$0.31
Typical render	about 15 seconds	about 15 seconds
Leans	precise, controlled, literal	expressive, high contrast, staged
Text	the sharpest of the lineup	strong as well; keep it to a title

Nothing else separates them, which is what makes the choice clean. Each reads a text prompt only (no reference pictures, no Edit mode on eroq), renders any of the five formats (1:1, 3:4, 4:3, 9:16, 16:9) for the same credits, runs up to four takes per click, and opens on any plan, pay-as-you-go included. The provider moderates both upstream; a prompt it declines comes back content_blocked and is free.

What changes between the two

Give both models the same prompt and you get two readings of it. Sunburst takes the words literally: the subject sits where you put it, the light stays even, the palette stays close to what you named, and a label on a product reads like a label. Flare takes the same words and stages them: deeper shadows, a stronger silhouette, more haze in the air, colour pushed toward the dramatic end. Neither ignores the prompt. They disagree about how loudly to say it.

That makes the decision less about quality and more about the job the image has to do. A packaging mockup that looks moody is a failed packaging mockup. A film poster that looks tidy is a failed film poster.

Pick by the job

Sunburst is the default for work that has to match a brief:

• Packaging, labels and product shots for a catalogue
• UI mockups, app screens and dashboard concepts
• Infographic-style layouts with a few short labels
• Posters carrying more than one line of text, such as a headline plus a date
• Clean editorial portraits on a seamless backdrop

Flare is the default for work that has to make someone stop scrolling:

• Film posters, album covers and game key art
• Cinematic stills and mood boards for a pitch
• Campaign heroes with weather, smoke, neon or hard backlight
• Low-key, moody portraits
• A single bold title over a dramatic image

The split is not a wall. A Sunburst poster can be striking and a Flare still can be precise. But when you are unsure, start from the side of the list that describes your deliverable. For posters specifically, the AI movie poster walkthrough uses both models in one workflow.

The split-batch test

Because the price and the speed are the same, the cheapest way to choose is to not choose. Run your prompt as two takes on Sunburst, then two takes on Flare. Four images cost 124 credits whichever way you split them, so the comparison is free on top of what you were going to spend anyway.

Then commit. Once a series has a winner, keep every image of that series on the same model. A carousel or a campaign that mixes the two temperaments shows the seam: one frame calm, the next one shouting. If the same product or face has to appear in every frame, neither model can hold it from pictures; Eroq One reads up to ten references for that, at 20 credits / image.

Writing for each model

The same subject wants a different first sentence on each.

For Sunburst, write a design brief. Name the placement ("product centred in the lower third", "headline across the top"), the background, the light and every word that must appear, in quotes. Keep one idea per image; two competing subjects split the composition.

For Flare, lead with light and mood. Open with "low-key", "rim-lit", "volumetric haze" or "one shaft of light", then the subject, then the genre you are aiming at: film poster, album cover, movie still, game key art. One strong light source gives it something to dramatise. Keep the quoted text to a title.

For both, choose the frame in the Format control rather than describing it: vertical 3:4 or 9:16 for posters and covers, 16:9 for cinematic stills. The aspect ratio guide covers what each format is good for. More ready prompts for both models are in 26 GPT Image 2.5 prompts, and each model has its own guide: Sunburst and Flare.

Open the image studio and run the split batch on your next brief.

Example prompts

Sunburst, as a design brief. Placement words and two text lines are Sunburst's territory.

A clean travel poster for a night ferry service: a white ferry crossing a calm dark harbour in the lower half of the frame, city lights along the horizon, a deep navy sky with generous empty space above, the headline "NIGHT CROSSING" in a bold geometric sans at the top and "Departures every hour" in small type beneath it, flat even lighting, modern graphic design.

Flare, the same subject led by weather. One short title over a staged scene.

A dramatic film poster: a lone ferry cutting through black water at night, deck lights blazing, fog rolling off the harbour, a single shaft of moonlight breaking through storm clouds, deep teal and amber palette, heavy film grain, the title "NIGHT CROSSING" in tall condensed letters at the bottom.

Sunburst for a catalogue shot. Clean and controlled, with the label legible.

A catalogue photograph of a white leather sneaker in three-quarter view on a pale grey seamless background, soft even studio light, a gentle contact shadow, laces neatly tied, the tongue label reads "AERO", sharp focus across the whole shoe.

Flare for the campaign around it. Contrast and atmosphere sell energy; no text needed.

A runner mid-stride on a wet rooftop at dusk, backlit by a low orange sun, spray kicking up from the puddles, the city skyline in silhouette behind, long coat tails caught in motion, high contrast, cinematic wide frame.

Sunburst for an interface. A layout with short labels, presented flat.

A flat UI mockup of a weather app home screen on a smartphone, front view, the city name "LISBON" at the top, a large "21°" beneath it, a row of five small daily forecast icons, a soft blue gradient background, clean product-design presentation.

Flare for an album cover. One light source and a lot of empty space.

A square album cover: a figure in a red coat standing alone in a vast empty parking garage under a single flickering overhead light, long hard shadows, cold green fluorescent palette, the band name "STATIC ROOMS" in small white capitals in one corner.

FAQ

Which is better, GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst or Flare?

Neither across the board. Sunburst is the pick when the image must match a brief, such as packaging, UI or text-heavy layouts. Flare is the pick when it must make an impression, such as posters, key art and cinematic stills.

Do Sunburst and Flare cost the same on eroq?

Yes: 31 credits per image for both, on every account and at every format. A take that fails refunds itself.

Which GPT Image 2.5 model is better for text in images?

Sunburst. On eroq it is the model positioned for the sharpest in-image text of the lineup. Flare renders text well too, and it is happiest with a short title.

Can I use reference photos or edit an image with Sunburst or Flare?

Not on eroq: both are text-to-image. For a product, outfit or face that must match your pictures, use Eroq One: it takes up to ten reference pictures and edits by plain-language instruction.