{
  "name": "AIToolStack",
  "category": "images",
  "title": "Images",
  "url": "https://aitoolstack.vercel.app/categories/images",
  "methodology": "https://aitoolstack.vercel.app/about",
  "formula": {
    "evidence": "Sum of weight × normalized value for metrics that have a sourced value, divided by the sum of those weights.",
    "coverage": "Sum of weights for sourced metrics, divided by the sum of all weights in the category.",
    "composite": "evidence × coverage. A missing metric is not treated as zero inside the evidence average. It lowers coverage instead.",
    "rank": "Tools at or above 50% coverage are ranked by composite, then evidence, then slug A to Z. A tool under 50% coverage is labeled insufficient data, has no numeric rank, and is not eligible for the top 3.",
    "blanks": "If a metric cannot be verified, it is omitted and shown as not available.",
    "coding": "Coding compares products. It does not use Text Arena Elo, the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, or a lab model's SWE-bench row. The only benchmark in Coding is product_swebench, and only when the board names that product's harness.",
    "capabilities": "Sourced capability checks are published on the tool. They are not in the composite until the same check exists for every tool in the category."
  },
  "weights": [
    {
      "id": "image_arena_elo",
      "weight": 0.3
    },
    {
      "id": "free_tier",
      "weight": 0.18
    },
    {
      "id": "entry_monthly_usd",
      "weight": 0.18
    },
    {
      "id": "review_rating",
      "weight": 0.18
    },
    {
      "id": "review_count",
      "weight": 0.16
    }
  ],
  "ranked": [
    {
      "status": "ranked",
      "rank": 1,
      "tied": false,
      "slug": "chatgpt",
      "name": "ChatGPT",
      "url": "https://chatgpt.com",
      "composite": 92,
      "evidence": 92,
      "coverage": 1,
      "metrics": {
        "status": "ranked",
        "rank": 1,
        "of": 5,
        "composite": 92,
        "evidence": 92,
        "coverage": 1,
        "tied": false,
        "metrics": [
          {
            "id": "image_arena_elo",
            "label": "Text-to-image Arena Elo",
            "weight": 0.3,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 1425,
            "normalized": 87.5,
            "asOf": "2026-10-07",
            "sourceUrl": "https://arena.ai/leaderboard/text-to-image",
            "subject": "gpt-image-2.5-sunburst",
            "preliminary": true,
            "detail": "1425±7, preliminary, from 17,752 votes.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "free_tier",
            "label": "Free tier",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": true,
            "normalized": 100,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://openai.com/chatgpt/pricing/",
            "subject": "Free plan",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The pricing page has a Free plan and says the free version is available to everyone. It does not print a dollar price for Go or Plus.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "entry_monthly_usd",
            "label": "Entry monthly price",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 8,
            "normalized": 80,
            "asOf": "2026-01-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-go/",
            "subject": "ChatGPT Go, US",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The January 16, 2026 post says ChatGPT Go is $8 USD per month in the US, Plus is $20, and Pro is $200. The Go help article, updated in October 2026, still describes Go as the low-cost plan but does not restate the dollar amount and points at the pricing page. That pricing page returned 403 on this retrieval, so the cell keeps the blog figure and its date.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_rating",
            "label": "App Store rating",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 4.83,
            "normalized": 96.6,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chatgpt/id6448311069",
            "subject": "ChatGPT",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.82592 and userRatingCount 11313295 for ChatGPT by OpenAI OpCo, LLC. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_count",
            "label": "App Store reviews",
            "weight": 0.16,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 11313295,
            "normalized": 100,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chatgpt/id6448311069",
            "subject": "ChatGPT",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.82592 and userRatingCount 11313295 for ChatGPT by OpenAI OpCo, LLC. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "status": "ranked",
      "rank": 2,
      "tied": false,
      "slug": "gemini",
      "name": "Gemini",
      "url": "https://gemini.google.com",
      "composite": 86.7,
      "evidence": 86.7,
      "coverage": 1,
      "metrics": {
        "status": "ranked",
        "rank": 2,
        "of": 5,
        "composite": 86.7,
        "evidence": 86.7,
        "coverage": 1,
        "tied": false,
        "metrics": [
          {
            "id": "image_arena_elo",
            "label": "Text-to-image Arena Elo",
            "weight": 0.3,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 1328,
            "normalized": 71.3,
            "asOf": "2026-10-07",
            "sourceUrl": "https://arena.ai/leaderboard/text-to-image",
            "subject": "gemini-nano-banana-2.1",
            "preliminary": true,
            "detail": "1328±9, preliminary, from 5,310 votes.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "free_tier",
            "label": "Free tier",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": true,
            "normalized": 100,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/16275805?hl=en",
            "subject": "Without an AI plan",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The Gemini Apps help article lists a row for people without an AI plan, with standard limits and a 32k token context window. That is the free tier. Paid Google AI plans raise the limits.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "entry_monthly_usd",
            "label": "Entry monthly price",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 4.99,
            "normalized": 87.5,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://one.google.com/about/google-ai-plans/",
            "subject": "Google AI Plus",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The US comparison table lists Google AI Plus at $4.99 per month, Google AI Pro at $19.99 per month, and Google AI Ultra from $99.99 per month. Plus is the cheapest paid Google AI plan.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_rating",
            "label": "App Store rating",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 4.72,
            "normalized": 94.4,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-gemini/id6477489729",
            "subject": "Google Gemini",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.72459 and userRatingCount 2343258 for Google Gemini by Google LLC. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_count",
            "label": "App Store reviews",
            "weight": 0.16,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 2343258,
            "normalized": 91,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-gemini/id6477489729",
            "subject": "Google Gemini",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.72459 and userRatingCount 2343258 for Google Gemini by Google LLC. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "status": "ranked",
      "rank": 3,
      "tied": false,
      "slug": "grok",
      "name": "Grok",
      "url": "https://x.ai/grok",
      "composite": 85.8,
      "evidence": 85.8,
      "coverage": 1,
      "metrics": {
        "status": "ranked",
        "rank": 3,
        "of": 5,
        "composite": 85.8,
        "evidence": 85.8,
        "coverage": 1,
        "tied": false,
        "metrics": [
          {
            "id": "image_arena_elo",
            "label": "Text-to-image Arena Elo",
            "weight": 0.3,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 1334,
            "normalized": 72.3,
            "asOf": "2026-10-07",
            "sourceUrl": "https://arena.ai/leaderboard/text-to-image",
            "subject": "grok-imagine-image-2.0 (canvas)",
            "preliminary": true,
            "detail": "1334±12, preliminary, from 3,113 votes.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "free_tier",
            "label": "Free tier",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": true,
            "normalized": 100,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://docs.x.ai/x-subscription/pricing",
            "subject": "Free",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The X Subscription price table lists Free at $0. New self-serve plans include Grok. Existing SuperGrok plans can continue.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "entry_monthly_usd",
            "label": "Entry monthly price",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 8,
            "normalized": 80,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://docs.x.ai/x-subscription/pricing",
            "subject": "Plus",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Plus is $8 per month, or $80 per year. It is the cheapest paid individual plan in the table. Premium is $30 per month. Annual discounts are not scored.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_rating",
            "label": "App Store rating",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 4.87,
            "normalized": 97.4,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/grok-ai/id6670324846",
            "subject": "Grok AI",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.87411 and userRatingCount 1510343 for Grok AI by X Corp.. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_count",
            "label": "App Store reviews",
            "weight": 0.16,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 1510343,
            "normalized": 88.3,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/grok-ai/id6670324846",
            "subject": "Grok AI",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.87411 and userRatingCount 1510343 for Grok AI by X Corp.. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "status": "ranked",
      "rank": 4,
      "tied": false,
      "slug": "ideogram",
      "name": "Ideogram",
      "url": "https://ideogram.ai",
      "composite": 67.3,
      "evidence": 67.3,
      "coverage": 1,
      "metrics": {
        "status": "ranked",
        "rank": 4,
        "of": 5,
        "composite": 67.3,
        "evidence": 67.3,
        "coverage": 1,
        "tied": false,
        "metrics": [
          {
            "id": "image_arena_elo",
            "label": "Text-to-image Arena Elo",
            "weight": 0.3,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 1205,
            "normalized": 50.8,
            "asOf": "2026-10-07",
            "sourceUrl": "https://arena.ai/leaderboard/text-to-image",
            "subject": "ideogram-4.0-quality",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "1205±4 from 60,591 votes.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "free_tier",
            "label": "Free tier",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": true,
            "normalized": 100,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://ideogram.ai/pricing",
            "subject": "Free accounts",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The pricing FAQ says eligible free accounts receive weekly credits when signing in with Google, Apple, or Microsoft. It also says subscription plans do not include a free trial.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "entry_monthly_usd",
            "label": "Entry monthly price",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 20,
            "normalized": 50,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://ideogram.ai/pricing",
            "subject": "Plus",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The Plus card shows $20 and $15 per month, with $180 billed annually. $180 divided by 12 is $15, so $15 is the annual rate. The monthly price scored is $20.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_rating",
            "label": "App Store rating",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 4.77,
            "normalized": 95.4,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ideogram-ai-image-generator/id6476790495",
            "subject": "Ideogram AI - Image Generator",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.77327 and userRatingCount 2664 for Ideogram AI - Image Generator by Ideogram AI Inc. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_count",
            "label": "App Store reviews",
            "weight": 0.16,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 2664,
            "normalized": 48.9,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ideogram-ai-image-generator/id6476790495",
            "subject": "Ideogram AI - Image Generator",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.77327 and userRatingCount 2664 for Ideogram AI - Image Generator by Ideogram AI Inc. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "status": "ranked",
      "rank": 5,
      "tied": false,
      "slug": "recraft",
      "name": "Recraft",
      "url": "https://www.recraft.ai",
      "composite": 53.9,
      "evidence": 65.7,
      "coverage": 0.8200000000000001,
      "metrics": {
        "status": "ranked",
        "rank": 5,
        "of": 5,
        "composite": 53.9,
        "evidence": 65.7,
        "coverage": 0.82,
        "tied": false,
        "metrics": [
          {
            "id": "image_arena_elo",
            "label": "Text-to-image Arena Elo",
            "weight": 0.3,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 1169,
            "normalized": 44.8,
            "asOf": "2026-10-07",
            "sourceUrl": "https://arena.ai/leaderboard/text-to-image",
            "subject": "recraft-v4.1-utility-pro",
            "preliminary": true,
            "detail": "1169±11, preliminary, from 2,617 votes.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "free_tier",
            "label": "Free tier",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": true,
            "normalized": 100,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://www.recraft.ai/pricing",
            "subject": "Free plan",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The pricing FAQ describes images generated on the Free plan. Dollar prices for paid plans were not in the fetched page text, so entry price is blank.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "entry_monthly_usd",
            "label": "Entry monthly price",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "not-available",
            "value": null,
            "normalized": null,
            "asOf": null,
            "sourceUrl": null,
            "subject": null,
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": null,
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_rating",
            "label": "App Store rating",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 4.8,
            "normalized": 96,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/recraft-ai-images-and-videos/id6502416347",
            "subject": "Recraft: AI Images and Videos",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.8 and userRatingCount 185 for Recraft: AI Images and Videos by Recraft, Inc.. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_count",
            "label": "App Store reviews",
            "weight": 0.16,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 185,
            "normalized": 32.4,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/recraft-ai-images-and-videos/id6502416347",
            "subject": "Recraft: AI Images and Videos",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Apple App Store listing in the US. iTunes Search API lookup on 2026-10-16 returned averageUserRating 4.8 and userRatingCount 185 for Recraft: AI Images and Videos by Recraft, Inc.. The stored rating is that average rounded to two decimal places. The store page does not print a rating timestamp.",
            "sources": null
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "status": "insufficient-data",
      "rank": null,
      "tied": false,
      "slug": "midjourney",
      "name": "Midjourney",
      "url": "https://www.midjourney.com",
      "composite": 13.5,
      "evidence": 37.5,
      "coverage": 0.36000000000000004,
      "metrics": {
        "status": "insufficient-data",
        "rank": null,
        "of": 5,
        "composite": 13.5,
        "evidence": 37.5,
        "coverage": 0.36,
        "tied": false,
        "metrics": [
          {
            "id": "image_arena_elo",
            "label": "Text-to-image Arena Elo",
            "weight": 0.3,
            "status": "not-available",
            "value": null,
            "normalized": null,
            "asOf": null,
            "sourceUrl": null,
            "subject": null,
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": null,
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "free_tier",
            "label": "Free tier",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": false,
            "normalized": 0,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://docs.midjourney.com/docs/plans",
            "subject": "Basic",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "The plans page says all Midjourney plans are subscriptions and lists Basic, Standard, Pro, and Mega. No free plan is listed.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "entry_monthly_usd",
            "label": "Entry monthly price",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "scored",
            "value": 10,
            "normalized": 75,
            "asOf": "2026-10-16",
            "sourceUrl": "https://docs.midjourney.com/docs/plans",
            "subject": "Basic",
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": "Basic monthly price is $10. The annual price is $96, shown as $8 per month, and is not scored. Midjourney has no row on the Arena text-to-image board we read, and no official App Store app was in the iTunes lookup.",
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_rating",
            "label": "App Store rating",
            "weight": 0.18,
            "status": "not-available",
            "value": null,
            "normalized": null,
            "asOf": null,
            "sourceUrl": null,
            "subject": null,
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": null,
            "sources": null
          },
          {
            "id": "review_count",
            "label": "App Store reviews",
            "weight": 0.16,
            "status": "not-available",
            "value": null,
            "normalized": null,
            "asOf": null,
            "sourceUrl": null,
            "subject": null,
            "preliminary": false,
            "detail": null,
            "sources": null
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}