GPT-5 Image Mini Review: Fast, Cheap, and Actually Good

OpenAI just dropped GPT-5 Image Mini and I tested it.

Watch the video tutorial below:

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This thing is nuts with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Fast image generation.

Cheap pricing.

Actually good quality from GPT-5 Image Mini.

Plus image editing built in.

I run a seven figure agency with 50 people.

We tested GPT-5 Image Mini all week making thumbnails, social graphics, and blog images.

The results: 80% time savings using GPT-5 Image Mini.

Today I’m breaking down everything about GPT-5 Image Mini.

What it is, what it does, what it costs, and why it matters.

GPT-5 Image Mini Overview

Here’s what GPT-5 Image Mini actually is.

OpenAI launched GPT-5 Image Mini recently.

It’s live on OpenRouter right now.

You can start using GPT-5 Image Mini today.

The pricing for GPT-5 Image Mini is insane: 250 per million input tokens, $2 per million output tokens.

Images cost almost nothing with GPT-5 Image Mini: 0.003 per thousand input images, 0.008 per thousand output images.

Compare GPT-5 Image Mini to other image models and it’s way cheaper and faster.

But here’s what makes GPT-5 Image Mini special: It’s multimodal, meaning it handles text and images together.

You tell GPT-5 Image Mini what to do with words and it follows instructions really well.

Plus GPT-5 Image Mini can edit images you already have.

Want to change colors? Tell GPT-5 Image Mini.

Want to add background elements? Tell GPT-5 Image Mini.

Most image tools only go one way, but GPT-5 Image Mini keeps working with you until it’s perfect.

The Speed Advantage of GPT-5 Image Mini

GPT-5 Image Mini is called Mini for a reason: It’s built for speed and cost, not maximum quality.

For most content needs, we don’t need maximum quality with GPT-5 Image Mini.

We need good enough, fast enough, cheap enough, and GPT-5 Image Mini nails all three.

I tested GPT-5 Image Mini making YouTube thumbnails: 10 thumbnails in the time it used to take to make two.

They looked great from GPT-5 Image Mini, not perfect but great.

When you’re creating content daily, speed matters more than perfection, and GPT-5 Image Mini understands that.

What You Can Create with GPT-5 Image Mini

First: Basic image generation with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Give it a prompt, GPT-5 Image Mini makes an image.

The prompt following is really good, way better than older models.

Say make it cinematic to GPT-5 Image Mini, it looks cinematic.

Say add text that says top 10 AI tools, GPT-5 Image Mini adds readable text.

Older models messed up text constantly, but GPT-5 Image Mini gets it right most of the time.

Second: Image editing with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Upload an image to GPT-5 Image Mini, then tell it what to change.

Change the background, adjust colors, add elements with GPT-5 Image Mini.

No complicated menus, no Photoshop skills needed, just tell GPT-5 Image Mini what you want.

Join me in the AI Profit Boardroom to learn all my workflows.

All the tools, systems, and processes that took my agency from zero to seven figures.

Real Use Cases for GPT-5 Image Mini

Use case one: YouTube thumbnails with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Needed thumbnails for an AI tools series.

Designer usually takes an hour per thumbnail.

With GPT-5 Image Mini: Made 30 variations in an hour, picked the best ones, designer cleaned them up in Photoshop.

Total time: Two hours instead of 10, that’s 80% time saved with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Use case two: Social media graphics with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Post daily on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook.

Before: Used Canva templates.

Now: Generate custom images with GPT-5 Image Mini for each post.

They perform better because they’re unique and take less time with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Use case three: Blog post images with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Every post needs a hero image, sometimes multiple images.

Used to buy stock photos, but everyone uses the same ones.

Now: Make custom images with GPT-5 Image Mini that match the content.

Blog posts look way more professional using GPT-5 Image Mini.

Use case four: Rapid prototyping with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Building landing pages requires testing different hero images.

Instead of making one and hoping, make 20 with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Test them all, see which converts best, make 10 more variations of the winner.

Can’t do this with expensive tools or slow tools, but GPT-5 Image Mini makes it possible.

Use case five: Concept art with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Building products or brands requires visualizing ideas.

With GPT-5 Image Mini, whip up concept art in minutes to show team and clients.

Speeds up decision making by weeks using GPT-5 Image Mini.

Best Practices for GPT-5 Image Mini

Practice one: Be specific with prompts to GPT-5 Image Mini.

Don’t say make a thumbnail, say make a YouTube thumbnail in cinematic style with bold text saying AI tools 2025 on dark blue background with futuristic city in distance.

More specific prompts to GPT-5 Image Mini get better results.

Practice two: Use the editing feature of GPT-5 Image Mini.

Don’t try getting perfect on first try, make something close with GPT-5 Image Mini then edit it.

Way faster than writing the perfect prompt.

Practice three: Generate multiple versions with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Always ask for at least three or four variations from GPT-5 Image Mini.

Pick the best one or combine ideas from multiple versions.

Practice four: Smaller images cost less with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Testing ideas? Use 512 by 512 in GPT-5 Image Mini.

Found a winner? Remake it at 1024 by 1024, saves money experimenting.

Practice five: Integrate GPT-5 Image Mini into workflow.

Not a replacement for everything, it’s a tool in your toolbox.

Use GPT-5 Image Mini for first drafts, designer polishes them.

Faster and cheaper than starting from scratch.

Practice six: Test different styles with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Knows tons of visual styles: photorealistic, cartoon, oil painting, watercolor, cyberpunk, minimalist.

Try them all with GPT-5 Image Mini, see what works for your brand.

GPT-5 Image Mini Limitations

GPT-5 Image Mini is a mini model, so it won’t always give highest quality.

Need absolutely perfect images for print or billboards? Might need a full model.

For digital content, GPT-5 Image Mini is usually good enough.

Sometimes misunderstands complex prompts: Break it into steps, make base image first with GPT-5 Image Mini then edit to add details.

Text rendering is really good but not perfect: Always check text before using images from GPT-5 Image Mini.

Resolution matters: Generated images work great for web and social media, but huge high res files might hit limits.

The Future with GPT-5 Image Mini

Image generation is getting cheaper and faster every month.

A year ago, custom images cost 10 times more.

Now with GPT-5 Image Mini, it’s cheap enough for anyone.

In six months, even cheaper.

People who learn GPT-5 Image Mini now will dominate markets.

While others buy stock photos, you’ll have custom images from GPT-5 Image Mini that convert better.

While others pay designers for every change, you’ll iterate in real time with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Massive competitive advantage using GPT-5 Image Mini.

Same thing happening with video, audio, code, writing: AI tools getting better and cheaper.

Entrepreneurs who figure out tools like GPT-5 Image Mini will build faster and cheaper than everyone else.

That’s why my agency is seven figures with 50 people: We use AI for everything and keep getting faster with tools like GPT-5 Image Mini.

Getting Started with GPT-5 Image Mini

Go to OpenRouter, sign up for an account.

Get your API key for GPT-5 Image Mini.

Start testing today.

Make images, edit images, see what GPT-5 Image Mini can do.

Don’t just read about it, actually use GPT-5 Image Mini.

Reading and using are two different things.

When you use GPT-5 Image Mini, you’ll see what works for your specific business.

Find use cases I didn’t think of with GPT-5 Image Mini.

Get better at prompting, a skill worth a ton in coming years.

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GPT-5 Image Mini FAQs

How much does GPT-5 Image Mini cost? 250 per million input tokens, $2 per million output tokens, images cost almost nothing at 0.003 per thousand input and 0.008 per thousand output.

Where can I use GPT-5 Image Mini? It’s live on OpenRouter right now, sign up and start using immediately.

Can GPT-5 Image Mini edit existing images? Yes, upload an image and tell GPT-5 Image Mini what to change.

Is GPT-5 Image Mini good for agencies? Yes, my seven figure agency uses it daily and saves 80% time on content creation.

Does GPT-5 Image Mini handle text well? Yes, much better than older models, text is readable most of the time.

What can I create with GPT-5 Image Mini? YouTube thumbnails, social media graphics, blog images, landing page prototypes, concept art.

Is GPT-5 Image Mini better than other tools? It’s faster and cheaper than most alternatives, quality is good enough for digital content.

How fast is GPT-5 Image Mini? Very fast, I made 10 thumbnails in the time it used to take to make two.

GPT-5 Image Mini is changing content creation.

Start using it today, test it in your business, see the results.