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Test scope & comparison notes
These are recorded facts, not a unified ranking. Tested tiers and scope are not consistently recorded. Read pricing with its date and timing with its conditions. Privacy observations reflect visible flows and statements, not a security audit.
Cross-task capability coverage across selected products
Each product is scored independently per task edge; switch tasks below while keeping shared products selected| Task edge | Ideogram | LightX | Switch / compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background removal | Not tested in topic | 64/100 480 × 480 · PNG | Compare in task topic → |
| Image upscaling | Not tested in topic | 86/100 JPEG · Output attached | Compare in task topic → |
| Object removal | Not tested in topic | 66/100 JPEG · Output attached | Compare in task topic → |
| Image generation | 88/100 2048×2048 (2K Original size unwatermarked JPEG, 785.6KB, 400% pixel retention) · Historical description; output not attached | 83/100 JPEG · Output attached | Active task |
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Browse this task →| Criterion | Ideogram AI (Ideogram 4.0) Image generation 88/100 Seven-aspect task score Good text and 2K output come with four candidates per request; free credits depend on sign-in method, exclude email-only signup, and this run took about 34 seconds. Tested export 2048×2048 (2K Original size unwatermarked JPEG, 785.6KB, 400% pixel retention) · Historical description; output not attached Historical test · 2026-10-16 | LightX AI Image Generator Image generation 83/100 Seven-aspect task score Requires sign-in and manually switching from the default 8-credit model to 2-credit GPT Image 1.5 Low to use daily free credits; generates in ~5.6s with accurate text and object counts, but stamps a bottom-left watermark on the 1024×1024 JPEG. Tested export JPEG · Output attached Historical test · 2026-10-23 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & rules | ||
| Pricing plans | Ideogram official plans (Free / Plus / Pro / Team / Enterprise); USD (before tax) · 2026-10-21 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Free (OAuth sign-in)2026-10-21 ↗ Free Free Free 30 credits/week when signing in with Google, Apple, or Microsoft (email/password accounts receive no free credits; public generations). Plus Monthly2026-10-21 ↗ USD 20/month — Monthly 2,400 priority credits/month (do not roll over) + unlimited slower queue on Ideogram models + private generation and quality export. Plus Yearly2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 180/year Annual Billed annually at USD 180/year (USD 15/month equivalent); 2,400 priority credits issued monthly + unlimited slower queue + private generation. Pro Monthly2026-10-21 ↗ USD 60/month — Monthly 7,500 priority credits/month (do not roll over) + unlimited slower queue + Batch Generation, larger queue, and private generation. Pro Yearly2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 504/year Annual Billed annually at USD 504/year (USD 42/month equivalent); 7,500 priority credits issued monthly + unlimited slower queue + Batch Generation and private generation. Team Monthly (per user, min 2)2026-10-21 ↗ USD 30/month — Monthly USD 30 per user/month (minimum 2 users); 3,600 priority credits/user/month + unlimited slower queue + central billing and administration. Team Yearly (per user, min 2)2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 240/year Annual USD 240 per user/year (USD 20/user/month equivalent, minimum 2 users); 3,600 priority credits/user/month + unlimited slower queue + central billing. Enterprise Agreement2026-10-21 ↗ Contact sales Quoted Quoted Custom organization agreement and shared Enterprise Prepaid wallet. 8 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. Official documentation (Plans and Credits) lists Free (30 credits/week when signing in with Google, Apple, or Microsoft; email/password accounts do not get free credits; public generations), Plus (USD 20/month or USD 180/year, i.e., USD 15/month, with 2,400 credits/month + unlimited slow queue + private mode), Pro (USD 60/month or USD 504/year, i.e., USD 42/month, with 7,500 credits/month + batch generation), and Team (min 2 users, USD 30/user/month or USD 240/user/year, 3,600 credits/user/month). Legacy Basic ($8/mo) is no longer sold. Cancellation, sources & verification recordMonthly plan credits reset on each renewal date and do not roll over; purchased top-up credits are spent after monthly credits. Manage subscriptions and auto-recharge in Settings → Wallet & Billing. Ideogram official documentation: Plans and Credits pricing table ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗ | USD web monthly/annual subscriptions and 800-credit pack; excludes API · 2026-10-20 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Starter2026-10-20 ↗ Free Free Free Card states 6 AI credits/day; comparison table instead says up to 5 credits Background removal outputs low-resolution JPG; export table lists 512px Pro2026-10-20 ↗ USD 9.99/month USD 59.99/year Annual 1,000 AI credits/month; unlimited background removal/replacement PNG and high resolution; export table lists 4096px Monthly 1,000 AI credits/month; unlimited background removal/replacement PNG and high resolution; export table lists 4096px 800 AI credit pack2026-10-20 ↗ USD 9.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 800 general AI credits Advertised lifetime validity 4 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. Monthly $9.99 verified; promotional annual total $59.99 and non-expiring 800-credit pack $9.99. The free card still says 6 daily credits while the table says up to 5. Free removal is low-resolution JPG; Pro provides unlimited high-resolution PNG removal. Earlier INR and current USD observations do not imply identical regional pricing. Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred. Cancellation, sources & verification recordCancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. Official plans and usage terms ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ · Capture 2 ↗ Monthly pricing and feature comparison ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ |
| Free & trial allowance on the test date | Free credits granted exclusively to Google / Apple / Microsoft OAuth accounts; default Ideogram 4.0 (Auto) costs ~12 credits for 4× 2048×2048 images | Free accounts receive 6 daily credits, which cannot run the default 8-credit model; users must switch to GPT Image 1.5 Low (2 credits/generation) to generate and download a 1024×1024 JPEG |
| Cancellation & refunds | Monthly plan credits reset on each renewal date and do not roll over; purchased top-up credits are spent after monthly credits. Manage subscriptions and auto-recharge in Settings → Wallet & Billing. | Cancellation and refund terms follow official checkout and help policies. |
| Disclosure of costs & limits | Disclosed upfront in the login page footer before registration ("Email accounts don't include free credits") | Model selector clearly shows credit cost per generation, but does not pre-disclose that free exports carry a bottom-left watermark |
| Task quality | ||
| Measured fixture results | Not verified | Not verified |
| Fixture findings | Text and hand structure performed well on this prompt, with 2048px output; other prompts remain untested. | "REALTEST 2026" sign text plus 3 red apples and 2 blue ceramic mugs are 100% accurate; the robot grips the sign with 4 visible fingers per hand and a semi-transparent LightX watermark at the bottom-left. |
| Original historical observation | Powered by Ideogram 4.0, it is the only platform tested that exports native 2048×2048 (2K) unwatermarked images on the free tier while achieving a 64.0/65 constraint score (#4 overall at 88.2 pts). | Switched to GPT Image 1.5 Low (2 credits), LightX generated a 1024×1024 JPEG in 5.57s: "REALTEST 2026" sign text is 100% accurate (25/25), 3 red apples and 2 blue ceramic mugs match count and color constraints (20/20), and the robot grips the sign with 4 visible fingers per hand (16/20), with a bottom-left LightX watermark on the free export. |
| Suitable uses · historical assessment | Designers and creators needing native 2048×2048 (2K) unwatermarked exports, world-class typography, and 5-finger anatomical precision | Users seeking fast generation (~5.6s), accurate English text rendering, and exact object count binding who do not mind a small bottom-left watermark on the free tier |
| Result & output evidence | No native output obtained; the preview does not establish final export quality. | |
| Delivery capabilities | ||
| Recorded export specifications | 2048×2048 (2K Original size unwatermarked JPEG, 785.6KB, 400% pixel retention) · Historical description; output not attached · Check watermark record No native output is attached; check the evidence for specification and watermark claims. | JPEG · Output attached · Check watermark record |
| Historical specification note · not an official maximum | 2048×2048 (2K Original Size Unwatermarked JPEG · Ideogram 4.0) | 1024×1024 (JPEG, 266.2 KB) |
| Watermark observation | Zero watermark (clean 2048×2048 2K export) | Semi-transparent "LightX" brand watermark in the bottom-left corner |
| Batch & API | 4-image batch default + Magic Prompt, Remove BG, Upscale, Edit (Ideogram 4.5), and Developer API | Supports multiple model options (GPT Image 1.5 Low, Flux, LightX models) and commercial API |
| Recorded free-tier dimensions | Not verified | 1024 × 1024 |
| Attached file dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Speed & reliability | ||
| Timing observation | Network-observed server wait: 33.9s · End-to-end reference: 34.45s | Network-observed server wait: 5.57s · End-to-end reference: 6.4s |
| Date & fixture | 2026-10-16 · anchor_t2i_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) | 2026-10-23 · anchor_t2i_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) |
| Repeated tests & reliability | No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded. | No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded. |
| Interaction experience | ||
| Account requirements | Account required in this test | Account required in this test |
| Sign-in methods | Must sign in with Google / Apple / Microsoft to receive free credits (Email-only signups receive 0 free credits) | Supports free Google / Facebook / Apple / Email sign-in (6 daily free AI credits granted) |
| Manual adjustment | Not verified | Not verified |
| Interaction observations | Completing Google login (Pass 2) allows skipping the plan upsell ("Skip for now"); default Auto model invokes flagship Ideogram 4.0 (~12 credits), generates 4 concurrent variations, and allows free download of the full 2K (2048×2048) unwatermarked JPEG (03_download.png). | The workspace clearly labels credit costs per model (e.g., 2 credits for GPT Image 1.5 Low) and aspect ratio dimensions (Square 1:1 1024x1024 px, 02_workspace.png). Once generated, clicking "More options -> Download" (03_download.png) on the result card directly downloads the 1024×1024 JPEG without card-binding popups. |
| Background & reputation | ||
| Service lifecycle notice | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operator | Ideogram AI, Inc. | AndOr Communications Pvt. Ltd. (LightX) |
| Recorded origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | New Delhi, India |
| Domain history record | 2023–present | 2017–Present |
| Background & reputation assessment | Operated by Ideogram AI, Inc. (Toronto, Canada, founded 2023 by former Google Brain diffusion researchers Mohammad Norouzi, William Chan, et al., backed by a16z), globally renowned for AI typography. | Operated by AndOr Communications Pvt. Ltd. (New Delhi, India), creator of the LightX mobile and web visual AI suite with tens of millions of users. |
| External reputation record | Not verified | Not verified |
| Engineering & privacy | ||
| Processing location | Uploaded for cloud processing | Uploaded for cloud processing |
| Third-party tracking record | Not verified | Not verified |
| Engineering & privacy assessment | Generates 4× 2048×2048 (4.19MP, 400% of 1024² baseline) images per run (~33.9s) and integrates native Remove BG, Upscale, and Ideogram 4.5 Edit apps. | Invokes cloud text-to-image inference via POST https://www.instagraphe.mobi/andor-media-1.0/aiartweb/generateImage; following vendor backend storage credential recovery on 2026-10-23, single-sample server wait measured 5.57s (6.40s end-to-end). |
| Retention statement | Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record | Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record |
| Evaluation basis | ||
| Pricing transparency | 29 / 35 Landing page (01_landing.png) CTA "Get started" leads to the login page (01_pass1_login_modal.png), where bottom fine print explicitly discloses a critical rule: "*Email accounts don't include free credits — you'll need a paid plan to generate. Sign up with Google, Apple, or Microsoft to get free credits." | 20 / 35 The landing page (01_landing.png) requires sign-in before entering the text-to-image workspace; free accounts receive 6 daily credits, which is insufficient for the default 8-credit model. Switching manually to "GPT Image 1.5 Low" (labeled 1 generation = 2 credits, 02_workspace.png) allows free generation, though the exported 1024×1024 JPEG includes a bottom-left "LightX" brand watermark. |
| Interaction restraint | 26 / 30 Completing Google login (Pass 2) allows skipping the plan upsell ("Skip for now"); default Auto model invokes flagship Ideogram 4.0 (~12 credits), generates 4 concurrent variations, and allows free download of the full 2K (2048×2048) unwatermarked JPEG (03_download.png). | 23 / 30 The workspace clearly labels credit costs per model (e.g., 2 credits for GPT Image 1.5 Low) and aspect ratio dimensions (Square 1:1 1024x1024 px, 02_workspace.png). Once generated, clicking "More options -> Download" (03_download.png) on the result card directly downloads the 1024×1024 JPEG without card-binding popups. |
| Background & reputation | 20 / 20 Operated by Ideogram AI, Inc. (Toronto, Canada, founded 2023 by former Google Brain diffusion researchers Mohammad Norouzi, William Chan, et al., backed by a16z), globally renowned for AI typography. | 18 / 20 Operated by AndOr Communications Pvt. Ltd. (New Delhi, India), creator of the LightX mobile and web visual AI suite with tens of millions of users. |
| Engineering & privacy | 14 / 15 Generates 4× 2048×2048 (4.19MP, 400% of 1024² baseline) images per run (~33.9s) and integrates native Remove BG, Upscale, and Ideogram 4.5 Edit apps. | 12 / 15 Invokes cloud text-to-image inference via POST https://www.instagraphe.mobi/andor-media-1.0/aiartweb/generateImage; following vendor backend storage credential recovery on 2026-10-23, single-sample server wait measured 5.57s (6.40s end-to-end). |
| Task quality | 64 / 65 Text Rendering (25/25: Exact 2-line "REALTEST / 2026" hand-carved typography on the wooden sign with 100% spelling accuracy (25/25)) · Count & Color Binding (19/20: Strictly 3 red apples on the left + 2 stacked blue ceramic mugs on the right (slight twin-handle / 3rd rim artifact behind the lower mug, -1 pt) (19.0/20)) · 5-Finger Hand & Structure (20/20: Vintage brass robotic right hand supporting the bottom of the wooden sign displays 5 crystal-clear, distinct articulated brass fingers (20/20)) | 61 / 65 Text rendering (25.0/25: two-line carved lettering "REALTEST 2026" on the wooden sign is 100% accurately spelled and crisp) · Count & color binding (20.0/20: 3 red apples on the left and 2 blue ceramic mugs on the right match exact count and color constraints) · 5-finger anatomy & composition (16.0/20: vintage brass robot grips the upper corners of the sign with 4 visible mechanical fingers per hand, warm studio composition) (61.0/65) |
| Deliverable specifications | 20 / 20 Clean unwatermarked export (8/8); Export & Max deliverable spec: 2048×2048 (2K Original Size Unwatermarked JPEG · Ideogram 4.0) | 14 / 20 Free tier (GPT Image 1.5 Low, 2 credits) exports a native 1024×1024 RGB JPEG (266,153 bytes, 12/12 resolution score), but stamps a semi-transparent "LightX" watermark at the bottom-left (2/8 watermark score) (14.0/20) |
| Processing speed | 3 / 15 Network-observed server wait: 33.9s (API mode: async_poll; end-to-end 34.45s shown for reference only, never penalized) | 12.5 / 15 2026-10-23 same-run single-sample network timing: POST https://www.instagraphe.mobi/andor-media-1.0/aiartweb/generateImage (r2) server wait measured 5.57s (6.40s end-to-end including CDN image load) (12.5/15) |
