The cheaper image model can cost more per usable slide

Here’s a deliberately simple example: eight attempts at $0.02 cost $0.16. One usable result at $0.08 costs half as much. That does not make the second model universally better. It makes the number of attempts worth measuring.

Use your own batch. Count paid attempts, accepted outputs, editing time and exports that make it into a scheduled post. Keep the acceptance rule the same across models. Otherwise one model gets judged on “nice picture” and the other on “ready for the client.”

Start with a small sample of the exact assets you need: text-heavy slides, product screenshots or a recurring character. A benchmark on landscapes tells you very little about whether a model will respect your slide layout.

The prices below are hypothetical arithmetic, not current provider quotes.