Grok Imagine is xAI's image and video model, and there are five real ways to call it via API. Here's how they compare on modes, pricing, and who each one actually fits.
Quick comparison
| # | Provider | Type | Modes | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apiframe | Unified multi-model API | Separate image + video models | $0.02/image, $0.022/edit; video pay-as-you-go | Cheapest confirmed image rate, one key for every other model too |
| 2 | Kie.ai | Model-focused platform | Video-first (T2V/I2V + audio), plus image | Not published | Synced-audio video and Spicy Mode |
| 3 | OpenRouter | Aggregator/router | Image (Grok Imagine Image Quality) | From $0.05/image | Routing across backend providers |
| 4 | fal.ai | Serverless inference platform | Image + video | $0.01/unit (Quality tier) or $0.02/image (standard edit); video $0.01-$0.05/sec depending on variant | Visual-AI-focused infrastructure |
| 5 | Replicate | Community model host | Image + video | ~0.08/s | Prototyping, broad model catalog |
1. Apiframe
Apiframe splits Grok Imagine into two clean endpoints: grok-imagine-image for text-to-image and natural-language editing, and grok-imagine-video for image-to-video with reference images. Both run through the same key and billing as every other model on the platform, async jobs, webhooks, no separate xAI account.
On price, it's the cheapest confirmed rate in this comparison: $0.04 per image (4 credits), the same flat rate for text-to-image and edits. Video is pay-as-you-go, with the exact per-generation rate not published on the model page itself, check the live pricing page for current numbers.
Best for: cost-conscious image generation at volume, or teams already using Apiframe for other models who want Grok Imagine on the same key.
2. Kie.ai
Kie.ai leans into Grok Imagine's video side: text-to-video and image-to-video with synchronized audio, plus three generation modes, Normal, Fun, and Spicy, the last of which is a real, documented option for more expressive, less restrictive output. It also supports text-to-image and image-to-image. New accounts get free credits, though no explicit per-generation price was visible in the page's public content, worth checking directly before budgeting.
Best for: teams specifically after Grok's video-plus-audio combination, with mode flexibility built in.
3. OpenRouter
OpenRouter's own listing for "Grok Imagine Image Quality" states pricing from $0.05 per image, released May 18, 2026, at 1K or 2K resolution. Like other models on the platform, it doesn't host the model directly, it routes requests to whichever backing provider can serve them, with automatic fallback.
Best for: teams that want provider redundancy without building failover logic themselves.
4. fal.ai
fal.ai is a legitimate, well-known visual-AI infrastructure platform, but its live Grok Imagine pricing page didn't return usable data in this research pass. A third-party tracker reports roughly $0.050 per image and $0.10 per second for video, that number is secondhand, not pulled directly from fal, so treat it as a starting estimate rather than a confirmed rate.
Best for: teams already building on fal for other visual models who want Grok Imagine in the same pipeline.
5. Replicate
Replicate is a real, widely used model host with a large catalog and an active community, the usual pick for fast prototyping. Its current Grok Imagine-specific pricing wasn't confirmed in this research pass, check Replicate directly before committing.
Best for: early prototyping before locking into a production vendor.
A note on one source we didn't use
While researching this piece, we came across an article claiming to review "10 leading proxy platforms" for Grok Imagine, complete with named competitors, pros, cons, and precise-looking pricing for each. It wasn't used here. Every entry followed an identical template, several of the named platforms have no independently verifiable presence, and the pricing was suspiciously exact across the board, the pattern of programmatic, AI-generated SEO content rather than a real comparison. Worth knowing that content like that exists in this space, and worth being skeptical of any "provider comparison" that doesn't show its sourcing.
Which one should you actually use?
If cheap, high-volume image generation is the priority, Apiframe's $0.04 per image is the lowest confirmed rate here. If you specifically need Grok's video-plus-audio output with mode variety, Kie.ai is built around that. If provider redundancy without managing failover yourself matters more than raw price, OpenRouter handles that natively.
For teams building toward a real product, one that will likely need more than just Grok Imagine eventually, another image model for comparison, a video model, maybe audio down the line, Apiframe keeps that to one API key and one bill instead of a new integration for each vendor.
Get an API key and start with free credits, or go straight to the Grok Imagine Image and Grok Imagine Video model pages for full specs and code examples.
FAQ
What is Grok Imagine?
xAI's image and video generation model, built on the Aurora engine (now Aurora-2), known for a natural, less over-polished look and strong instruction following.
How much does the Grok Imagine API cost?
It varies by provider. Apiframe's confirmed rate is $0.04 per image (4 credits), the same for edits. OpenRouter lists image generation from $0.05. Other providers' current rates should be checked directly.
What is Spicy Mode?
A generation mode offered by some providers, including Kie.ai, for more expressive, less restrictive output alongside standard modes.
Do I need a separate xAI account?
No, none of the five providers above require one. That's the reason third-party APIs exist.
Which provider is cheapest for images?
Apiframe, at $0.04 per image, the lowest confirmed rate among the providers compared here.