Bagel operates on JAI Portal's pay-as-you-go credit system, with costs varying based on whether thought tokens are enabled. Standard generation (without thought tokens) is competitively priced for 1024x1024 output, making it accessible for both casual experimentation and professional workflows. Enabling thought tokens increases cost by approximately 20% but delivers measurably higher quality. For budget-conscious users,
Bytedance Seedream v5 Lite offers faster, lower-cost generation, while
Recraft V4 Pro provides premium features at a higher price point. JAI Portal displays exact credit costs per generation before you submit, so you can plan budgets accurately without surprises.