Editing one area of an image
Highlight a facade or a sky with the selection tool and describe the change. OpenAI notes edits can spill past the selection, but it beats regenerating the whole image.
Verified on help.openai.com
Render a House
ChatGPT vs Gemini, compared
ChatGPT vs Gemini for conceptscompared honestly.
Pick Gemini for the cheapest paid plan and 2K downloads; pick ChatGPT to edit one area of an image and keep refining it in conversation. Both start from a prompt or a picture, not a 3D model. Render a House is the alternative for turning a 3D model or a sketch into a render, in a browser, with no GPU.
3 renders a day. No credit card, no graphics card.
- 2 assistants + 1 alternative
- Vendor list prices
- Runs in a browser
The short answer
ChatGPT or Gemini: the short answer.
Pick Gemini if cost and resolution matter most: paid plans start at $4.99 a month and download at 2K. Pick ChatGPT if you want to select one area of an image, describe the change, and keep refining the same picture in conversation.
If you have a 3D model or a sketch and want a render of that design, neither is built for it. Render a House takes a GLB, OBJ, sketch or screenshot, runs in a browser with no GPU, returns a concept render in roughly 30–60 seconds, and is free for 3 renders a day. Last updated: September 25, 2026.
DrawingRender
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Side by side
ChatGPT vs Gemini at a glance.
From each vendor’s own pages. Where a figure is not published, the cell says so. US list prices, per user.
| Dimension | ChatGPT | Gemini | Render a House |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | OpenAI's general assistant, with ChatGPT Images built in | Google's general assistant, making images with Nano Banana 2 | An AI rendering tool built for architecture and interiors |
| Input it needs | A prompt or an uploaded image; mobile also takes a drawn sketch | A prompt, or one or more uploaded reference images | A sketch, plan, 3D model (GLB, GLTF, OBJ), CAD screenshot or photo |
| Where it runs | Web, iOS, Android and desktop apps; cloud, no GPU | Web, mobile, Mac (Apple Silicon, macOS 15+) and Windows 10+ apps | Any browser, Mac included, no GPU |
| Price (vendor list price, checked Sept 2026) | Go $8/mo, Plus $20/mo, Pro from $100/mo | AI Plus $4.99/mo, AI Pro $19.99/mo, Ultra from $99.99/mo | Pro $39/mo, Studio $99/mo |
| Free tier | Yes, limited and slower image generation | Yes, standard limits, 1K downloads | 3 renders a day, small watermark |
| Time to a first image | May take a few minutes, depending on complexity | Not published (checked Sept 2026) | Roughly 30–60 seconds, up to about two minutes under load |
| Output | Any aspect ratio. Resolution: Not published (checked Sept 2026) | 2K download with a Google AI plan, 1K without | Concept render at 1K, 2K or 4K on Pro, plus video |
| Best for | Refining one image in conversation | Low-cost drafts and blending reference images | A 3D model or a sketch to an architectural render |
Sources: ChatGPT pricing, Images in ChatGPT, ChatGPT downloads, Google AI plans, Gemini images, Gemini for Mac, Gemini for Windows.
Where ChatGPT is better
Where ChatGPT is better.
ChatGPT’s image tool is built around conversation: make an image, then keep talking to it.
Drawing a sketch in the app
The mobile app lets you draw a sketch on screen, add instructions and turn it into an image, with no scan-and-upload step.
Verified on help.openai.com
Unlimited images at the top tier
ChatGPT Pro, from $100 a month, lists unlimited and faster image creation, subject to abuse guardrails. Gemini’s top plans multiply usage limits instead.
Verified on chatgpt.com/pricing
Where Gemini is better
Where Gemini is better.
Gemini wins on the numbers Google publishes: a cheaper way in and a stated download resolution.
A cheaper paid plan
Google AI Plus is $4.99 a month against $8 for ChatGPT Go. One tier up they are level: AI Pro is $19.99, ChatGPT Plus $20.
Verified on gemini.google
A stated 2K download
Images download at 2K on a Google AI plan and 1K without. OpenAI publishes no output resolution for ChatGPT Images.
Verified on support.google.com
Several reference images at once
Combine a site photo with a material sample in one request. Paid plans can also redo an image with Nano Banana Pro.
Verified on support.google.com
Pricing
Pricing: ChatGPT vs Gemini.
US list prices, checked September 2026. Plans change often, so follow each source link before subscribing.
| Plan | Price | What it includes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Free | $0 | Limited and slower image generation | Same image tool, fewer images (source) |
| ChatGPT Go | $8 / mo | More image creation | May include ads (source) |
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 / mo | More complex and accurate image creation | Adds images with thinking (source) |
| ChatGPT Pro | From $100 / mo | Unlimited and faster image creation | Subject to abuse guardrails (source) |
| Gemini (free) | $0 | Image generation and editing | 1K downloads, standard limits (source) |
| Google AI Plus | $4.99 / mo | 2x the free usage | 2K downloads on paid plans (source) |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99 / mo | 4x the free usage, 1,000 Google Flow credits | Can redo images with Nano Banana Pro (source) |
| Google AI Ultra | From $99.99 / mo | 5x or 20x the AI Pro usage | Limits refresh every five hours, up to a weekly cap (source) |
| Render a House | Free; $39/mo; $99/mo | Free 3 renders a day. Pro $39/mo or $312/yr, 240 credits. Studio $99/mo or $792/yr, 1,000 credits | Failed renders do not use credits |
Which to choose
Which should you choose?.
Mood images on a budget: Gemini
Reference images from a prompt or a few photos. The free plan or AI Plus at $4.99 covers it, with 2K downloads once you pay.
One image revised many times: ChatGPT
A marketing image that goes through rounds of small changes suits ChatGPT Plus and its selection editor.
A 3D model or a sketch to render: Render a House
Upload the GLB, the SketchUp, Revit, Archicad or Rhino screenshot, or the sketch, and the render starts from your geometry rather than from a description of it.
Both jobs: an assistant plus Render a House
Keep ChatGPT or Gemini for briefs and research, and use Render a House for the renders. The two barely overlap.
Render a House
Render a House, the alternative for 3D model or sketch to render.
ChatGPT and Gemini are general assistants that also make images. Render a House turns an architectural input into a render. Two jobs, side by side.
| ChatGPT and Gemini | Render a House | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | General assistants that also make images from a prompt | Turns sketches, plans and 3D models into concept renders |
| Input | Text and images; neither documents importing a GLB or OBJ | GLB, GLTF or OBJ models, sketches, plans, screenshots, photos |
| Geometry | Neither documents keeping walls and openings in place | Generally preserved, though it can shift |
| Where it runs | Web, mobile and desktop apps, cloud-hosted | Any browser, Mac included, no GPU, no plugin |
| Price to start | Free tiers; paid from $4.99 (Gemini) and $8 (ChatGPT) a month | Free 3 a day; Pro $39/mo for 240 credits |
| Output | Images; only Gemini states a resolution (2K on paid plans) | 1K, 2K or 4K on Pro, plus video; commercial use allowed |
What you get
3D integration
Where your modelling software exports a mesh, upload it and set the camera in the browser, then render from that view.
Rendering
Photorealism in seconds rather than a queued calculation you leave running over lunch.
Video
A camera move across the same project, generated from a finished still. Nothing to animate.
Design
Try materials, light and surroundings until the version you want exists, without touching the source model.
Refinement
Fix one part of a render — a facade panel, a tree, a sky — without starting the image again.
Precision
Your geometry is respected: the walls, openings, heights and proportions you drew in your modelling software stay where you put them.
Collaborative
Share a link and take comments on the image itself, so feedback lands on the render rather than in an email thread.
Mobile and web
Runs in the browser, on the machine you have open, including a laptop that would struggle with a local render engine.
4K
Delivery resolution, ready to print or put on a board without a separate upscaling step.
Render a House is an AI rendering tool for architects, interior designers and real estate. Upload a GLB, OBJ or screenshot in any browser, describe materials and light, and a render comes back in roughly 30–60 seconds.
Pricing.
Try it out, go Pro when it starts paying for itself.
02
Most popular
Pro
For professionals and small teams
$26/mo
$312/yr
4 months free
- 240 credits per month
- Unlimited daily credits
- Rollover up to 2400 credits
- All features included
03
Studio
For studios and bigger teams
$66/mo
$792/yr
4 months free
- 1000 credits per month
- Unlimited daily credits
- Rollover up to 10000 credits
- All features included
04
Book a demo
If you're several people, book a call and we'll help you integrate Render a House into your whole team's workflow.
What credits buy you
Pro 240 credits | Studio 1000 credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Render Pro 2 credits each | 120 | 500 |
| Render Standard 1 credit each | 240 | 1000 |
| Render Standard 2K 1.5 credits each | 160 | 666 |
| Render Pro 4K 4 credits each | 60 | 250 |
| Render Standard 4K 2 credits each | 120 | 500 |
| Video 0.8 credits/sec | 300s | 1250s |
What Render a House cannot do.
- Chat, write or research. It will not draft a brief or summarise a PDF the way ChatGPT and Gemini do.
- Run a live 3D viewport or a plugin inside your CAD app. You upload an export and a still comes back; export a GLB from SketchUp, since .skp is not read directly.
- Produce BIM data or measured drawings. The output is a concept image; dimensions stay in the model.
- Replace a final production render unchecked. Geometry can shift, so check openings and proportions before a client sees it.
The verdict
ChatGPT vs Gemini: the verdict.
For general image work the choice is close. Gemini is cheaper to start and publishes its download resolution; ChatGPT has the more hands-on editor and an unlimited top tier. If you already live in one ecosystem, stay there.
For architecture both share a gap: they start from words or a picture, not your model. When the design exists as a 3D file or a sketch, Render a House is the better fit, free for 3 renders a day.
Common questions about ChatGPT vs Gemini.
Is ChatGPT better than Gemini for architectural images?
Neither is better across the board. ChatGPT is stronger for editing a selected area and refining one image over many turns; Gemini is cheaper to start and states 2K downloads on paid plans. Neither is built to turn a 3D model into a render.
Is ChatGPT free for image generation?
Yes, with limits. The Free plan lists limited and slower image generation, and Go ($8/mo), Plus ($20/mo) and Pro (from $100/mo) raise that.
Is Gemini free for image generation?
Yes. Free Gemini includes image generation and editing, downloaded at 1K. Google AI plans from $4.99/mo raise the limits and download at 2K.
Does Gemini run on Mac?
Yes. It works in any Mac browser, and the desktop app needs macOS 15 or later on Apple Silicon with 8 GB of RAM. ChatGPT also runs in a browser and has a desktop download.
Can I use ChatGPT or Gemini without a 3D model?
Yes. Both work from a prompt or an uploaded image, such as a photo of a sketch. Neither documents keeping your geometry fixed, so check the result against the drawing.
What is the best alternative to ChatGPT and Gemini for architectural renders?
Render a House, if you start from a 3D model or a sketch. It reads GLB, GLTF and OBJ files or a CAD screenshot, renders in roughly 30–60 seconds in a browser, and is free for 3 renders a day. It is not a chat assistant, so keep ChatGPT or Gemini for writing.
Have a model or a sketch? Render it.
Upload the view you already have and see what comes back. It takes less time than writing the prompt.
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Krea vs Magnific
Generative editor or high-end upscaler — free tiers and 2026 prices.