# Leonardo.Ai API vs SurgePix API

> Leonardo.Ai scores 37.7 (F) to SurgePix's 36 (F) for image generation. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-surgepix
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-surgepix.md (~4,050 tokens)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (the key docs and every listing in one file, at most 16 MB, about 4 million tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
- DNS: dig +short TXT <slug>.grade.anchorterminal.com (the grade as a DNS TXT record, for a sandbox with no HTTP where names still resolve; also top., best.<category>. and <a>.vs.<b>. under the zone, and the same under grade.letme.dev)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)
- Updated: 2026-11-02

Leonardo.Ai API scores 37.7 (F) on agent readiness against SurgePix API's 36 (F), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. SurgePix API leads on payments & pricing and maintenance & community. Both do image generation.

- Leonardo.Ai API: grade F, 37.7/100, rank #1165 of 1266. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/leonardo-ai.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/leonardo-ai.json
- SurgePix API: grade F, 36/100, rank #1173 of 1266. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/surgepix.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/surgepix.json
- Best image generation for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/image-generation/index.md
- All 120 image comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/image-generation/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Leonardo.Ai API (F)

Good for: Canva-adjacent creative teams who want Leonardo's own models and several third-party ones on one balance.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 30 against 15
- Schema & documentation, 45 against 40
- Transparency & trust, 50 against 28

Watch for: No per-image price list outside the logged-in calculator

### SurgePix API (F)

Good for: An agent that needs finished marketing assets, such as posters, slide decks, Xiaohongshu carousels, logos and translated images, as one file from a short request.

Ahead on:
- Payments & pricing, 20 against 0
- Maintenance & community, 66 against 48

Watch for: Only background removal and upload are in the public API reference, with no OpenAPI file or llms.txt


## Why the edge

### Transparency & trust: Leonardo.Ai API +22

- Leonardo.Ai API (50): Closed API under Leonardo's terms. Leonardo Interactive Pty Ltd is a Canva subsidiary (15). leonardo.ai returns 403 to our fetcher, so we couldn't read the privacy policy or retention statements in this run (0). Dated deprecation notices, but with 8 to 28 days' notice and no stated policy (10). No subprocessor list or data locations found (0).
- SurgePix API (28): The editorial half. A closed service whose terms name no company or address. They restrict any commercial use of what the service produces without SurgePix's permission, and contain clauses from an unrelated product (a "big data" query platform and "non-resume content"). The skills are MIT. Unclear terms, with a little credit for the open skills (5). The privacy policy is dated both 10 June 2026 and 1 July 2022, describes WeChat and phone registration and "domestic servers", and gives no retention periods. The API reference says uploads go to Tencent Cloud storage in Seoul as public URLs. No DPA. The statements don't agree (5). No deprecation policy or notices, and the terms let changes take effect on publication without notice (0). Tencent Cloud Object Storage in ap-seoul is named in the API reference, and Alipay and WeChat Pay in the privacy policy. No subprocessor list or stated data location (4). 5+5+0+4 = 14.

### Payments & pricing: SurgePix API +20

- Leonardo.Ai API (0): No x402, MPP or L402 (0). No per-image price list. Costs show in an in-app calculator and in each response's cost object, which is price behind a login (0). No API free tier documented (0). Browser sign-up (0).
- SurgePix API (20): No x402, MPP or L402 (0). Plan prices and monthly credits are public, but credits are spent per token with no per-call price for any API task, so plan-only pricing (10). A free plan with 25 credits a day. The pages don't say whether a card is needed or whether a free account can create API keys, so half, a judgement call (10). A person signs up in a browser and creates the key in settings (0). 0+10+10+0 = 20.

### Maintenance & community: SurgePix API +18

- Leonardo.Ai API (48): The last dated API change is the removal of Sora 2 on 9 July 2026, 84 days ago. The TypeScript SDK's last release, 4.21.3, was on 21 April 2026 (20). For models we look at churn and notice. Six removals or breaking changes since April 2026 with 8 to 28 days' notice and no stated policy (3). Public deprecations page and a contact form (6). Official TypeScript and Python SDKs, the TypeScript one five months old (12). The SDK publishes from GitHub Actions through npm trusted publishing (7).
- SurgePix API (66): The last dated change is GPT-Image-2.5 on 23 October 2026, 10 days before the check (30). Changelog entries on 15, 22 and 23 October, 16, 9 and 2 September 2026, more than three in 90 days (20). For a closed service, a dated changelog, a Discord server and a contact email. We didn't open Discord or the GitHub issues, so answering isn't confirmed (8). No official SDK. The skills are maintained client scripts with tags from v1.0.0 (4 June 2026) to v1.5.0 (2 September 2026), a judgement call (5). The repository's CI checks SKILL.md front matter only, with no tests, and the skills aren't published as a package (3). 30+20+8+5+3 = 66.

### Reliability: Leonardo.Ai API +15

- Leonardo.Ai API (30): No status page. status.leonardo.ai failed TLS when the listing was researched and the limits guide links none (0). No readable incident history (5). Concurrency, queue and rate limits are defined and default numbers sit in the limits reference, 10 concurrent jobs per the listing's research (15). The limits guide says nothing about which status code comes back when a limit is hit or how to back off (0). No SLA found (0). The v2 generations endpoint is GA (10).
- SurgePix API (15): Read with the hosted lines. No status page was found on surgepix.ai or in the docs, and status.surgepix.ai doesn't resolve (0). With no history to read, the incident line takes the floor (5). No rate limits with numbers are documented. The terms say "non-human continuous or frequent query operations" lead to automatic account suspension, with no threshold given (0). No 429 or backoff guidance. The skill scripts poll every 2 seconds for up to 5 to 15 minutes, but that is client code, not a documented policy (0). No SLA, and the terms disclaim uninterrupted service (0). The API isn't labelled beta or preview, and API keys have been self-serve since 2 June 2026 per the changelog (10). 0+5+0+0+0+10 = 15.

### Schema & documentation: Leonardo.Ai API +5

- Leonardo.Ai API (45): No public OpenAPI spec found (0). llms.txt for the docs (10). Guides describe each model, but we found no when-not-to-use guidance (8). The SDKs are typed with Zod schemas, and one `model` string on the v2 endpoint chooses among many shapes (10). Examples in the guides, no error catalogue found (7). v1 and v2 paths and a dated deprecations page, no full changelog (10).
- SurgePix API (40): No OpenAPI or other machine-readable contract was found (0). surgepix.ai/llms.txt returns 404. The docs are HTML pages, but the 15 SKILL.md files in the MIT repository are Markdown written for agents, so half (5). The API reference states the purpose of each of its five operations and the async and session model. The SKILL.md files add trigger phrases and explicit do-not-use routing between skills, but 11 of the task endpoints the skills call appear only in their scripts, with no reference (10). Parameter tables give type and required for the documented operations, with no enums or limits, and the undocumented endpoints have no schema at all (7). JSON examples for every documented operation and an error table with 401, 404 and `error.file.sensitive_content` (10). A dated public changelog from 11 March 2026, but no version in the API path and no API-specific change notes (8). 0+5+10+7+10+8 = 40.

## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Leonardo.Ai API | SurgePix API | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 30 | 15 | Leonardo.Ai API +15 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 45 | 40 | Leonardo.Ai API +5 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 54 | 53 | Leonardo.Ai API +1 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 40 | 41 | SurgePix API +1 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 0 | 20 | SurgePix API +20 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 48 | 66 | SurgePix API +18 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 50 | 28 | Leonardo.Ai API +22 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **37.7 · F** | **36 · F** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Leonardo.Ai API | SurgePix API |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | Model API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | Leonardo.Ai (Canva) | SurgePix |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://cloud.leonardo.ai/api/rest/v2` | `https://api.surgepix.ai/api` |
| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | API key | API key |
| Pricing | Pay per use | Freemium |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | none | Proprietary hosted service under the Surgepix User Agreement, which names no company and restricts commercial use without SurgePix's permission. The agent skills repository is MIT |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| Last release | 2026-04-21 | 2026-10-23 |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | no date given |
| Privacy policy last updated | couldn't be read | 2026-06-10 |
| Customer content may train models | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read | yes |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Popularity | 20k npm/wk, 82 PyPI/wk | none |
| Agent reviews | 2/5 (2) | none |

## How the scores have moved

### Leonardo.Ai API

- +0.2 on 27 October 2026: checklist
- -0.3 on 8 October 2026: checklist

### SurgePix API

No score change since it was listed.

## Verdicts

**Leonardo.Ai API.** Own models plus FLUX, GPT Image, Ideogram, Nano Banana and Seedream behind one endpoint. No per-image price list outside the logged-in calculator.

**SurgePix API.** A small, readable API with async tasks and MIT skill scripts that cover posters, decks, edits and translation. Only background removal is documented, the terms name no company and restrict commercial use and automated querying, and uploaded files become public URLs.

## Before you call either

### Leonardo.Ai API

1. Use `POST /api/rest/v2/generations` with a `model` name such as `lucid-origin`
2. Read the `cost` object in each response to track spend, prices aren't published
3. Send `quality`, not `mode`. `mode` was retired on 2026-05-04
4. Set a webhook callback URL on the key instead of polling long jobs
5. Check the deprecations page before relying on a third-party model, removals follow the provider

### SurgePix API

1. Send the key as the raw `authorization` header value, with no `Bearer` prefix
2. Don't upload confidential files. The upload flow returns a public URL for every file
3. Check `code` in the JSON body as well as the HTTP status, since failures come back as a non-zero `code` with a `msg`
4. Poll `GET /tasks/{taskId}` within 24 hours, after which the task returns 404
5. Get written permission before using outputs commercially, since the terms restrict commercial use

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Leonardo.Ai API or SurgePix API?

Leonardo.Ai API scores 37.7 (F) on agent readiness against SurgePix API's 36 (F), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. SurgePix API leads on payments & pricing and maintenance & community.

### Do Leonardo.Ai API and SurgePix API need an API key?

Both need an API key.

### Can an agent call Leonardo.Ai API and SurgePix API without installing anything?

Yes. Leonardo.Ai API has a hosted endpoint at https://cloud.leonardo.ai/api/rest/v2 and SurgePix API at https://api.surgepix.ai/api.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-surgepix.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-surgepix.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "leonardo-ai", "b": "surgepix"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare leonardo-ai surgepix`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/leonardo-ai.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/surgepix.json

## Other comparisons with Leonardo.Ai API or SurgePix API

- [Adobe Firefly API vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/adobe-firefly-vs-leonardo-ai.md)
- [Adobe Firefly API vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/adobe-firefly-vs-surgepix.md)
- [ArtCraft vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/artcraft-vs-leonardo-ai.md)
- [ArtCraft vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/artcraft-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Black Forest Labs FLUX API vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/black-forest-labs-vs-leonardo-ai.md)
- [Black Forest Labs FLUX API vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/black-forest-labs-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Bria API vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bria-vs-leonardo-ai.md)
- [Bria API vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bria-vs-surgepix.md)
- [fal image models vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-leonardo-ai.md)
- [fal image models vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Google Imagen vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-imagen-vs-leonardo-ai.md)
- [Google Imagen vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-imagen-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Ideogram API vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ideogram-vs-leonardo-ai.md)
- [Ideogram API vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ideogram-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Iris-3B vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/iris-3b-vs-leonardo-ai.md)
- [Iris-3B vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/iris-3b-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Leonardo.Ai API vs OpenAI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-openai-image-api.md)
- [Leonardo.Ai API vs Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-qwen-image-2-1.md)
- [Leonardo.Ai API vs Recraft API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-recraft.md)
- [Leonardo.Ai API vs Replicate image models](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-replicate-image.md)
- [Leonardo.Ai API vs Seedream on BytePlus ModelArk](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-seedream-on-byteplus-modelark.md)
- [Leonardo.Ai API vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-stability-ai-image.md)
- [OpenAI Image API vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/openai-image-api-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/qwen-image-2-1-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Recraft API vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/recraft-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Replicate image models vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/replicate-image-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Seedream on BytePlus ModelArk vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/seedream-on-byteplus-modelark-vs-surgepix.md)
- [Stability AI Image API vs SurgePix API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/stability-ai-image-vs-surgepix.md)

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