CI & fixtures · Ideogram v2

CI fixtures without live Ideogram v2 calls

Pull requests that regenerate images are pull requests that bill Ideogram v2 twice. Verification pipelines should not inherit creative habits from demos.

Where image API costs go off the rails

Weekend prototypes become production habits

The Ideogram v2 call you pasted into a demo stays forever—and keeps billing.

Error handling re-generates

Naïve retries after timeouts double Ideogram v2 spend without improving UX.

Multi-model routing multiplies keys

Falling back across hosts still bills; it rarely asks whether stock would do.

You need a cheap default path

Epochal-style flat stock is the default; Ideogram v2 is the exception for unique finals.

Scenario: CI & fixtures with Ideogram v2

Playwright suites that navigate marketing pages should load cached stock heroes, not request Ideogram v2 mid-test. Download fixtures once from Epochal and keep generation out of the pipeline.

The fix: Epochal Stock at $50 USD/month (no per-image fee)

When the image does not need a unique Ideogram v2 synthesis, use Epochal Stock Developer Image API: a single plan at $50 USD/month with no free tier and no per-image fee. You get full catalog access, 30 requests/minute per account (all keys share the bucket), and unlimited original downloads with one concurrent transfer. Authenticate server-side only with a Bearer key—never expose secrets in browser JavaScript. Keep Ideogram v2 for finals that must be generative; let Epochal cover prototypes, fixtures, and placeholders.

  • Price: $50 USD/month — single plan
  • Per-image billing: none
  • Rate limit: 30 requests/minute per account
  • Downloads: unlimited originals, one concurrent transfer
  • Best for: tests, prototypes, and placeholders instead of another Ideogram v2 generation
curl -sS "https://epochalstock.com/api/v1/images?tags=workspace,startup&limit=12" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EPOCHAL_API_KEY"

Keys stay on your server. Never pass ?api_key= or ship secrets to the browser.

Get the Epochal developer API See pricing details

Stock examples for CI & fixtures

Pulled server-side from Epochal tags: server, technology, marketing. Previews are cached; API keys never hit the browser.

Freelancer at Hot Desking Station in Cozy Cafe — stock example for CI & fixtures for Ideogram v2
Freelancer at Hot Desking Station in Cozy Cafe
Sikh Consultant With Turban Working on Laptop in Modern Office — stock example for CI & fixtures for Ideogram v2
Sikh Consultant With Turban Working on Laptop in Modern Office
Employee Working With Robotic Arm in Modern Workshop — stock example for CI & fixtures for Ideogram v2
Employee Working With Robotic Arm in Modern Workshop
Citizen Using E-Government Portal at Home in a Modern Setting — stock example for CI & fixtures for Ideogram v2
Citizen Using E-Government Portal at Home in a Modern Setting
Laughing Student Using Laptop in Cafe With Bright Colors — stock example for CI & fixtures for Ideogram v2
Laughing Student Using Laptop in Cafe With Bright Colors
Freelancer Discussing Projects at Hot Desking Station in Cafe — stock example for CI & fixtures for Ideogram v2
Freelancer Discussing Projects at Hot Desking Station in Cafe

FAQ

Can Epochal fully replace Ideogram v2 for this use case?

For non-unique needs, yes in practice. Keep Ideogram v2 when the asset must be uniquely generated for brand or campaign finals.

What does Epochal cost?

One plan: $50 USD/month, no free tier, no per-image fee. Catalog access with 30 requests/minute per account.

Are downloads limited?

Original downloads are unlimited with one concurrent transfer per account. API requests share a 30/minute account bucket.

Is it OK to call Ideogram v2 in a scheduled weekly job?

Only if you truly need generative regression coverage. Daily PR pipelines should use stock fixtures instead.

Prototyping CI & fixtures Content placeholders Model hub

Ideogram v2 version guides

v2 v2 Turbo