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Image model vs image model

FLUX.2 Klein 9B vs MAI-Image-2.6

People picked MAI-Image-2.6’s picture over FLUX.2 Klein 9B’s about 80% of the time in blind votes. FLUX.2 Klein 9B costs 6.8× less ($0.006 against ≈$0.041 an image), so it wins when “good enough” will do.

By ModelCompare ·

$0.006 and ≈$0.041 a picture, paid from your credits. New accounts start with free credit.

At a glance

Longer bar means the bigger number. Elo bars start at 800.

Blind votes · how often people would pick each picture

FLUX.2 Klein 9B MAI-Image-2.6

Price per image · 1024×1024, lower is better

FLUX.2 Klein 9B$0.006
MAI-Image-2.6≈$0.041

Text to image · arena Elo, higher is better

FLUX.2 Klein 9B929
MAI-Image-2.61166

Editing · arena Elo, higher is better

FLUX.2 Klein 9B1015
MAI-Image-2.61151

Same prompt, both models

We give every image model the same fixed prompts and the same pictures to edit. Here is what FLUX.2 Klein 9B and MAI-Image-2.6 made. Each made one picture per prompt; nothing was picked or retouched.

Photo

“A cozy bookshop on a rainy Tokyo street at night, warm window light, reflections on wet pavement, 35mm film photo”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B’s picture for “A cozy bookshop on a rainy Tokyo street at night, warm window light, reflections on wet pavement, 35mm film photo”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

MAI-Image-2.6’s picture for “A cozy bookshop on a rainy Tokyo street at night, warm window light, reflections on wet pavement, 35mm film photo”

MAI-Image-2.6

Text in image

“A minimalist logo for a coffee brand called "Orbit Roasters", flat vector, two colours, the name clearly lettered”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B’s picture for “A minimalist logo for a coffee brand called "Orbit Roasters", flat vector, two colours, the name clearly lettered”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

MAI-Image-2.6’s picture for “A minimalist logo for a coffee brand called "Orbit Roasters", flat vector, two colours, the name clearly lettered”

MAI-Image-2.6

Product shot

“A glass perfume bottle on wet black stone, soft studio lighting, water droplets, high-end product photography”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B’s picture for “A glass perfume bottle on wet black stone, soft studio lighting, water droplets, high-end product photography”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

MAI-Image-2.6’s picture for “A glass perfume bottle on wet black stone, soft studio lighting, water droplets, high-end product photography”

MAI-Image-2.6

Image edit

The picture both models were asked to edit

Asked to edit this picture: “Make it a snowy winter morning. Keep the bookshop, the street and the camera angle the same.”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B’s picture for “Make it a snowy winter morning. Keep the bookshop, the street and the camera angle the same.”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

MAI-Image-2.6’s picture for “Make it a snowy winter morning. Keep the bookshop, the street and the camera angle the same.”

MAI-Image-2.6

Edit with people

The picture both models were asked to edit

Asked to edit this picture: “Move them to a beach at sunset. Keep all three people's faces, expressions, hair and clothes exactly the same.”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B’s picture for “Move them to a beach at sunset. Keep all three people's faces, expressions, hair and clothes exactly the same.”

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

MAI-Image-2.6’s picture for “Move them to a beach at sunset. Keep all three people's faces, expressions, hair and clothes exactly the same.”

MAI-Image-2.6

Try your own prompt on both

Where they sit among all 56 image models

Up and to the left is better pictures for less money. Hover or tap a dot for its numbers, then click it to compare that model with FLUX.2 Klein 9B. Models the arena hasn’t rated yet sit in the grey lane at the bottom.

Quality: Elo from the Artificial Analysis text-to-image arena. Price: one 1024×1024 image, on a log scale. The dashed line joins the best picture you can get at each price.

Which one to pick

Pick FLUX.2 Klein 9B if

  • price matters: 100 images cost $0.60, against $4.06 with MAI-Image-2.6
  • you want open weights you can run yourself

Pick MAI-Image-2.6 if

  • you want the better picture: in blind votes people chose its image over FLUX.2 Klein 9B’s about 80% of the time
  • you mostly edit pictures: it scores higher in the editing arena (Elo 1151 against 1015)
  • your prompts mustn’t be stored: every provider that serves it promises zero data retention

See what both make of your prompt

The specs

Spec FLUX.2 Klein 9B MAI-Image-2.6
Price per image$0.006 ($0.022 per edit)≈$0.041 (estimated, medium quality)
100 images$0.60$4.06
Text-to-image Elo929 ±10 (#75 in the arena)1166 ±12 (#5 in the arena)
Editing Elo1015 ±13 (#43 in the arena)1151 ±12 (#3 in the arena)
Arena votes10,7308,342
Edits uploaded picturesYesYes
Largest size——
Open weightsYesNo
Zero data retention—Yes
LabBlack Forest LabsMicrosoft AI
Official nameFLUX.2 [klein] 9BMAI-Image-2.6
ReleasedJanuary 2026October 2026

Elo ± is the 95% margin. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from the Vercel AI Gateway and fal.ai.

Questions

Which is better, FLUX.2 Klein 9B or MAI-Image-2.6?

People picked MAI-Image-2.6’s picture over FLUX.2 Klein 9B’s about 80% of the time in blind votes. FLUX.2 Klein 9B costs 6.8× less ($0.006 against ≈$0.041 an image), so it wins when “good enough” will do.

Which is cheaper, FLUX.2 Klein 9B or MAI-Image-2.6?

FLUX.2 Klein 9B: $0.006 for a 1024×1024 image, against ≈$0.041 for MAI-Image-2.6. 100 images cost $0.60 and $4.06. MAI-Image-2.6 is billed per token, so its price is an estimate at medium quality.

Can FLUX.2 Klein 9B and MAI-Image-2.6 edit images?

Yes, both can change a picture you upload. In the Artificial Analysis editing arena FLUX.2 Klein 9B has an Elo of 1015 and MAI-Image-2.6 1151.

How can I compare FLUX.2 Klein 9B and MAI-Image-2.6 myself?

Open the comparison, type one prompt and both models draw it side by side, each with what it cost and how long it took. You sign up with Google before your first run, and new accounts start with free credit.

Still deciding? Send one prompt to both and see the pictures side by side, with what each one cost. Compare FLUX.2 Klein 9B and MAI-Image-2.6 →

Where the numbers come from

Quality scores are Elo ratings from the Artificial Analysis image arenas, where people vote between two pictures made from the same prompt without knowing which model made which. The vote split comes from the Elo gap. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from the Vercel AI Gateway and fal.ai; models billed per token are estimated at the quality the arena scored. The sample pictures are our own runs. Updated October 25, 2026.