Image model vs image model
LongCat Image vs MAI-Image-2.6
People picked MAI-Image-2.6’s picture over LongCat Image’s about 86% of the time in blind votes, and it costs 3.2× less: $0.13 against ≈$0.041 an image.
At a glance
Longer bar means the bigger number. Elo bars start at 800.
Blind votes · how often people would pick each picture
LongCat Image MAI-Image-2.6
Price per image · 1024×1024, lower is better
Text to image · arena Elo, higher is better
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 LongCat Image. Models the arena hasn’t rated yet sit in the grey lane at the bottom.
Which one to pick
Pick LongCat Image if
- 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 LongCat Image’s about 86% of the time
- price matters: 100 images cost $4.06, against $13.00 with LongCat Image
- you need to edit pictures you upload; LongCat Image only makes new ones here
- your prompts mustn’t be stored: every provider that serves it promises zero data retention
The specs
| Spec | LongCat Image | MAI-Image-2.6 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per image | $0.13 | ≈$0.041 (estimated, medium quality) |
| 100 images | $13.00 | $4.06 |
| Text-to-image Elo | 856 ±19 (#92 in the arena) | 1166 ±12 (#5 in the arena) |
| Editing Elo | Not scored yet | 1151 ±12 (#3 in the arena) |
| Arena votes | 2,146 | 8,342 |
| Edits uploaded pictures | No | Yes |
| Largest size | — | — |
| Open weights | Yes | No |
| Zero data retention | — | Yes |
| Lab | Meituan | Microsoft AI |
| Official name | LongCat Image | MAI-Image-2.6 |
| Released | December 2025 | October 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, LongCat Image or MAI-Image-2.6?
People picked MAI-Image-2.6’s picture over LongCat Image’s about 86% of the time in blind votes, and it costs 3.2× less: $0.13 against ≈$0.041 an image.
Which is cheaper, LongCat Image or MAI-Image-2.6?
MAI-Image-2.6: ≈$0.041 for a 1024×1024 image, against $0.13 for LongCat Image. 100 images cost $4.06 and $13.00. MAI-Image-2.6 is billed per token, so its price is an estimate at medium quality.
Can LongCat Image and MAI-Image-2.6 edit images?
MAI-Image-2.6 can change a picture you upload. LongCat Image only makes new pictures from a prompt here.
How can I compare LongCat Image 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.
Related comparisons
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.