Skip to main content

Firefly Image Model 5vs.MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. Firefly Image Model 5 has no API price.

Test images

Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.

Firefly Image Model 5: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run
Firefly Image Model 515 out of 100
MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run
MAI-Image-2.6 Flash74 out of 100

Result for “Infographic”:MAI-Image-2.6 Flash ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square German infographic titled SO FUNKTIONIERT PHOTOSYNTHESE. Show exactly four numbered steps in this order: 1 LICHT, 2 WASSER, 3 CO₂, 4 ZUCKER + SAUERSTOFF. Use a clean editorial science style with one plant cross-section, simple arrows, high contrast, legible labels, and no other text.

What the rating looks at: Numbers, labels, and visual organization.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Each test attempt uses the same archived prompt and one request. The first output of that attempt counts. Repeats after technical test failures are disclosed for the affected images. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier and prompt processing can still differ. The images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

Firefly Image Model 5: manual, one request, first output, Firefly Image 5, 1:1, 1K, no reference image, no negative prompt, 10 Adobe credits, generated Aug 16, 2026, 12:14 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019587, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

Firefly Image Model 5 image SHA 256: 6a8e97db33824727599cf62339ff714cfb836a96a5f078010bb7760d7372f3d4

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: d6f2280312404df55179b7cf7d03468df04541eae774cc8d2b35e40e0820f06f

Infographic

Firefly Image Model 5: manual, one request, first output, Firefly Image 5, 1:1, 1K, no reference image, no negative prompt, 10 Adobe credits, generated Aug 16, 2026, 12:14 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019598, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

Firefly Image Model 5 image SHA 256: 8fa6d9b40c417847061ec33d789ad5bf91f1e85da586515c6226ce6db825d1ba

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: 5c40f304b9dad1876a8d2223d22ca0e431ba9fe8a16e878a81743ac8296b6649

Product photography

Firefly Image Model 5: manual, one request, first output, Firefly Image 5, 1:1, 1K, no reference image, no negative prompt, 10 Adobe credits, generated Aug 16, 2026, 12:14 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019589, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

Firefly Image Model 5 image SHA 256: c36dab49ebe40473fa9e9a61b2b02fe36c4cd3536cbb6aac1d0ad0f8944d8bfc

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: 64376f13e8626feb37db3c138dde381843866e7d58fb87e8076c2fa9003365e4

Typography and layout

Firefly Image Model 5: manual, one request, first output, Firefly Image 5, 1:1, 1K, no reference image, no negative prompt, 10 Adobe credits, generated Aug 16, 2026, 12:14 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019575, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

Firefly Image Model 5 image SHA 256: cf8a921a221de5e456df2311482fc999303f5438270fb1a77c1be2dd3d9afc0b

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: be8d86a467f73abfce15cdcce3073acc257baf1c87112c2b53a64b36efde0804

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better
n/a

Firefly Image Model 5

not in the arena

n/a

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
55

Firefly Image Model 5

Rank 58 of 108

67

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Rank 31 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
n/a

Firefly Image Model 5

no API price

$0.019

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

cheap

Ranks among the 21 image models with an arena rating and the 108 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

Firefly Image Model 5

Subscription
n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API
No API price known. Access: API, Web app.

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Subscription
n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API
$0.019 per image, 100 images $1.95.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

GraduallyBench from Nov 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 3, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (38 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

KennzahlFirefly Image Model 5MAI-Image-2.6 Flash
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is bettern/an/a
Arena rankn/an/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer ratingn/an/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 1005567
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition8654
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details4690
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency7252
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization1574
API price
Per imagelower is bettern/a$0.019
100 imagesn/a$1.95
Profile
ReleasedOct 28, 2025Jul 31, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locallyproprietaryproprietary
LifecycleGenerally available since March 19, 2026Preview in Microsoft Foundry
AccessAPI, Web appAPI
Parametersnot publishednot published
Largest output4 Megapixel2,359,296 pixels
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this modeln/an/a

API prices for one image at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels according to Artificial Analysis.

Sources: Firefly Image Model 5 model source, status source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · MAI-Image-2.6 Flash model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

The stored benchmark database contains no measurement for Firefly Image Model 5 and MAI-Image-2.6 Flash from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

More comparisons with Firefly Image Model 5 and MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Compare Firefly Image Model 5 and MAI-Image-2.6 Flash with the models people compare them with most often.

Compare another matchup

Predecessor and successor

  • Firefly Image Model 5 has no successor yet
  • No predecessor recorded for MAI-Image-2.6 Flash
  • MAI-Image-2.6 Flash has no successor yet