FLUX.2 Klein 9Bvs.Qwen-Image-2.1

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. In the arena, Qwen-Image-2.1 leads. Both are in the lower half there, though. Qwen-Image-2.1 has no API price.

Test images

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

FLUX.2 Klein 9B: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run — FLUX.2 Klein 9B42 out of 100

Qwen-Image-2.1: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run — Qwen-Image-2.183 out of 100

Result for “Infographic”:Qwen-Image-2.1 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

FLUX.2 Klein 9B: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1587849924, estimated cost $0.006291, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:52 PM. Source

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=1591420783, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

FLUX.2 Klein 9B image SHA 256: 84eceab680e59de6b9d4e68b3c21f6515ce093ff7d110992049e847570dd565f

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: b29bb7e207ad464957ee060bbf0655104bcbece703360254e48daa3ec35a62d7

Infographic

FLUX.2 Klein 9B: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1082231541, estimated cost $0.006291, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:52 PM. Source

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=1283422012, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, prior anonymous attempt refused before inference (ZeroGPU quota), completed through authenticated browser, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

FLUX.2 Klein 9B image SHA 256: 1d2eb263ca5a25794a88df7bb04f5c13e10ed9a289371d1dcc7ed6d6e0a297e2

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 316e38ed63ff401f86a7ceee9cc65c74413e0e9c7c899a6e6bf453acc2940dac

Product photography

FLUX.2 Klein 9B: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1388538280, estimated cost $0.006291, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:39 PM. Source

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=196359631, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

FLUX.2 Klein 9B image SHA 256: e7208f19ccfb9b810b9648cb1861797b7155ad91933d1660059236cef413ebe0

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 041f559d4261865b327fcae4f8bb0bd3b176c55a3b1255a042ab3e0fc4f9bc4b

Typography and layout

FLUX.2 Klein 9B: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1340991019, estimated cost $0.006291, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:41 PM. Source

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=158818011, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

FLUX.2 Klein 9B image SHA 256: c5f23870e70f2245d24a3689f2579ceb770e5edf8c3c89b7d6ed7ae138f262f6

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 4670269190f492154c05e3f18c4eb9e3938910ca1aca32503b6a1ceb16d39b38

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,070

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

Rank 20 of 21

1,225

Qwen-Image-2.1

Rank 14 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

Rank 62 of 108

Qwen-Image-2.1

Rank 40 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.015

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

cheap

n/a

Qwen-Image-2.1

no API price

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.

FLUX.2 Klein 9B

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.015 per image, 100 images $1.50.
License: Open weights, Weights released under the FLUX Non-Commercial License.

Qwen-Image-2.1

Subscription: No Alibaba subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €9.51 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 5 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: local, Web app.
License: Open weights, Qwen Research License: non-commercial use only; commercial use requires a separate license.

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

Arena rating (LMArena) from Oct 28, 2026 · 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.

Kennzahl	FLUX.2 Klein 9B	Qwen-Image-2.1
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,070	1,225
Arena rank	Rank 20 of 21	Rank 14 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	150,695	19,604
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	50	65
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	32	54
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	87	90
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	39	34
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	42	83
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.015	n/a
100 images	$1.50	n/a
Profile
Released	January 2026	Sep 20, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	openWeights released under the FLUX Non-Commercial License	openQwen Research License: non-commercial use only; commercial use requires a separate license
Access	API, local	local, Web app
Parameters	9 billion	not published
Largest output	4 Megapixel	2K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	n/a	5

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

Sources: FLUX.2 Klein 9B model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 2026) · Qwen-Image-2.1 model source, status source (verified Sep 22, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

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

Arena rating per categoryfrom votes by users · higher is betterFLUX.2 Klein 9BQwen-Image-2.1

Text to Image Arena9301,043ahead

Image Editing Arena1,0161,081ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,0781,213ahead

Text to Image: Art1,0791,234ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon1,0641,234ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design1,0701,238ahead

Text to Image: Overall1,0701,225ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,0911,227ahead

Text to Image: Portraits1,0921,252ahead

Text to Image: Text rendering1,0581,250ahead

Image Editing: Overall1,2241,362ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 3, 2026 · LMArena from Oct 28, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	FLUX.2 Klein 9B	Qwen-Image-2.1	Source
Text to Image Arena	930	1,043	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,016	1,081	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,078	1,213	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,079	1,234	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,064	1,234	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,070	1,238	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,070	1,225	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,091	1,227	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,092	1,252	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,058	1,250	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Overall	1,224	1,362	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026

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Predecessor and successor

No predecessor recorded for FLUX.2 Klein 9B
FLUX.2 Klein 9B has no successor yet
No predecessor recorded for Qwen-Image-2.1
Qwen-Image-2.1 has no successor yet

The most popular comparisons

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