FLUX.2 Provs.Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro has no arena rating yet. Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro has no API price.

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

FLUX.2 Pro: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — FLUX.2 Pro85 out of 100

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro46 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:FLUX.2 Pro ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square cinematic full-body portrait of a fictional bicycle courier waiting under a transparent umbrella at a rainy tram stop in Hamburg at blue hour. She wears a mustard raincoat, navy trousers, red sneakers, a silver helmet, and carries a teal messenger bag. Keep both hands visible, render the bicycle correctly, use realistic wet-street reflections, and include no readable brand names.

What the rating looks at: Anatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency.

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

Test protocol of the images

Both models receive the same archived prompt in exactly one request, and the first result counts. 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 Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:30 PM. Source

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.210000, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:40 PM. Source

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

FLUX.2 Pro image SHA 256: 9eec1a6900b6031703d2e797b93c2aba6c5f45b4807b560a0bf1e37eac9e20f2

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro image SHA 256: bd91dab4bec8386e191d73503d7df4b67c3c6019f345d436659db432ca4049f7

Infographic

FLUX.2 Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:31 PM. Source

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

FLUX.2 Pro image SHA 256: ea47f772cdfa26bf21528ae7e09d245eb7a3be7d3185af15cedd7d21acdfbb09

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro image SHA 256: 10f1aa7a0152cbeaa379c9df088528810dbc6f28b1f8064d22dca51107760880

Product photography

FLUX.2 Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:30 PM. Source

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

FLUX.2 Pro image SHA 256: 4d9b922f59b329c5ac3532222c8e340e7fdcb1920ce6f03ad9299f25a6beec43

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro image SHA 256: a70ee76cf6bf6561eade58a43f67874358b13d711417b864249fbd386c143b1d

Typography and layout

FLUX.2 Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:02 PM. Source

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

FLUX.2 Pro image SHA 256: 5a5d8ccd657d7522bc39fdec4b0aecf198b42c282a5aefde9461239dfe5c0396

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro image SHA 256: de7f5a691e0fe0b251a93730c92603059b25432af9126fee410568fcaf829348

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,153

FLUX.2 Pro

Rank 18 of 22

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

FLUX.2 Pro

Rank 29 of 74

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

Rank 35 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.03

FLUX.2 Pro

cheap

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

no API price

Ranks among the 22 image models with an arena rating and the 74 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

FLUX.2 Pro

Subscription: No Black Forest Labs subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.39 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 43 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.03 per image, 100 images $3.

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

Subscription: Free to use at Recraft (Recraft Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €12.78 a month (Recraft Basic, with limited credits). 4 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API.
Weights: unknown.

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 1, 2026 · API prices from Oct 28, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (34 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	FLUX.2 Pro	Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,153	n/a
Arena rank	Rank 18 of 22	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	223,179	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	60	57
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	71	76
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	47	42
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	85	46
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	37	62
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.03	n/a
100 images	$3	n/a
Profile
Released	November 2025	n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	unknown
Lifecycle	no notice	Separate API pricing/product SKU; no independent checkpoint identity confirmed
Access	API, Web app	API
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	4 Megapixel	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	43	4

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

Sources: FLUX.2 Pro model source (verified Sep 24, 2026) · Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro model source, status source (verified Nov 1, 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 FLUX.2 Pro and Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

Compare another matchup

First image modelSecond image model

More matchups

Compare FLUX.2 Pro and Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro with other important image models.

View the complete image model comparison

Same prompt, two images

The numbers at a glance

FLUX.2 Pro

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

Compare another matchup

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