HiDream-O1-Imagevs.MAI-Image-2.6

Which one is better?

MAI-Image-2.6 leads in both ratings: in our own test and in the arena. Both cost about the same per image.

Test images

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

HiDream-O1-Image: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — HiDream-O1-Image31 out of 100

MAI-Image-2.6: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — MAI-Image-2.688 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:MAI-Image-2.6 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.

“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

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1735022440, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039287, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:42 AM. Source

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

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 9ac2cbe23ee6a63b0daacd665a40c3471c52c52fd6ad23e46d3027bb95f8c880

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: d35364051eca0758b88795df477d282641f6ca6892e81b904352e3fd5489ae69

Infographic

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1456348218, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039317, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:42 AM. Source

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

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 258eece8b53e4df0c990b78dee2e02ec57569b1c823c3feff2ab54671240d66f

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: cdc9c16cd554a18da292c721b142e5d78dd042fdde2539f797612bfd9cd674ef

Product photography

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=124666889, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039292, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:41 AM. Source

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

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 5a9cd3c59556412e4de93a3ef5c4121ec12b6cc02730cad527619c2d8a889783

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: a66f522e0ff2012b95dc3bc123216de7807206c9e91dd7711cd78eb34a234beb

Typography and layout

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=2131088503, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:41 PM. Source

MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039252, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:41 AM. Source

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

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 418a9b974b87b751ad2e4e98cdf6b8d7e2f8f352aed63d25be84c02377f310d1

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: 48fa1551aee7dcd737179b5ae860d30562fbd234321b8d8ade334cb40291fb47

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,115

HiDream-O1-Image

Rank 19 of 21

1,329

MAI-Image-2.6

Rank 4 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

HiDream-O1-Image

Rank 77 of 108

MAI-Image-2.6

Rank 28 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.04

HiDream-O1-Image

fairly cheap

$0.039

MAI-Image-2.6

fairly 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.

HiDream-O1-Image

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.04 per image, 100 images $4.
License: Open weights.

MAI-Image-2.6

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.039 per image, 100 images $3.89.

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	HiDream-O1-Image	MAI-Image-2.6
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,115	1,329
Arena rank	Rank 19 of 21	Rank 4 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	77,624	34,596
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	34	68
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	18	62
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	31	88
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	45	63
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	43	61
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.04	$0.039
100 images	$4	$3.89
Profile
Released	May 2026	Jul 31, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	open	proprietary
Lifecycle	no notice	Preview in Microsoft Foundry
Access	API, local	API
Parameters	8 billion	not published
Largest output	2,048 × 2,048 pixels	2,359,296 pixels
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	n/a	n/a

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

Sources: HiDream-O1-Image model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · MAI-Image-2.6 model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 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 betterHiDream-O1-ImageMAI-Image-2.6

Text to Image Arena9751,167ahead

Image Editing Arena9551,151ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,1221,325ahead

Text to Image: Agentic image generation1,1111,314ahead

Text to Image: Art1,1161,337ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon1,1181,348ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design1,1291,332ahead

Text to Image: Overall1,1151,329ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,1091,330ahead

Text to Image: Portraits1,1051,339ahead

Text to Image: Text rendering1,1341,365ahead

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

All individual values with sources

Rating	HiDream-O1-Image	MAI-Image-2.6	Source
Text to Image Arena	975	1,167	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Image Editing Arena	955	1,151	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,122	1,325	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Agentic image generation	1,111	1,314	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,116	1,337	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,118	1,348	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,129	1,332	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,115	1,329	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,109	1,330	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,105	1,339	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,134	1,365	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026

More comparisons with HiDream-O1-Image and MAI-Image-2.6

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HiDream-O1-Imagevs.MAI-Image-2.6

Test images

The numbers at a glance

HiDream-O1-Image

MAI-Image-2.6

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

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