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MAI-Image-2.5 Flashvs.HiDream-O1-Image-1.5

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. MAI-Image-2.5 Flash costs only a quarter per image.

Test images

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run
MAI-Image-2.5 Flash68 out of 100
HiDream-O1-Image-1.5: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run
HiDream-O1-Image-1.558 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:MAI-Image-2.5 Flash slightly 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

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash: manual, Official Bing Image Creator web app; MAI-Image-2.5-Flash; one request; 1:1; first result; free guest generation; 2026-08-14; https://www.bing.com/images/create/ai-image-generator, generated Aug 14, 2026, 4:23 PM. Source

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5: manual, one request, first output, HiDream O1 Image 1.5, 1:1, 2K, n=1, no reference image, no negative prompt, Vivago web, 2 free credits, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Aug 16, 2026, 1:07 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: a2637943faf5ae5210c69f645f96c70ea0a1d267c38a64705810947d2ba78dc8

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5 image SHA 256: 99db95d2f6f00dc7f8872b5562b7577a49065a120d15fc54f687ba624fe4cf6e

Infographic

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash: manual, Official Bing Image Creator web app; MAI-Image-2.5-Flash; one request; 1:1; first result; free guest generation; 2026-08-14; https://www.bing.com/images/create/ai-image-generator, generated Aug 14, 2026, 4:23 PM. Source

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5: manual, one request, first output, HiDream O1 Image 1.5, 1:1, 2K, n=1, no reference image, no negative prompt, Vivago web, 2 free credits, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Aug 16, 2026, 1:07 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: 6af00e502934a24a9e535b3f72d9b1ca545a984fc463e785ffe796a700e015b3

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5 image SHA 256: 073d00d82d82a05c20f9117a18e71e21fe0300fd9f4985608be09726b1ee70a8

Product photography

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash: manual, Official Bing Image Creator web app; MAI-Image-2.5-Flash; one request; 1:1; first result; free guest generation; 2026-08-14; https://www.bing.com/images/create/ai-image-generator, generated Aug 14, 2026, 4:23 PM. Source

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5: manual, one request, first output, HiDream O1 Image 1.5, 1:1, 2K, n=1, no reference image, no negative prompt, Vivago web, 2 free credits, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Aug 16, 2026, 1:07 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: 9cb652604f7c64d8ebaa4303e924155a1f45581a940045be12775419e635bd8f

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5 image SHA 256: 98de28b81a3551441936ce2ebcc0b418e69e9d5cf6ce8b1dc281bc90b05731dc

Typography and layout

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash: manual, Official Bing Image Creator web app; MAI-Image-2.5-Flash; one request; 1:1; first result; free guest generation; 2026-08-14; https://www.bing.com/images/create/ai-image-generator, generated Aug 14, 2026, 4:22 PM. Source

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5: manual, one request, first output, HiDream O1 Image 1.5, 1:1, 2K, n=1, no reference image, no negative prompt, Vivago web, 2 free credits, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Aug 16, 2026, 1:07 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: 185a852b71d68ea37a41091b57f3ec02829b2d1e87fd1045939ffa0f8e4c3cf8

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5 image SHA 256: db5acbc9b443ea381bf6294997720fa246cf8a199f91d451aa1d7242fc4a348a

The numbers at a glance

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash

not in the arena

n/a

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
69

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash

Rank 24 of 108

65

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5

Rank 38 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
$0.02

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash

cheap

$0.08

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5

fairly expensive

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.

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash

Subscription
n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API
$0.02 per image, 100 images $2.

HiDream-O1-Image-1.5

Subscription
n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API
$0.08 per image, 100 images $8.

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 6, 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.

KennzahlMAI-Image-2.5 FlashHiDream-O1-Image-1.5
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 1006965
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition7076
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details5851
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency6858
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization8176
API price
Per imagelower is better$0.02$0.08
100 images$2$8
Profile
ReleasedJune 2026June 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locallyproprietaryproprietary
LifecyclePreview in Microsoft Foundryno notice
AccessAPI, Web appAPI, Web app
Parameters20 billionnot published
Largest output1,048,576 pixels2,048 × 2,048 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: MAI-Image-2.5 Flash model source, status source (verified Sep 22, 2026) · HiDream-O1-Image-1.5 model 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 betterMAI-Image-2.5 FlashHiDream-O1-Image-1.5
Text to Image ArenaMAI-Image-2.5 Flash: 1,032HiDream-O1-Image-1.5: 1,018level

Artificial Analysis from Nov 6, 2026

All individual values with sources
RatingMAI-Image-2.5 FlashHiDream-O1-Image-1.5Source
Text to Image Arena1,0321,018Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026

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