MAI-Image-2.5 Flashvs.Nucleus-Image
Which one is better?
In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. Nucleus-Image has no API price.
Test images
Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.
Result for “Infographic”:MAI-Image-2.5 Flash ahead
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
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
Nucleus-Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1; Fal has no output-size input, n=1, seed=748477400, Upstream checkpoint documents 1024x1024; estimate reserves 2 MP at Fal's $0.01 per MP rate, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:03 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6
MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: a2637943faf5ae5210c69f645f96c70ea0a1d267c38a64705810947d2ba78dc8
Nucleus-Image image SHA 256: c931159b5d8670025e00457995bc1bf8aa51176bc54271267abbd67808689aae
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
Nucleus-Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1; Fal has no output-size input, n=1, seed=956072606, Upstream checkpoint documents 1024x1024; estimate reserves 2 MP at Fal's $0.01 per MP rate, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:03 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f
MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: 6af00e502934a24a9e535b3f72d9b1ca545a984fc463e785ffe796a700e015b3
Nucleus-Image image SHA 256: 826d0bab35098adaae1c5a663d88713b7a8faa277a3ded16c1047beda0f169bf
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
Nucleus-Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1; Fal has no output-size input, n=1, seed=1580273337, Upstream checkpoint documents 1024x1024; estimate reserves 2 MP at Fal's $0.01 per MP rate, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:03 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3
MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: 9cb652604f7c64d8ebaa4303e924155a1f45581a940045be12775419e635bd8f
Nucleus-Image image SHA 256: f8ce2bbfd219cc3ee98d1579426cbae88d0f43880a445301396ab04b5bf2f458
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
Nucleus-Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1; Fal has no output-size input, n=1, seed=689548231, Upstream checkpoint documents 1024x1024; estimate reserves 2 MP at Fal's $0.01 per MP rate, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:03 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419
MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: 185a852b71d68ea37a41091b57f3ec02829b2d1e87fd1045939ffa0f8e4c3cf8
Nucleus-Image image SHA 256: a92e94eadcf94b661a14dc4308c6f94ca177223fca9965006dc571f5d95bacda
The numbers at a glance
MAI-Image-2.5 Flash
not in the arena
Nucleus-Image
not in the arena
MAI-Image-2.5 Flash
Rank 24 of 108
Nucleus-Image
Rank 65 of 108
MAI-Image-2.5 Flash
cheap
Nucleus-Image
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.
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.
Nucleus-Image
- Subscription
- n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
- Via API
- No API price known. Access: local.
- License
- Open weights.
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.
| Kennzahl | MAI-Image-2.5 Flash | Nucleus-Image |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | ||
| Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better | n/a | n/a |
| Arena rank | n/a | n/a |
| Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating | n/a | n/a |
| GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 | 69 | 48 |
| GraduallyBench by task | ||
| Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition | 70 | 38 |
| Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details | 58 | 62 |
| Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency | 68 | 66 |
| InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization | 81 | 23 |
| API price | ||
| Per imagelower is better | $0.02 | n/a |
| 100 images | $2 | n/a |
| Profile | ||
| Released | June 2026 | n/a |
| Weightsopen means: runs locally | proprietary | open |
| Lifecycle | Preview in Microsoft Foundry | no notice |
| Access | API, Web app | local |
| Parameters | 20 billion | 17 billion |
| Largest output | 1,048,576 pixels | not consistently published |
| 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: MAI-Image-2.5 Flash model source, status source (verified Sep 22, 2026) · Nucleus-Image model 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 MAI-Image-2.5 Flash and Nucleus-Image from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.
More comparisons
Compare MAI-Image-2.5 Flash and Nucleus-Image with the models people compare them with most often.