MAI-Image-2.5 Flashvs.Vidu Q2 Image

Which one is better?

In our own test, MAI-Image-2.5 Flash leads. Neither is in the arena. Vidu Q2 Image has no API price.

Test images

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run — MAI-Image-2.5 Flash81 out of 100

Vidu Q2 Image: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run — Vidu Q2 Image37 out of 100

Result for “Infographic”:MAI-Image-2.5 Flash 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

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

Vidu Q2 Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1; use the first provider output, one request, first output, seed=provider random, Budget reserves $0.10 per image, the public page rate; API metadata lists $0.05, estimated cost $0.100000, source 1440x1440, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:17 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash image SHA 256: a2637943faf5ae5210c69f645f96c70ea0a1d267c38a64705810947d2ba78dc8

Vidu Q2 Image image SHA 256: 6fff5b245381e9812626ed77dbfc2339d20e769e7dccd1104c9c1f19283f1cb7

Infographic

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

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

Vidu Q2 Image image SHA 256: f05906a0af47e56f355e332694eb092267260b475ce90c0f5e4242ce91462934

Product photography

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

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

Vidu Q2 Image image SHA 256: 1a83428b6d86bfee63528b77c9a6a9a6d96b4fe80e7b76e00727a7a895f92b58

Typography and layout

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

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

Vidu Q2 Image image SHA 256: 1858a3661e9c0a89560e6d717c851c168d43eb9b80f0d169d61749d608365ba2

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

Vidu Q2 Image

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash

Rank 24 of 108

Vidu Q2 Image

Rank 85 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.02

MAI-Image-2.5 Flash

cheap

n/a

Vidu Q2 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.

Vidu Q2 Image

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
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.

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	Vidu Q2 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	31
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	70	27
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	58	32
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	68	26
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	81	37
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	unknown
Lifecycle	Preview in Microsoft Foundry	no notice
Access	API, Web app	API
Parameters	20 billion	not published
Largest output	1,048,576 pixels	4K
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) · Vidu Q2 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 Vidu Q2 Image from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

More comparisons

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