MAI-Image-2.5vs.Krea 2 Medium Turbo

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Krea 2 Medium Turbo has no arena rating yet. MAI-Image-2.5 costs 3.2 times as much per image.

Test images

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

MAI-Image-2.5: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — MAI-Image-2.555 out of 100

Krea 2 Medium Turbo: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — Krea 2 Medium Turbo30 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:MAI-Image-2.5 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: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.048508, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:26 PM. Source

Krea 2 Medium Turbo: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, one request, first returned image, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.015000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:35 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 image SHA 256: ca1c58688ae4601975d7e1f7b58bb43a0a999e736f610d9f51cd11e06284bced

Krea 2 Medium Turbo image SHA 256: a51c5eeb5ba6b3ab8be3cb1d9c36fc196d71f4034ff7e57c695af1fe2f4ab078

Infographic

MAI-Image-2.5: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.048538, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:26 PM. Source

Krea 2 Medium Turbo: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, one request, first returned image, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.015000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:35 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 image SHA 256: eaf00a906231e8859f98ef5dc2cce7e8017797819aea453305a4ef0e970d4dbf

Krea 2 Medium Turbo image SHA 256: 10398e0fce4a5b07b8a38a010eec70ac5457d0209ef67979feebb111d315fe16

Product photography

MAI-Image-2.5: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.048513, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:25 PM. Source

Krea 2 Medium Turbo: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, one request, first returned image, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.015000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:35 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 image SHA 256: 67d4930b711fac61482231c4bc270cfcdb41c1b0daf653045781fb2126e237dd

Krea 2 Medium Turbo image SHA 256: e1511de7ba316289e69ae79e51b4f75c80ee1468611f4cebcfc9d21658b19cb8

Typography and layout

MAI-Image-2.5: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.048473, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:03 PM. Source

Krea 2 Medium Turbo: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, one request, first returned image, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.015000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:05 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 image SHA 256: 4c8a60555b57b8c3b5ebaa131371d1bba9d31bfafe7aaa772554969f7c28cb08

Krea 2 Medium Turbo image SHA 256: 50b1b1bb7196a612240ab6088330985474c9f60ccaf640e4aa8debb0aa20e1c8

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,253

MAI-Image-2.5

Rank 9 of 21

n/a

Krea 2 Medium Turbo

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

MAI-Image-2.5

Rank 26 of 108

Krea 2 Medium Turbo

Rank 39 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.048

MAI-Image-2.5

fairly cheap

$0.015

Krea 2 Medium Turbo

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.

MAI-Image-2.5

Subscription: No Microsoft AI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from €19.04 a month (Magnific Premium, with limited credits). 6 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.048 per image, 100 images $4.81.

Krea 2 Medium Turbo

Subscription: Free to use at Krea (Krea Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €9.54 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). Through other providers from ≈ €12.72 a month (Leonardo.Ai Essential). 15 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.015 per image, 100 images $1.50.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

Arena rating (LMArena) from Nov 6, 2026 · 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	Krea 2 Medium Turbo
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,253	n/a
Arena rank	Rank 9 of 21	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	61,222	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	69	65
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	82	71
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	70	81
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	55	30
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	69	79
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.048	$0.015
100 images	$4.81	$1.50
Profile
Released	June 2026	June 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	proprietary
Lifecycle	Preview in Microsoft Foundry	no notice
Access	API, Web app	API, Web app
Parameters	20 billion	not published
Largest output	1,048,576 pixels	1K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	6	15

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

Sources: MAI-Image-2.5 model source, status source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Krea 2 Medium Turbo model source (verified Aug 15, 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-2.5Krea 2 Medium Turbo

Text to Image Arena1,1201,020ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 6, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	MAI-Image-2.5	Krea 2 Medium Turbo	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,120	1,020	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026

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Test images

The numbers at a glance

MAI-Image-2.5

Krea 2 Medium Turbo

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

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