MAI-Image-2.5vs.SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px

Which one is better?

In our own test, MAI-Image-2.5 leads. SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px has no arena rating yet. SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px 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: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — MAI-Image-2.582 out of 100

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px8 out of 100

Result for “Typography and layout”:MAI-Image-2.5 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square editorial poster for an imaginary night train called MONDFALTER. Show the exact German headline MONDFALTER and the exact subline BERLIN NACH LISSABON. Use a restrained midnight-blue and warm-cream palette, one stylized moth, strong Swiss-grid typography, generous negative space, and no additional words or logos.

What the rating looks at: Legible text, hierarchy, and composition.

“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

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px: manual, local PyTorch 2.13.0, Diffusers 0.36.0; Efficient-Large-Model/SANA1.5_4.8B_1024px_diffusers@9468102c3cebb657f8c4b5f1e5a71e989a15f10d; native 1024x1024, 1:1; one request, first output; steps=20, guidance=4.5, seed=6914427587596023045; mps for text encoder and denoising; cpu for native VAE decode; bfloat16 for text encoder and transformer; float32 for VAE; native prompt preprocessing lowercases input; optional instruction disabled, generated Nov 2, 2026, 5:42 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 image SHA 256: ca1c58688ae4601975d7e1f7b58bb43a0a999e736f610d9f51cd11e06284bced

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px image SHA 256: 97badf740db81367de7d6af73cc9313f1dfc4fe8383183ddbd9fc12cc67b35ee

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

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px: manual, local PyTorch 2.13.0, Diffusers 0.36.0; Efficient-Large-Model/SANA1.5_4.8B_1024px_diffusers@9468102c3cebb657f8c4b5f1e5a71e989a15f10d; native 1024x1024, 1:1; one request, first output; steps=20, guidance=4.5, seed=3447101042619426797; mps for text encoder and denoising; cpu for native VAE decode; bfloat16 for text encoder and transformer; float32 for VAE; native prompt preprocessing lowercases input; optional instruction disabled, generated Nov 2, 2026, 5:43 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 image SHA 256: eaf00a906231e8859f98ef5dc2cce7e8017797819aea453305a4ef0e970d4dbf

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px image SHA 256: 6c23b2df82d085e155c012c16915d04dd3a1aacdb78c9604eb74668309e07b38

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

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px: manual, local PyTorch 2.13.0, Diffusers 0.36.0; Efficient-Large-Model/SANA1.5_4.8B_1024px_diffusers@9468102c3cebb657f8c4b5f1e5a71e989a15f10d; native 1024x1024, 1:1; one request, first output; steps=20, guidance=4.5, seed=1122699157863902383; mps for text encoder and denoising; cpu for native VAE decode; bfloat16 for text encoder and transformer; float32 for VAE; native prompt preprocessing lowercases input; optional instruction disabled, generated Nov 2, 2026, 5:41 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 image SHA 256: 67d4930b711fac61482231c4bc270cfcdb41c1b0daf653045781fb2126e237dd

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px image SHA 256: 0ceaa96a83bc85d12c7f56b925226a346ee9b42f831fa5a9592edc4fc1e7ce81

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

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px: manual, local PyTorch 2.13.0, Diffusers 0.36.0; Efficient-Large-Model/SANA1.5_4.8B_1024px_diffusers@9468102c3cebb657f8c4b5f1e5a71e989a15f10d; native 1024x1024, 1:1; one request, first output; steps=20, guidance=4.5, seed=623973358981804157; mps for text encoder and denoising; cpu for native VAE decode; bfloat16 for text encoder and transformer; float32 for VAE; native prompt preprocessing lowercases input; optional instruction disabled, generated Nov 2, 2026, 5:40 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.5 image SHA 256: 4c8a60555b57b8c3b5ebaa131371d1bba9d31bfafe7aaa772554969f7c28cb08

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px image SHA 256: 8371e0e35ad4472b71165cedd1940eb0339b19c24f801c3b956874c090a327fc

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

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

MAI-Image-2.5

Rank 26 of 108

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px

Rank 106 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.048

MAI-Image-2.5

fairly cheap

n/a

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px

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

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.

SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px

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.

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	SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px
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	4
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	82	8
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	70	1
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	55	0
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	69	6
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.048	n/a
100 images	$4.81	n/a
Profile
Released	June 2026	Mar 16, 2025
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	open
Lifecycle	Preview in Microsoft Foundry	no notice
Access	API, Web app	local
Parameters	20 billion	4.8 billion
Largest output	1,048,576 pixels	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	6	n/a

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) · SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px 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 and SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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