MAI-Image-2.6 Flashvs.BAGEL-7B-MoT

Which one is better?

In our own test, MAI-Image-2.6 Flash leads. Neither is in the arena. BAGEL-7B-MoT has no API price.

Test images

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run — MAI-Image-2.6 Flash74 out of 100

BAGEL-7B-MoT: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run — BAGEL-7B-MoT6 out of 100

Result for “Infographic”:MAI-Image-2.6 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-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019587, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

BAGEL-7B-MoT: fal, provider-default image size; one output sampled; use_thought=false, one request, first output, seed=1668381318, Fal schema does not expose image size or image count fields, estimated cost $0.100000, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:22 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: d6f2280312404df55179b7cf7d03468df04541eae774cc8d2b35e40e0820f06f

BAGEL-7B-MoT image SHA 256: f9a99e0e983d8731377afdf880911fc993d516b55c18059fd5cb3390fd01fd31

Infographic

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019598, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

BAGEL-7B-MoT: fal, provider-default image size; one output sampled; use_thought=false, one request, first output, seed=1401806471, Fal schema does not expose image size or image count fields, estimated cost $0.100000, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:23 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: 5c40f304b9dad1876a8d2223d22ca0e431ba9fe8a16e878a81743ac8296b6649

BAGEL-7B-MoT image SHA 256: fd19fd4a68dfc264705c92209fcf45e3c8be4384c02433888b066683ee57c2ba

Product photography

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019589, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

BAGEL-7B-MoT: fal, provider-default image size; one output sampled; use_thought=false, one request, first output, seed=1385391411, Fal schema does not expose image size or image count fields, estimated cost $0.100000, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:22 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: 64376f13e8626feb37db3c138dde381843866e7d58fb87e8076c2fa9003365e4

BAGEL-7B-MoT image SHA 256: e8ef4e099fe8329b2bba090a2b8fee5cf926dfc5f91ad8e8694b4a4c78ab8455

Typography and layout

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019575, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

BAGEL-7B-MoT: fal, provider-default image size; one output sampled; use_thought=false, one request, first output, seed=425487007, Fal schema does not expose image size or image count fields, estimated cost $0.100000, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:21 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: be8d86a467f73abfce15cdcce3073acc257baf1c87112c2b53a64b36efde0804

BAGEL-7B-MoT image SHA 256: 401dd23a2e6578a4e676d10543a9fea92d94d0f535dee90d6c7a25e56143257a

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

not in the arena

n/a

BAGEL-7B-MoT

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Rank 31 of 108

BAGEL-7B-MoT

Rank 76 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.019

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

cheap

n/a

BAGEL-7B-MoT

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-2.6 Flash

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.019 per image, 100 images $1.95.

BAGEL-7B-MoT

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: No API price known. Access: local, Web app.
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-2.6 Flash	BAGEL-7B-MoT
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	67	34
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	54	11
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	90	88
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	52	32
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	74	6
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.019	n/a
100 images	$1.95	n/a
Profile
Released	Jul 31, 2026	May 20, 2025
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	open
Lifecycle	Preview in Microsoft Foundry	no notice
Access	API	local, Web app
Parameters	not published	14 billion
Largest output	2,359,296 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-2.6 Flash model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 2026) · BAGEL-7B-MoT 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-2.6 Flash and BAGEL-7B-MoT from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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