MAI-Image-2.6vs.SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px
Which one is better?
In our own test, MAI-Image-2.6 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.
Result for “Product photography”:MAI-Image-2.6 ahead
What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.
“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: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039287, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:42 AM. 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-2.6 image SHA 256: d35364051eca0758b88795df477d282641f6ca6892e81b904352e3fd5489ae69
SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px image SHA 256: 97badf740db81367de7d6af73cc9313f1dfc4fe8383183ddbd9fc12cc67b35ee
Infographic
MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039317, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:42 AM. 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-2.6 image SHA 256: cdc9c16cd554a18da292c721b142e5d78dd042fdde2539f797612bfd9cd674ef
SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px image SHA 256: 6c23b2df82d085e155c012c16915d04dd3a1aacdb78c9604eb74668309e07b38
Product photography
MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039292, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:41 AM. 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-2.6 image SHA 256: a66f522e0ff2012b95dc3bc123216de7807206c9e91dd7711cd78eb34a234beb
SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px image SHA 256: 0ceaa96a83bc85d12c7f56b925226a346ee9b42f831fa5a9592edc4fc1e7ce81
Typography and layout
MAI-Image-2.6: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.039252, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:41 AM. 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-2.6 image SHA 256: 48fa1551aee7dcd737179b5ae860d30562fbd234321b8d8ade334cb40291fb47
SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px image SHA 256: 8371e0e35ad4472b71165cedd1940eb0339b19c24f801c3b956874c090a327fc
The numbers at a glance
MAI-Image-2.6
Rank 4 of 21
SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px
not in the arena
MAI-Image-2.6
Rank 28 of 108
SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px
Rank 106 of 108
MAI-Image-2.6
fairly cheap
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-2.6
- Subscription
- n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
- Via API
- $0.039 per image, 100 images $3.89.
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-2.6 | SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | ||
| Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better | 1,331 | n/a |
| Arena rank | Rank 4 of 21 | n/a |
| Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating | 38,071 | n/a |
| GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 | 68 | 4 |
| GraduallyBench by task | ||
| Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition | 62 | 8 |
| Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details | 88 | 1 |
| Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency | 63 | 0 |
| InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization | 61 | 6 |
| API price | ||
| Per imagelower is better | $0.039 | n/a |
| 100 images | $3.89 | n/a |
| Profile | ||
| Released | Jul 31, 2026 | Mar 16, 2025 |
| Weightsopen means: runs locally | proprietary | open |
| Lifecycle | Preview in Microsoft Foundry | no notice |
| Access | API | local |
| Parameters | not published | 4.8 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 model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 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-2.6 and SANA-1.5 4.8B 1024px from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.
More comparisons
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