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MAI-Image-2.6vs.Vidu Q2 Image

Which one is better?

In our own test, MAI-Image-2.6 leads. Vidu Q2 Image has no arena rating yet. 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-2.6: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run
MAI-Image-2.688 out of 100
Vidu Q2 Image: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run
Vidu Q2 Image32 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:MAI-Image-2.6 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

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

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-2.6 image SHA 256: d35364051eca0758b88795df477d282641f6ca6892e81b904352e3fd5489ae69

Vidu Q2 Image image SHA 256: 6fff5b245381e9812626ed77dbfc2339d20e769e7dccd1104c9c1f19283f1cb7

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

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, 3:18 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: cdc9c16cd554a18da292c721b142e5d78dd042fdde2539f797612bfd9cd674ef

Vidu Q2 Image image SHA 256: f05906a0af47e56f355e332694eb092267260b475ce90c0f5e4242ce91462934

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

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: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: a66f522e0ff2012b95dc3bc123216de7807206c9e91dd7711cd78eb34a234beb

Vidu Q2 Image image SHA 256: 1a83428b6d86bfee63528b77c9a6a9a6d96b4fe80e7b76e00727a7a895f92b58

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

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, 3:11 PM. Source

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

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: 48fa1551aee7dcd737179b5ae860d30562fbd234321b8d8ade334cb40291fb47

Vidu Q2 Image image SHA 256: 1858a3661e9c0a89560e6d717c851c168d43eb9b80f0d169d61749d608365ba2

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better
1,331

MAI-Image-2.6

Rank 4 of 21

n/a

Vidu Q2 Image

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
68

MAI-Image-2.6

Rank 28 of 108

31

Vidu Q2 Image

Rank 85 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
$0.039

MAI-Image-2.6

fairly 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-2.6

Subscription
n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API
$0.039 per image, 100 images $3.89.

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.

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.

KennzahlMAI-Image-2.6Vidu Q2 Image
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better1,331n/a
Arena rankRank 4 of 21n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating38,071n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 1006831
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition6227
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details8832
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency6326
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization6137
API price
Per imagelower is better$0.039n/a
100 images$3.89n/a
Profile
ReleasedJul 31, 2026n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locallyproprietaryunknown
LifecyclePreview in Microsoft Foundryno notice
AccessAPIAPI
Parametersnot publishednot published
Largest output2,359,296 pixels4K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this modeln/an/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) · 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-2.6 and Vidu Q2 Image from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

More comparisons

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