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Qwen Image 2.0 Provs.MAI-Image-2.6

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Qwen Image 2.0 Pro has no arena rating yet. Qwen Image 2.0 Pro costs 1.9 times as much per image.

Test images

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

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run
Qwen Image 2.0 Pro58 out of 100
MAI-Image-2.6: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run
MAI-Image-2.688 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

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:21 PM. Source

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

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

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro image SHA 256: 05f19da3e2d0eedb17d098c1b21abf8c83c663afa59083f0ce7a67a948e8a263

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: d35364051eca0758b88795df477d282641f6ca6892e81b904352e3fd5489ae69

Infographic

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:22 PM. Source

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

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

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro image SHA 256: 003fbe859de5df62a4f49e3d590c00f5036e208149d81226d1835871fd1e0410

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: cdc9c16cd554a18da292c721b142e5d78dd042fdde2539f797612bfd9cd674ef

Product photography

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:21 PM. Source

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

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

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro image SHA 256: b811a440655cae766c039dfc8f9efb1756be5dce63ef22cd95deb1fe7dab6a3a

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: a66f522e0ff2012b95dc3bc123216de7807206c9e91dd7711cd78eb34a234beb

Typography and layout

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:00 PM. Source

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

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

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro image SHA 256: 4eb4915afa71f6a8c76979dcecadd70beabd3869f11ca092a725fd7b6c87b4f2

MAI-Image-2.6 image SHA 256: 48fa1551aee7dcd737179b5ae860d30562fbd234321b8d8ade334cb40291fb47

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better
n/a

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro

not in the arena

1,329

MAI-Image-2.6

Rank 4 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
72

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro

Rank 17 of 108

68

MAI-Image-2.6

Rank 28 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
$0.075

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro

fairly expensive

$0.039

MAI-Image-2.6

fairly 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.

Qwen Image 2.0 Pro

Subscription
At Alibaba only in team or business plans, from ≈ €21.12 a month per seat (Token Plan Team Team Standard Seat). 3 plans in Germany.
Via API
$0.075 per image, 100 images $7.50.

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.

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

Arena rating (LMArena) from Oct 28, 2026 · GraduallyBench from Nov 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 3, 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.

KennzahlQwen Image 2.0 ProMAI-Image-2.6
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is bettern/a1,329
Arena rankn/aRank 4 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer ratingn/a34,596
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 1007268
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition8162
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details5888
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency8963
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization6261
API price
Per imagelower is better$0.075$0.039
100 images$7.50$3.89
Profile
ReleasedApril 2026Jul 31, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locallyproprietaryproprietary
Lifecycleno noticePreview in Microsoft Foundry
AccessAPIAPI
Parametersnot publishednot published
Largest output2,048 × 2,048 pixels2,359,296 pixels
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model3n/a

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

Sources: Qwen Image 2.0 Pro model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · MAI-Image-2.6 model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 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 betterQwen Image 2.0 ProMAI-Image-2.6
Text to Image ArenaQwen Image 2.0 Pro: 1,030MAI-Image-2.6: 1,167MAI-Image-2.6 ahead
Image Editing ArenaQwen Image 2.0 Pro: 1,058MAI-Image-2.6: 1,151MAI-Image-2.6 ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 3, 2026

All individual values with sources
RatingQwen Image 2.0 ProMAI-Image-2.6Source
Text to Image Arena1,0301,167Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Image Editing Arena1,0581,151Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026

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Predecessor and successor

  • Qwen Image 2.0 Pro has no successor yet
  • No predecessor recorded for MAI-Image-2.6
  • MAI-Image-2.6 has no successor yet