Recraft V4.1 Flashvs.FLUX.2 Dev

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. Neither has an API price.

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — Recraft V4.1 Flash21 out of 100

FLUX.2 Dev: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — FLUX.2 Dev60 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:FLUX.2 Dev ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square cinematic full-body portrait of a fictional bicycle courier waiting under a transparent umbrella at a rainy tram stop in Hamburg at blue hour. She wears a mustard raincoat, navy trousers, red sneakers, a silver helmet, and carries a teal messenger bag. Keep both hands visible, render the bicycle correctly, use realistic wet-street reflections, and include no readable brand names.

What the rating looks at: Anatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Both models receive the same archived prompt in exactly one request, and the first result counts. 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

Recraft V4.1 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.007000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:28 PM. Source

FLUX.2 Dev: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1345966812, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.012000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:01 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash image SHA 256: dbce96e506ae3556509e45211cdd885bb4f5b79875e4c0adcc9398286183a910

FLUX.2 Dev image SHA 256: 8054c286745c39b416a62b1f80d96a4a17557caf60412fab1d459dd8d767fe99

Infographic

Recraft V4.1 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.007000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:29 PM. Source

FLUX.2 Dev: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1192078982, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.012000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:01 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash image SHA 256: 0f09d34ba3ae484d03dac33e6d64901b6558dcdf51a46051c146b23ed3173756

FLUX.2 Dev image SHA 256: 1d45a1bb65d40e7e3eba00ea6b5d40a20d7a97e98607c7ebc02880761d9a1d77

Product photography

Recraft V4.1 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.007000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:28 PM. Source

FLUX.2 Dev: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=885069928, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.012000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:01 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash image SHA 256: 4b7b55957807e99edb69d2ef7ad407b87840eb7d6c6d268c0635834bb4add700

FLUX.2 Dev image SHA 256: 68aa5ddbce5f0f6f7171551485609e39c3978b949d8b08687d9c582eb127cfa2

Typography and layout

Recraft V4.1 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.007000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:28 PM. Source

FLUX.2 Dev: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=880936191, prompt expansion disabled, estimated cost $0.012000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:01 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash image SHA 256: 8c0ce1a0ca50d0eb9cb6707a1e2fa250b4e1ab66c724498b4a72395fd97461d5

FLUX.2 Dev image SHA 256: e8d9ea0262b0292e90422235ccb6d762c89d5f81d1c58184069dc5d7c04fb85c

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Flash

not in the arena

n/a

FLUX.2 Dev

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Recraft V4.1 Flash

Rank 42 of 74

FLUX.2 Dev

Rank 30 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Flash

no API price

n/a

FLUX.2 Dev

no API price

Ranks among the 22 image models with an arena rating and the 74 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

Recraft V4.1 Flash

Subscription: Free to use at Recraft (Recraft Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €12.78 a month (Recraft Basic, with limited credits). Through other providers from ≈ €9.59 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 14 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, Web app.
Weights: unknown.

FLUX.2 Dev

Subscription: No Black Forest Labs subscription includes this model. Through other providers from €6.83 a month (Poe Basic, with limited points). 8 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: local.
License: Open weights, Open weights under a non-commercial license; no hosted BFL T2I API endpoint established.

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

GraduallyBench from Nov 1, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (34 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

Kennzahl	Recraft V4.1 Flash	FLUX.2 Dev
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	55	59
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	96	61
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	47	40
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	21	60
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	55	75
API price
Per imagelower is better	n/a	n/a
100 images	n/a	n/a
Profile
Released	September 2026	Nov 25, 2025
Weightsopen means: runs locally	unknown	openOpen weights under a non-commercial license; no hosted BFL T2I API endpoint established
Access	API, Web app	local
Parameters	not published	32 billion
Largest output	1K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	14	8

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

Sources: Recraft V4.1 Flash model source (verified Nov 1, 2026) · FLUX.2 Dev model source, status 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 Recraft V4.1 Flash and FLUX.2 Dev from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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More matchups

Compare Recraft V4.1 Flash and FLUX.2 Dev with other important image models.

View the complete image model comparison

Same prompt, two images

The numbers at a glance

Recraft V4.1 Flash

FLUX.2 Dev

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

Compare another matchup

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