FLUX 3 Image vs FLUX.2 Pro vs FLUX.2 Flex vs FLUX.2 Max
FLUX is the image model family from Black Forest Labs, the German lab founded by the researchers behind Stable Diffusion. Four hosted models are live in October 2026: FLUX 3 Image, the 1 October release with native 2K and 4K, up to 10 references and box-placed layouts; and the FLUX.2 tiers, Pro, the per-megapixel production default; Flex, with tunable steps and guidance; and Max, the FLUX.2 top tier. The open-weight Dev and Klein models are for running yourself. Each hosted model has its own page with the same twelve prompts.
Black Forest Labs · facts checked
Which one to pick
FLUX 3 Image
$0.048 per 1k image, about 1 megapixel via BFL API
Text, layouts and edits that must leave the rest of the picture alone, or anything you need at 2K or 4K. $0.048 at 1K.
FLUX.2 Pro
$0.03 per 1k image via BFL API
Volume photoreal work at three cents a megapixel, and exact custom pixel sizes.
FLUX.2 Flex
$0.05 per 1k image via BFL API
Typography, or when you want to set steps and guidance yourself.
FLUX.2 Max
$0.07 per 1k image via BFL API
When the last bit of detail is worth twice the price.
Side by side, measured
| Model | Price | Seconds per image | 12 prompts cost | Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLUX 3 Image | $0.048 per 1k image, about 1 megapixel via BFL API | 21 to 112 | $0.288 | |
| FLUX.2 Pro | $0.03 per 1k image via BFL API | 8 to 16 | $0.495 | Exact width and height, priced by area |
| FLUX.2 Flex | $0.05 per 1k image via BFL API | 9 to 13 | $1.05 | Exact width and height, priced by area |
| FLUX.2 Max | $0.07 per 1k image via BFL API | 14 to 35 | $1.11 | Exact width and height, priced by area |
Seconds and cost are from our own runs of the same 12 prompts through each model; open a model for every picture and the request behind it.
Every version
| Version | Released | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| FLUX.1 flux-pro, flux-dev, flux-schnell | Launch: Pro on the API, Dev under a non-commercial licence, Schnell under Apache 2.0. Briefly the image engine inside Grok. | |
| FLUX1.1 Pro flux-pro-1.1 | Faster flagship; Ultra and Raw modes and the Fill, Depth, Canny and Redux tools followed in November. | |
| FLUX.1 Kontext flux-kontext-pro, flux-kontext-max | In-context editing from text plus images; later added to Photoshop's generative fill. | |
| FLUX.2 Pro flux-2-pro | The FLUX.2 generation: latent flow matching with a Mistral vision-language model, better references, realism and typography. | |
| FLUX.2 Flex flux-2-flex | Tunable steps and guidance, up to 10 reference images. | |
| FLUX.2 Max flux-2-max | The top tier for realism and precision. | |
| FLUX.2 Klein flux-2-klein | Small open-weight models under Apache 2.0 that generate in under a second. | |
| FLUX 3 Image flux-3-image | The image model of the FLUX 3 family: one model for generation and edits, native 1K, 2K and 4K, up to 10 references, optional bounding boxes, and a flat price per image by size instead of per megapixel. |
Frequently asked questions
Is FLUX AI free?
Not from Black Forest Labs, which sells by the megapixel. The Dev and Klein models are free to download and run, and several apps bundle FLUX with free credits.
Who owns FLUX?
Black Forest Labs, founded in 2024 in Freiburg, Germany. The flux-branded websites on page one of most searches are unrelated resellers.
What is the newest FLUX model?
FLUX 3 Image, released by Black Forest Labs on 1 October 2026. It is priced per image by size, $0.048 at 1K on BFL's API, read on 8 October 2026, and is hosted on fal and Replicate as well.