Black Forest Labs vs FLUX: which one to choose in 2026?

Community ratings, features, pricing and free plans: the complete head-to-head between Black Forest Labs and FLUX to find the right tool for your needs.

Screenshot of Black Forest Labs
Verified

Black Forest Labs

4.7 (109)

Black Forest Labs is an AI research and development company specializing in advanced text-to-image generation. Their flagship product, FLUX, offers high-quality image synthesis with tools for inpainting, structural conditioning, and customization, catering to both developers and creative professionals.

Text to ImagePhoto & Image GeneratorImage EnhancerDesign GeneratorArt Generator
View detailsOfficial site
Screenshot of FLUX
Verified

FLUX

4.6 (203)

FLUX is the family of image-generation models built by Black Forest Labs, the German lab founded by the creators of Stable Diffusion. From FLUX.1 to FLUX.2, these models turn a prompt into high-resolution visuals and edit images from reference pictures. Available through an online playground, an API and open weights, they stand out for their photorealism and some of the most reliable in-image text rendering on the market.

Text to ImagePhoto & Image Generator
View detailsOfficial site

Comparison table

CriterionBlack Forest LabsFLUX
Average rating4.74.6
Number of reviews109203
Free planNoYes
PlansFLUX.1 [dev], FLUX.1 [pro], FLUX1.1 [pro]Playground (free trial), Pay-as-you-go API, Open weights
CategoriesText to Image, Photo & Image Generator, Image Enhancer, Design Generator, Art GeneratorText to Image, Photo & Image Generator
Last updatedMay 2, 2025July 8, 2026

See all tools in these categories: Text to Image, Photo & Image Generator

Our verdict

Black Forest Labs or FLUX?

Black Forest Labs (4.7/5) and FLUX (4.6/5) earn very similar ratings from our community: the choice mostly comes down to your use case.

Budget-wise, FLUX offers a free plan to get started, while Black Forest Labs does not appear to offer one.

Black Forest Labs also covers Image Enhancer, Design Generator and Art Generator, ground that FLUX does not directly address.

Features head to head

Black Forest Labs

  • FLUX.1 [pro]: High-resolution image generation with fast processing times.
  • FLUX.1 [dev]: Open-access model with guidance-distilled efficiency.
  • FLUX Fill: Advanced inpainting and outpainting capabilities.
  • FLUX Depth & Canny: Structural conditioning using depth maps and edge detection.
  • FLUX Redux: Image variation and restyling through prompt mixing.
  • FLUX Pro Finetuning API: Customize models with user-provided images for brand-specific content.

FLUX

  • State-of-the-art photorealism and reliable text rendering directly inside images
  • FLUX.2: images up to 4 megapixels and support for multiple reference images
  • Image editing via text instructions and reference images (FLUX Kontext, FLUX.2)
  • Online playground, pay-as-you-go API and open-weight models on Hugging Face
  • A variant for every need: [max] for maximum quality, [klein] for sub-second generation

Pricing compared

Black Forest Labs

FLUX.1 [dev]

  • Free under non-commercial license
  • Access to model weights and inference code
  • Suitable for research and personal projects

FLUX.1 [pro]

  • High-resolution image generation
  • Fast processing times
  • API access for integration
  • Pay-per-use pricing starting at $0.05 per image

FLUX1.1 [pro]

  • Enhanced image quality and prompt adherence
  • Ultra mode for 4MP outputs
  • Raw mode for natural aesthetics
  • API access with pricing starting at $0.06 per image

FLUX

Playground (free trial)

  • Free credits granted when you create an account
  • Limited number of generations, then top up with paid credits
  • Access to the main FLUX models in the browser

Pay-as-you-go API

  • A few cents per image depending on the model and resolution
  • Prepaid credits: 1 credit = $0.01
  • No subscription, billed per generation
  • Commercial usage rights on generated images

Open weights

  • Free download on Hugging Face (FLUX.1 [schnell], FLUX.2 [klein]...)
  • Run locally on your own hardware
  • License depends on the variant: Apache 2.0 or non-commercial use

Prices are indicative and may change — check the official sites for up-to-date pricing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Black Forest Labs and FLUX?

Both tools share the Text to Image and Photo & Image Generator space, but Black Forest Labs also covers Image Enhancer, Design Generator and Art Generator.

Black Forest Labs or FLUX: which one is rated higher?

The two tools are neck and neck: Black Forest Labs shows 4.7/5 (109 reviews) and FLUX 4.6/5 (203 reviews).

Can you use Black Forest Labs or FLUX for free?

Black Forest Labs does not offer a free plan as far as we know, and FLUX offers a free plan.

Other comparisons

FLUX vs MidjourneyBlack Forest Labs vs MidjourneyFLUX vs Leonardo AIFLUX vs Luma AIFLUX vs PikaClipDrop vs FLUXFLUX vs MeshyFLUX vs Ideogram