Black Forest Labs vs xAI — how do these image generators stack up?
FLUX.2 [pro] from Black Forest Labs and Grok Imagine from xAI represent two different approaches to AI image generation. Production-grade image generation and editing at an affordable price point. On the other side, xAI's flagship image model with exceptional realism and artistic range.
At 15 credits, Grok Imagine costs 5 credits less than FLUX.2 [pro] (20 credits). The question is whether the extra cost of FLUX.2 [pro] translates into meaningfully better results for your use case. For photorealism, artistic range, unusual aspect ratios, Grok Imagine is hard to beat at its price point. But if you need production work, balanced quality and cost, FLUX.2 [pro] may justify the premium.
Updated March 2026
Grok Imagine (15 credits) offers better value for everyday use, especially for photorealism. FLUX.2 [pro] (20 credits) is worth the premium when you need production work. Both are available on Melies — try each with a test prompt to see which fits your style.
Both generated with the same prompt and seed 42. Click to view full size.
| Provider | Black Forest Labs | xAI |
| Released | Nov 2025 | Jul 2025 |
| Cost | 20 | 15 |
| Speed | Medium | Medium |
| Reference images | Up to 3 | |
| Editing | ||
| WebP output |
Grok Imagine is 25% cheaper than FLUX.2 [pro]. Here's how credits add up at scale.
| Volume | FLUX.2 [pro] | Grok Imagine |
|---|---|---|
| 10 images | 200 | 150 |
| 50 images | 1,000 | 750 |
| 100 images | 2,000 | 1,500 |
At 15 credits per image, Grok Imagine gives you more generations for your plan. Good enough quality for most everyday use.
FLUX.2 [pro] is worth the extra credits when the output needs to be perfect — portfolio pieces, client work, or final deliverables.
Grok Imagine supports 3 reference images to keep subjects, styles, and characters consistent across generations.





Compare FLUX.2 [pro], Grok Imagine, and 15+ AI image models side by side. Switch models with one click, same credits.
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