Head to head

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro vs Recraft V4.1

Same prompts, same settings: how the two models compare on score, price and time to image in every use case we tested both on.

Short answer

Recraft V4.1 beats MAI-Image-2.5-Pro in 3 of 4 use cases we tested: interior & architecture (4.6 vs 4.3), portraits & people (4.1 vs 4.0) and social media ads (4.7 vs 4.2). MAI-Image-2.5-Pro wins product photos (4.2 vs 4.0). Recraft V4.1 is cheaper ($0.035 vs $0.170 per image) and faster (11.1 s vs 30.3 s median).

Last tested

Results by use case

ModelRankScore$/imageTime to image
Interior & architecture
MAI-Image-2.5-Pro#10 of 134.3$0.17030.0 s
Recraft V4.1wins#4 of 134.6$0.0359.5 s
Portraits & people
MAI-Image-2.5-Pro#11 of 134.0$0.17030.6 s
Recraft V4.1wins#9 of 134.1$0.03512.6 s
Product photos
MAI-Image-2.5-Prowins#9 of 134.2$0.17034.2 s
Recraft V4.1#13 of 134.0$0.03511.0 s
Social media ads
MAI-Image-2.5-Pro#12 of 134.2$0.17029.1 s
Recraft V4.1wins#1 of 134.7$0.03511.2 s

Rank among every model scored for that use case. Price is the average and time the median per image. How we test

Same prompt, side by side

Both models received each prompt with identical settings. Click an image to enlarge it.

Café storefront with a sign · Interior & architecture

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Street-level photo of a small corner café with a dark green painted facade, large windows and two bistro chairs outside. Gold lettering above the door reads "Maison Clair", and a chalkboard sign on the sidewalk reads "Fresh croissants".
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.4 · 43.0 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Street-level photo of a small corner café with a dark green painted facade, large windows and two bistro chairs outside. Gold lettering above the door reads "Maison Clair", and a chalkboard sign on the sidewalk reads "Fresh croissants".
Recraft V4.1AI 4.9 · 10.4 sSee all models →

Modern house at blue hour · Interior & architecture

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Architectural exterior photo of a two-story modern concrete and glass house at blue hour, warm interior lights glowing through floor-to-ceiling windows, a rectangular swimming pool in front reflecting the house, minimal landscaping.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.5 · 27.4 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Architectural exterior photo of a two-story modern concrete and glass house at blue hour, warm interior lights glowing through floor-to-ceiling windows, a rectangular swimming pool in front reflecting the house, minimal landscaping.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.7 · 9.5 sSee all models →

Marble kitchen with three pendants · Interior & architecture

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Luxury kitchen interior with a white marble island with gray veining, exactly three brass pendant lights in a row above it, dark green cabinets and two bar stools. Evening ambient light with the pendants switched on.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.3 · 46.9 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Luxury kitchen interior with a white marble island with gray veining, exactly three brass pendant lights in a row above it, dark green cabinets and two bar stools. Evening ambient light with the pendants switched on.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.5 · 8.6 sSee all models →

Scandinavian living room · Interior & architecture

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Interior design photo of a bright Scandinavian living room: a light gray sofa, an oak coffee table, a wool rug, a large window with sheer curtains and a fiddle-leaf fig plant in the corner. Soft overcast daylight, wide-angle view with vertical lines kept straight.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.0 · 30.0 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Interior design photo of a bright Scandinavian living room: a light gray sofa, an oak coffee table, a wool rug, a large window with sheer curtains and a fiddle-leaf fig plant in the corner. Soft overcast daylight, wide-angle view with vertical lines kept straight.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.7 · 9.5 sSee all models →

Bathroom with patterned tiles · Interior & architecture

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Bathroom interior with blue and white patterned cement floor tiles, a freestanding white bathtub, a round mirror above a wooden vanity and a brass faucet. Morning light from a small frosted window.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.2 · 27.3 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Bathroom interior with blue and white patterned cement floor tiles, a freestanding white bathtub, a round mirror above a wooden vanity and a brass faucet. Morning light from a small frosted window.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.3 · 11.8 sSee all models →

Corporate headshot on gray · Portraits & people

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Professional corporate headshot of a man in his forties with short salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a navy suit and a white shirt, with a slight smile, against a neutral mid-gray seamless backdrop. Soft key light from the left with a gentle fill, sharp focus on the eyes, shallow depth of field.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.0 · 27.5 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Professional corporate headshot of a man in his forties with short salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a navy suit and a white shirt, with a slight smile, against a neutral mid-gray seamless backdrop. Soft key light from the left with a gentle fill, sharp focus on the eyes, shallow depth of field.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.5 · 20.1 sSee all models →

Four friends laughing outdoors · Portraits & people

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Candid photo of four friends of different ethnicities laughing together at a picnic table in a park at golden hour, one of them raising a glass of lemonade. Natural expressions, warm backlight, 35mm lens look.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.5 · 31.6 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Candid photo of four friends of different ethnicities laughing together at a picnic table in a park at golden hour, one of them raising a glass of lemonade. Natural expressions, warm backlight, 35mm lens look.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.7 · 12.6 sSee all models →

Nurse with a readable name badge · Portraits & people

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Friendly portrait of a female nurse in teal scrubs standing in a bright hospital corridor with her arms crossed and a stethoscope around her neck. Her name badge clearly reads "MARIA LOPEZ, RN".
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 3.8 · 30.6 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Friendly portrait of a female nurse in teal scrubs standing in a bright hospital corridor with her arms crossed and a stethoscope around her neck. Her name badge clearly reads "MARIA LOPEZ, RN".
Recraft V4.1AI 4.4 · 15.8 sSee all models →

Elderly potter's hands at work · Portraits & people

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Close-up documentary photo of an elderly woman's wrinkled hands shaping wet clay on a spinning pottery wheel, with clay slip on her fingers. Warm window light; her smiling face is softly out of focus in the background.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 3.7 · 33.9 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Close-up documentary photo of an elderly woman's wrinkled hands shaping wet clay on a spinning pottery wheel, with clay slip on her fingers. Warm window light; her smiling face is softly out of focus in the background.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.2 · 11.4 sSee all models →

Rembrandt-lit dramatic portrait · Portraits & people

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Fine-art portrait of a young man with curly dark hair and a short beard, wearing a textured wool sweater. Rembrandt lighting with a small triangle of light on the shadow-side cheek, a black background, moody low-key photographic look.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.2 · 29.6 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Fine-art portrait of a young man with curly dark hair and a short beard, wearing a textured wool sweater. Rembrandt lighting with a small triangle of light on the shadow-side cheek, a black background, moody low-key photographic look.
Recraft V4.1AI 2.8 · 10.9 sSee all models →

Coffee pouch with a 3-line label · Product photos

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: E-commerce packshot of a matte kraft paper stand-up coffee pouch with a resealable zip, on a plain warm white background with a soft contact shadow, a few roasted coffee beans in front. The label has three lines of text: "HIGHLAND ROAST" in bold serif, "Single Origin · Ethiopia" below it, and "250 g" at the bottom.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.6 · 34.2 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: E-commerce packshot of a matte kraft paper stand-up coffee pouch with a resealable zip, on a plain warm white background with a soft contact shadow, a few roasted coffee beans in front. The label has three lines of text: "HIGHLAND ROAST" in bold serif, "Single Origin · Ethiopia" below it, and "250 g" at the bottom.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.3 · 10.9 sSee all models →

Headphones held in hand · Product photos

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Lifestyle product photo of a woman's hand holding matte black over-ear wireless headphones by the headband, in a sunlit café with a softly blurred background. Natural window light, visible leather texture on the ear cushions, a small brushed aluminum hinge on each side.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 3.8 · 36.5 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Lifestyle product photo of a woman's hand holding matte black over-ear wireless headphones by the headband, in a sunlit café with a softly blurred background. Natural window light, visible leather texture on the ear cushions, a small brushed aluminum hinge on each side.
Recraft V4.1AI 3.7 · 13.6 sSee all models →

Perfume on a black mirror · Product photos

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Luxury studio photo of a faceted clear glass perfume bottle with a heavy black cap, standing on a glossy black mirror surface that reflects it. Thin rim light outlines the edges, a soft gradient from charcoal to black in the background, crisp caustic highlights in the glass. The front label reads "NOIR 07" in thin gold capital letters.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.9 · 29.2 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Luxury studio photo of a faceted clear glass perfume bottle with a heavy black cap, standing on a glossy black mirror surface that reflects it. Thin rim light outlines the edges, a soft gradient from charcoal to black in the background, crisp caustic highlights in the glass. The front label reads "NOIR 07" in thin gold capital letters.
Recraft V4.1AI 3.8 · 10.5 sSee all models →

Serum bottle on wet slate · Product photos

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Studio product photo of a frosted glass skincare serum bottle with a bamboo cap, standing on a wet dark slate stone. Soft window light from the left, tiny water droplets on the glass, shallow depth of field, clean neutral background. The label reads "LUMA" in a minimalist sans-serif font.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.5 · 34.9 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Studio product photo of a frosted glass skincare serum bottle with a bamboo cap, standing on a wet dark slate stone. Soft window light from the left, tiny water droplets on the glass, shallow depth of field, clean neutral background. The label reads "LUMA" in a minimalist sans-serif font.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.6 · 11.9 sSee all models →

Sneaker flat lay · Product photos

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Top-down flat lay e-commerce photo of a single white leather sneaker with orange accents on a pastel sage green background, surrounded by a folded beige sock, a pair of sunglasses and a small potted succulent. Even soft lighting, crisp short shadows, generous empty space.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 3.3 · 28.7 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Top-down flat lay e-commerce photo of a single white leather sneaker with orange accents on a pastel sage green background, surrounded by a folded beige sock, a pair of sunglasses and a small potted succulent. Even soft lighting, crisp short shadows, generous empty space.
Recraft V4.1AI 3.8 · 11.0 sSee all models →

App launch ad with a phone · Social media ads

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Square ad announcing a budgeting app: a modern smartphone tilted at an angle, its screen showing a simple bar chart, on a deep purple to pink gradient background with a soft glow. The headline above reads "Your money, sorted." and smaller text below reads "Download free".
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.4 · 29.1 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Square ad announcing a budgeting app: a modern smartphone tilted at an angle, its screen showing a simple bar chart, on a deep purple to pink gradient background with a soft glow. The headline above reads "Your money, sorted." and smaller text below reads "Download free".
Recraft V4.1AI 4.8 · 10.2 sSee all models →

Iced latte promo with a price · Social media ads

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Vertical social media ad for an iced latte: a tall glass with visible ice cubes and swirling milk on a pastel peach background, condensation droplets on the glass. The top text in a playful rounded font reads "Summer Sips", and a round green sticker in the corner reads "$4.50".
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.5 · 28.6 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Vertical social media ad for an iced latte: a tall glass with visible ice cubes and swirling milk on a pastel peach background, condensation droplets on the glass. The top text in a playful rounded font reads "Summer Sips", and a round green sticker in the corner reads "$4.50".
Recraft V4.1AI 4.9 · 12.5 sSee all models →

Pizza delivery 2-for-1 ad · Social media ads

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Landscape Facebook ad for pizza delivery: a top-down shot of a pepperoni pizza on a dark wooden table, with one slice being pulled away and stretching melted cheese. A red banner on the left side reads "2 FOR 1" and below it, in white, "Tuesdays only".
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 3.6 · 28.1 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Landscape Facebook ad for pizza delivery: a top-down shot of a pepperoni pizza on a dark wooden table, with one slice being pulled away and stretching melted cheese. A red banner on the left side reads "2 FOR 1" and below it, in white, "Tuesdays only".
Recraft V4.1AI 4.3 · 12.1 sSee all models →

UGC-style skincare selfie · Social media ads

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Authentic user-generated style photo for a skincare ad: a smiling young woman with freckles holds a small plain white moisturizer jar next to her cheek in a bright bathroom, natural daylight, a slight phone-camera look, no heavy makeup.
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.3 · 31.6 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Authentic user-generated style photo for a skincare ad: a smiling young woman with freckles holds a small plain white moisturizer jar next to her cheek in a bright bathroom, natural daylight, a slight phone-camera look, no heavy makeup.
Recraft V4.1AI 4.8 · 11.2 sSee all models →

Sneaker sale ad with a button · Social media ads

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro: Square Instagram ad for a running shoe sale: a single bright orange running shoe floating mid-air against a solid cobalt blue background, with subtle motion lines behind it. A large bold white sans-serif headline at the top reads "RUN FASTER", and a yellow rounded button at the bottom reads "30% OFF TODAY".
MAI-Image-2.5-ProAI 4.4 · 35.9 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Square Instagram ad for a running shoe sale: a single bright orange running shoe floating mid-air against a solid cobalt blue background, with subtle motion lines behind it. A large bold white sans-serif headline at the top reads "RUN FASTER", and a yellow rounded button at the bottom reads "30% OFF TODAY".
Recraft V4.1AI 4.6 · 8.7 sSee all models →

Frequently asked questions

Is MAI-Image-2.5-Pro better than Recraft V4.1?

Mostly, no. Recraft V4.1 beats MAI-Image-2.5-Pro in 3 of 4 use cases we tested: interior & architecture (4.6 vs 4.3), portraits & people (4.1 vs 4.0) and social media ads (4.7 vs 4.2). MAI-Image-2.5-Pro wins product photos (4.2 vs 4.0). Scores are 1-5 on identical prompts and settings.

Which is cheaper, MAI-Image-2.5-Pro or Recraft V4.1?

Recraft V4.1: $0.035 per image on average vs $0.170 for MAI-Image-2.5-Pro, via the fal.ai API.

Which is faster, MAI-Image-2.5-Pro or Recraft V4.1?

Recraft V4.1: a median 11.1 s from request to finished image vs 30.3 s for MAI-Image-2.5-Pro, queue time included.

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro or Recraft V4.1 for interior & architecture?

Recraft V4.1 scored higher for interior & architecture: 4.6/5 vs 4.3/5, ranking #4 vs #10 of 13 models.

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro or Recraft V4.1 for portraits & people?

Recraft V4.1 scored higher for portraits & people: 4.1/5 vs 4.0/5, ranking #9 vs #11 of 13 models.

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro or Recraft V4.1 for product photos?

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro scored higher for product photos: 4.2/5 vs 4.0/5, ranking #9 vs #13 of 13 models.

MAI-Image-2.5-Pro or Recraft V4.1 for social media ads?

Recraft V4.1 scored higher for social media ads: 4.7/5 vs 4.2/5, ranking #1 vs #12 of 13 models.