Black Forest Labs' state-of-the-art image generation model with maximum quality and speed, supporting text-to-image and multi-reference image editing with up to 4MP output
Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
FLUX.2 [pro]
26.3
arena score
#8 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Skill signature
· Text-to-Image
Recraft V4
25.6
arena score
#11 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Vote tally
Where the votes landed
FLUX.2 [pro]
0.0%
win rate
Ties
0.0%
Recraft V4
100.0%
win rate
0.0%
0.0% ties
100.0%
Shared challenges
13
Challenge by challenge
The strongest take from each model on every shared challenge, with the AI judge's read.
Geometric Composition
Text-to-Image“A glass cube on a wooden table. Inside the cube is a small blue sphere. On top of the cube sits a red book. A green plant is behind the cube, partially visible through the glass. Soft window light from the left.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent photorealistic lighting and shallow depth of field.
- + Perfect compliance with all spatial elements of the prompt.
- + Very clean glass textures and sharp reflections.
- − The glass cube looks more like a frame than a solid or thick-walled glass object.
Recraft V4
- + Natural, weathered texture on the red book adds realism.
- + Good glass refraction effects at the corners of the cube.
- − The lighting is somewhat flat and diffused rather than coming clearly from the left.
- − The blue sphere appears to be floating mid-air inside the cube without a clear physical resting point.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] followed the prompt more effectively, particularly with the lighting direction and the physical logic of the scene. Recraft V4 produced a high-quality image but the sphere appears to float magically, and the overall composition feels less dynamic than FLUX.2 [pro].
Candid Street Photography
Text-to-Image“A candid street photo of an elderly Japanese man repairing a red bicycle in light rain, reflections on wet pavement, shallow depth of field, 50mm lens, natural skin texture, imperfect framing, motion blur from passing cars, cinematic but realistic, no stylization.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent skin texture and realistic age-related details on the man's face
- + Beautifully rendered reflections and ripples in the rainwater
- + Accurate thin-thread rain effect that feels natural
- − The passing cars are blurred by depth of field but lack the requested 'motion blur'
- − The bicycle chain and crankset are physically nonsensical and warped
Recraft V4
- + Successfully captures the motion blur of passing cars requested in the prompt
- + Interprets 'imperfect framing' well by cutting off the top of the signs
- + Dynamic urban atmosphere with pedestrian presence
- − The red bicycle is missing its chain and has structural inconsistencies
- − The rain texture looks like a static overlay rather than part of the environmental lighting
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] produces a significantly more realistic and detailed subject, with a higher level of photorealism in the skin and environment. Recraft V4 followed the specific instruction for 'motion blur' from cars much better but suffered from severe anatomical and mechanical errors in the bicycle and human interaction.
Fantasy Warrior
Text-to-Image“Close portrait of a battle-worn paladin in ornate engraved plate armor, hair braided with small beads, faint scars and dirt on the skin, warm torchlight reflecting off metal, shallow depth of field, bokeh sparks, lifelike eyes, highly detailed texture on leather straps and cloth underlayer.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent surface texture on the leather straps and metal engravings
- + Realistic interplay between the warm torch light and the skin tones
- + Highly lifelike eyes with convincing moisture and reflection
- − The scars appear more like fresh bloody cuts rather than faint, healed scars
- − The braided beads are slightly generic and colorful, bordering on a modern aesthetic
Recraft V4
- + Ornate engraving on the armor is exceptionally fine and intricate
- + Superior composition showing more of the paladin silhouette and gorget
- + Great adherence to the request for faint scars and dirt
- − The skin texture on the forehead appears a bit lumpy/unnatural in its highlights
- − The lighting on the face is a bit flat compared to the dramatic lighting on the armor
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] excels in micro-textures, specifically on the leather and cloth, and provides a much warmer, more intimate portrait lighting. Recraft V4 offers more impressive detail in the armor engravings and a better interpretation of 'faint scars', but the facial skin rendering is slightly less realistic than FLUX.2 [pro].
Modern Clean Menu
Text-to-Image“Modern minimalist restaurant menu design, white background with colorful food photos in grid, sections for appetizers/pizza/mains, bold sans-serif fonts, vibrant accents, clean professional layout for casual dining.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent graphic design layout with columns and boxed sections
- + Sophisticated use of color accents to differentiate categories
- + Professional presentation resembling a real physical menu
- − Text rendering is poor with many typos like 'MINS' and repetitive item names
- − Product photos are inconsistent with the labels (e.g., steak shown under 'Pizza')
Recraft V4
- + Near-perfect typography and text rendering with no spelling errors
- + Accurate food-to-label consistency with high-quality isolated photography
- + Clean minimalist grid that perfectly follows the prompt's layout request
- − Slightly more clinical look with less 'graphic design' flair than a printed menu
- − The layout is very vertical, making use of white space that might feel empty for a professional menu
Verdict: Recraft V4 is the clear winner due to its exceptional text rendering and logical consistency between food images and labels. While FLUX.2 [pro] has a more complex graphic design layout, its text is nonsensical and the images often do not match the section headers.
Magic Burger Explosion: Fiery Photorealism Challenge
Text-to-Image“Ad for 'Magic Burger'. Dynamic, exploded burger with all components (bun, patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sauce) suspended in mid-air. Emphasize photorealistic detail and a sense of motion. Dark, fiery background with glowing embers. Integrate text: 'MAGIC BURGER' as a prominent title, 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' as a secondary message, and '€6.99' in a starburst, all rendered with a fiery, glowing effect.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent typography with a glowing fire effect as requested.
- + Highly photorealistic textures on the patty and bun.
- + Strong, symmetrical composition that feels professional and dynamic.
- − The meat patties appear slightly repetitive in shape.
- − The 'exploded' effect is more of a clean stack than a chaotic explosion.
Recraft V4
- + Natural and messy 'exploded' effect conveys high motion.
- + Good adherence to the starburst and price requirements.
- + Dynamic placement of the secondary text.
- − The 'MAGIC BURGER' text lacks the high-quality fiery glow seen in the other model.
- − A white plate is visible at the bottom, which breaks the dark, fiery background theme.
- − The lighting on the burger components is a bit flat compared to the background.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] followed the stylistic instructions for the text perfectly, creating a high-end commercial look with impressive fiery effects. Recraft V4 captured a more chaotic and realistic exploded motion but failed to deliver the same level of integrated glowing effects for the typography and had minor background inconsistencies. FLUX.2 [pro] is the winner for its superior visual polish and professional ad layout.
Chalkboard Menu
Text-to-Image“Handwritten-style chalkboard menu in a cozy café, all text rendered in the exact same realistic chalk handwriting style with natural variations in letter size, slight slant, and chalk texture — no printed or digital fonts anywhere on the board. Title at the top in elegant cursive chalk handwriting: ‘TODAY’S SPECIALS – APRIL 30, 2026’. Below it, three menu items also in the same handwritten chalk style: ‘Truffle Mushroom Risotto – $24’, ‘Grilled Octopus with Lemon & Herbs – $28’, ‘Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – $9’. At the very bottom, smaller text in the identical handwritten chalk style (slightly smaller but still clearly legible with the same handwriting characteristics): ‘All items made fresh daily • Ask about our gluten-free options’. Warm ambient café lighting, visible chalk dust and smudges, realistic handwriting imperfections, no clean printed text anywhere.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent calligraphy that authentically mimics hand-lettered chalk.
- + High adherence to the requested text, including the full date and all prices.
- + Strong chalk texture and realistic slate-like background board.
- − The board choice is more of a slate plaque than a traditional cafe chalkboard.
- − The '2026' in the header isn't quite the same font size as the rest of the title.
Recraft V4
- + Beautiful cafe interior with excellent depth of field and atmosphere.
- + Includes charming chalk illustrations that complement the menu items.
- + Authentic chalkboard frame and stand.
- − The text looks like a clean digital font rather than natural chalk handwriting.
- − The title failed to use the requested elegant cursive style.
- − The font size and slant are too uniform to appear hand-written.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] followed the stylistic instructions much more accurately, producing text that looked truly handwritten with natural variations and chalk texture. While Recraft V4 created a more visually pleasing cafe environment and added nice illustrations, its text looks like a digital overlay and fails to meet the specific cursive and handwriting requirements of the prompt.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Successfully followed the difficult spatial instruction of having the horse on top of the astronaut.
- + High degree of surrealism matching the creative prompt.
- + Excellent clarity and vibrant cinematic lighting in the background.
- − Anatomical glitching where a second horse body appears to be merged with the astronaut.
- − The composition is somewhat cluttered with multiple horse parts.
Recraft V4
- + High visual quality and realistic textures on the horse and suit.
- + Great sense of motion and scale with the asteroid field.
- − Completely failed the negative constraint/spatial instruction; the astronaut is riding the horse.
- − Lacks the surreal element requested, opting for a standard sci-fi trope.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] is the clear winner because it successfully interpreted the challenging prompt for a horse riding an astronaut, whereas Recraft V4 ignored the specific spatial instruction and generated a standard astronaut riding a horse. While FLUX.2 has some anatomical merging issues, it is the only model that attempted the surreal composition requested.
The Capybara Taxi Driver
Text-to-Image“Photorealistic scene inside a yellow New York taxi at night. A capybara is driving, wearing a yellow taxi driver cap and a dark jacket. It has a calm, professional expression and both front paws on the steering wheel. In the back seat sits a human businesswoman in a coat, looking at her phone with a completely normal, bored expression (as if this is just another normal ride). Through the windows you can see the streets of Manhattan at night with blurred lights. Realistic taxi interior, photorealistic, detailed fur and fabric, 35mm lens, night lighting with reflections, shallow depth of field.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent interior detail with realistic dashboard lighting and rain on the windows
- + Strong composition that places the viewer inside the vehicle
- + The capybara's professional posture and hands on the wheel are very accurate to the prompt
- − The passenger in the back is quite blurry compared to the foreground
Recraft V4
- + Natural street background featuring recognizable NYC architecture
- + Good adherence to the 'bored expression' for the businesswoman
- + Accurate clothing for both characters
- − Perspective of the steering wheel and the capybara's reach seems physically awkward
- − The lighting on the capybara is slightly flat compared to the complex environment
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] is the winner due to its superior lighting and interior detail, creating a much more cinematic and immersive 'inside the taxi' feel. While Recraft V4 captured a great background and character expressions, its internal perspective is less coherent and the lighting is less realistic than the FLUX.2 [pro] generation.
The Halloween Invitation
Text-to-Image“Vintage gothic Halloween party invitation. Dark parchment poster, spooky border with webs and thorns, central glowing jack-o-lantern, bats, twisted trees, moody night sky. Add elegant gothic title text saying "Halloween Party Invitation", a small scroll banner saying "You are invited to a night of frights", and event details at the bottom: Date: 30.10.2026 Time: 7pm Location: The Arches, NYC Spooky but polished, cinematic lighting, square format.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent text rendering with clear, legible fonts that match the gothic theme.
- + High-quality parchment texture and thorns/web border that feels cohesive.
- + Strong cinematic lighting with a glowing jack-o-lantern and misty atmosphere.
- − The jack-o-lantern looks slightly more like a 3D asset than a vintage illustration.
Recraft V4
- + Rich, busy composition with dynamic elements like falling leaves and many bats.
- + Consistent gothic font usage throughout the design.
- + Good integration of the border and background elements.
- − The 'scroll banner' is just a modern flat white ribbon that clashes with the vintage art style.
- − The event details at the bottom are slightly harder to read against the busy background.
- − The overall image feels a bit cluttered compared to the more balanced Model A.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] followed the prompt more accurately by including a realistic parchment scroll banner and maintaining a polished, cinematic layout that is perfect for an invitation. While Recraft V4 offers a very detailed and spooky scene, its 'scroll' is a simple graphic element that breaks the immersion of the vintage theme. FLUX.2 [pro] is the preferred choice for its superior layout, readability, and material consistency.
Isometric Miniature Diorama Scenes
Text-to-Image“Create a clear, 45° top-down isometric miniature 3D cartoon scene of Japan's signature dish: sushi, with soft refined textures, realistic PBR materials, gentle lighting, on a small raised diorama base with minimal garnish and plate. Solid light blue background. At top-center: 'JAPAN' in large bold text, 'SUSHI' below it, small flag icon. Perfectly centered, ultra-clean, high-clarity, square format.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Perfectly captures the '3D cartoon' aesthetic with smooth, rounded geometries.
- + Excellent typography that feels integrated into the design.
- + Delivers a clean, professional diorama base as requested.
- − The textures on the rice are a bit stylized and repetitive.
Recraft V4
- + Highly realistic PBR textures on the fish and wasabi/ginger.
- + Unique ice-like texture for the diorama base.
- + Clear and modern font selection for the text.
- − Missed the '3D cartoon' style requested, leaning much further into realism.
- − The text is smaller and less 'bold' than specified.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] followed the stylistic instructions much more closely, delivering a cohesive 3D cartoon miniature that feels like a polished game asset. While Recraft V4 produced impressive realistic textures, it ignored the 'cartoon' part of the prompt and failed to make the text as prominent as requested.
Adorable Baby Animals in Sunny Meadow
Text-to-Image“Hyper-photorealistic scene of fluffy baby animals—a golden retriever puppy, tabby kitten, baby bunny, and red fox kit—with big expressive eyes and ultra-detailed soft fur, playfully chasing butterflies and tumbling together in a lush wildflower meadow, warm golden sunrise light with god rays and dew sparkles, joyful wholesome vibe, 8K masterpiece.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
0% wins
0% ties
100% wins
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent fur texture and realistic anatomy for all four animals.
- + Beautifully soft, dreamy lighting that creates a wholesome atmosphere.
- + Clear interaction between the animals, such as the kitten reaching out.
- − The animals are mostly sitting rather than 'playfully chasing' or 'tumbling' as requested.
Recraft V4
- + Perfectly captures the 'playfully chasing' and 'tumbling' motion from the prompt.
- + Stunning god rays and atmospheric dew sparkles.
- + High dynamism and energy in the composition.
- − The kitten's face appears slightly distorted and less realistic than the other animals.
- − The scale of the butterflies in the foreground is a bit distracting.
Verdict: Recraft V4 followed the prompt's action requirements much better, capturing the energy of animals chasing butterflies with impressive god rays and lighting. FLUX.1 [pro] produced a more technically perfect and realistic portrayal of the animals themselves, but the scene is static and lacks the motion described in the prompt.
Vintage Cafe Logo
Text-to-Image“Vintage minimalist restaurant logo for "Caffè Florian", retro cloche dome with steam and "Est. 1720" banner, classic typography, warm brown and cream tones, subtle texture on light background, vector emblem style.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent adherence to all prompt elements including the banner.
- + Consistent vector emblem style with a balanced layout.
- + Subtle paper texture matches the vintage request.
- − Circular frame is slightly interrupted by the main text line.
Recraft V4
- + Strong typography with a unique vintage character.
- + Effective use of negative space in the cloche illustration.
- − Missed the request for an 'Est. 1720' banner, using a semicircular tag instead.
- − Missing the requested subtle background texture.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [pro] followed the prompt more accurately, including specific details like the banner and background texture. Recraft V4 produced a visually appealing logo with excellent typography, but it failed to include the requested banner element and texture.
Apollo 11: Journey to Tranquility
Text-to-Image“Create a clean, modern vector infographic poster about the Apollo 11 mission. NASA-inspired palette (navy, white, muted red, light gray). Flat-vector style, crisp lines, consistent iconography, subtle gradients only. Steps (stop at landing): 1. Launch (Saturn Vicon) 2. Earth Orbit (Earth + orbit ring icon) 3. Translunar (trajectory arc icon) 4. Lunar Orbit (Moon + orbit ring icon) 5. Descent (lunar module descending icon) 6. Landing (lunar module on the surface icon) Small supporting elements (minimal text): • Crew strip: three silhouette icons with only last names: Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins. • Landing site marker: Moon pin labeled "Tranquility" only. Layout constraints: generous margins, large readable labels, clean background with subtle stars. Vector-only, print-poster look, high resolution.”
FLUX.2 [pro]
Recraft V4
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [pro]
- + Excellent full-page layout with a strong sense of vertical progression.
- + Beautiful flat-vector illustrations that feel cohesive and professional.
- + Captures the atmosphere of space perfectly with a dark navy background.
- − The placeholder text for descriptions is gibberish.
- − Missed some of the requested steps, merging lunar orbit and descent functionality into the final visuals.
Recraft V4
- + Followed the specific 6-step list perfectly with clear headers and icons.
- + Text is highly legible and correctly spelled in English.
- + Perfect adherence to the requested NASA-inspired color palette on a light background.
- − The composition is sparse with too much white space between elements.
- − The trajectory icon for 'Translunar' is a bit simplistic compared to the others.
- − The layout lacks the 'infographic poster' feel, appearing more like a collection of separate icons.
Verdict: Recraft V4 is the winner for its strict adherence to the requested 6-step structure and its ability to render legible, correct text. While FLUX.2 [pro] produced a more visually striking and professional-looking 'poster' style, it failed to include all the specific steps requested in the prompt and used nonsensical text.
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