AI image model comparison

Riverflow V2.5 Pro vs MAI-Image-2.5

Image quality, cost per image, and editing features compared side by side. Or skip the guesswork and generate with both.

Riverflow V2.5 Pro is the most powerful variant of Sourceful's Riverflow 2.5 lineup, best for top-tier control and quality-sensitive outputs.

Per image
$0.13
Output / 1M
$31.14
Image Elo
1366
microsoft logo

Microsoft

MAI-Image-2.5

Microsoft AI's MAI-Image-2.5 is a high-quality image generation model available via Azure AI Foundry.

Per image
Not available
Output / 1M
$47
Image Elo
1226

At a glance

Quick verdict

Which model wins on the things that matter most when you're making images.

Cheaper per image

Not available

Only one lists a per-image price

Better image quality

sourceful logo

Riverflow V2.5 Pro

1366 vs 1226 Elo in blind votes

Better at editing

sourceful logo

Riverflow V2.5 Pro

1310 vs 1230 Elo on edits

Newer release

sourceful logo

Riverflow V2.5 Pro

Released June 4, 2026

Quality

Image quality rankings

Elo ratings from Design Arena, where people vote between two anonymous images made from the same prompt. Higher is better.

Image generation

sourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Pro#1 · 69.1% wins1366
microsoft logoMAI-Image-2.5#6 · 54.2% wins1226

Image editing

sourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Pro#1 · 63.3% wins1310
microsoft logoMAI-Image-2.5#5 · 55% wins1230

Graphic design

sourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Pro#1 · 75.2% wins1418
microsoft logoMAI-Image-2.5#6 · 52.3% wins1210

Logos

sourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Pro#1 · 64.1% wins1296
microsoft logoMAI-Image-2.5#5 · 53.5% wins1249

Pricing

Riverflow V2.5 Pro vs MAI-Image-2.5 price per image

What each image actually costs, plus the underlying API rates. Cheaper option highlighted.

Metricsourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Promicrosoft logoMAI-Image-2.5
Cost per imageEstimated, ~1 megapixel (1024×1024)$0.13Not available
Image outputPer 1M image tokens$31.14$47
Tokens per imageHow many image tokens one ~1MP image uses4,175Not available
Prompt textPer 1M input tokensIncluded$5

What it costs in practice

Estimated totals at standard resolution.

Single image

1 image

sourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Pro$0.13
microsoft logoMAI-Image-2.5Not available

Social media batch

50 images

sourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Pro$6.50
microsoft logoMAI-Image-2.5Not available

Product catalog

1,000 images

sourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Pro$130
microsoft logoMAI-Image-2.5Not available

Specs

Inputs, outputs, and limits

What each model accepts, what it gives back, and how long your prompt can be.

Metricsourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Promicrosoft logoMAI-Image-2.5
AcceptsImage, TextImage, Text
ProducesImageImage
Max prompt lengthText plus reference images33K tokens4K tokens
Reasoning stepAlways onNo
Release dateJune 4, 2026June 2, 2026

Features

Supported features

Creative controls available for each model.

Metricsourceful logoRiverflow V2.5 Promicrosoft logoMAI-Image-2.5
Image editingAccepts reference or source imagesSupportedSupported
Text alongside imagesCan explain or caption what it madeNot supportedNot supported
Thinks before drawingPlans the image with a reasoning stepSupportedNot supported
Reproducible seedsSame seed, same imageNot supportedNot supported
Temperature controlTrade consistency for varietyNot supportedSupported

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Which makes better images, Riverflow V2.5 Pro or MAI-Image-2.5?

In blind votes on Design Arena, Riverflow V2.5 Pro has an image generation Elo of 1366 and MAI-Image-2.5 has 1226, putting Riverflow V2.5 Pro ahead. Taste varies by style, so the best test is running your own prompts through both.

Can Riverflow V2.5 Pro and MAI-Image-2.5 edit existing images?

Yes. Both accept reference images, so you can upload a photo and ask for changes like a new background, different lighting, or added text.

Can I use Riverflow V2.5 Pro and MAI-Image-2.5 at the same time?

Yes. Shortcut Chat sends one prompt to multiple image models at once, so you can see Riverflow V2.5 Pro and MAI-Image-2.5 results side by side and keep the one you like.

sourceful logomicrosoft logo

Why choose? Generate with both.

Send one prompt to Riverflow V2.5 Pro and MAI-Image-2.5 at the same time. See both images side by side and keep the one you like.