Microsoft AI: MAI-Image-2.6 vs OpenAI: GPT Image 2.5 Flare
A side-by-side comparison of Microsoft AI: MAI-Image-2.6 ($17.50 / 1M tokens) and OpenAI: GPT Image 2.5 Flare ($28.00 / 1M tokens) using current USD prices and capabilities from the api14 catalog. Both run through the same OpenAI-compatible API.
Specifications
| Microsoft AI: MAI-Image-2.6 | OpenAI: GPT Image 2.5 Flare | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Microsoft | OpenAI |
| Input | $17.50 / 1M tokens | $28.00 / 1M tokens |
| Image input | $133.00 / 1M tokens | - |
| Image output | $133.00 / 1M tokens | $105.00 / 1M tokens |
| Output | - | $28.00 / 1M tokens |
| Cache read | - | $7.00 / 1M tokens |
| Web search | - | $35.00 / 1K searches |
| Context window | 4,096 | 400,000 |
| Max output | 1,024 | 360,000 |
| Input | text, image | text, image |
| Output | image | image |
| Tool calling | ||
| Structured output | ||
| Reasoning control | ||
| Added | Sep 4, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 |
Key differences
- Microsoft AI: MAI-Image-2.6 is 38% cheaper on input tokens.
- OpenAI: GPT Image 2.5 Flare reads 97.7× more context (400,000 tokens).
- Only OpenAI: GPT Image 2.5 Flare supports structured JSON output.
In depth
Microsoft AI: MAI-Image-2.6 is an image model from Microsoft, listed under the model id microsoft/mai-image-2.6. OpenAI: GPT Image 2.5 Flare is an image model from OpenAI, listed under the model id openai/gpt-image-2.5-flare. Both are image generation models rather than chat or text models, so in each case you send a prompt and receive an image back. Microsoft released MAI-Image-2.6 on 2026-09-04, and OpenAI released GPT Image 2.5 Flare on 2026-09-09.
The two models differ most in context and parameter surface. MAI-Image-2.6 has a context length of 4096 tokens, while GPT Image 2.5 Flare has a context length of 400000 tokens, so the OpenAI model accepts far longer prompts and reference material. Both accept text and image as input and produce image as output, so the modality story is the same on both sides. On parameters, MAI-Image-2.6 supports max_completion_tokens, max_tokens and temperature. GPT Image 2.5 Flare supports max_tokens, response_format, seed and structured_outputs. Structured outputs are available only on the OpenAI model, which matters if you want the response shaped in a predictable way. On price, MAI-Image-2.6 is the cheaper of the two on input; the comparison does not show a meaningful difference on output, so treat output cost as about the same.
For practical selection, start with the prompt size you actually need. If your prompt is short and mostly a single instruction, MAI-Image-2.6 is a reasonable default and its input pricing is the lower of the two. If you are feeding long descriptions, large reference images or accumulated context, GPT Image 2.5 Flare is the better fit because of its much larger context window. If your pipeline depends on structured_outputs, or on seed for repeatable generations, or on response_format to control how the result comes back, GPT Image 2.5 Flare is the only one of the two that lists those parameters. If you want to steer sampling with temperature, that parameter is listed for MAI-Image-2.6.
Calling either model through api14 works the same way because the API is OpenAI-compatible. You point your client at the same base URL and send the same request shape, then change only the model id string between microsoft/mai-image-2.6 and openai/gpt-image-2.5-flare. The parameters you pass should match what each model supports, so a request using temperature belongs with the Microsoft model, and a request using seed or structured_outputs belongs with the OpenAI model. Everything else in your integration, including authentication and how you read the image out of the response, stays the same.
There are cases where the other model is still the better pick. If you are already on MAI-Image-2.6 for short prompts but you need a long context or structured_outputs, switch to GPT Image 2.5 Flare rather than trimming your prompt. If you are on GPT Image 2.5 Flare but your prompts are short and input cost is the deciding factor, MAI-Image-2.6 is the cheaper input option. Neither model is listed as supporting tools or reasoning, so do not choose between them on those grounds.
Switch with one string
Both models use the same endpoint and request shape. Change the model value from "microsoft/mai-image-2.6" to "openai/gpt-image-2.5-flare" and prompts, streaming and tools keep working.
import OpenAI from "openai";
const client = new OpenAI({
baseURL: "https://api14.com/api/v1",
apiKey: process.env.API14_API_KEY,
});
const result = await client.images.generate({
"model": "openai/gpt-image-2.5-flare",
"prompt": "A minimalist product photo of a ceramic mug on a wooden table",
"n": 1,
"aspect_ratio": "1:1"
});
import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
await writeFile("image.png", Buffer.from(result.data[0].b64_json, "base64"));
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