What is FLUX.1?
FLUX.1 is a collection of AI image generation models developed by Black Forest Labs. The FLUX.1 models are designed to transform text prompts into highly detailed and realistic images. Examples of similar models are DALL-E, by OpenAI, and Midjourney.
The different FLUX.1 models
In the FLUX.1 collection of models there are 3 distinct variations, each having their own pros and cons:
- FLUX.1 [pro]: This is the premium version, offering state-of-the-art performance in image generation. It delivers top-notch prompt following, visual quality, image detail, and output diversity, making it perfect for professional use where quality and detail are paramount.
The Pro-model is only available through the Black Forest Labs API. Services that integrate with this API are for example Replicate.com (pay-per-use) and Poe.com (monthly / yearly subscription). - FLUX.1 [dev]: An open-weight, guidance-distilled model designed for non-commercial applications. It is distilled from FLUX.1 [pro], achieving similar quality and prompt adherence while being more efficient. This version is ideal for developers and creators working on personal projects, allowing for innovative workflows and scientific research.
The FLUX.1 [dev] model can be used for non-commercial applications only. The model can be run locally (if you have a good GPU) or used through third-party services like Replicate.com and Poe.com. - FLUX.1 [schnell]: The fastest variant, designed for quick iterations and local development. It is openly available under an Apache 2.0 license, providing a speedy and efficient option for creators who need rapid turnaround times. This model is optimized for speed.
The FLUX.1 [schnell] model is also available for everyone. The model can be used locally or through many services like Replicate.com and Poe.com.
The cost of the FLUX.1 [pro] model
As mentioned, the FLUX.1 [pro] model is the premium model within the FLUX.1 collection of image generation models. This model is primarily available through the API of Black Forest Labs, but also other services make this model available to use.
The cost of the FLUX.1 [pro] model depends on the service you use. Let me give you an overview.
Black Forest Labs API
The primary way to use the FLUX.1 [pro] model is using the Black Forest Labs (BFL) API.
The cost of generating an image using the BFL API is, using the default settings, $0.05 per image. The costs are calculated in the following way:
cost = 0.05$ x (width / 1024) x (height / 1024) x (steps / 50)Replicate.com
Another method to using the FLUX.1 [pro] model is using Replicate.com as your platform.
The cost of generating an image using Replicate.com is a fixed fee of $0.055 per image.
Poe
Unlike the BFL API and Replicate.com at Poe you pay a subscription fee, per month. Poe gives you access to a wide variety of AI models like GPT-4o (Mini), Gemini 1.5, Claude 3.5, Stable Diffusion and may more.
At Poe you pay with credits. A subscription will give you 1,000,000 (so called) compute points. The cost of a subscription, per month, is $19.99.
For example, generating a image using the FLUX.1 [pro] model at Poe will cost you 3.500 compute points. If you use your Poe subscription only for this model, you can generate 285 images, per month.
Doing the calculation 19.99 / 285, the price per image comes down to $0.07 per image.
Using the FLUX.1 [pro] model for free
At the time of writing this blog, there is a way to use the Midjourney beating FLUX.1 [pro] model for free. This by using the website https://fluxpro.art/.
The website describes themselves as follow: “The purpose of this site is to allow everyone to openly experiment with Flux Pro, so that we can assess it’s strengths and weaknesses collectively rather than in isolation, and to learn about it’s prompting styles from one another.”
All the images you generate through this website are made public. This means that everybody can use the image you’ve generated using this community driven website. Be aware of this when using images generated on your own website.