Keep FLUX.2 for stable, cheap image production. Move to FLUX 3 when you need 4K output, bounding-box layout, pixel-level editing, or video. That is the decision in one sentence.
This comparison stays on what Black Forest Labs publishes on its official model and pricing pages. Where the two generations share no benchmark or no published number, this page says so rather than inventing one. Pricing reflects the pages read on 2026-10-07; FLUX 3 image carries a launch discount running to 2026-10-08 15:00 UTC.
Two generations, two jobs
FLUX.2 is a pure image family with five tiers: [max] for top quality with grounding search, [pro] for production at scale, [flex] for typography and fine detail, [klein] for sub-second inference with open weights, and [dev] for local-only open weights. Every tier draws a still picture.
FLUX 3 is a multimodal foundation model trained on images, video, and audio, with action prediction on the roadmap. Image and video are live; audio and the action model are not yet shipping. Its method, Self-Flow, unifies the modalities.
This is not a newer version of the same tool but a mature image toolkit versus a multimodal base that also images. The what is FLUX 3 guide covers the claim in depth.
Side-by-side comparison
The table below is the fastest view of where the two generations part; each row comes from an official page.
| Dimension | FLUX.2 | FLUX 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Pure image | Image + video + audio (multimodal) |
| Status | All tiers live | Image and video live; Dev open weights not yet released |
| Image output ceiling | 4MP | 4K (about 16MP; 16:9 = 5456×3072) |
| Layout control | JSON control and pose guidance ([flex]) | 0–1000 bounding-box grid + JSON element table |
| Editing | Multi-reference image editing | Pixel-level local editing (keep / move / add / remove) |
| Reference images | Up to 8 via API, 10 in Playground | Up to 10 (ref_image_0 and up, sequential token slots) |
| Image billing | Per megapixel (klein from $0.014 per image) | Per tier per image ($0.041–$0.607) |
| Open weights | [dev] released (local, non-commercial) | FLUX 3 Dev unreleased; FLUX 3 Action 7B open |
The rows come from the two model pages for capabilities and bfl.ai/pricing for the dollars. The one time-sensitive number is the FLUX 3 image discount: 50% off to 2026-10-08 15:00 UTC, after which list prices apply.
Image generation: what actually changes
Resolution ceiling moves first. FLUX.2 tops out at 4MP and docs recommend at or below 2MP. FLUX 3 publishes a 4K ceiling of about 16MP (16:9 = 5456×3072), the most visible difference for posters or print.
Layout control changes shape. FLUX.2 asks for Subject + Action + Style + Context and, on [flex], JSON control or pose guidance. FLUX 3 replaces that with boxes on a 0–1000 grid plus a JSON element list, so positions become explicit geometry.
Billing shifts from per-megapixel to per-tier. A 1MP [pro] image on FLUX.2 is $0.03 and [klein] 4B is $0.014 plus $0.001, or $0.015. FLUX 3 is priced by tier: 1K is $0.048 list. At 1MP the cheapest FLUX.2 image is roughly a third of the FLUX 3 price before discount.
Video: the part FLUX.2 never had
FLUX 3 video is the capability FLUX.2 lacks entirely. The video path makes clips up to 20 seconds with synchronized audio and supports text-to-video, image-to-video, video-to-video, and draft-enhance. Billing is per second: hd $0.17, fhd $0.29, draft $0.06. The FLUX 3 API guide walks through each mode.
FLUX.2 has no video on any tier, so there is nothing to compare; if motion is in the brief, FLUX 3 is the only option Black Forest Labs publishes today.
Which one to use for what
High-volume, cost-sensitive image work stays on FLUX.2. For thousands of product shots, [klein] or [pro] win on per-megapixel billing and a mature ecosystem: downloadable weights, documented APIs, tooling. The FLUX.2 how-to guide starts there.
Layout-dense, 4K-delivery, multi-round editing goes to FLUX 3 Image. Its bounding-box grid removes prompt ambiguity and the 4K ceiling clears print; pixel-level editing keeps, moves, adds, or removes regions without regenerating the frame.
Video is FLUX 3 only. Nothing on the FLUX.2 side produces motion, so the choice is made once a clip is in the brief.
Local deployment splits today. FLUX.2 [dev] downloads now under a non-commercial licence and [klein] ships open weights; FLUX 3 Dev has no date. The only open FLUX 3 weight so far is FLUX 3 Action 7B, so FLUX.2 is what you deploy this week.
Worked examples: both generations
The same brief, a cream knit sweater on an oak table, shows the split in writing style. FLUX.2 carries the whole composition in one four-part sentence:
A cream-knit sweater folded on a light oak table, beside a small ceramic cup, soft window light from the right, seamless pale grey backdrop, minimalist e-commerce product photography, 100mm macro lens, f/8FLUX 3 Image can pin the same composition with an element table, because placement is read as coordinates:
[
{
"id": "scene_1",
"bbox": [0, 0, 1000, 1000],
"desc": "A seamless pale grey studio backdrop, soft light from the right"
},
{
"id": "sweater_1",
"bbox": [250, 200, 780, 780],
"desc": "A cream-knit sweater folded neatly in the centre"
},
{
"id": "cup_1",
"bbox": [520, 720, 760, 900],
"desc": "A small ceramic cup beside the sweater"
}
]The sentence is faster to write and matches every FLUX.2 habit; the table repeats the same framing at 768 px and at 4K without rewriting a word. Default to the sentence, and reach for the table when the composition itself is the requirement.
What the official pages do not settle
Neither generation publishes an image-quality benchmark against the other. Black Forest Labs has released no head-to-head preference score, so any “FLUX 3 is sharper” claim is a user observation, not a vendor figure. The FLUX.2 pricing and free guide carries that caution.
FLUX 3’s published preference data is video-weighted and preliminary; the release notes describe early video-side preference work that says little about still-image quality versus FLUX.2.
Whether FLUX.2 will be retired has no official answer. Both bill normally and no roadmap announces an end-of-life. Treat FLUX.2 as current until Black Forest Labs says otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
Will FLUX.2 be retired? No. Both bill normally and no roadmap entry announces an end-of-life for the image family.
Which is cheaper? For a 1MP image FLUX.2 [klein] is lowest at $0.015, while FLUX 3 Image 1K is $0.048 list. FLUX 3 adds 4K and pixel-level editing FLUX.2 lacks, so cheaper is not automatically better.
Is FLUX 3 Dev out? No. Black Forest Labs says only that it follows within a few weeks; no date. The only open FLUX 3 weight so far is FLUX 3 Action 7B.
Should I migrate now? Not for volume image production, where FLUX.2 is cheaper and mature. Move to FLUX 3 only when you need 4K, bounding-box layout, pixel-level editing, or video.
Pick by the job, not the version. FLUX.2 is for everyday image work; FLUX 3 is for briefs that outgrow still pictures. Read the pages side by side, watch the 2026-10-08 discount, and let your deliverable decide.