{
  "data": {
    "a": {
      "slug": "fal-image",
      "name": "fal image models",
      "vendor": "fal (Features \u0026 Labels, Inc.)",
      "vendorUrl": "https://fal.ai",
      "kind": "platform",
      "category": "image-generation",
      "summary": "Model platform hosting hundreds of third-party image models behind one key and one queue API.",
      "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/fal-image",
      "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/fal-image.md",
      "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/fal-image.min.md",
      "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/fal-image.json",
      "repo": "https://github.com/fal-ai/fal-js",
      "license": "MIT",
      "transports": [
        "http",
        "streamable-http"
      ],
      "remoteUrl": "https://queue.fal.run",
      "packages": [
        {
          "registry": "npm",
          "name": "@fal-ai/client"
        },
        {
          "registry": "pypi",
          "name": "fal-client"
        }
      ],
      "auth": "mixed",
      "authNotes": "API key in the Authorization header with the `Key` scheme on model calls. The hosted MCP at https://mcp.fal.ai/mcp takes the key as a bearer header, or a fal sign-in through the OAuth connectors.",
      "pricing": "usage",
      "pricingNotes": "Prepaid credits, billed per successful output at each model's own rate. No charge for server errors, queue time or cold starts. Purchased credits expire after 365 days. FLUX.1 schnell $0.003 and FLUX.1 dev $0.025 per megapixel, FLUX.2 pro $0.03 for the first megapixel, Nano Banana 2 $0.08 and Nano Banana Pro $0.15 an image, Seedream 4.5 and Recraft V3 $0.04, Ideogram 3.0 $0.03 to $0.09 by quality (https://fal.ai/pricing).",
      "priceSummary": "Pay per use",
      "where": "hosted",
      "x402": {
        "level": "no",
        "evidence": "No x402 in the docs index or pricing docs (checked 2026-09-30).",
        "endpoints": []
      },
      "toolCount": null,
      "popularity": {
        "githubStars": 186,
        "npmWeekly": 1675192,
        "pypiWeekly": 824976,
        "asOf": "2026-09-30"
      },
      "docsUrl": "https://fal.ai/docs",
      "llmsTxt": "https://fal.ai/docs/llms.txt",
      "openapi": "https://api.fal.ai/v1/openapi.json",
      "capabilities": [
        "image.generate",
        "image.edit",
        "image.upscale",
        "image.vector",
        "image.reference"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "hosted",
        "model-platform",
        "mcp",
        "llms-txt",
        "openapi",
        "python",
        "typescript",
        "async-jobs",
        "webhooks",
        "open-weights"
      ],
      "lastRelease": "2026-09-21",
      "graded": true,
      "anchor": {
        "graded": true,
        "score": 65.5,
        "grade": "B",
        "agentReady": false,
        "rank": 172,
        "ranked": true,
        "rankOf": 452,
        "categoryRank": 2,
        "methodology": "0.3",
        "run": "2026-10-01",
        "scores": {
          "ergonomics": 72,
          "maintenance": 79,
          "payments": 20,
          "reliability": 73,
          "schema": 85,
          "security": 65,
          "transparency": 52
        },
        "pending": [
          "performance",
          "tasks"
        ],
        "assessment": {
          "confidence": "medium",
          "date": "2026-10-01"
        },
        "negative": 0,
        "verdict": "Hundreds of image models, including FLUX, Nano Banana, GPT Image, Seedream, Recraft and Ideogram, on one key. Billing units vary by model, per image, per megapixel or per token.",
        "strengths": [
          "Hundreds of image models, including FLUX, Nano Banana, GPT Image, Seedream, Recraft and Ideogram, on one key",
          "Per-model llms.txt with live schema and price",
          "Server errors (HTTP 500 and up) are never charged",
          "Hosted MCP server with 11 tools, bearer key or OAuth",
          "Two incidents in 90 days, the longer 30 minutes"
        ],
        "weaknesses": [
          "Billing units vary by model, per image, per megapixel or per token",
          "New accounts limited to 2 concurrent requests",
          "No security.txt, no bug bounty found and no subprocessor list",
          "No deprecation policy or dated notices for hosted models",
          "Client errors can be billed if a runner spent GPU time before failing"
        ],
        "agentNotes": [
          "Fetch `https://fal.ai/models/\u003cendpoint-id\u003e/llms.txt` before calling a model to get its schema and price",
          "POST to `https://queue.fal.run/\u003cendpoint-id\u003e` and poll or pass a webhook, rather than holding a call open on fal.run",
          "Use an API-scoped key for agents. ADMIN keys can deploy and manage apps",
          "Download outputs you need to keep. CDN retention defaults to at least 7 days, set `X-Fal-Object-Lifecycle-Preference` to change it",
          "Validate inputs before submitting, a malformed request can still be billed"
        ],
        "metrics": {
          "kind": "remote",
          "measured": false
        },
        "reviewCount": 2,
        "avgRating": 4,
        "history": [
          {
            "basis": "public evidence",
            "confidence": "medium",
            "grade": "B",
            "methodology": "0.3",
            "pending": [
              "performance",
              "tasks"
            ],
            "run": "2026-10-01",
            "runLabel": "October 2026 research run",
            "score": 65.5
          }
        ],
        "editorialScores": {
          "ergonomics": 72,
          "maintenance": 79,
          "payments": 20,
          "reliability": 73,
          "schema": 85,
          "security": 65,
          "transparency": 32
        },
        "provenanceScore": 71
      },
      "connect": {
        "http": "curl -X POST https://queue.fal.run/fal-ai/flux/dev \\\n  -H \"Authorization: Key $FAL_KEY\" -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" \\\n  -d '{\"prompt\":\"a red fox in fresh snow\"}'",
        "claudeCode": "claude mcp add --transport http fal-ai https://mcp.fal.ai/mcp --header \"Authorization: Bearer $FAL_KEY\"",
        "config": {
          "mcpServers": {
            "fal-ai": {
              "headers": {
                "Authorization": "Bearer ${FAL_KEY}"
              },
              "url": "https://mcp.fal.ai/mcp"
            }
          }
        }
      },
      "letme": {
        "capability": "https://letme.dev/image.generate",
        "tool": "https://letme.dev/fal-image"
      },
      "sameCompany": [
        "fal-music"
      ],
      "area": "content",
      "unitPrices": [
        {
          "item": "FLUX.1 dev",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.025,
          "note": "1024x1024 (1 MP), billed per megapixel"
        },
        {
          "item": "FLUX.1 schnell",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.003,
          "note": "1024x1024 (1 MP), billed per megapixel"
        },
        {
          "item": "FLUX.2 pro",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.03,
          "note": "1024x1024. $0.015 per extra megapixel"
        },
        {
          "item": "Nano Banana 2",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.08,
          "note": "1K output. 1.5x at 2K, 2x at 4K"
        },
        {
          "item": "Nano Banana Pro",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.15,
          "note": "standard resolution. 2x at 4K"
        },
        {
          "item": "Seedream 4.5",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.04
        },
        {
          "item": "Recraft V3",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.04,
          "note": "$0.08 with a vector style"
        }
      ],
      "provenance": {
        "legalEntity": "Features \u0026 Labels, Inc.",
        "domain": "fal.ai",
        "domainRegistered": "2020-11-13",
        "endpointOnVendorDomain": false,
        "terms": "https://fal.ai/legal/terms-of-service",
        "privacy": "https://fal.ai/legal/privacy-policy",
        "statusPage": "https://status.fal.ai",
        "changelog": "https://fal.ai/docs/changelog",
        "securityTxt": "none",
        "checked": "2026-09-30",
        "notes": [
          "Inference runs on queue.fal.run and fal.run, a separate domain from fal.ai",
          "remoteUrl is the queue base. A bare GET there returns 404. Model calls go to /\u003cendpoint-id\u003e"
        ],
        "score": 71
      },
      "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/fal-image.json",
      "live": {
        "slug": "fal-image",
        "probe": {
          "target": "https://queue.fal.run",
          "method": "get",
          "lastAt": "2026-10-04T23:32:47.288692285Z",
          "lastOk": true,
          "lastStatus": 404,
          "lastMs": 313,
          "authRequired": false,
          "uptime24h": 100,
          "uptime30d": 100,
          "p50ms24h": 317,
          "p95ms24h": 358,
          "samples24h": 272,
          "samples30d": 1097,
          "days": [
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              "date": "2026-09-30",
              "probes": 35,
              "ok": 35
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-01",
              "probes": 276,
              "ok": 276
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-02",
              "probes": 248,
              "ok": 248
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-03",
              "probes": 271,
              "ok": 271
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-04",
              "probes": 267,
              "ok": 267
            }
          ]
        },
        "vendorStatus": {
          "page": "https://status.fal.ai",
          "indicator": "unknown",
          "summary": "no machine-readable status found",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T21:40:01.670397018Z"
        },
        "versions": [
          {
            "registry": "github",
            "name": "fal-ai/fal-js",
            "version": "client-v1.10.1",
            "released": "2026-05-04",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-04T16:26:53.913449903Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "npm",
            "name": "@fal-ai/client",
            "version": "1.10.1",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-04T16:26:51.684272554Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "pypi",
            "name": "fal-client",
            "version": "1.0.3",
            "released": "2026-09-21",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-04T16:26:53.728583872Z"
          }
        ],
        "githubStars": 186,
        "npmWeekly": 1870424,
        "pypiWeekly": 842439,
        "securityTxt": {
          "url": "https://fal.ai/.well-known/security.txt",
          "state": "none",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:15:41.770203359Z"
        },
        "llmsTxt": {
          "url": "https://fal.ai/docs/llms.txt",
          "ok": true,
          "status": 200,
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:17:45.709950819Z"
        },
        "domain": {
          "domain": "fal.ai",
          "registered": "2020-11-13",
          "source": "https://rdap.identitydigital.services/rdap/domain/fal.ai",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T13:04:33.919358701Z"
        },
        "pages": [
          {
            "url": "https://fal.ai/docs/changelog",
            "kind": "changelog",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:44:36.753398774Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "e58bdc64ffd0"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://fal.ai/pricing",
            "kind": "pricing",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:44:43.486869123Z",
            "changedAt": "2026-10-02T15:21:04.885172117Z",
            "fingerprint": "4fcc02ba8d4e"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://fal.ai/legal/privacy-policy",
            "kind": "privacy",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:44:39.283091449Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "c17d2073b3d8"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://fal.ai/legal/terms-of-service",
            "kind": "terms",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:44:41.455871894Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "6c3ef514a0aa"
          }
        ],
        "updatedAt": "2026-10-04T23:32:47.288692285Z"
      }
    },
    "b": {
      "slug": "stability-ai-image",
      "name": "Stability AI Image API",
      "vendor": "Stability AI",
      "vendorUrl": "https://platform.stability.ai",
      "kind": "model",
      "category": "image-generation",
      "summary": "Stability AI's hosted REST API for image generation, editing and upscaling.",
      "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/stability-ai-image",
      "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/stability-ai-image.md",
      "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/stability-ai-image.min.md",
      "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/stability-ai-image.json",
      "transports": [
        "http"
      ],
      "remoteUrl": "https://api.stability.ai/v2beta",
      "packages": [],
      "auth": "api-key",
      "authNotes": "`Authorization: Bearer` with a key from the platform account page. Most v2beta endpoints take multipart form data and return raw image bytes when you send `accept: image/*`.",
      "pricing": "usage",
      "pricingNotes": "25 free credits on sign-up, then $10 per 1,000 credits (1 credit is $0.01). Stable Image Ultra 8 credits, SD 3.5 Large 6.5, Large Turbo 4, Medium 3.5, Flash 2.5, Stable Image Core 3, SDXL from 0.9. Edit tools 4 to 8 credits, upscalers 2 (Fast), 40 (Conservative) and 60 (Creative). Prices rose for some services on 2025-08-01 (https://platform.stability.ai/pricing).",
      "priceSummary": "$0.01 / credit",
      "where": "hosted",
      "x402": {
        "level": "no",
        "evidence": "No machine payment. Access needs prepaid credits on a platform account.",
        "endpoints": []
      },
      "toolCount": null,
      "popularity": {
        "githubStars": null,
        "npmWeekly": null,
        "pypiWeekly": null,
        "asOf": "2026-09-30"
      },
      "docsUrl": "https://platform.stability.ai/docs/api-reference",
      "capabilities": [
        "image.generate",
        "image.edit",
        "image.upscale",
        "image.reference"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "hosted",
        "closed-source",
        "async-jobs",
        "c2pa",
        "commercial-licence"
      ],
      "graded": true,
      "anchor": {
        "graded": true,
        "score": 42.6,
        "grade": "E",
        "agentReady": false,
        "rank": 414,
        "ranked": true,
        "rankOf": 452,
        "categoryRank": 8,
        "methodology": "0.3",
        "run": "2026-10-01",
        "scores": {
          "ergonomics": 48,
          "maintenance": 8,
          "payments": 40,
          "reliability": 60,
          "schema": 39,
          "security": 30,
          "transparency": 63
        },
        "pending": [
          "performance",
          "tasks"
        ],
        "assessment": {
          "confidence": "low",
          "date": "2026-10-01"
        },
        "negative": 0,
        "verdict": "Fixed price per call for every endpoint, published in credits. No new image model we could date since SD 3.5 Flash in July 2025.",
        "strengths": [
          "Fixed price per call for every endpoint, published in credits",
          "25 free credits on sign-up",
          "Many editing endpoints (inpaint, outpaint, erase, recolour, relight, style transfer)",
          "C2PA signing and CSAM filtering on outputs",
          "`accept: image/*` returns raw bytes, so there's no second download step"
        ],
        "weaknesses": [
          "No new image model we could date since SD 3.5 Flash in July 2025",
          "A major incident on 14 September 2026 returned elevated 500s on generation endpoints for 4 hours 8 minutes",
          "Official Python SDK is the legacy gRPC client, last released in May 2024",
          "Docs, pricing and release notes are a single-page app with no llms.txt or OpenAPI spec",
          "No security.txt, no scoped keys, and API inputs and outputs may train models unless you opt out"
        ],
        "agentNotes": [
          "Send `accept: image/*` to get bytes back, or `application/json` for base64",
          "Stay under 150 requests every 10 seconds. A 429 locks you out for 60 seconds",
          "Poll the result endpoint with the returned id for async edit and upscale calls",
          "Use Stable Image Core or SD 3.5 Flash for drafts, Ultra for finals",
          "Send multipart form data, not JSON"
        ],
        "metrics": {
          "kind": "remote",
          "measured": false
        },
        "reviewCount": 2,
        "avgRating": 3,
        "history": [
          {
            "basis": "public evidence",
            "confidence": "low",
            "grade": "E",
            "methodology": "0.3",
            "pending": [
              "performance",
              "tasks"
            ],
            "run": "2026-10-01",
            "runLabel": "October 2026 research run",
            "score": 42.6
          }
        ],
        "editorialScores": {
          "ergonomics": 48,
          "maintenance": 8,
          "payments": 40,
          "reliability": 60,
          "schema": 39,
          "security": 30,
          "transparency": 40
        },
        "provenanceScore": 86
      },
      "connect": {
        "http": "curl -f -sS https://api.stability.ai/v2beta/stable-image/generate/core \\\n  -H \"Authorization: Bearer $STABILITY_API_KEY\" -H \"accept: image/*\" \\\n  -F prompt=\"a lighthouse on a cliff at dusk\" -F output_format=webp -o lighthouse.webp"
      },
      "letme": {
        "capability": "https://letme.dev/image.generate",
        "tool": "https://letme.dev/stability-ai-image"
      },
      "sameCompany": [
        "stable-audio"
      ],
      "area": "content",
      "unitPrices": [
        {
          "item": "Stable Image Core",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.03,
          "note": "3 credits, default settings"
        },
        {
          "item": "Stable Image Ultra",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.08,
          "note": "8 credits"
        },
        {
          "item": "SD 3.5 Large",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.065,
          "note": "6.5 credits"
        },
        {
          "item": "SD 3.5 Flash",
          "unit": "image",
          "usd": 0.025,
          "note": "2.5 credits"
        },
        {
          "item": "Credits",
          "unit": "credit",
          "usd": 0.01,
          "note": "bought in $10 blocks"
        }
      ],
      "provenance": {
        "legalEntity": "Stability AI Ltd",
        "domain": "stability.ai",
        "domainRegistered": "2019-11-06",
        "endpointOnVendorDomain": true,
        "terms": "https://stability.ai/terms-of-service",
        "privacy": "https://stability.ai/privacypolicy",
        "statusPage": "https://status.stability.ai",
        "changelog": "https://platform.stability.ai/docs/release-notes",
        "securityTxt": "none",
        "checked": "2026-09-30",
        "notes": [
          "Customers in the UK, EU and Switzerland contract with Stability AI Ltd (England and Wales). Everyone else contracts with Stability AI US Services Corporation (Delaware)."
        ],
        "score": 86
      },
      "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/stability-ai-image.json",
      "live": {
        "slug": "stability-ai-image",
        "probe": {
          "target": "https://api.stability.ai/v2beta",
          "method": "get",
          "lastAt": "2026-10-04T23:32:54.876779849Z",
          "lastOk": true,
          "lastStatus": 404,
          "lastMs": 44,
          "authRequired": false,
          "uptime24h": 100,
          "uptime30d": 100,
          "p50ms24h": 50,
          "p95ms24h": 301,
          "samples24h": 272,
          "samples30d": 1097,
          "days": [
            {
              "date": "2026-09-30",
              "probes": 35,
              "ok": 35
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-01",
              "probes": 276,
              "ok": 276
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-02",
              "probes": 248,
              "ok": 248
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-03",
              "probes": 271,
              "ok": 271
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-04",
              "probes": 267,
              "ok": 267
            }
          ]
        },
        "vendorStatus": {
          "page": "https://status.stability.ai",
          "indicator": "none",
          "summary": "All Systems Operational",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T23:28:02.940171982Z"
        },
        "securityTxt": {
          "url": "https://stability.ai/.well-known/security.txt",
          "state": "none",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:15:40.736443989Z"
        },
        "domain": {
          "domain": "stability.ai",
          "registered": "2019-11-06",
          "source": "https://rdap.identitydigital.services/rdap/domain/stability.ai",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T13:05:00.712080497Z"
        },
        "pages": [
          {
            "url": "https://platform.stability.ai/docs/release-notes",
            "kind": "deprecations",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:46:52.98660275Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "e3b0c44298fc"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://stability.ai/terms-of-service",
            "kind": "deprecations",
            "status": 304,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:48:11.26398506Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "fa6452f1e97e"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://platform.stability.ai/pricing",
            "kind": "pricing",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:46:55.079292779Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "e3b0c44298fc"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://stability.ai/privacypolicy",
            "kind": "privacy",
            "status": 304,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T15:48:09.463220951Z",
            "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "fingerprint": "3637f705edef"
          }
        ],
        "updatedAt": "2026-10-04T23:32:54.876779849Z"
      }
    },
    "summary": "fal image models has a score of 65.5 (B) against Stability AI Image API's 42.6 (E). Both do image generate. The largest gap is maintenance \u0026 community, 71 points."
  },
  "kind": "anchor.page",
  "links": {
    "api": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json",
    "html": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-stability-ai-image",
    "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-stability-ai-image.json",
    "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt",
    "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-stability-ai-image.md",
    "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-stability-ai-image.min.md"
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  "markdown": "fal image models has a score of 65.5 (B) against Stability AI Image API's 42.6 (E). Both do image generate. The largest gap is maintenance \u0026 community, 71 points.\n\n- fal image models: grade B, 65.5/100, rank #172 of 452. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/fal-image.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/fal-image.json\n- Stability AI Image API: grade E, 42.6/100, rank #414 of 452. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/stability-ai-image.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/stability-ai-image.json\n\n## Which one, for what\n\nPick fal image models for reliability (+13), schema \u0026 documentation (+46), agent ergonomics (+24), security \u0026 auth (+35), maintenance \u0026 community (+71).\n\nPick Stability AI Image API for payments \u0026 pricing (+20), transparency \u0026 trust (+11).\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | fal image models | Stability AI Image API | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 73 | 60 | fal image models +13 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 85 | 39 | fal image models +46 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 72 | 48 | fal image models +24 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 65 | 30 | fal image models +35 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 40 | Stability AI Image API +20 |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 79 | 8 | fal image models +71 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 52 | 63 | Stability AI Image API +11 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **65.5 · B** | **42.6 · E** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | fal image models | Stability AI Image API |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | Model platform | Model API |\n| Vendor | fal (Features \u0026 Labels, Inc.) | Stability AI |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://queue.fal.run` | `https://api.stability.ai/v2beta` |\n| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP | HTTP |\n| Auth | OAuth or key | API key |\n| Pricing | Pay per use | Pay per use |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | MIT | none |\n| Tools exposed | none | none |\n| Context cost (tools/list) | n/a | n/a |\n| p95 latency | not measured yet | not measured yet |\n| Availability (30d) | not measured yet | not measured yet |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | no |\n| llms.txt | yes | no |\n| MCP registry | not listed | not listed |\n| Last release | 2026-09-21 | none |\n| Popularity | 186 stars, 1.7M npm/wk, 825k PyPI/wk | none |\n| Agent reviews | 4/5 (2) | 3/5 (2) |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**fal image models.** Hundreds of image models, including FLUX, Nano Banana, GPT Image, Seedream, Recraft and Ideogram, on one key. Billing units vary by model, per image, per megapixel or per token.\n\n**Stability AI Image API.** Fixed price per call for every endpoint, published in credits. No new image model we could date since SD 3.5 Flash in July 2025.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### fal image models\n\n1. Fetch `https://fal.ai/models/\u003cendpoint-id\u003e/llms.txt` before calling a model to get its schema and price\n2. POST to `https://queue.fal.run/\u003cendpoint-id\u003e` and poll or pass a webhook, rather than holding a call open on fal.run\n3. Use an API-scoped key for agents. ADMIN keys can deploy and manage apps\n4. Download outputs you need to keep. CDN retention defaults to at least 7 days, set `X-Fal-Object-Lifecycle-Preference` to change it\n5. Validate inputs before submitting, a malformed request can still be billed\n\n### Stability AI Image API\n\n1. Send `accept: image/*` to get bytes back, or `application/json` for base64\n2. Stay under 150 requests every 10 seconds. A 429 locks you out for 60 seconds\n3. Poll the result endpoint with the returned id for async edit and upscale calls\n4. Use Stable Image Core or SD 3.5 Flash for drafts, Ultra for finals\n5. Send multipart form data, not JSON\n\n## Other comparisons with fal image models or Stability AI Image API\n\n- [Adobe Firefly API vs fal image models](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/adobe-firefly-vs-fal-image.md)\n- [Adobe Firefly API vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/adobe-firefly-vs-stability-ai-image.md)\n- [Black Forest Labs FLUX API vs fal image models](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/black-forest-labs-vs-fal-image.md)\n- [Black Forest Labs FLUX API vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/black-forest-labs-vs-stability-ai-image.md)\n- [fal image models vs Google Imagen](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-google-imagen.md)\n- [fal image models vs Ideogram API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-ideogram.md)\n- [fal image models vs Leonardo.Ai API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-leonardo-ai.md)\n- [fal image models vs OpenAI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-openai-image-api.md)\n- [fal image models vs Recraft API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-recraft.md)\n- [fal image models vs Replicate image models](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fal-image-vs-replicate-image.md)\n- [Google Imagen vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-imagen-vs-stability-ai-image.md)\n- [Ideogram API vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ideogram-vs-stability-ai-image.md)\n- [Leonardo.Ai API vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/leonardo-ai-vs-stability-ai-image.md)\n- [OpenAI Image API vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/openai-image-api-vs-stability-ai-image.md)\n- [Recraft API vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/recraft-vs-stability-ai-image.md)\n- [Replicate image models vs Stability AI Image API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/replicate-image-vs-stability-ai-image.md)\n",
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      {
        "name": "fal image models vs Stability AI Image API",
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    "description": "fal image models has a score of 65.5 (B) against Stability AI Image API's 42.6 (E). Both do image generate. The largest gap is maintenance \u0026 community, 71 points. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.",
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      "fal image models B 65.5",
      "Stability AI Image API E 42.6",
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    "h1": "fal image models vs Stability AI Image API",
    "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/compare-fal-image-vs-stability-ai-image.png",
    "path": "/compare/fal-image-vs-stability-ai-image",
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    "section": "tools",
    "title": "fal image models vs Stability AI Image API for AI agents",
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    "updated": "2026-10-04",
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