The Three Generations
AI image generation has gone through three major generations:
- SD 1.5 (2022) — The original that started it all. 512x512 native resolution.
- SDXL (2023) — Double the resolution (1024x1024), much better quality.
- Flux (2024-2025) — New architecture from Black Forest Labs. Best overall quality.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | SD 1.5 | SDXL | Flux Dev |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native Resolution | 512x512 | 1024x1024 | Up to 2048 |
| Image Quality | Good | Very Good | Excellent |
| Text in Images | Poor | Decent | Good |
| Speed | Fast | Medium | Medium |
| CivitAI Models | 50,000+ | 30,000+ | Growing |
| Style Range | CivitAI models | CivitAI models | Broad, built-in |
| Prompt Style | Tags (booru) | Tags or natural | Natural language |
| Cost | Cheapest | Medium | Higher |
When to Use Each
Use Flux Dev when:
- You want the best possible image quality
- You're doing photorealistic or artistic content
- You want to write prompts in natural language
- You don't need specific CivitAI models
Use SDXL when:
- You want high quality + CivitAI model compatibility
- You need specific styles from CivitAI checkpoints
- You want a balance of quality and cost
Use SD 1.5 when:
- You need specific CivitAI models only available for SD 1.5
- You want the fastest, cheapest generation
- You're using a narrowly specialized community fine-tune
On EGAKU AI
You don't have to choose — EGAKU AI offers all three. Start with Flux Dev for best quality, switch to SDXL/CivitAI models when you need specific styles.
Free tier includes Flux Schnell (fast) and SDXL. Flux Dev and Pro require Basic plan or above.