Flux is a state-of-the-art open-source image generation model from Black Forest Labs. It handles open source, high quality, fast, and controllable, and it's best suited for creators wanting the latest open-source image models. Launched in 2024, it's a relatively recent entrant that's been gaining traction.

The core product is entirely free. Since it's open-source, you can self-host for free with no user limits. It's aimed at individual users, so it's fast to set up but may lack team-management features if you scale.