FLUX.1 [dev]
Black Forest Labs · Image generation · 12B · Released 1 August 2024
FLUX.1 dev is the higher-quality tier of Black Forest Labs' FLUX family, producing photorealistic images with strong prompt adherence and genuinely readable text, a long-standing weakness of earlier open models. It is a large 12B model, so it wants a capable GPU, and it runs across ComfyUI and InvokeAI with a growing library of LoRAs. The catch is licensing: dev is released under a non-commercial licence, so any commercial use needs a separate agreement with Black Forest Labs. If commercial use matters, the Apache-2.0 FLUX.1 schnell is the sibling to reach for, trading some quality for freedom and speed.
Strengths
- Excellent image quality and prompt adherence
- Renders readable text well
- A large and growing ecosystem of fine-tunes and LoRAs
Weaknesses
- Non-commercial licence, so you cannot ship commercial output without a licence
- Slower than [schnell], needing more steps per image
- A 12B model needs 16GB or more, or quantisation, for comfortable use
Hardware requirements
| Quantisation | Approx. VRAM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GGUF Q4 | ~8GB | Quantised with offloading, fits an 8GB to 12GB card |
| FP8 | ~12GB | A good balance on a 16GB card |
| FP16 | ~24GB | Full precision, including the text encoder |
Optimised builds available for Apple Silicon.
What you'd need to run this
Roughly what a machine to run this would need, at up to three levels of quality. Memory is the deciding factor.
Minimum to run it
GGUF Q4 · ~8GB needed
One 12GB GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GBor a Mac or mini-PC with unified memory, if you prefer no discrete GPU, Mac mini M5 Pro .
At least 32GB of system RAM alongside the card.
around £700–£1,100
What else 12GB runs →For good quality
FP8 · ~12GB needed
One 16GB GPU
Intel Arc A770 16GBor a Mac or mini-PC with unified memory, if you prefer no discrete GPU, Mac mini M5 Pro .
At least 32GB of system RAM alongside the card.
around £700–£1,100
What else 16GB runs →Best quality
FP16 · ~24GB needed
One 32GB GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090or a Mac or mini-PC with unified memory, if you prefer no discrete GPU, Mac mini M4 Pro .
64GB of system RAM alongside the card.
Licence
FLUX.1 [dev] Non-Commercial License — read the licence
FLUX.1 [dev]: common questions
- What hardware do I need to run FLUX.1 [dev]?
- At its most compressed (GGUF Q4) it needs roughly 8GB of VRAM, and about 24GB for good quality. VRAM figures are approximate and depend on context length and settings.
- Is FLUX.1 [dev] free for commercial use?
- No. FLUX.1 [dev] is licensed for non-commercial use only. FLUX.1 [dev] is licensed for non-commercial use only.
- Can I run FLUX.1 [dev] on Apple Silicon?
- Yes. FLUX.1 [dev] has builds optimised for Apple Silicon, through MLX or GGUF on a Mac.
Availability
Recommended for
- Personal and research image generation at high quality
- Users who want the deepest FLUX fine-tune ecosystem
- Evaluation before deciding whether to license commercially
Related models
Related guides
Glossary
Catalogue entry last verified 30 July 2026. Specifications change; verify anything you are about to spend money on.