# ComfyUI vs FLUX (Black Forest Labs): license, pricing and features compared (October 2026)

Canonical: https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/comfyui-vs-black-forest-labs · Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Published: 2026-10-25 · Author: Agentic Weekly (operated independently from Texas, US) · Evidence: Evidence: ComfyUI has a Tested entry; FLUX (Black Forest Labs) is Reported (scope on each tool page). The facts in the tables were read from each vendor's own pages and the public GitHub API on 2026-10-25 (America/Chicago) and are Reported. The What we measured section lists what we have actually run, with links to the test logs, and what we have not run yet; anything we could not confirm is marked as not captured.

**Our pick:** Pick ComfyUI for power users who want to run open models locally; pick FLUX (Black Forest Labs) for developers adding image generation by API. No overall winner: we have not benchmarked them against each other. **Updated:** 2026-10-26 (America/Chicago).

> ComfyUI and FLUX (Black Forest Labs) are both listed under Image generation. FLUX (Black Forest Labs)'s repository had its last push on Jul 31, 2025, 451 days before we checked. License: ComfyUI is GPL-3.0; FLUX (Black Forest Labs) is Apache-2.0 for the flux repository (model licenses vary by model; check each). ComfyUI is the better fit for: Power users who want to run open models locally. FLUX (Black Forest Labs) is the better fit for: developers adding image generation by API. Facts were read from vendor and GitHub pages on Oct 25, 2026 and are Reported; what we ran ourselves is under What we measured.

## What we measured

We have run ComfyUI ourselves but not the other tool, so no head-to-head result exists yet. Everything else on this page is Reported from vendor and GitHub pages.

Table: Our own tests for ComfyUI and FLUX (Black Forest Labs)

| Test | ComfyUI | FLUX (Black Forest Labs) |
|---|---|---|
| Hands-on test log (install and a real task) | Tested: ComfyUI ComfyUI 0.42.0 (commit cdf272f), PyTorch 2.14.1 CPU, Oct 26, 2026: passed. ComfyUI 0.42.0 installed in 17.42 s and its CPU-only server was ready in 30.1 s with 1014 node types, but we did not generate an image. [Full test log](https://theagenticweekly.com/tests/comfyui) | Not tested yet. What we will run: the same five prompts side by side, scored on prompt-following with a checklist (needs a paid account). |

How we test and label results: [methodology](https://theagenticweekly.com/methodology#testing-rig). All test logs: [test hub](https://theagenticweekly.com/tests).

## ComfyUI vs FLUX (Black Forest Labs) at a glance

ComfyUI and FLUX (Black Forest Labs) are both listed under Image generation. Agentic Weekly's FLUX (Black Forest Labs) page names ComfyUI as an alternative. ComfyUI: The tool to learn if you want maximum control over open models on your own GPU; it has a learning curve. FLUX (Black Forest Labs): Black Forest Labs' FLUX image models, available through an API with per-image pricing; the flux GitHub repository is Apache-2.0.

Table: ComfyUI and FLUX (Black Forest Labs) side by side (vendor pages and GitHub, 2026-10-25)

|  | ComfyUI | FLUX (Black Forest Labs) |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Comfy Org | Black Forest Labs |
| Listed under | Image generation, AI video | Image generation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 for the flux repository (model licenses vary by model; check each) |
| Pricing model | Not captured on the pages we read | API usage |
| Free tier | Not captured on the pages we read | Not captured |
| Paid plans | Not captured on the pages we read | API priced per image (a $0.048 figure appears on the pricing page; model not captured); Enterprise custom |
| Platforms | Not captured on the pages we read | API and open weights |
| Public repository | comfyanonymous/ComfyUI: 142,960 stars, last push Oct 25, 2026 UTC (GitHub API, Oct 25, 2026) | black-forest-labs/flux: 26,039 stars, last push Jul 31, 2025 UTC (GitHub API, Oct 25, 2026) |
| Latest release we saw | v0.42.1, Oct 18, 2026 | Not captured on the pages we read |
| Evidence | Tested (scope on its tool page) | Reported from vendor pages |

## How ComfyUI and FLUX (Black Forest Labs) differ

- FLUX (Black Forest Labs)'s repository had its last push on Jul 31, 2025, 451 days before we checked.
- License: ComfyUI is GPL-3.0; FLUX (Black Forest Labs) is Apache-2.0 for the flux repository (model licenses vary by model; check each).
- GitHub stars on Oct 25, 2026: ComfyUI 142,960 (comfyanonymous/ComfyUI) vs FLUX (Black Forest Labs) 26,039 (black-forest-labs/flux). Stars measure attention, not quality.
- FLUX (Black Forest Labs) is "API usage"; the entry for ComfyUI has no pricing model we could confirm (pricing not verified).

## Which should you pick?

- Pick ComfyUI if: Power users who want to run open models locally; artists building repeatable image or video workflows. Skip it if: you want a one-click consumer app.
- Pick FLUX (Black Forest Labs) if: developers adding image generation by API. Skip it if: you want a consumer app.

## Strengths and limits

Table: Strengths and limits as listed on each tool page

|  | ComfyUI | FLUX (Black Forest Labs) |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | Huge model and workflow ecosystem; Runs locally; README claims it can run big models on as little as 4GB VRAM with 8GB RAM; Frequent releases | API access; Open repository |
| Limits | GPL-3.0 license has copyleft obligations for derivatives; Steep learning curve; Partner nodes use paid third-party models | Per-model licensing to check |

## What we did not verify

- ComfyUI: Hardware requirements in practice (README claims only).
- FLUX (Black Forest Labs): Release date (none published on the pages we read; the date shown is the day we first covered this entry).
- Output quality, speed and reliability beyond the smoke tests listed under What we measured: not compared.

## FAQ

### Is ComfyUI or FLUX (Black Forest Labs) open source?

ComfyUI: GPL-3.0. FLUX (Black Forest Labs): Apache-2.0 for the flux repository (model licenses vary by model; check each). Licenses come from each project's GitHub repository or the vendor's own pages, read Oct 25, 2026; read the license text itself before redistributing or building a competing service.

### Does ComfyUI or FLUX (Black Forest Labs) have a free plan?

ComfyUI: we did not capture free-tier details. FLUX (Black Forest Labs): we did not capture free-tier details. Checked Oct 25, 2026; prices and limits change, so confirm on each vendor's page.

### What is the main difference between ComfyUI and FLUX (Black Forest Labs)?

FLUX (Black Forest Labs)'s repository had its last push on Jul 31, 2025, 451 days before we checked. License: ComfyUI is GPL-3.0; FLUX (Black Forest Labs) is Apache-2.0 for the flux repository (model licenses vary by model; check each).

## Sources

- [ComfyUI v0.42.0 release](https://github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI/releases/tag/v0.42.0) (fetched 2026-10-25)
- [ComfyUI v0.42.1 release](https://github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI/releases/tag/v0.42.1) (fetched 2026-10-25)
- [README](https://github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI) (fetched 2026-10-25)
- [Black Forest Labs](https://bfl.ai/) (fetched 2026-10-25)
- [flux repository (GitHub)](https://github.com/black-forest-labs/flux) (fetched 2026-10-25)

## Related

- [ComfyUI facts and sources](https://theagenticweekly.com/tools/comfyui)
- [FLUX (Black Forest Labs) facts and sources](https://theagenticweekly.com/tools/black-forest-labs)
- [Alternatives to ComfyUI](https://theagenticweekly.com/alternatives/comfyui)
- [Image generation: all tools we track](https://theagenticweekly.com/best/image-generation)
- [Midjourney vs FLUX (Black Forest Labs)](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/midjourney-vs-black-forest-labs)
- [Krea vs FLUX (Black Forest Labs)](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/krea-vs-black-forest-labs)
- [Recraft vs FLUX (Black Forest Labs)](https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/recraft-vs-black-forest-labs)

## Changelog

- 2026-10-25: First published. Facts read from vendor pages and the GitHub API on 2026-10-25.

## How to cite

Agentic Weekly, "ComfyUI vs FLUX (Black Forest Labs): license, pricing and features compared (October 2026)", last updated 2026-10-26, https://theagenticweekly.com/compare/comfyui-vs-black-forest-labs