GPT Image 1.5vs.Recraft V4.1

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Recraft V4.1 has no arena rating yet. Recraft V4.1 has no API price.

Test images

Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.

GPT Image 1.5: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — GPT Image 1.589 out of 100

Recraft V4.1: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run — Recraft V4.148 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:GPT Image 1.5 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square cinematic full-body portrait of a fictional bicycle courier waiting under a transparent umbrella at a rainy tram stop in Hamburg at blue hour. She wears a mustard raincoat, navy trousers, red sneakers, a silver helmet, and carries a teal messenger bag. Keep both hands visible, render the bicycle correctly, use realistic wet-street reflections, and include no readable brand names.

What the rating looks at: Anatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Each test attempt uses the same archived prompt and one request. The first output of that attempt counts. Repeats after technical test failures are disclosed for the affected images. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier and prompt processing can still differ. The images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:17 PM. Source

Recraft V4.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.035000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:37 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 0dff52ccd39400ac66ac8870c9ea937512ff1474688e70118688f420c38c2296

Recraft V4.1 image SHA 256: b4e53e88552e5850d1ca0858ae7351851544281c853d625fbe6e028a16920195

Infographic

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:17 PM. Source

Recraft V4.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.035000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:37 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 1c9ff59c32621c8b48b002dacb0ae66487262280c7c0a5b3d6456c81b248ebe9

Recraft V4.1 image SHA 256: adaec4b62c06d7fc4107f8d61bbf8742b412abcdd17c22d01f8f21b194a6d3b6

Product photography

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:16 PM. Source

Recraft V4.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.035000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:37 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 67cfa2f324447027ceb5f82e9446d40a1395b46ce425890a74606b4d97731cf6

Recraft V4.1 image SHA 256: e6651efeb56090323aeb160fa80eeb4faab85c3b8dac61a684b6a975b2450530

Typography and layout

GPT Image 1.5: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:59 PM. Source

Recraft V4.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.035000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:37 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

GPT Image 1.5 image SHA 256: 6a4cec86850fd371b65274198e2bf630b3cf36a096f9fb953d4bfe17c3222ebe

Recraft V4.1 image SHA 256: c4f8387fba9aaf0223c56a3224559e21f670e14c38eb7d64b235b675ef1008c3

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,236

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 13 of 21

n/a

Recraft V4.1

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

GPT Image 1.5

Rank 29 of 108

Recraft V4.1

Rank 37 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.13

GPT Image 1.5

expensive

n/a

Recraft V4.1

no API price

Ranks among the 21 image models with an arena rating and the 108 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

GPT Image 1.5

Subscription: No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.36 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 42 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.13 per image, 100 images $13.30.

Recraft V4.1

Subscription: Free to use at Recraft (Recraft Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €12.72 a month (Recraft Basic, with limited credits). Through other providers from ≈ €6.36 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 27 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, Web app.
Weights: unknown.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

Arena rating (LMArena) from Nov 6, 2026 · GraduallyBench from Nov 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 6, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (38 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

Kennzahl	GPT Image 1.5	Recraft V4.1
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,236	n/a
Arena rank	Rank 13 of 21	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	173,798	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	68	65
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	60	70
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	52	71
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	89	48
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	72	73
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.13	n/a
100 images	$13.30	n/a
Profile
Released	December 2025	May 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	unknown
Lifecycle	Marked as deprecated by OpenAI; removed from the API on December 1, 2026	no notice
Access	API, Web app	API, Web app
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	1,536 × 1,024 pixels	2K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	42	27

API prices for one image at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels according to Artificial Analysis.

Sources: GPT Image 1.5 model source, status source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Recraft V4.1 model source (verified Nov 1, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

The stored benchmark database contains no measurement for GPT Image 1.5 and Recraft V4.1 from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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