GPT Image 2vs.Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

Which one is better?

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

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

GPT Image 2: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — GPT Image 287 out of 100

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro42 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:GPT Image 2 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.

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

Test protocol of the images

Both models receive the same archived prompt in exactly one request, and the first result counts. 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 2: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:13 PM. Source

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.210000, source 2048x2048, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:40 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2 image SHA 256: 82f6e2369ab4fb6efb0ef48feeff0d14f1d6087c64c35113a983456f0f0879ac

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro image SHA 256: bd91dab4bec8386e191d73503d7df4b67c3c6019f345d436659db432ca4049f7

Infographic

GPT Image 2: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:14 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2 image SHA 256: 6c15466e258e2b14a8e862959cb6a67b4f7a23896ea5d42c5a5618d848847711

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro image SHA 256: 10f1aa7a0152cbeaa379c9df088528810dbc6f28b1f8064d22dca51107760880

Product photography

GPT Image 2: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:13 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2 image SHA 256: 471c71b30618afb1a8a67ab8363308d67f99c65ef6740ca72417806d06d3c346

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro image SHA 256: a70ee76cf6bf6561eade58a43f67874358b13d711417b864249fbd386c143b1d

Typography and layout

GPT Image 2: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:59 PM. Source

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

GPT Image 2 image SHA 256: 434cf9939b9be2a2c2711e13d027c9438c47038bb32229ceeaf405d2e89d2afc

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro image SHA 256: de7f5a691e0fe0b251a93730c92603059b25432af9126fee410568fcaf829348

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,381

GPT Image 2

Rank 3 of 22

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

GPT Image 2

Rank 12 of 74

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

Rank 35 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.21

GPT Image 2

expensive

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

no API price

Ranks among the 22 image models with an arena rating and the 74 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

GPT Image 2

Subscription: No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €6.39 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 61 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.21 per image, 100 images $21.10.

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

Subscription: Free to use at Recraft (Recraft Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €12.78 a month (Recraft Basic, with limited credits). 4 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API.
Weights: unknown.

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

Arena rating (LMArena) from Oct 28, 2026 · GraduallyBench from Nov 1, 2026 · API prices from Oct 28, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (34 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	GPT Image 2	Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,381	n/a
Arena rank	Rank 3 of 22	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	103,385	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	69	57
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	49	76
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	87	42
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	61	46
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	78	62
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.21	n/a
100 images	$21.10	n/a
Profile
Released	April 2026	n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	unknown
Lifecycle	no notice	Separate API pricing/product SKU; no independent checkpoint identity confirmed
Access	API, Web app	API
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	4K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	61	4

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

Sources: GPT Image 2 model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro model source, status 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 2 and Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

Compare another matchup

First image modelSecond image model

More matchups

Compare GPT Image 2 and Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro with other important image models.

View the complete image model comparison

Same prompt, two images

The numbers at a glance

GPT Image 2

Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

Compare another matchup

Related image model comparisons