Grok Imagine Image Qualityvs.MiniMax Image-01

Which one is better?

In our own test, Grok Imagine Image Quality leads. Neither is in the arena. MiniMax Image-01 has no API price.

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

Grok Imagine Image Quality: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Grok Imagine Image Quality76 out of 100

MiniMax Image-01: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — MiniMax Image-0119 out of 100

Result for “Typography and layout”:Grok Imagine Image Quality ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square editorial poster for an imaginary night train called MONDFALTER. Show the exact German headline MONDFALTER and the exact subline BERLIN NACH LISSABON. Use a restrained midnight-blue and warm-cream palette, one stylized moth, strong Swiss-grid typography, generous negative space, and no additional words or logos.

What the rating looks at: Legible text, hierarchy, and composition.

“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

Grok Imagine Image Quality: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.050000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:34 PM. Source

MiniMax Image-01: fal, aspect ratio 1:1, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 PM. Source

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

Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: b6cccae7af9a70af45a46b9e3264fa6971101e04979f7a0539e889ba6521250a

MiniMax Image-01 image SHA 256: b99793e66d1eb69880872d1865f25456b6588dc658aa46906b7636da46f63320

Infographic

Grok Imagine Image Quality: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.050000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:34 PM. Source

MiniMax Image-01: fal, aspect ratio 1:1, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 PM. Source

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

Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 03fbeae7859be72584048dfc23fba0651220ab44c707da66c386b77d90cc86f7

MiniMax Image-01 image SHA 256: 31b08957fb9eda45525c50935fd332cdbe5a5150a4ed57dead5254e667b2b0de

Product photography

Grok Imagine Image Quality: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.050000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:34 PM. Source

MiniMax Image-01: fal, aspect ratio 1:1, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 PM. Source

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

Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 0ea1e48f20bf61ff10414398b5248b0496c9040b3868c915580efd11d0dbaf11

MiniMax Image-01 image SHA 256: a8986bd9a5e8262b5705f8a7ba5259968371a3bc8e14394b992736f59e45385b

Typography and layout

Grok Imagine Image Quality: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.050000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:05 PM. Source

MiniMax Image-01: fal, aspect ratio 1:1, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:42 PM. Source

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

Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 84d88fb03bdbba672fc91268f4c120b17a19e4c9d637425aeca8ed44b2397d9f

MiniMax Image-01 image SHA 256: 020129f518174bf171032cc5cb7b2234782f4e1d7b1e685d473388094630a107

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Grok Imagine Image Quality

not in the arena

n/a

MiniMax Image-01

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Grok Imagine Image Quality

Rank 48 of 74

MiniMax Image-01

Rank 71 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.05

Grok Imagine Image Quality

fairly cheap

n/a

MiniMax Image-01

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.

Grok Imagine Image Quality

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.05 per image, 100 images $5.

MiniMax Image-01

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
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.

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	Grok Imagine Image Quality	MiniMax Image-01
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	n/a	n/a
Arena rank	n/a	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	n/a	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	49	16
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	76	19
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	21	12
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	68	23
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	31	8
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.05	n/a
100 images	$5	n/a
Profile
Released	April 2026	Feb 28, 2025
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	unknown
Lifecycle	Deprecated: xAI retires the model slug on November 2, 2026; requests are then served by grok-imagine-image-2.0 (quality=low)	no notice
Access	API, Web app	API
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	2K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	n/a	n/a

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

Sources: Grok Imagine Image Quality model source, status source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · MiniMax Image-01 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 Grok Imagine Image Quality and MiniMax Image-01 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 Grok Imagine Image Quality and MiniMax Image-01 with other important image models.

View the complete image model comparison

Same prompt, two images

The numbers at a glance

Grok Imagine Image Quality

MiniMax Image-01

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

Compare another matchup

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