Grok Imagine Image Qualityvs.Recraft V4.1 Utility
Which one is better?
In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. Grok Imagine Image Quality costs 1.4 times as much per image.
Test images
Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.
Result for “Character and detail”:Recraft V4.1 Utility slightly ahead
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
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
Recraft V4.1 Utility: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.035000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:37 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6
Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: b6cccae7af9a70af45a46b9e3264fa6971101e04979f7a0539e889ba6521250a
Recraft V4.1 Utility image SHA 256: d2ba0b86ed4214659720cdcf68ff09ca748700a32afc3d25808b6a3af74223f2
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
Recraft V4.1 Utility: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.035000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:38 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f
Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 03fbeae7859be72584048dfc23fba0651220ab44c707da66c386b77d90cc86f7
Recraft V4.1 Utility image SHA 256: 7d383a257e5152b2781a6e5a78edd54fe55900dfb2580f85078f8142b63194c5
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
Recraft V4.1 Utility: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.035000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:37 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3
Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 0ea1e48f20bf61ff10414398b5248b0496c9040b3868c915580efd11d0dbaf11
Recraft V4.1 Utility image SHA 256: 7fd9cfe67371d0fecc6d605105ca777bec170d4d4e8dcad5b4f15f813e21c1ab
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
Recraft V4.1 Utility: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.035000, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:05 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419
Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 84d88fb03bdbba672fc91268f4c120b17a19e4c9d637425aeca8ed44b2397d9f
Recraft V4.1 Utility image SHA 256: 3aa0bc86cccfd2140ba4f5606f1f814a5a6ded23cb06b7aebe26f8dcf946a752
The numbers at a glance
Grok Imagine Image Quality
not in the arena
Recraft V4.1 Utility
not in the arena
Grok Imagine Image Quality
Rank 54 of 108
Recraft V4.1 Utility
Rank 41 of 108
Grok Imagine Image Quality
fairly cheap
Recraft V4.1 Utility
fairly cheap
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.
Grok Imagine Image Quality
- Subscription
- n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
- Via API
- $0.05 per image, 100 images $5.
Recraft V4.1 Utility
- Subscription
- Free to use at Recraft (Recraft Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €12.72 a month (Recraft Basic, with limited credits). 4 plans in Germany.
- Via API
- $0.035 per image, 100 images $3.50.
Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.
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 | Grok Imagine Image Quality | Recraft V4.1 Utility |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 60 | 65 |
| GraduallyBench by task | ||
| Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition | 88 | 96 |
| Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details | 37 | 32 |
| Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency | 56 | 66 |
| InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization | 61 | 64 |
| API price | ||
| Per imagelower is better | $0.05 | $0.035 |
| 100 images | $5 | $3.50 |
| Profile | ||
| Released | April 2026 | May 2026 |
| Weightsopen means: runs locally | proprietary | proprietary |
| 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, Web app |
| Parameters | not published | not published |
| Largest output | 2K | 1 Megapixel |
| Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model | n/a | 4 |
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) · Recraft V4.1 Utility model source (verified Aug 15, 2026)
Arena ratings by category
From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.
Artificial Analysis from Nov 6, 2026
All individual values with sources
| Rating | Grok Imagine Image Quality | Recraft V4.1 Utility | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text to Image Arena | 1,049 | 1,028 | Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026 |
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