Grok Imagine Image Qualityvs.Wan 2.6 Text to Image
Which one is better?
In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. Grok Imagine Image Quality costs 1.7 times as much per image.
Test images
Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.
Result for “Typography and layout”:Grok Imagine Image Quality ahead
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
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
Wan 2.6 Text to Image: together, requested 1280x1280, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:30 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6
Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: b6cccae7af9a70af45a46b9e3264fa6971101e04979f7a0539e889ba6521250a
Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: cf49d7136a442f4f1c1ae29af99e917aa83bcbf501fdacfe3a13a3b3e74d7f9a
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
Wan 2.6 Text to Image: together, requested 1280x1280, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:30 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f
Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 03fbeae7859be72584048dfc23fba0651220ab44c707da66c386b77d90cc86f7
Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: 28eecbf460194ec047237c35415d934929baee9de9938bdff435cd21a4416435
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
Wan 2.6 Text to Image: together, requested 1280x1280, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:29 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3
Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 0ea1e48f20bf61ff10414398b5248b0496c9040b3868c915580efd11d0dbaf11
Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: e8dbcfd0ce965814d72d676eddf74f723d476c1f78c5928c7b6efbc4eca4765e
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
Wan 2.6 Text to Image: together, requested 1280x1280, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:01 PM. Source
Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419
Grok Imagine Image Quality image SHA 256: 84d88fb03bdbba672fc91268f4c120b17a19e4c9d637425aeca8ed44b2397d9f
Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: 7e9557478ee297369d7680b31ab3b23a13c984981c0e0c922ef07372999122a7
The numbers at a glance
Grok Imagine Image Quality
not in the arena
Wan 2.6 Text to Image
not in the arena
Grok Imagine Image Quality
Rank 54 of 108
Wan 2.6 Text to Image
Rank 44 of 108
Grok Imagine Image Quality
fairly cheap
Wan 2.6 Text to Image
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.
Wan 2.6 Text to Image
- Subscription
- n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
- Via API
- $0.03 per image, 100 images $3.
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 | Wan 2.6 Text to Image |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 63 |
| GraduallyBench by task | ||
| Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition | 88 | 41 |
| Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details | 37 | 54 |
| Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency | 56 | 79 |
| InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization | 61 | 77 |
| API price | ||
| Per imagelower is better | $0.05 | $0.03 |
| 100 images | $5 | $3 |
| Profile | ||
| Released | April 2026 | January 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 |
| Parameters | not published | not published |
| Largest output | 2K | 2K |
| 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) · Wan 2.6 Text to Image 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 | Wan 2.6 Text to Image | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text to Image Arena | 1,049 | 1,018 | Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026 |
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