Qwen-Image-2.1vs.Muse Image

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. In the arena, Muse Image leads. Qwen-Image-2.1 has no API price.

Test images

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

Qwen-Image-2.1: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Qwen-Image-2.154 out of 100

Muse Image: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Muse Image86 out of 100

Result for “Typography and layout”:Muse Image 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

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

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=1591420783, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

Muse Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.010000, source 1600x1600, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:48 AM. Source

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

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: b29bb7e207ad464957ee060bbf0655104bcbece703360254e48daa3ec35a62d7

Muse Image image SHA 256: 356427fe1ec15a444aae4eab2194344c7fe6b17ef205a8db16c1d64dbacb750e

Infographic

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=1283422012, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, prior anonymous attempt refused before inference (ZeroGPU quota), completed through authenticated browser, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

Muse Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.010000, source 1600x1600, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

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

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 316e38ed63ff401f86a7ceee9cc65c74413e0e9c7c899a6e6bf453acc2940dac

Muse Image image SHA 256: c8b096001990f57cb5225f6387485b391a4a5e3c3031e7b0524a4c19e1e01bc8

Product photography

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=196359631, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

Muse Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.010000, source 1600x1600, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:48 AM. Source

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

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 041f559d4261865b327fcae4f8bb0bd3b176c55a3b1255a042ab3e0fc4f9bc4b

Muse Image image SHA 256: 0cb5d4c3dbe33c840ba87f0e8af255deec9e7e02eb6c7f172310af433e78fdb6

Typography and layout

Qwen-Image-2.1: manual, 1:1, requested and received 1024x1024, one request, first output, Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 base, 40 steps, true CFG 1.0, prompt enhancement disabled, no negative prompt, no reference images, seed=158818011, official Space commit 5694809f4c56a4e8c40787b5392cecac36493c5d, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:49 AM. Source

Muse Image: fal, aspect ratio 1:1, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.010000, source 1600x1600, stored 1024x1024 (Lanczos3 downscale), generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:48 AM. Source

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

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 4670269190f492154c05e3f18c4eb9e3938910ca1aca32503b6a1ceb16d39b38

Muse Image image SHA 256: b8232890082d6bdd72dd7be99d98a573566a2c62f94597ecdda2bd9110e2e143

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

1,225

Qwen-Image-2.1

Rank 14 of 21

1,269

Muse Image

Rank 7 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Qwen-Image-2.1

Rank 40 of 108

Muse Image

Rank 4 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

n/a

Qwen-Image-2.1

no API price

$0.01

Muse 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.

Qwen-Image-2.1

Subscription: No Alibaba subscription includes this model. Through other providers from ≈ €9.51 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 5 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: local, Web app.
License: Open weights, Qwen Research License: non-commercial use only; commercial use requires a separate license.

Muse Image

Subscription: Free to use at Meta (Meta AI Free). Through other providers from ≈ €9.51 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 6 plans in Germany.
Via API: $0.01 per image, 100 images $1.

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 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 3, 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	Qwen-Image-2.1	Muse Image
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	1,225	1,269
Arena rank	Rank 14 of 21	Rank 7 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	19,604	53,444
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	65	78
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	54	86
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	90	81
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	34	61
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	83	86
API price
Per imagelower is better	n/a	$0.01
100 images	n/a	$1
Profile
Released	Sep 20, 2026	Jul 7, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	openQwen Research License: non-commercial use only; commercial use requires a separate license	proprietary
Access	local, Web app	API, Web app
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	2K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	5	6

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

Sources: Qwen-Image-2.1 model source, status source (verified Sep 22, 2026) · Muse Image model source (verified Sep 26, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

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

Arena rating per categoryfrom votes by users · higher is betterQwen-Image-2.1Muse Image

Text to Image Arena1,0431,127ahead

Image Editing Arena1,0811,129ahead

Text to Image: 3D modeling1,2131,239ahead

Text to Image: Agentic image generation1,2311,236level

Text to Image: Art1,2341,258ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon1,2341,276ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design1,2381,259ahead

Text to Image: Overall1,2251,269ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism1,2271,281ahead

Text to Image: Portraits1,2521,294ahead

Text to Image: Text rendering1,2501,293ahead

Image Editing: Agentic image generation1,3681,393level

Image Editing: Overall1,3621,400ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 3, 2026 · LMArena from Oct 28, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	Qwen-Image-2.1	Muse Image	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,043	1,127	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Image Editing Arena	1,081	1,129	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 3, 2026
Text to Image: 3D modeling	1,213	1,239	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Agentic image generation	1,231	1,236	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Art	1,234	1,258	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	1,234	1,276	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	1,238	1,259	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	1,225	1,269	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	1,227	1,281	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	1,252	1,294	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	1,250	1,293	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Agentic image generation	1,368	1,393	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Image Editing: Overall	1,362	1,400	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026

More comparisons with Qwen-Image-2.1 and Muse Image

Compare Qwen-Image-2.1 and Muse Image with the models people compare them with most often.

Compare another matchup

First image modelSecond image model

Predecessor and successor

No predecessor recorded for Qwen-Image-2.1
Qwen-Image-2.1 has no successor yet
No predecessor recorded for Muse Image
Muse Image has no successor yet

The most popular comparisons

Show all 20 comparisons