Recraft V4.1 Utilityvs.Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium

Which one is better?

In our own test, Recraft V4.1 Utility leads. Neither is in the arena. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium has no API price.

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

Recraft V4.1 Utility: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Recraft V4.1 Utility91 out of 100

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium17 out of 100

Result for “Typography and layout”:Recraft V4.1 Utility 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

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:17 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Utility image SHA 256: d2ba0b86ed4214659720cdcf68ff09ca748700a32afc3d25808b6a3af74223f2

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium image SHA 256: 6b8aa732e94479ad302904096c5031908141e4083ee099f080185aa04c2ea800

Infographic

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:17 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Utility image SHA 256: 7d383a257e5152b2781a6e5a78edd54fe55900dfb2580f85078f8142b63194c5

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium image SHA 256: 61b12e227431387098e51c6ce6d059be9d8df9c85263b994bee62602e2ddfd16

Product photography

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:16 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Utility image SHA 256: 7fd9cfe67371d0fecc6d605105ca777bec170d4d4e8dcad5b4f15f813e21c1ab

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium image SHA 256: 2412a20e61c118ce7ab7ff83e285b96eb32d5c0f1171cc769e153db6655b8f67

Typography and layout

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:16 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Utility image SHA 256: 3aa0bc86cccfd2140ba4f5606f1f814a5a6ded23cb06b7aebe26f8dcf946a752

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium image SHA 256: bc854c3269ea8bada6f764545f4a09abedc110219018c09f2fa5708a14d9af7e

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Utility

not in the arena

n/a

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Recraft V4.1 Utility

Rank 23 of 74

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium

Rank 69 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.035

Recraft V4.1 Utility

fairly cheap

n/a

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium

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.

Recraft V4.1 Utility

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: $0.035 per image, 100 images $3.50.

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, local.
License: Open weights.

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	Recraft V4.1 Utility	Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
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	62	16
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	91	17
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	30	13
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	79	16
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	49	20
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.035	n/a
100 images	$3.50	n/a
Profile
Released	May 2026	Oct 29, 2024
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	open
Access	API, Web app	API, local
Parameters	not published	2.5 billion
Largest output	1 Megapixel	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	4	n/a

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

Sources: Recraft V4.1 Utility model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium 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 Recraft V4.1 Utility and Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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More matchups

Compare Recraft V4.1 Utility and Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium with other important image models.

View the complete image model comparison

Same prompt, two images

The numbers at a glance

Recraft V4.1 Utility

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium

All data side by side

Arena ratings by category

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

Compare another matchup

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