Recraft V4.1 Flashvs.Chroma1-HD

Which one is better?

In our own test, Recraft V4.1 Flash leads. Neither is in the arena. Neither has an API price.

Test images

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Recraft V4.1 Flash89 out of 100

Chroma1-HD: Typography and layout, first image from the fixed test run — Chroma1-HD36 out of 100

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.007000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:28 PM. Source

Chroma1-HD: manual, local PyTorch 2.13.0, Diffusers 0.36.0; lodestones/Chroma1-HD@0e0c60ece1e82b17cb7f77342d765ba5024c40c0; native 1024x1024, 1:1; one request, first output; steps=40, guidance=3.0, seed=4845693986590311438; mps for text encoder and denoising; cpu for native VAE decode; bfloat16 for text encoder and transformer; float32 for VAE, generated Nov 2, 2026, 7:16 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash image SHA 256: dbce96e506ae3556509e45211cdd885bb4f5b79875e4c0adcc9398286183a910

Chroma1-HD image SHA 256: 7ca51c510884638a4d8c09d0e361e2bf0328c466d36ec4235f5305580dc10a8a

Infographic

Recraft V4.1 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.007000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:29 PM. Source

Chroma1-HD: manual, local PyTorch 2.13.0, Diffusers 0.36.0; lodestones/Chroma1-HD@0e0c60ece1e82b17cb7f77342d765ba5024c40c0; native 1024x1024, 1:1; one request, first output; steps=40, guidance=3.0, seed=3726635088695005336; mps for text encoder and denoising; cpu for native VAE decode; bfloat16 for text encoder and transformer; float32 for VAE, generated Nov 2, 2026, 7:22 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash image SHA 256: 0f09d34ba3ae484d03dac33e6d64901b6558dcdf51a46051c146b23ed3173756

Chroma1-HD image SHA 256: 834ab94e5514295d56b66f606572d348fc4b5d1cdeba5874921c79c00774c76a

Product photography

Recraft V4.1 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.007000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:28 PM. Source

Chroma1-HD: manual, local PyTorch 2.13.0, Diffusers 0.36.0; lodestones/Chroma1-HD@0e0c60ece1e82b17cb7f77342d765ba5024c40c0; native 1024x1024, 1:1; one request, first output; steps=40, guidance=3.0, seed=7965145008513162443; mps for text encoder and denoising; cpu for native VAE decode; bfloat16 for text encoder and transformer; float32 for VAE, generated Nov 2, 2026, 7:10 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash image SHA 256: 4b7b55957807e99edb69d2ef7ad407b87840eb7d6c6d268c0635834bb4add700

Chroma1-HD image SHA 256: 8a0ebbb527f4db84a42a98a256333b00b4dc5ffae699a31b694f36bf34613e4b

Typography and layout

Recraft V4.1 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.007000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:28 PM. Source

Chroma1-HD: manual, local PyTorch 2.13.0, Diffusers 0.36.0; lodestones/Chroma1-HD@0e0c60ece1e82b17cb7f77342d765ba5024c40c0; native 1024x1024, 1:1; one request, first output; steps=40, guidance=3.0, seed=2582507270187158929; mps for text encoder and denoising; cpu for native VAE decode; bfloat16 for text encoder and transformer; float32 for VAE, generated Nov 2, 2026, 7:04 PM. Source

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

Recraft V4.1 Flash image SHA 256: 8c0ce1a0ca50d0eb9cb6707a1e2fa250b4e1ab66c724498b4a72395fd97461d5

Chroma1-HD image SHA 256: d0ccb26f1a27cc3142c3c669b3e05ed7bb568b58706a237e7e34b3bbb68a9cc5

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Flash

not in the arena

n/a

Chroma1-HD

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Recraft V4.1 Flash

Rank 55 of 108

Chroma1-HD

Rank 94 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

n/a

Recraft V4.1 Flash

no API price

n/a

Chroma1-HD

no API price

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.

Recraft V4.1 Flash

Subscription: Free to use at Recraft (Recraft Free, with limited credits), more from ≈ €12.72 a month (Recraft Basic, with limited credits). Through other providers from ≈ €9.54 a month (Krea Basic, with limited credits). 14 plans in Germany.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API, Web app.
Weights: unknown.

Chroma1-HD

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: No API price known. Access: 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 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	Recraft V4.1 Flash	Chroma1-HD
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	23
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	89	36
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	36	16
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	42	17
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	74	22
API price
Per imagelower is better	n/a	n/a
100 images	n/a	n/a
Profile
Released	September 2026	n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locally	unknown	open
Access	API, Web app	local
Parameters	not published	8.9 billion
Largest output	1K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	14	n/a

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

Sources: Recraft V4.1 Flash model source (verified Nov 1, 2026) · Chroma1-HD 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 Flash and Chroma1-HD from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

More comparisons

Compare Recraft V4.1 Flash and Chroma1-HD with the models people compare them with most often.

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