Stable Diffusion 3.5 Largevs.Qwen-Image-2.1

Which one is better?

Qwen-Image-2.1 leads in both ratings: in our own test and in the arena. Both are in the lower half there, though. Neither has an API price.

Test images

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large17 out of 100

Qwen-Image-2.1: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — Qwen-Image-2.190 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:Qwen-Image-2.1 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.

“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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=7087247023770270000, estimated cost $0.068157, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:37 PM. Source

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

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large image SHA 256: e748006fe56e442ad347e3f994f18b86ee1739f20dcee063aa7a03ee710c5d54

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: b29bb7e207ad464957ee060bbf0655104bcbece703360254e48daa3ec35a62d7

Infographic

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=12166653711354006000, estimated cost $0.068157, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:37 PM. Source

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

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large image SHA 256: 4eb0fd741ef42e6d3fee4b1280cdfb098a0a04009b139051963895892e349f1e

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 316e38ed63ff401f86a7ceee9cc65c74413e0e9c7c899a6e6bf453acc2940dac

Product photography

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=13346308312015933000, estimated cost $0.068157, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:37 PM. Source

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

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large image SHA 256: ea9a7401dee8859ec2cb96af9f7ca29a177ef2202f52f629d8ce9f5839bd4061

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 041f559d4261865b327fcae4f8bb0bd3b176c55a3b1255a042ab3e0fc4f9bc4b

Typography and layout

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=16632333557910893000, estimated cost $0.068157, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:37 PM. Source

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

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

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large image SHA 256: e2994b1883a245b1c8c447957d121ea89d93aafff149029aa4e8507dbb769f9a

Qwen-Image-2.1 image SHA 256: 4670269190f492154c05e3f18c4eb9e3938910ca1aca32503b6a1ceb16d39b38

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

938

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large

Rank 21 of 21

1,225

Qwen-Image-2.1

Rank 14 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large

Rank 87 of 108

Qwen-Image-2.1

Rank 40 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

n/a

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large

no API price

n/a

Qwen-Image-2.1

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.

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large

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

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.

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 · 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	Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large	Qwen-Image-2.1
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	938	1,225
Arena rank	Rank 21 of 21	Rank 14 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	23,396	19,604
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	27	65
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	31	54
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	17	90
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	23	34
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	39	83
API price
Per imagelower is better	n/a	n/a
100 images	n/a	n/a
Profile
Released	Oct 22, 2024	Sep 20, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	open	openQwen Research License: non-commercial use only; commercial use requires a separate license
Access	API, local	local, Web app
Parameters	8.1 billion	not published
Largest output	1 Megapixel	2K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	n/a	5

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

Sources: Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Qwen-Image-2.1 model source, status source (verified Sep 22, 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 betterStable Diffusion 3.5 LargeQwen-Image-2.1

Text to Image: 3D modeling9631,213ahead

Text to Image: Art9971,234ahead

Text to Image: Cartoon9451,234ahead

Text to Image: Commercial design9371,238ahead

Text to Image: Overall9381,225ahead

Text to Image: Photorealism9281,227ahead

Text to Image: Portraits9421,252ahead

Text to Image: Text rendering9211,250ahead

LMArena from Oct 28, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large	Qwen-Image-2.1	Source
Text to Image: 3D modeling	963	1,213	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Art	997	1,234	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Cartoon	945	1,234	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Commercial design	937	1,238	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Overall	938	1,225	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Photorealism	928	1,227	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Portraits	942	1,252	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026
Text to Image: Text rendering	921	1,250	LMArenaRetrieved Oct 28, 2026

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Predecessor and successor

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large has no successor yet
No predecessor recorded for Qwen-Image-2.1
Qwen-Image-2.1 has no successor yet

The most popular comparisons

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