Wan 2.6 Text to Imagevs.HiDream-O1-Image

Which one is better?

In our own test, Wan 2.6 Text to Image leads. Wan 2.6 Text to Image has no arena rating yet. HiDream-O1-Image costs 1.3 times as much per image.

Test images

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run — Wan 2.6 Text to Image77 out of 100

HiDream-O1-Image: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run — HiDream-O1-Image43 out of 100

Result for “Infographic”:Wan 2.6 Text to Image ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square German infographic titled SO FUNKTIONIERT PHOTOSYNTHESE. Show exactly four numbered steps in this order: 1 LICHT, 2 WASSER, 3 CO₂, 4 ZUCKER + SAUERSTOFF. Use a clean editorial science style with one plant cross-section, simple arrows, high contrast, legible labels, and no other text.

What the rating looks at: Numbers, labels, and visual organization.

“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

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

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1735022440, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: cf49d7136a442f4f1c1ae29af99e917aa83bcbf501fdacfe3a13a3b3e74d7f9a

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 9ac2cbe23ee6a63b0daacd665a40c3471c52c52fd6ad23e46d3027bb95f8c880

Infographic

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

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1456348218, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: 28eecbf460194ec047237c35415d934929baee9de9938bdff435cd21a4416435

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 258eece8b53e4df0c990b78dee2e02ec57569b1c823c3feff2ab54671240d66f

Product photography

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

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=124666889, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:53 PM. Source

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: e8dbcfd0ce965814d72d676eddf74f723d476c1f78c5928c7b6efbc4eca4765e

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 5a9cd3c59556412e4de93a3ef5c4121ec12b6cc02730cad527619c2d8a889783

Typography and layout

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

HiDream-O1-Image: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=2131088503, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:41 PM. Source

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: 7e9557478ee297369d7680b31ab3b23a13c984981c0e0c922ef07372999122a7

HiDream-O1-Image image SHA 256: 418a9b974b87b751ad2e4e98cdf6b8d7e2f8f352aed63d25be84c02377f310d1

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Wan 2.6 Text to Image

not in the arena

1,115

HiDream-O1-Image

Rank 19 of 21

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Wan 2.6 Text to Image

Rank 44 of 108

HiDream-O1-Image

Rank 77 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.03

Wan 2.6 Text to Image

cheap

$0.04

HiDream-O1-Image

fairly 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.

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.

HiDream-O1-Image

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.04 per image, 100 images $4.
License: Open weights.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

Arena rating (LMArena) from Nov 6, 2026 · 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	Wan 2.6 Text to Image	HiDream-O1-Image
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	n/a	1,115
Arena rank	n/a	Rank 19 of 21
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	n/a	79,970
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	63	34
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	41	18
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	54	31
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	79	45
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	77	43
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.03	$0.04
100 images	$3	$4
Profile
Released	January 2026	May 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	open
Access	API	API, local
Parameters	not published	8 billion
Largest output	2K	2,048 × 2,048 pixels
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: Wan 2.6 Text to Image model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · HiDream-O1-Image model source (verified Aug 15, 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 betterWan 2.6 Text to ImageHiDream-O1-Image

Text to Image Arena1,018978ahead

Artificial Analysis from Nov 6, 2026

All individual values with sources

Rating	Wan 2.6 Text to Image	HiDream-O1-Image	Source
Text to Image Arena	1,018	978	Artificial AnalysisRetrieved Nov 6, 2026

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