Skip to main content

Wan 2.6 Text to Imagevs.Midjourney V8.1

Which one is better?

In our own test, Wan 2.6 Text to Image leads. Neither is in the arena. Midjourney V8.1 has no API price.

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
Midjourney V8.1: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run
Midjourney V8.135 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

Midjourney V8.1: manual, one request, first output, Midjourney V8.1 Standard, 1:1, 1024x1024, four candidates, stylize 100, weird 0, variety 0, Raw off, personalization off, Relax mode, no reference image, no negative prompt, generated Aug 16, 2026, 12:19 PM. Source

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: cf49d7136a442f4f1c1ae29af99e917aa83bcbf501fdacfe3a13a3b3e74d7f9a

Midjourney V8.1 image SHA 256: cf522740817fefe58b263fa9a0d07d249c42211eca7d7c9b013f7145a7d2a8ea

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

Midjourney V8.1: manual, one request, first output, Midjourney V8.1 Standard, 1:1, 1024x1024, four candidates, stylize 100, weird 0, variety 0, Raw off, personalization off, Relax mode, no reference image, no negative prompt, generated Aug 16, 2026, 12:19 PM. Source

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: 28eecbf460194ec047237c35415d934929baee9de9938bdff435cd21a4416435

Midjourney V8.1 image SHA 256: ac36188f88f37f23c2c405355d8dd12594085e1450d732fa419d8cec9a6c598f

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

Midjourney V8.1: manual, one request, first output, Midjourney V8.1 Standard, 1:1, 1024x1024, four candidates, stylize 100, weird 0, variety 0, Raw off, personalization off, Relax mode, no reference image, no negative prompt, generated Aug 16, 2026, 12:19 PM. Source

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: e8dbcfd0ce965814d72d676eddf74f723d476c1f78c5928c7b6efbc4eca4765e

Midjourney V8.1 image SHA 256: 992f2486be40bc361a638b4b266909d334883c05fe4763cf5e243358c688bfdd

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

Midjourney V8.1: manual, one request, first output, Midjourney V8.1 Standard, 1:1, 1024x1024, four candidates, stylize 100, weird 0, variety 0, Raw off, personalization off, Relax mode, no reference image, no negative prompt, generated Aug 16, 2026, 12:19 PM. Source

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

Wan 2.6 Text to Image image SHA 256: 7e9557478ee297369d7680b31ab3b23a13c984981c0e0c922ef07372999122a7

Midjourney V8.1 image SHA 256: af3d2c5042b108a7fe2eb49bae072d30030e6b6cf814875ef9ce7074ceafc4ce

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

n/a

Midjourney V8.1

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
63

Wan 2.6 Text to Image

Rank 44 of 108

38

Midjourney V8.1

Rank 73 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
$0.03

Wan 2.6 Text to Image

cheap

n/a

Midjourney V8.1

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.

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.

Midjourney V8.1

Subscription
At Midjourney from ≈ €10.60 a month (Midjourney Basic). 4 plans in Germany.
Via API
No API price known. Access: Web app.

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

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.

KennzahlWan 2.6 Text to ImageMidjourney V8.1
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is bettern/an/a
Arena rankn/an/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer ratingn/an/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 1006338
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition4114
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details5450
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency7951
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization7735
API price
Per imagelower is better$0.03n/a
100 images$3n/a
Profile
ReleasedJanuary 2026Apr 14, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locallyproprietaryproprietary
AccessAPIWeb app
Parametersnot publishednot published
Largest output2K2K
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this modeln/a4

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) · Midjourney V8.1 model source (verified Aug 15, 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 Wan 2.6 Text to Image and Midjourney V8.1 from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

More comparisons

Compare Wan 2.6 Text to Image and Midjourney V8.1 with the models people compare them with most often.

Compare another matchup