Recraft's latest image generation model at ~2048px resolution with stronger composition, refined lighting, and realistic materials for print-ready and large-scale work
Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
Recraft V4 Pro
#18 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Recraft V4.1 Pro
#44 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Where the votes landed
Recraft V4 Pro
100.0%
win rate
Ties
0.0%
Recraft V4.1 Pro
0.0%
win rate
Challenge by challenge
The strongest take from each model on every shared challenge, with the AI judge's read.
Geometric Composition
Text-to-Image“A glass cube on a wooden table. Inside the cube is a small blue sphere. On top of the cube sits a red book. A green plant is behind the cube, partially visible through the glass. Soft window light from the left.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent photorealism and texture on the wooden table and book.
- + Accurately places the plant behind the cube as requested.
- + Lighting and reflections on the glass are very realistic.
- − The blue sphere is quite large, pushing the definition of 'small'.
- − The plant is mostly to the side rather than directly behind the cube.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + The green plant is clearly positioned behind the glass cube, showing through the medium.
- + The scale of the blue sphere is better suited to the 'small' description.
- + Good application of the soft window light from the left.
- − The glass cube has some geometric inconsistencies, particularly at the top back edge.
- − The blue sphere appears slightly detached from the bottom of the cube due to lack of a strong shadow.
Verdict: Both models followed the complex spatial instructions very well. Recraft V4 Pro (Image A) is preferred for its superior rendering of materials and more consistent glass geometry, even though Recraft V4.1 Pro (Image B) captured the scale and positioning of the plant slightly better.
Candid Street Photography
Text-to-Image“A candid street photo of an elderly Japanese man repairing a red bicycle in light rain, reflections on wet pavement, shallow depth of field, 50mm lens, natural skin texture, imperfect framing, motion blur from passing cars, cinematic but realistic, no stylization.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent mood and cinematic lighting with strong reflections.
- + Natural skin texture and detailed facial features.
- + Captures the 'light rain' atmosphere convincingly with high clarity.
- − Lack of motion blur on the passing cars, which was a specific prompt requirement.
- − Composition is a bit too balanced for a 'candid' or 'imperfect framing' request.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Successfully incorporates motion blur on passing cars as requested.
- + The slightly off-center, tighter framing feels more like a candid street photo.
- + Skin texture and age details on the man are very realistic.
- − The bike anatomy is slightly awkward where his hands meet the tire.
- − The rain effect looks a bit like a static overlay rather than being integrated into the scene lighting.
Verdict: Recraft V4 Pro creates a more beautiful, cinematic image with superior lighting and reflections, but it fails to include the motion blur requested in the prompt. Recraft V4.1 Pro is the better overall match for the technical requirements, successfully delivering the motion blur and the 'imperfect' candid aesthetic despite slightly less dramatic lighting.
Fantasy Warrior
Text-to-Image“Close portrait of a battle-worn paladin in ornate engraved plate armor, hair braided with small beads, faint scars and dirt on the skin, warm torchlight reflecting off metal, shallow depth of field, bokeh sparks, lifelike eyes, highly detailed texture on leather straps and cloth underlayer.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent engraving detail on the plate armor
- + Symmetry in armor and braid composition creates a strong, stoic presence
- + Accurate depiction of hair beads as requested
- − Lighting is a bit flat across the face compared to the environment
- − The armor looks slightly CGI rather than photorealistic
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Incredible skin texture and realistic grit/dirt details
- + Superior use of shallow depth of field and bokeh sparks
- + Stronger adherence to the 'close portrait' request with a dynamic angle
- − The hair braids are thinner and less prominent than those in Model A
- − One eye has a slightly unusual reflection/pupil shape upon close inspection
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro is the winner due to its superior photorealistic textures and masterful use of lighting and depth of field, which perfectly capture the 'battle-worn' aesthetic. While Recraft V4 Pro features very impressive armor engravings and symmetrical braids, it feels more like a video game render compared to the cinematic, lifelike quality of Recraft V4.1 Pro.
Modern Clean Menu
Text-to-Image“Modern minimalist restaurant menu design, white background with colorful food photos in grid, sections for appetizers/pizza/mains, bold sans-serif fonts, vibrant accents, clean professional layout for casual dining.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent typography with perfect spelling in all descriptions.
- + Clear, symmetrical grid layout that is very professional.
- + Comprehensive content with 9 unique food items and descriptions matching the prompt.
- − The 'Mains' category header text is slightly less 'vibrant' compared to Model B's accents.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Creative use of color coding for different sections.
- + Modern rounded corners on images and elegant whitespace usage.
- + Good variety of font weights and colors for a 'vibrant' look.
- − Multiple spelling errors like 'sprakling' and 'sraalmon'.
- − Inconsistent grid where some images don't align with their corresponding text sections.
- − Fewer food items represented despite the 'grid' request.
Verdict: Recraft V4 Pro (Model A) is the clear winner as it produces a fully functional, professional-grade menu with zero typos and a perfect grid layout. While Recraft V4.1 Pro (Model B) has a more contemporary aesthetic with its use of color and rounded UI elements, it suffers from several spelling mistakes and a confusing layout where the images do not clearly correspond to the list items.
Magic Burger Explosion: Fiery Photorealism Challenge
Text-to-Image“Ad for 'Magic Burger'. Dynamic, exploded burger with all components (bun, patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sauce) suspended in mid-air. Emphasize photorealistic detail and a sense of motion. Dark, fiery background with glowing embers. Integrate text: 'MAGIC BURGER' as a prominent title, 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' as a secondary message, and '€6.99' in a starburst, all rendered with a fiery, glowing effect.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent photorealistic texture on the meat patty and cheese melt.
- + Balanced composition with clear, legible text overlay.
- + Effective use of vertical space for the exploded burger components.
- − The 'fiery' effect on the text is just a flame texture inside the letters rather than a glow.
- − The starburst for the price is a bit simple and lacks integration with the scene lighting.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Superb integration of fiery glow effects on the text and starburst.
- + Better sense of motion with the dynamic sauce splash wrapping around the burger.
- + Excellent background ambiance with smoke and embers that match the lighting on the food.
- − The meat patty has slightly less realistic texture compared to Model A.
- − The cheese slice appears a bit flat and plastic-like.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro is the winner because it better captures the requested 'fiery, glowing effect' for the text and starburst, creating a more cohesive advertisement. While Recraft V4 Pro has slightly superior food textures, Recraft V4.1 Pro excels in composition and the dynamic sense of motion required by the prompt.
Chalkboard Menu
Text-to-Image“Handwritten-style chalkboard menu in a cozy café, all text rendered in the exact same realistic chalk handwriting style with natural variations in letter size, slight slant, and chalk texture — no printed or digital fonts anywhere on the board. Title at the top in elegant cursive chalk handwriting: ‘TODAY’S SPECIALS – APRIL 30, 2026’. Below it, three menu items also in the same handwritten chalk style: ‘Truffle Mushroom Risotto – $24’, ‘Grilled Octopus with Lemon & Herbs – $28’, ‘Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – $9’. At the very bottom, smaller text in the identical handwritten chalk style (slightly smaller but still clearly legible with the same handwriting characteristics): ‘All items made fresh daily • Ask about our gluten-free options’. Warm ambient café lighting, visible chalk dust and smudges, realistic handwriting imperfections, no clean printed text anywhere.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent text legibility and accuracy
- + Strong composition showing the café context and the hanging board
- + Clean chalkboard texture
- − Text looks like a digital font rather than authentic chalk handwriting
- − Failed the requirement for elegant cursive for the title
- − The letter 's' in 'Octopus' looks duplicated/glitched
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Highly authentic chalk handwriting texture with realistic pressure variations
- + Followed the instruction for cursive script in the title
- + Excellent depth of field and color grading for a cozy café atmosphere
- − Minor text artifacts on some smaller letters
- − The perspective crop is tighter than Image A
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro is the clear winner because it successfully captured the requested 'handwritten chalk style' with natural variations and authentic texture, whereas Recraft V4 Pro produced text that looks like a clean digital font. Recraft V4.1 Pro also followed the specific stylistic instruction for cursive in the title, creating a much more believable and artistic result.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent atmospheric lighting and cinematic mood.
- + High level of detail on the ice/rock surface and space debris.
- + Coherent integration of the horse into the environment.
- − Failed the specific prompt instruction to have the horse on top of the astronaut.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Beautiful cosmic background with vibrant colors.
- + Clear, high-quality rendering of the astronaut and horse.
- − Failed the specific prompt instruction to have the horse on top of the astronaut.
- − Anatomical issues with the horse's front legs.
Verdict: Both models failed the specific spatial instruction to place the horse on top of the astronaut, instead defaulting to the common trope of an astronaut riding a horse. Recraft V4 Pro produced a more cinematic and moody image with better environmental consistency, while Recraft V4.1 Pro had significant anatomical distortions in the horse's legs.
The Capybara Taxi Driver
Text-to-Image“Photorealistic scene inside a yellow New York taxi at night. A capybara is driving, wearing a yellow taxi driver cap and a dark jacket. It has a calm, professional expression and both front paws on the steering wheel. In the back seat sits a human businesswoman in a coat, looking at her phone with a completely normal, bored expression (as if this is just another normal ride). Through the windows you can see the streets of Manhattan at night with blurred lights. Realistic taxi interior, photorealistic, detailed fur and fabric, 35mm lens, night lighting with reflections, shallow depth of field.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent atmosphere with realistic rain highlights and city bokeh.
- + Highly detailed capybara texture and realistic paws on the steering wheel.
- + The capybara's hat features correct 'NYC' text branding.
- − The passenger looks a bit too much like she is in the same front-seat plane rather than clearly in the back seat.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Strong composition that clearly separates the driver and the passenger in the back seat.
- + Accurate interpretation of the jacket and professional expression for the capybara.
- + Logical placement of the taxi light on top of the vehicle.
- − The capybara's hands/paws look slightly distorted and less animal-like compared to Model A.
- − The lighting is a bit flatter and less cinematic than the first image.
Verdict: Recraft V4 Pro wins slightly due to its superior atmosphere, lighting, and textures, particularly the realistic rendering of the capybara's fur and the rainy NYC exterior. While Recraft V4.1 Pro handles the spatial arrangement of the passenger better, the overall photographic quality and detail in the capybara's features in the first image are more convincing.
The Halloween Invitation
Text-to-Image“Vintage gothic Halloween party invitation. Dark parchment poster, spooky border with webs and thorns, central glowing jack-o-lantern, bats, twisted trees, moody night sky. Add elegant gothic title text saying "Halloween Party Invitation", a small scroll banner saying "You are invited to a night of frights", and event details at the bottom: Date: 30.10.2026 Time: 7pm Location: The Arches, NYC Spooky but polished, cinematic lighting, square format.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent typography rendering with zero spelling errors.
- + Clean, modern execution of the thorn and web border.
- + High resolution with sharp, cinematic lighting on the pumpkin.
- − Misses the 'vintage gothic' and 'parchment' texture, feeling a bit too digital and clean.
- − The font choice is relatively plain compared to a true 'gothic title' request.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Perfectly captures the 'vintage gothic' aesthetic with excellent parchment texture and a custom gothic font.
- + High artistic merit in the border integration, including skulls and twisted trees that feel more thematic.
- + Effective placement of the title and scroll banner for a traditional poster layout.
- − Includes a minor typo in the title ('Halliween' instead of 'Halloween').
- − The pumpkin light is slightly blown out, losing some internal detail compared to the other model.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro captures the specific vintage gothic atmosphere and parchment texture far better than Recraft V4 Pro, despite a minor spelling error in the title. Recraft V4 Pro is technically perfect in its text rendering but feels more like a modern digital graphic than the requested vintage invitation style.
Isometric Miniature Diorama Scenes
Text-to-Image“Create a clear, 45° top-down isometric miniature 3D cartoon scene of Japan's signature dish: sushi, with soft refined textures, realistic PBR materials, gentle lighting, on a small raised diorama base with minimal garnish and plate. Solid light blue background. At top-center: 'JAPAN' in large bold text, 'SUSHI' below it, small flag icon. Perfectly centered, ultra-clean, high-clarity, square format.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent miniature 3D aesthetic with highly detailed textures on the fish and roe.
- + Follows the text placement request perfectly, centering the large bold 'JAPAN' text at the top.
- + The diorama base made of rice grains is creative and visually interesting.
- − The blue plate has a slightly grainy texture that looks a bit more like noise than a specific material.
- − The lighting is a bit flat compared to the soft shadows in the alternative.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Clean, modern isometric composition with very smooth PBR-style materials.
- + Excellent typographic design with a stylish font for 'JAPAN' and 'SUSHI'.
- + Sophisticated lighting and shadow work that enhances the 3D diorama feel.
- − The text is not centered globally as requested, being offset to the top-left area.
- − The flag icon is placed to the right of the text instead of top-center as per instructions.
- − The variety of sushi is more limited compared to the visual richness of the first image.
Verdict: Recraft V4 Pro followed the layout instructions more precisely, specifically regarding the centered text and flag placement at the top. While Recraft V4.1 Pro produced a more stylish graphic design and cleaner lighting, its failure to center the text elements makes Recraft V4 Pro the more accurate response to the prompt.
Adorable Baby Animals in Sunny Meadow
Text-to-Image“Hyper-photorealistic scene of fluffy baby animals—a golden retriever puppy, tabby kitten, baby bunny, and red fox kit—with big expressive eyes and ultra-detailed soft fur, playfully chasing butterflies and tumbling together in a lush wildflower meadow, warm golden sunrise light with god rays and dew sparkles, joyful wholesome vibe, 8K masterpiece.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent fur texture realism
- + Captures the 'god rays' and dew sparkles requirement well
- + Accurate depiction of all four requested species
- − Composition feels slightly stiff and posed
- − Cat's front paw has a slightly awkward, flattened appearance
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Dynamic and playful composition with animals actually tumbling
- + Strong sense of motion and 'chasing' interacton
- + Exceptional lighting and depth within the wildflower meadow
- − The fox kit has a tail appearing to sprout from the middle of its back
- − Background puppy anatomy is slightly confusing with an extra limb/tail segment
Verdict: Recraft V4 Pro provides a cleaner, more anatomically stable image with beautiful textures, while Recraft V4.1 Pro captures the 'playful tumbling' energy of the prompt much more effectively. Recraft V4.1 Pro is ultimately the winner for its superior composition and joyful vibe, despite minor AI artifacts in the background animals.
Vintage Cafe Logo
Text-to-Image“Vintage minimalist restaurant logo for "Caffè Florian", retro cloche dome with steam and "Est. 1720" banner, classic typography, warm brown and cream tones, subtle texture on light background, vector emblem style.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent hand-drawn vintage aesthetic with hatching lines
- + Sophisticated typography with decorative flourishes
- + High-quality banner detail and placement
- − Steam looks a bit more like wispy hairs than vapor
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Clean vector-style execution
- + Clearer representation of steam rising from the cloche
- + Compact icon-centric design
- − Typography is a bit generic compared to the vintage request
- − The banner is very small and lacks detail
- − The composition feels less high-end than the competition
Verdict: Recraft V4 Pro captures the 'vintage' and 'classic typography' aspects of the prompt much more effectively with its elegant hand-etched style. Recraft V4.1 Pro is cleaner but feels like a modern corporate recreation rather than a truly vintage emblem. Recraft V4 Pro is preferred for its superior artistry and better use of the banner and texture.
Apollo 11: Journey to Tranquility
Text-to-Image“Create a clean, modern vector infographic poster about the Apollo 11 mission. NASA-inspired palette (navy, white, muted red, light gray). Flat-vector style, crisp lines, consistent iconography, subtle gradients only. Steps (stop at landing): 1. Launch (Saturn Vicon) 2. Earth Orbit (Earth + orbit ring icon) 3. Translunar (trajectory arc icon) 4. Lunar Orbit (Moon + orbit ring icon) 5. Descent (lunar module descending icon) 6. Landing (lunar module on the surface icon) Small supporting elements (minimal text): • Crew strip: three silhouette icons with only last names: Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins. • Landing site marker: Moon pin labeled "Tranquility" only. Layout constraints: generous margins, large readable labels, clean background with subtle stars. Vector-only, print-poster look, high resolution.”
AI Judge Analysis
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Excellent typography with clean, legible paragraph descriptions for each step.
- + Highly consistent and appealing vector illustration style across all icons.
- + Creative and era-appropriate astronaut helmet icons for the crew.
- − The layout for the flight path is a bit scattered compared to the linear flow of Model B.
Recraft V4.1 Pro
- + Stronger visual flow with clear numbering and arrows indicating the sequence of events.
- + Includes a well-rendered NASA logo and simplified crew icons that fit the infographic theme well.
- + Solid adherence to the flat-vector style with crisp, clean lines.
- − Has a numbering error, repeating '05' for the 'Landing' phase.
- − The moon icon for 'Lunar Orbit' is just a dark blue circle lacking the descriptive detail of Model A.
Verdict: Both models followed the prompt exceptionally well, adhering to the palette and vector style. Recraft V4 Pro is the winner because its illustrations are more communicative and the layout feels more like a finished poster, whereas Recraft V4.1 Pro contains a numbering mistake and lacks descriptive text.
Explore each model
Recraft V4.1 Pro tier text-to-image model — supports up to 2048×2048 and ultra-wide formats for hero imagery, campaigns, and print-ready work