Recraft's V4.1 standard tier text-to-image model — refines V4's photorealism with more natural lighting, softer gradients, and sharper illustration styles for everyday creative work
Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
Recraft V4.1
#53 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Wan 2.7 Pro
#37 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Where the votes landed
Recraft V4.1
0%
win rate
Ties
0%
Wan 2.7 Pro
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 V4.1
- + Excellent photorealistic texture on the wooden table and book cover.
- + Clean, modern aesthetic with a centered composition.
- + Superior glass refraction and reflection effects.
- − The blue sphere is levitating rather than sitting on the bottom of the cube.
- − The plant is less distinct through the glass compared to Model B.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Captures the 'plant behind the cube visible through glass' instruction very clearly.
- + Includes the window source for the 'light from the left' in the frame.
- + The blue sphere rests naturally on the bottom surface.
- − The glass cube has internal structural lines that make it look like multiple panes of glass rather than a solid cube.
- − The perspective of the red book is slightly skewed.
Verdict: Both models followed the prompt instructions well, but Wan 2.7 Pro captured the complex spatial relationship between the plant and the glass more effectively. However, Recraft V4.1 produced a more aesthetically pleasing and high-quality image, despite the sphere appearing to float in the center of the cube.
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 V4.1
- + Excellent adherence to the 'imperfect framing' and 'candid' street photography style.
- + Captured beautiful light reflections and high-contrast atmospheric rain.
- + Highly realistic skin textures and wet fabric details.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Shows the full subject and bicycle clearly.
- + Good reflection physics on the wet pavement.
- + Accurately represents a Japanese urban street environment.
- − Lacks the requested motion blur for passing cars.
- − The lighting is flat and less 'cinematic' than requested.
- − Hand and tool interaction with the bike is slightly awkward.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 superiorly captures the cinematic and emotional tone of the prompt, successfully incorporating the motion blur, shallow depth of field, and 'imperfect framing' to create a truly candid feel. Wan 2.7 Pro provides a more literal, full-body shot that feels like a standard stock photo and misses the specific stylistic elements like motion blur and cinematic 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 V4.1
- + Extremely high-quality skin texture and lifelike eyes.
- + Excellent adherence to the 'close portrait' instruction with a dramatic angle.
- + Superior engraving detail on the plate armor.
- − The beads in the hair are very small and less noticeable than in the competing image.
- − The torchlight reflection is a bit soft, lacking strong highlights.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Perfect execution of the 'hair braided with small beads' prompt with colorful details.
- + Stronger contrast and more visible torchlight glow on the metal surfaces.
- + Excellent texture on the leather straps and buckles.
- − Slightly less 'lifelike' eyes compared to the other model.
- − The composition is a standard medium-close shot rather than a true 'close portrait' as requested.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 delivers a more cinematic and intimate portrait with stunning facial detail and skin textures that feel incredibly realistic. Wan 2.7 Pro follows the specific prompt details like the beads and leather straps more literally, but Recraft V4.1's overall visual quality and superior engraving work makes it the better image.
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 V4.1
- + Exceptional text rendering with zero spelling errors
- + Clean and highly professional minimalist layout
- + Perfect adherence to requested sections (Appetizers, Pizza, Mains)
- − The grid for food photos is slightly irregular in the appetizers section
- − Negative space feels a bit empty in the center column
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Excellent photographic quality and lighting for food items
- + Strong use of a grid system that feels balanced
- + Includes professional branding elements like a logo and QR code
- − Frequent spelling errors in body text (e.g., 'Garfic', 'Alferdo', 'Calariri')
- − The sections are tabs at the top rather than vertical dividers as implied by the grid
- − Includes photography props outside the menu which wasn't requested
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 is the superior choice for a functional design as it produces perfectly legible, error-free text and adheres strictly to the vertical sectioning requested. While Wan 2.7 Pro creates more vibrant food photography and a balanced grid, its significant spelling errors and inclusion of background props make it less usable as a final design asset.
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 V4.1
- + Excellent typography with a genuine 'burning edge' effect
- + Highly realistic textures on the patty and lettuce
- + Dynamic sense of motion with believable sauce splashes
- − The starburst element looks like a flat graphic compared to the photorealistic burger
- − Composition is a bit bottom-heavy with large empty space above the burger
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Symmetrical and centered composition creates a strong focal point
- + Integrated the starburst more cohesively into the scene's lighting
- + Includes extra details like onion rings and herbs that add to the 'exploded' feel
- − The 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' text lacks the requested fiery/glowing effect compared to the title
- − The cheese and bun look slightly more like 3D renders than real food
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 produces a more convincing photorealistic image with superior typography that perfectly captures the 'burning' brief. While Wan 2.7 Pro has a cleaner, more balanced commercial layout, Recraft's realistic textures and more creative text rendering make it the more striking advertisement.
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 V4.1
- + Features a highly realistic chalk texture with dusty edges and grains.
- + The handwriting looks authentic and non-uniform, matching a natural human style.
- + Accurately rendered all the requested text including the truncated menu item.
- − The composition is a tight crop, missing the 'cozy café' background elements requested.
- − The title is in a blocky style rather than the 'elegant cursive' specifically requested.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Excellent composition including the background café setting with warm lighting.
- + Perfectly captures the elegant cursive for the title as requested.
- + Clean and highly legible text layout.
- − The text looks more like a digital font or vector art than actual chalk on a board.
- − The chalk texture is very minimal, appearing more like a white marker.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 is the winner for its superior realism in depicting actual chalk texture and natural handwriting, which were primary requirements of the prompt. While Wan 2.7 Pro better captured the background 'cozy café' environment and the cursive style, its text appears too much like a digital font, missing the tactile, dusty quality of a real chalkboard.
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 V4.1
- + Excellent cinematic lighting and atmosphere with a dynamic asteroid field.
- + High level of texture detail on the astronaut suit and horse's mane.
- + Balanced composition with the sun and nebulae creating depth.
- − The horse's front-right leg has an anatomical issue where the hoof is detached or poorly rendered.
- − Slightly less clarity in the horse's facial features compared to the competitor.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Clean, high-resolution rendering with a very clear subject.
- + Strong adherence to the 'horse on top' instruction with a clear silhouette.
- + Creative inclusion of multiple planets in the background to enhance the space theme.
- − The lighting is a bit flat and less 'cinematic' than Model A.
- − The astronaut's left hand and the reins are somewhat simplified or merged.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 delivers a much more cinematic and moody image with impressive lighting and environmental detail, though it suffers from a significant anatomical glitch on the horse's front leg. Wan 2.7 Pro provides a cleaner, more literal interpretation with better anatomical consistency, but lacks the grand atmospheric scale of the first image. Recraft V4.1 is likely the winner for users seeking a dramatic, high-fidelity 'movie poster' aesthetic despite the minor artifact.
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 V4.1
- + Excellent capybara fur texture and lighting integration
- + Captures the scale of the animal more realistically within the car seat
- + The businesswoman's expression and posture perfectly match the 'bored and normal' instruction
- − The capybara is missing the requested dark jacket
- − The background bokeh is a bit generic rather than distinctly Manhattan
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Successfully included the dark jacket and professional taxi driver cap design
- + Good adherence to the 'both paws on steering wheel' instruction
- + Higher clarity in the cityscape seen through the window
- − The capybara's hands/paws appear unnaturally primate-like and creepy
- − The businesswoman is sitting in the front passenger seat instead of the back seat
- − The lighting on the capybara's head looks artificially superimposed compared to the body
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 creates a much more convincing and photographic image despite missing the 'jacket' requirement. Wan 2.7 Pro fails on key compositional instructions by placing the passenger in the front seat and produces disturbing, human-like hands for the capybara.
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 V4.1
- + Excellent cinematic lighting and atmospheric mood.
- + Highly realistic texture on the jack-o-lantern and parchment background.
- + Stronger gothic aesthetic with intricate corner web/skull details.
- − The title text uses a font that is somewhat difficult to read due to extreme stylization.
- − Some background bats are indistinct and look like generic dark shapes.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Perfect text legibility for all event details and the scroll banner.
- + Very clean, balanced composition with a classic illustration style.
- + Includes all requested elements with additional thematic flair like lanterns and books.
- − The art style is more of a clean vector illustration than a 'cinematic' vintage poster.
- − The lighting is flat and lacks the 'spooky' mood requested in the prompt.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 delivers a superior 'cinematic' and 'moody' atmosphere with incredible texture that fits the vintage gothic theme perfectly. However, Wan 2.7 Pro is much better at rendering legible, organized text and following the specific layout instructions for the scroll banner and event details, even if the artistic style is more cartoon-like.
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 V4.1
- + Excellent adherence to the 45-degree isometric perspective.
- + Highly realistic PBR materials, especially on the fish textures and wooden chopsticks.
- + Perfectly clean and professional typographic layout.
- − The 'miniature cartoon' style is less apparent than the 'realistic' aspect.
- − The diorama base is a bit plain compared to the sushi detail.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Strong '3D cartoon' aesthetic with soft, clay-like textures.
- + Very balanced and colorful composition with varied sushi types.
- + Excellent detail on the wasabi and garnish.
- − Text layout is cluttered with extra unrequested phrases and border elements.
- − The chopsticks are cut off at the bottom corner, breaking the 'centered' diorama feel.
- − Perspective is slightly flatter than the requested 45-degree isometric angle.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 followed the technical layout and perspective prompts more accurately, producing a cleaner, more professional-looking graphic. While Wan 2.7 Pro captured the '3D cartoon' texture better, it failed to center the elements perfectly and added unrequested text and floating debris.
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 V4.1
- + Excellent dynamic composition with animals actively looking at a butterfly
- + Superior lighting with realistic rim lighting and atmospheric god rays
- + Intricate texture details in the fur and dew-covered meadow flowers
- − The fox kit has a slightly distorted front paw
- − Large scale of the puppy relative to other animals feels slightly unbalanced
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Successfully includes all four requested animals with clear distinct features
- + Good representation of the 'butterfly' plural in the prompt with three insects
- + Bright and cheerful color palette suited for a 'wholesome' vibe
- − The fox's front right leg is anatomically incorrect and fused strangely
- − The lighting feels more like a synthetic gradient than a natural sunrise
- − The kitten and fox faces have a slightly uncanny, stiff expression
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 is the clear winner for its superior handle on lighting, atmosphere, and dynamic movement, which creates a much more convincing '8K masterpiece' feel. While Wan 2.7 Pro correctly includes more butterflies, it suffers from significant anatomical distortions in the limbs of the fox and kitten and lacks the photographic depth of Recraft V4.1.
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 V4.1
- + Excellent adherence to the minimalist, vector-style request.
- + Flawless spelling of 'Caffè Florian' and 'Est. 1720'.
- + Clean, professional typography that fits the vintage restaurant theme.
- − The 'subtle texture' requested in the prompt is almost imperceptible.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Beautifully detailed vintage illustration style with nice decorative elements.
- + Good use of the requested warm brown and cream tones.
- + Strong 'Est. 1720' banner execution with laurel wreaths.
- − Spelling error in the main text, changing 'Florian' to 'Florion'.
- − Includes extraneous objects in the corners like coffee beans and a cup that were not requested.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 followed the prompt's aesthetic requirements perfectly, delivering a clean, minimalist vector logo with correct spelling. Wan 2.7 Pro created a visually rich emblem, but failed on the most critical aspect of a logo: spelling the name correctly ('Florion' instead of 'Florian').
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 V4.1
- + Excellent typography rendering with almost no spelling errors.
- + Clean, modern iconography that perfectly matches the flat-vector style request.
- + Strict adherence to the specified NASA color palette.
- − Step numbering is incorrect (04 is repeated, 05 is missing).
- − The composition is a bit sparse with significant empty space.
Wan 2.7 Pro
- + Outstanding information density and professional infographic layout.
- + High level of detail including mission dates, altitudes, and specific locations.
- + Captures the 'poster' feel well with a clear vertical hierarchy.
- − Several spelling errors in technical labels (e.g., 'DESCRIPT', 'Tranqulilicy', 'minures').
- − Text rendering is slightly less crisp than the icons.
Verdict: Recraft V4.1 produces a cleaner, more modern aesthetic with superior text legibility, but fails the basic numbering logic. Fluency-wise, Recraft V4.1 is better, but Wan 2.7 Pro creates a much more convincing and comprehensive 'infographic' through its inclusion of data points and professional layout, despite the typos. Recraft V4.1 is likely preferred for its artistic polish and better execution of the vector style.
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Alibaba's Wan 2.7 Pro image generation and editing model with higher-quality outputs and support for 4K image generation