Head to head
Esc

Models · slot A

to navigate to pick

Recraft V4 Recraft AI Recraft V4.1 Pro Recraft AI

Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.

Recraft V4

25.6 arena score

#11 of 62 in Text-to-Image

Skill signature · Text-to-Image

Recraft V4.1 Pro

19.6 arena score

#44 of 62 in Text-to-Image

Vote tally

Where the votes landed

Recraft V4

0%

win rate

Ties

0%

Recraft V4.1 Pro

0%

win rate

Shared challenges 13

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent photographic realism and lighting
  • + Captures the spider plant behind the cube with realistic refraction
  • + Beautifully textured wooden table
  • The sphere appears to be floating mid-air inside the cube without support
  • The lighting on the front of the cube is somewhat flat compared to the background

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Strong composition with a dynamic angle
  • + The sphere realistically rests on the bottom of the cube
  • + High-quality textures on the book cover and paper
  • The plant is less distinct than in Model A
  • Perspective on the left side of the cube's base is slightly warped

Verdict: Both models followed the complex spatial instructions perfectly. Recraft V4 produced a very clean, centered photograph with impressive glass transparency, though it made the sphere float. Recraft V4.1 Pro is preferred for its more natural physics, placing the sphere on the floor of the cube, and its more interesting three-quarters perspective.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent handling of wet pavement reflections and rainy atmosphere.
  • + Accurately depicts specific motion blur from passing cars as requested.
  • + Realistic shallow depth of field that separates the subject from the busy background.
  • The bike anatomy is slightly flawed with the front fork not properly connecting to the frame.
  • The framing feels a bit too balanced for the 'imperfect framing' prompt requirement.

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Successfully captures the 'imperfect framing' with a slight vignette and off-center composition.
  • + Natural skin texture and anatomical accuracy in the face and hands are very high.
  • + The red bicycle is integrated more naturally into the man's pose.
  • The rain effect looks like static streaks rather than falling drops.
  • The motion blur on the car is quite aggressive, almost obscuring the vehicle too much.

Verdict: Both models followed the prompt well, but Recraft V4 produced a more atmospheric image with superior lighting and pavement reflections. While Recraft V4.1 Pro captured the 'imperfect framing' and skin textures better, Recraft V4's overall composition and handling of the 50mm cinematic aesthetic make it the stronger visual piece.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent depiction of the requested leather straps and cloth underlayer.
  • + Clear, ornate engraving on the plate armor that matches the prompt well.
  • + Strong character expression with lifelike eyes looking directly at the viewer.
  • The braids and beads feel a bit stiff and artificial compared to the rest of the image.
  • Lighting on the face is a bit flat despite the torchlight prompt.

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Enhanced texture resolution on the skin, showing realistic dirt and faint scars.
  • + More dynamic and cinematic use of bokeh sparks and torchlight reflections.
  • + Superior integration of beads into the hair braids with natural-looking flyaways.
  • The 'close portrait' framing cuts off some of the armor detail compared to the other model.
  • The eyes feel slightly milky or glazed over compared to a natural iris.

Verdict: Both models technically followed the prompt with high precision, but Recraft V4.1 Pro offers a more cinematic feel with better skin textures and more atmospheric lighting. Recraft V4 excels in showing the full complexity of the armor pieces and the specific underlayers mentioned in the prompt, making it a more literal interpretation.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent photo-to-text correspondence with every item illustrated
  • + Clean, highly readable typography with perfect spelling
  • + Strict adherence to the requested grid layout for sections
  • The layout is a bit repetitive and looks like a generic e-commerce grid
  • Minor typo in the description for 'Grilled Salmon' ('solmon')

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Sophisticated graphic design elements with color-coded category bars
  • + Modern use of negative space and varied image orientations
  • + High-quality, appetizing food photography
  • Fails to provide one-to-one image representation for the listed items
  • Text alignment is a bit sparse in the 'Pizza' section
  • Minor spelling error in Salmon description ('sraalmon')

Verdict: Recraft V4 delivers a more functional and literal interpretation of a menu where every item is pictured and clearly labeled, making it highly practical for a business. While Recraft V4.1 Pro has a more artistic and professional graphic design aesthetic, it fails to illustrate specific menu items, often using generic food photos that don't match the surrounding text categories.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent typography style that feels like a professional fast-food advertisement
  • + Very realistic textures on the patty and bun
  • + The 'burst' element for the price is well-integrated into the layout
  • The composition is a bit cramped with the burger pieces overlapping in a slightly messy way
  • The sauce drips are a bit thick and look less 'magical' than the prompt implied

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Perfect adherence to the 'fiery glowing effect' for all text elements
  • + Dynamic composition with a circular sauce splash that enhances the sense of motion
  • + Excellent use of the 'starburst' concept with an actual fiery explosion for the price
  • The 'MAGIC BURGER' text is a bit thin and less punchy than the title in the other image
  • The lettuce looks a bit flat compared to the lighting on the other ingredients

Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro followed the specific stylistic instructions for the text (fiery/glowing) and price starburst much more accurately than Recraft V4. While Recraft V4 has a more traditional commercial layout, Recraft V4.1 Pro's use of motion and fire effects creates a more cohesive 'Magic Burger' theme.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Includes creative chalk illustrations for each menu item
  • + Excellent rendering of the cafe environment and background bokeh
  • The text looks like a digital font rather than authentic chalk handwriting
  • The 'cursive' requirement for the title was not met

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Follows the request for authentic handwritten chalk style perfectly
  • + Captures natural variations in letter size and chalk texture
  • + Accurately renders all text from the prompt including small details
  • The composition is a tight close-up, showing less of the 'cozy cafe' environment than the other model

Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro is the clear winner as it successfully captured the 'handwritten-style' and 'chalk texture' requested in the prompt, whereas Recraft V4 produced text that looks like a clean digital overlay. Recraft V4.1 Pro also followed the instruction for cursive handwriting in the title, making the board look like a real physical object.

The Reversed Rodeo

Text-to-Image

“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent atmospheric depth with floating asteroid debris.
  • + Strong cinematic lighting and texture on the horse's coat.
  • Failed the negative constraint: the astronaut is riding the horse, not the other way around.
  • The horse's front legs appear slightly anatomically blurred or merged with the ground.

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + High resolution with vibrant colors and cosmic details.
  • + Dynamic sense of motion with the horse jumping through the stars.
  • Failed the crucial logic inversion request: the horse is being ridden by the astronaut.
  • Composition feels a bit cluttered with two large planetary bodies.

Verdict: Both models failed the specific prompt instruction to have the horse on top (horse riding the astronaut), instead providing the traditional 'astronaut on a horse' imagery. Recraft V4 produced a more moody and cinematic piece with better integration of the subjects into the environment, while Recraft V4.1 Pro offered higher saturation and a clearer, more traditional sci-fi aesthetic.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent photorealism with realistic bokeh and rain effects on the glass.
  • + Accurate text rendering on the driver's cap.
  • + Better passenger placement that clearly shows her in the 'back seat' as requested.
  • The passenger's face is slightly blurry and lacks fine detail.
  • The capybara's hands look slightly more human-like in texture than animal-like.

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Strong composition with high contrast and sharp focus on the capybara.
  • + Detailed rendering of the capybara's fur and jacket texture.
  • + Good adherence to the 'front paws on steering wheel' prompt.
  • The 'businesswoman' looks more like she is in the passenger seat than the back seat based on the window pillars.
  • The driver cap lacks the 'taxi' text present in the other version.

Verdict: Both models followed the complex prompt very well, but Recraft V4 produced a more convincing 'back seat' perspective for the passenger and captured the NYC atmosphere more effectively with the rain and specific cap text. While Recraft V4.1 Pro has sharper focus on the main subject, its spatial arrangement makes the passenger appear next to the driver rather than behind.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent web-texture border that frames the scene well
  • + Clear and legible typography for all text elements
  • + Atmospheric use of rain and leaves adds texture to the scene
  • The scrolling banner is just a flat white rectangle instead of a parchment scroll
  • The background feels a bit cluttered with a high density of small bats

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Features a beautiful 3D parchment scroll banner as requested
  • + Superior lighting on the jack-o-lantern with realistic internal glow and smoke
  • + Elegant gothic typography for the title with nice gold detailing
  • The border is slightly less intricate than the first image
  • The moon placement creates a bit of a tangent with the pumpkin stem

Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro is the winner because it adhered more closely to the specific 'scroll banner' request and provided much more cinematic lighting on the central jack-o-lantern. While Recraft V4 produced a very clean and readable layout, its scroll was a simple flat banner, whereas Recraft V4.1 Pro delivered a polished, high-quality vintage aesthetic that matched the gothic tone perfectly.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent photographic realism in the sushi textures
  • + High clarity and sharp rendering of the salt-like diorama base
  • + Professional typography and layout
  • The diorama base looks more like coarse salt or ice than a 'cartoon scene'
  • Text is a bit thin for 'large bold' request

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Perfectly captures the 'cartoon scene' and '3D miniature' aesthetic
  • + Typography is bold and better fits the requested graphic style
  • + Clean, soft textures that match the prompt's stylistic cues
  • The sushi details are slightly less realistic than in Model A
  • The white-on-white composition of the plate and tray lacks some contrast

Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro followed the stylistic instructions more accurately, delivering the requested '3D cartoon' and 'bold text' look, whereas Recraft V4 leaned into a photorealistic interpretation. Recraft V4.1 Pro's composition feels more unified as a miniature diorama piece.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent adherence to the 'god rays' requirement with visible light beams.
  • + Sharp, high-contrast textures on the fur and butterflies.
  • + All four animals are clearly visible and well-composed in the center.
  • The bunny is floating awkwardly in the air without clear momentum.
  • The lighting on the animals feels slightly composited rather than naturally blended with the environment.

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Superior 'tumbling' interaction that feels more dynamic and wholesome.
  • + Exceptional rendering of dew sparkles on the plants and fur.
  • + More realistic integration of the animals into the meadow grass and flowers.
  • The golden retriever puppy's body has a slightly confusing anatomical connection between its front and back halves.
  • The 'god rays' are less pronounced compared to the other version.

Verdict: Recraft V4.1 Pro wins by a narrow margin because it captures the 'tumbling' and 'playful' aspects of the prompt much more naturally than Recraft V4. While Recraft V4 has stronger god rays and centered framing, Recraft V4.1 Pro's lighting, dew details, and genuine interaction between the animals create a more charming and realistic scene.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent typography with a unique, stylized vintage feel.
  • + Clean vector emblem style with sophisticated woodcut-style shading on the cloche.
  • + Perfect adherence to color palette and texture requirements.
  • Failed to include a banner for the 'Est. 1720' text as requested.
  • The spacing between the letters in 'Florian' is slightly inconsistent.

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Includes the requested banner element for the established date.
  • + Clear, readable serif typography.
  • + Balanced composition with a more literal interpretation of the cloche and steam.
  • The 'Est. 1720' text is very small and loses clarity within the banner.
  • The cloche design is a bit more generic compared to the artistic shading in the rival model.
  • The steam line is slightly wobbly and lacks a professional vector finish.

Verdict: Both models followed the prompt well, but Recraft V4 produced a much more professional and aesthetically pleasing logo design with superior typography and shading. While Recraft V4.1 Pro followed the structural prompt more closely by including the banner, the overall execution in Recraft V4 feels higher quality and more appropriate for a luxury vintage brand.

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.”

Recraft V4
Recraft V4.1 Pro

AI Judge Analysis

Recraft V4

  • + Excellent typography with a cohesive modern aesthetic.
  • + Logical flow with clear secondary descriptions for each step.
  • + Highly accurate vector icon style with consistent line weights.
  • The layout is slightly scattered, lacking a clear linear flow for an infographic.
  • The icons for Earth Orbit and Lunar Orbit use differing styles for the orbits.

Recraft V4.1 Pro

  • + Strong linear composition that is easy to follow as a process.
  • + Precise adherence to the requested NASA-inspired color palette.
  • + Includes a nicely rendered NASA-style logo and numbered steps.
  • Numerical sequencing error, repeating '05' for the last two steps.
  • The 'Saturn V' icon is a bit bulky compared to the other delicate line icons.
  • The crew icons feel a bit disconnected from the main flow.

Verdict: Both models followed the prompt effectively, producing professional flat-vector infographics. Recraft V4 produced better standalone icons and cleaner typography, but Recraft V4.1 Pro created a much more intuitive infographic layout with a clear visual path, despite a minor numbering error.

Next steps

Explore each model