GPT Image 1.5 vs Recraft V4 Pro
Head-to-head across 12 challenges
GPT Image 1.5
66.7%
win rate
Ties
0.0%
Recraft V4 Pro
33.3%
win rate
Challenge Results
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent photographic realism and lighting
- + Correctly places the plant behind the cube as requested
- + Detailed texture on the red book cover
- − The sphere is quite large relative to the cube, rather than 'small'
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Strong adherence to the 'small sphere' description
- + Captures the soft window light from the left effectively
- + Good glass refraction details
- − The sphere appears to be levitating unnaturally
- − The plant is very close to the cube, losing some of the 'behind' spatial depth
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 produces a more grounded and realistic scene with superior textures and spatial arrangement, accurately placing the plant in the background. While Recraft V4 Pro captures the scale of the sphere better, the sphere's levitation and the slightly more cluttered composition make it less convincing than the polished output from GPT Image 1.5.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent adherence to technical prompts like motion blur on the car and imperfect framing.
- + Highly realistic skin textures and wet fabric details.
- + Authentic urban Japanese setting with relevant background props like lanterns.
- − The anatomy of the bicycle frame behind the seat is slightly nonsensical.
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Beautiful reflections on the wet pavement.
- + Good color contrast between the red bike and blue tones.
- + Clean composition with a clear focal point.
- − The bicycle is missing a rear wheel entirely.
- − Less 'candid' feel; looks more like a staged artistic photograph.
- − Failed to include the specific 'motion blur' requested for passing cars.
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 followed the prompt much more accurately, successfully incorporating difficult elements like motion blur and an 'imperfect' candid framing that feels authentic to street photography. Recraft V4 Pro produced a more stylized, clean image but failed significantly on the technical details of the bicycle (missing a wheel) and ignored the request for motion blur.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Exceptional level of skin texture and lifelike eye detail
- + Stunning mastery of warm lighting and fire-sourced bokeh reflections
- + Highly intricate engraving and realistic wear on the plate armor
- − The hair beads are integrated into the braids in a slightly messy way compared to Model B
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Clearer depiction of 'beads' in the hair as requested
- + Symmetric and clean engraving patterns on the chest plate
- + Stronger sense of 'battle-worn' through heavy dirt on the face
- − Much lower image contrast and flatter lighting compared to Model A
- − Lack of 'warm torchlight reflection' on the metal armor
- − Does not feel as much like a close-up portrait, lacking the fine skin detail of the competitor
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 is the clear winner due to its superior lighting, depth of field, and photorealistic textures that perfectly match the 'lifelike eyes' and 'engraved plate' prompts. While Recraft V4 Pro better interprets the specific bead request and provides a grittier 'battle-worn' look, it fails to capture the requested warm torchlight atmosphere and lacks the stunning visual clarity found in GPT Image 1.5.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Perfect text rendering with zero spelling errors
- + Excellent food photography that looks appetizing and high-resolution
- + Vibrant use of color accents to differentiate menu sections
- − The layout is more traditional (left text, right images) than a unified grid of food photos
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Follows the 'grid' instruction more closely by placing photos above each item
- + Modern, clean aesthetic with good use of white space
- + Very high-quality and consistent food photography across all items
- − Minor spelling error in the subtitle for Spaghetti ('spaghettlith')
- − The layout feels a bit repetitive compared to the more dynamic Model A
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 produced a highly professional, error-free menu that is ready for use, though it opted for a split-pane layout rather than a full grid. Recraft V4 Pro followed the 'grid' instruction more literally and achieved a very sophisticated minimalist look, but fell slightly short due to a minor text artifact. GPT Image 1.5 is the preferred choice for its perfect legibility and vibrant, professional composition.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent integration of the fiery background and glowing embers for a cohesive look.
- + Stronger sense of motion with flying sauce and particles.
- + Effective use of the fiery, glowing effect on all text elements.
- − The composition is a bit cluttered with a heavy-handed HDR/processed look.
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Very clean, photorealistic textures on the burger components.
- + Clearer separation of the 'exploded' burger layers.
- + Accurate rendering of the price in the starburst element.
- − The text is placed in a corner rather than being integrated into the scene.
- − The background is relatively dark and static compared to the dynamic burger.
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 creates a more impactful and cohesive advertisement by blending the fiery background into the subject and text, creating a high-energy 'magic' feel. Recraft V4 Pro has superior photorealism on the burger itself, but the overall composition feels like separate assets placed on a background rather than a single dynamic scene.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent chalk texture with natural grain and smear marks
- + Authentic cursive handwriting style that perfectly matches the requested aesthetic
- + Consistent slants and pressure variations that mimic real human writing
- − The date is slightly crowded into the corner
- − Lacks world-building context by showing only the board surface
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Great environmental context showing the board in a café setting
- + Perfect text accuracy and spelling
- + Clear, legible layout with nice vertical spacing
- − The text looks like a digital comic-style font rather than authentic chalk handwriting
- − The 'chalk' lacks internal texture and looks like flat white vectors
- − Missed the request for elegant cursive in the title
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 followed the stylistic instructions much more closely, delivering authentic chalk textures and realistic human-like handwriting. While Recraft V4 Pro provided a better overall composition by showing the café environment, its text rendering looks like a digital font overlay, failing the primary requirement for a 'handwritten-style' chalk board.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent high-frequency textures in the horse's coat and planetary lunar surface.
- + Strong cinematic lighting with rich contrast and environmental details like the lander module.
- − Failed the negative constraint; the astronaut is riding the horse instead of the horse riding the astronaut.
- − A bit cluttered with various celestial bodies compressed into one frame.
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Clean composition with a striking use of backlighting and scale.
- + Good rendering of the horse's musculature and the astronaut's suit.
- − Failed the negative constraint; it shows an astronaut riding a horse.
- − The interaction between the horse's hooves and the space dust/clouds is less detailed than in Model A.
Verdict: Both GPT Image 1.5 and Recraft V4 Pro failed the specific 'horse on top' spatial reasoning constraint, instead producing the common trope of an astronaut riding a horse. GPT Image 1.5 is the preferred image as it offers much higher detail in the textures and a more complex, interesting environment, whereas Recraft V4 Pro is comparatively simple.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent character placement and framing that highlights all prompt elements
- + Realistic fur texture and lighting on the capybara
- + Perfectly captures the 'bored' expression of the passenger in the background
- − The capybara's paws look slightly more like hands/claws than actual capybara anatomy
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Great rain effects on the windows adding to the atmosphere
- + Clear and legible 'TAXI' text on the hat
- + Wide cinematic composition showing more of the car interior
- − The capybara is not wearing the requested dark jacket
- − The capybara is positioned awkwardly far from the steering wheel
- − Only one paw is reaching for the wheel while the prompt requested both
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 is the clear winner as it adhered to all specific prompt details, including the dark jacket and the professional stance of the driver with both paws on the wheel. While Recraft V4 Pro produced a beautiful atmospheric image with rain effects, it failed several key prompt instructions regarding the capybara's outfit and positioning.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent adherence to the 'vintage parchment' aesthetic with warm, aged tones.
- + Perfectly rendered typography that fits the gothic theme seamlessly.
- + Strong composition with a cohesive border of thorns and webs.
- − The parchment texture makes the overall image look slightly more cluttered than a modern digital design.
Recraft V4 Pro
- + High-resolution, cinematic lighting on the jack-o-lantern.
- + Clean, legible text for the event details.
- + Crisp details on the background pumpkins and rocky terrain.
- − Failed the 'parchment' requirement, opting for a photographic look instead.
- − The banner scroll is very small and lacks the 'vintage' feel requested.
- − The border is thin and lacks the requested thorns.
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 is the clear winner as it successfully captured the 'vintage gothic parchment' aesthetic requested in the prompt, whereas Recraft V4 Pro produced a modern cinematic photo. GPT Image 1.5 also integrated the text and border elements more artistically, creating a cohesive invitation rather than just text overlaid on a photo.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Perfectly captures the 'tumbling together' aspect of the prompt
- + Beautiful use of golden light, god rays, and dew drops
- + Excellent fur texture and expressive, joyful faces
- − The composition is a bit crowded with all animals in one horizontal line
- − The butterfly on the left looks slightly flat compared to the scene photography
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Strong sense of movement and 'chasing' action
- + Highly realistic textures on the kitten and fox
- + Detailed environment with a clear background landscape
- − The bunny's eyes look slightly startled or unnatural compared to the others
- − Lighting is less 'warm golden sunrise' and more standard daytime with highlights
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 better captures the emotional intent and lighting requirements of the prompt, delivering a warmer, more 'joyful wholesome vibe' with excellent god rays. Recraft V4 Pro succeeds in depicting physical action and realism but misses the specific atmospheric warmth and expressive sweetness requested in the prompt.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent high-contrast vector style
- + Perfect text rendering even with complex typography
- + Strong emblem composition centered on the cloche
- − Failed the light background requirement
- − The banner texture is slightly busy
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Successfully followed the light background and subtle texture prompt
- + Captures a sophisticated minimalist aesthetic
- + Creative placement of steam inside the cloche
- − The 'Est. 1720' text is slightly less legible due to the banner scale
- − Typography feels a bit more modern than the 'classic' request
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 produced a punchier, more professional-looking vector emblem, but completely ignored the request for a light background. Recraft V4 Pro adhered much better to the specific stylistic constraints regarding palette and background, creating a more authentic vintage feel, albeit with slightly weaker text clarity.
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
GPT Image 1.5
- + Excellent typography and layout with perfect text rendering
- + Detailed and consistent iconography for the lunar module and Saturn V
- + Strong visual narrative flow using arrows and grouped backgrounds
- − The 'Translunar' icon shows a moon without the requested trajectory arc
- − Includes a somewhat confusing reverse arrow between Lunar Orbit and Descent
Recraft V4 Pro
- + Strict adherence to the 'flat-vector' and 'crisp lines' style
- + Excellent use of the requested NASA-inspired color palette
- + Accurate inclusion of supporting descriptive text for each stage
- − The layout is a bit disjointed with inconsistent icon sizing
- − The lunar module icons are very simplistic compared to the rocket
- − The Saturn V icon lacks the iconic black/white pattern
Verdict: GPT Image 1.5 produces a more professional and visually engaging poster with superior iconography and a cohesive narrative flow. While Recraft V4 Pro captures the minimalist 'flat-vector' aesthetic more precisely, its layout feels scattered and the icons are less detailed than those in the GPT output.
GPT Image 1.5
OpenAI's state-of-the-art image generation model with better instruction following and adherence to prompts
Recraft V4 Pro
Recraft's latest image generation model at ~2048px resolution with stronger composition, refined lighting, and realistic materials for print-ready and large-scale work