Image model vs image model
Grok Imagine Image vs Z-Image Base
People picked Grok Imagine Image’s picture over Z-Image Base’s about 68% of the time in blind votes. Z-Image Base costs 2× less ($0.02 against $0.01 an image), so it wins when “good enough” will do.
At a glance
Longer bar means the bigger number. Elo bars start at 800.
Blind votes · how often people would pick each picture
Grok Imagine Image Z-Image Base
Price per image · 1024×1024, lower is better
Text to image · arena Elo, higher is better
Where they sit among all 56 image models
Up and to the left is better pictures for less money. Hover or tap a dot for its numbers, then click it to compare that model with Grok Imagine Image. Models the arena hasn’t rated yet sit in the grey lane at the bottom.
Which one to pick
Pick Grok Imagine Image if
- you want the better picture: in blind votes people chose its image over Z-Image Base’s about 68% of the time
- you need to edit pictures you upload; Z-Image Base only makes new ones here
- your prompts mustn’t be stored: every provider that serves it promises zero data retention
Pick Z-Image Base if
- price matters: 100 images cost $1.00, against $2.00 with Grok Imagine Image
- you want open weights you can run yourself
The specs
| Spec | Grok Imagine Image | Z-Image Base |
|---|---|---|
| Price per image | $0.02 | $0.01 |
| 100 images | $2.00 | $1.00 |
| Text-to-image Elo | 1022 ±11 (#34 in the arena) | 891 ±17 (#87 in the arena) |
| Editing Elo | 1073 ±13 (#25 in the arena) | Not scored yet |
| Arena votes | 6,330 | 2,500 |
| Edits uploaded pictures | Yes | No |
| Largest size | — | — |
| Open weights | No | Yes |
| Zero data retention | Yes | — |
| Lab | SpaceXAI | Alibaba |
| Official name | Grok Imagine Image | Z-Image Base |
| Released | January 2026 | January 2026 |
Elo ± is the 95% margin. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from the Vercel AI Gateway and fal.ai.
Questions
Which is better, Grok Imagine Image or Z-Image Base?
People picked Grok Imagine Image’s picture over Z-Image Base’s about 68% of the time in blind votes. Z-Image Base costs 2× less ($0.02 against $0.01 an image), so it wins when “good enough” will do.
Which is cheaper, Grok Imagine Image or Z-Image Base?
Z-Image Base: $0.01 for a 1024×1024 image, against $0.02 for Grok Imagine Image. 100 images cost $1.00 and $2.00.
Can Grok Imagine Image and Z-Image Base edit images?
Grok Imagine Image can change a picture you upload. Z-Image Base only makes new pictures from a prompt here.
How can I compare Grok Imagine Image and Z-Image Base myself?
Open the comparison, type one prompt and both models draw it side by side, each with what it cost and how long it took. You sign up with Google before your first run, and new accounts start with free credit.
Related comparisons
Where the numbers come from
Quality scores are Elo ratings from the Artificial Analysis image arenas, where people vote between two pictures made from the same prompt without knowing which model made which. The vote split comes from the Elo gap. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from the Vercel AI Gateway and fal.ai; models billed per token are estimated at the quality the arena scored. The sample pictures are our own runs. Updated October 25, 2026.