Image model vs image model
Muse Image 1.0 vs Z-Image Base
People picked Muse Image 1.0’s picture over Z-Image Base’s about 80% of the time in blind votes, and they cost about the same ($0.01 against $0.01 an image).
At a glance
Longer bar means the bigger number. Elo bars start at 800.
Blind votes · how often people would pick each picture
Muse Image 1.0 Z-Image Base
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 Muse Image 1.0. Models the arena hasn’t rated yet sit in the grey lane at the bottom.
Which one to pick
Pick Muse Image 1.0 if
- you want the better picture: in blind votes people chose its image over Z-Image Base’s about 80% of the time
- your prompts mustn’t be stored: every provider that serves it promises zero data retention
Pick Z-Image Base if
- you want open weights you can run yourself
The specs
| Spec | Muse Image 1.0 | Z-Image Base |
|---|---|---|
| Price per image | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| 100 images | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Text-to-image Elo | 1127 ±11 (#8 in the arena) | 891 ±17 (#87 in the arena) |
| Editing Elo | 1129 ±12 (#9 in the arena) | Not scored yet |
| Arena votes | 8,479 | 2,500 |
| Edits uploaded pictures | No | No |
| Largest size | — | — |
| Open weights | No | Yes |
| Zero data retention | Yes | — |
| Lab | Meta | Alibaba |
| Official name | Muse Image 1.0 | Z-Image Base |
| Released | July 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, Muse Image 1.0 or Z-Image Base?
People picked Muse Image 1.0’s picture over Z-Image Base’s about 80% of the time in blind votes, and they cost about the same ($0.01 against $0.01 an image).
Which is cheaper, Muse Image 1.0 or Z-Image Base?
They cost about the same: Muse Image 1.0 $0.01 and Z-Image Base $0.01 for a 1024×1024 image.
Can Muse Image 1.0 and Z-Image Base edit images?
Not on ModelCompare: both only make new pictures from a prompt here.
How can I compare Muse Image 1.0 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.