Image model vs image model
Qwen-Image vs Z-Image Base
People rate their pictures about the same in blind votes, so the cheaper Z-Image Base is the better buy: $0.02 against $0.01 an image.
At a glance
Longer bar means the bigger number. Elo bars start at 800.
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 Qwen-Image. Models the arena hasn’t rated yet sit in the grey lane at the bottom.
Which one to pick
Pick Qwen-Image if
- you need to edit pictures you upload; Z-Image Base only makes new ones here
Pick Z-Image Base if
- price matters: 100 images cost $1.00, against $2.00 with Qwen-Image
The specs
| Spec | Qwen-Image | Z-Image Base |
|---|---|---|
| Price per image | $0.02 ($0.03 per edit) | $0.01 |
| 100 images | $2.00 | $1.00 |
| Text-to-image Elo | 903 ±18 (#83 in the arena) | 891 ±17 (#87 in the arena) |
| Editing Elo | 889 ±20 (#69 in the arena) | Not scored yet |
| Arena votes | 2,339 | 2,500 |
| Edits uploaded pictures | Yes | No |
| Largest size | — | — |
| Open weights | Yes | Yes |
| Zero data retention | — | — |
| Lab | Alibaba | Alibaba |
| Official name | Qwen-Image | Z-Image Base |
| Released | August 2025 | January 2026 |
Elo ± is the 95% margin. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from fal.ai.
Questions
Which is better, Qwen-Image or Z-Image Base?
People rate their pictures about the same in blind votes, so the cheaper Z-Image Base is the better buy: $0.02 against $0.01 an image.
Which is cheaper, Qwen-Image or Z-Image Base?
Z-Image Base: $0.01 for a 1024×1024 image, against $0.02 for Qwen-Image. 100 images cost $1.00 and $2.00.
Can Qwen-Image and Z-Image Base edit images?
Qwen-Image can change a picture you upload. Z-Image Base only makes new pictures from a prompt here.
How can I compare Qwen-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 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.