Head to head

Ideogram V4.5 vs Recraft V4.1

Same prompts, same settings: how the two models compare on score, price and time to image in every use case we tested both on.

Short answer

Ideogram V4.5 beats Recraft V4.1 in 2 of 3 use cases we tested: portraits & people (4.2 vs 3.9) and product photos (4.2 vs 4.0). Recraft V4.1 wins social media ads (4.5 vs 4.4). Recraft V4.1 is cheaper ($0.035 vs $0.062 per image). Ideogram V4.5 is faster (9.5 s vs 11.4 s median).

Last tested

Results by use case

ModelRankScore$/imageTime to image
Portraits & people
Ideogram V4.5wins#3 of 104.2$0.0609.1 s
Recraft V4.1#8 of 103.9$0.03512.6 s
Product photos
Ideogram V4.5wins#3 of 104.2$0.0668.8 s
Recraft V4.1#8 of 104.0$0.03511.0 s
Social media ads
Ideogram V4.5#6 of 104.4$0.06010.6 s
Recraft V4.1wins#3 of 104.5$0.03511.2 s

Rank among every model scored for that use case. Price is the average and time the median per image. How we test

Same prompt, side by side

Both models received each prompt with identical settings. Click an image to enlarge it.

Corporate headshot on gray · Portraits & people

Ideogram V4.5: Professional corporate headshot of a man in his forties with short salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a navy suit and a white shirt, with a slight smile, against a neutral mid-gray seamless backdrop. Soft key light from the left with a gentle fill, sharp focus on the eyes, shallow depth of field.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.3 · 7.5 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Professional corporate headshot of a man in his forties with short salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a navy suit and a white shirt, with a slight smile, against a neutral mid-gray seamless backdrop. Soft key light from the left with a gentle fill, sharp focus on the eyes, shallow depth of field.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.7 · 20.1 sSee all models →

Four friends laughing outdoors · Portraits & people

Ideogram V4.5: Candid photo of four friends of different ethnicities laughing together at a picnic table in a park at golden hour, one of them raising a glass of lemonade. Natural expressions, warm backlight, 35mm lens look.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.0 · 10.7 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Candid photo of four friends of different ethnicities laughing together at a picnic table in a park at golden hour, one of them raising a glass of lemonade. Natural expressions, warm backlight, 35mm lens look.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.3 · 12.6 sSee all models →

Nurse with a readable name badge · Portraits & people

Ideogram V4.5: Friendly portrait of a female nurse in teal scrubs standing in a bright hospital corridor with her arms crossed and a stethoscope around her neck. Her name badge clearly reads "MARIA LOPEZ, RN".
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.5 · 9.1 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Friendly portrait of a female nurse in teal scrubs standing in a bright hospital corridor with her arms crossed and a stethoscope around her neck. Her name badge clearly reads "MARIA LOPEZ, RN".
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.0 · 15.8 sSee all models →

Elderly potter's hands at work · Portraits & people

Ideogram V4.5: Close-up documentary photo of an elderly woman's wrinkled hands shaping wet clay on a spinning pottery wheel, with clay slip on her fingers. Warm window light; her smiling face is softly out of focus in the background.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.3 · 9.5 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Close-up documentary photo of an elderly woman's wrinkled hands shaping wet clay on a spinning pottery wheel, with clay slip on her fingers. Warm window light; her smiling face is softly out of focus in the background.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 3.7 · 11.4 sSee all models →

Rembrandt-lit dramatic portrait · Portraits & people

Ideogram V4.5: Fine-art portrait of a young man with curly dark hair and a short beard, wearing a textured wool sweater. Rembrandt lighting with a small triangle of light on the shadow-side cheek, a black background, moody low-key photographic look.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 3.7 · 8.8 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Fine-art portrait of a young man with curly dark hair and a short beard, wearing a textured wool sweater. Rembrandt lighting with a small triangle of light on the shadow-side cheek, a black background, moody low-key photographic look.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 2.7 · 10.9 sSee all models →

Coffee pouch with a 3-line label · Product photos

Ideogram V4.5: E-commerce packshot of a matte kraft paper stand-up coffee pouch with a resealable zip, on a plain warm white background with a soft contact shadow, a few roasted coffee beans in front. The label has three lines of text: "HIGHLAND ROAST" in bold serif, "Single Origin · Ethiopia" below it, and "250 g" at the bottom.
Ideogram V4.5Editor 5.0 · AI 4.8 · 9.7 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: E-commerce packshot of a matte kraft paper stand-up coffee pouch with a resealable zip, on a plain warm white background with a soft contact shadow, a few roasted coffee beans in front. The label has three lines of text: "HIGHLAND ROAST" in bold serif, "Single Origin · Ethiopia" below it, and "250 g" at the bottom.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.3 · 10.9 sSee all models →

Headphones held in hand · Product photos

Ideogram V4.5: Lifestyle product photo of a woman's hand holding matte black over-ear wireless headphones by the headband, in a sunlit café with a softly blurred background. Natural window light, visible leather texture on the ear cushions, a small brushed aluminum hinge on each side.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.7 · 8.4 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Lifestyle product photo of a woman's hand holding matte black over-ear wireless headphones by the headband, in a sunlit café with a softly blurred background. Natural window light, visible leather texture on the ear cushions, a small brushed aluminum hinge on each side.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 3.7 · 13.6 sSee all models →

Perfume on a black mirror · Product photos

Ideogram V4.5: Luxury studio photo of a faceted clear glass perfume bottle with a heavy black cap, standing on a glossy black mirror surface that reflects it. Thin rim light outlines the edges, a soft gradient from charcoal to black in the background, crisp caustic highlights in the glass. The front label reads "NOIR 07" in thin gold capital letters.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 3.3 · 9.8 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Luxury studio photo of a faceted clear glass perfume bottle with a heavy black cap, standing on a glossy black mirror surface that reflects it. Thin rim light outlines the edges, a soft gradient from charcoal to black in the background, crisp caustic highlights in the glass. The front label reads "NOIR 07" in thin gold capital letters.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 3.8 · 10.5 sSee all models →

Serum bottle on wet slate · Product photos

Ideogram V4.5: Studio product photo of a frosted glass skincare serum bottle with a bamboo cap, standing on a wet dark slate stone. Soft window light from the left, tiny water droplets on the glass, shallow depth of field, clean neutral background. The label reads "LUMA" in a minimalist sans-serif font.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.5 · 8.8 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Studio product photo of a frosted glass skincare serum bottle with a bamboo cap, standing on a wet dark slate stone. Soft window light from the left, tiny water droplets on the glass, shallow depth of field, clean neutral background. The label reads "LUMA" in a minimalist sans-serif font.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.5 · 11.9 sSee all models →

Sneaker flat lay · Product photos

Ideogram V4.5: Top-down flat lay e-commerce photo of a single white leather sneaker with orange accents on a pastel sage green background, surrounded by a folded beige sock, a pair of sunglasses and a small potted succulent. Even soft lighting, crisp short shadows, generous empty space.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.0 · 8.5 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Top-down flat lay e-commerce photo of a single white leather sneaker with orange accents on a pastel sage green background, surrounded by a folded beige sock, a pair of sunglasses and a small potted succulent. Even soft lighting, crisp short shadows, generous empty space.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 3.7 · 11.0 sSee all models →

App launch ad with a phone · Social media ads

Ideogram V4.5: Square ad announcing a budgeting app: a modern smartphone tilted at an angle, its screen showing a simple bar chart, on a deep purple to pink gradient background with a soft glow. The headline above reads "Your money, sorted." and smaller text below reads "Download free".
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.0 · 10.6 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Square ad announcing a budgeting app: a modern smartphone tilted at an angle, its screen showing a simple bar chart, on a deep purple to pink gradient background with a soft glow. The headline above reads "Your money, sorted." and smaller text below reads "Download free".
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.5 · 10.2 sSee all models →

Iced latte promo with a price · Social media ads

Ideogram V4.5: Vertical social media ad for an iced latte: a tall glass with visible ice cubes and swirling milk on a pastel peach background, condensation droplets on the glass. The top text in a playful rounded font reads "Summer Sips", and a round green sticker in the corner reads "$4.50".
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.8 · 15.1 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Vertical social media ad for an iced latte: a tall glass with visible ice cubes and swirling milk on a pastel peach background, condensation droplets on the glass. The top text in a playful rounded font reads "Summer Sips", and a round green sticker in the corner reads "$4.50".
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.8 · 12.5 sSee all models →

Pizza delivery 2-for-1 ad · Social media ads

Ideogram V4.5: Landscape Facebook ad for pizza delivery: a top-down shot of a pepperoni pizza on a dark wooden table, with one slice being pulled away and stretching melted cheese. A red banner on the left side reads "2 FOR 1" and below it, in white, "Tuesdays only".
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.0 · 8.5 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Landscape Facebook ad for pizza delivery: a top-down shot of a pepperoni pizza on a dark wooden table, with one slice being pulled away and stretching melted cheese. A red banner on the left side reads "2 FOR 1" and below it, in white, "Tuesdays only".
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.0 · 12.1 sSee all models →

UGC-style skincare selfie · Social media ads

Ideogram V4.5: Authentic user-generated style photo for a skincare ad: a smiling young woman with freckles holds a small plain white moisturizer jar next to her cheek in a bright bathroom, natural daylight, a slight phone-camera look, no heavy makeup.
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.3 · 11.2 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Authentic user-generated style photo for a skincare ad: a smiling young woman with freckles holds a small plain white moisturizer jar next to her cheek in a bright bathroom, natural daylight, a slight phone-camera look, no heavy makeup.
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.7 · 11.2 sSee all models →

Sneaker sale ad with a button · Social media ads

Ideogram V4.5: Square Instagram ad for a running shoe sale: a single bright orange running shoe floating mid-air against a solid cobalt blue background, with subtle motion lines behind it. A large bold white sans-serif headline at the top reads "RUN FASTER", and a yellow rounded button at the bottom reads "30% OFF TODAY".
Ideogram V4.5Editor pending · AI 4.8 · 9.7 sSee all models →
Recraft V4.1: Square Instagram ad for a running shoe sale: a single bright orange running shoe floating mid-air against a solid cobalt blue background, with subtle motion lines behind it. A large bold white sans-serif headline at the top reads "RUN FASTER", and a yellow rounded button at the bottom reads "30% OFF TODAY".
Recraft V4.1Editor pending · AI 4.5 · 8.7 sSee all models →

Frequently asked questions

Is Ideogram V4.5 better than Recraft V4.1?

Mostly, yes. Ideogram V4.5 beats Recraft V4.1 in 2 of 3 use cases we tested: portraits & people (4.2 vs 3.9) and product photos (4.2 vs 4.0). Recraft V4.1 wins social media ads (4.5 vs 4.4). Scores are 1-5 on identical prompts and settings.

Which is cheaper, Ideogram V4.5 or Recraft V4.1?

Recraft V4.1: $0.035 per image on average vs $0.062 for Ideogram V4.5, via the fal.ai API.

Which is faster, Ideogram V4.5 or Recraft V4.1?

Ideogram V4.5: a median 9.5 s from request to finished image vs 11.4 s for Recraft V4.1, queue time included.

Ideogram V4.5 or Recraft V4.1 for portraits & people?

Ideogram V4.5 scored higher for portraits & people: 4.2/5 vs 3.9/5, ranking #3 vs #8 of 10 models.

Ideogram V4.5 or Recraft V4.1 for product photos?

Ideogram V4.5 scored higher for product photos: 4.2/5 vs 4.0/5, ranking #3 vs #8 of 10 models.

Ideogram V4.5 or Recraft V4.1 for social media ads?

Recraft V4.1 scored higher for social media ads: 4.5/5 vs 4.4/5, ranking #3 vs #6 of 10 models.