Overview
- Tool name: Recraft V4 (with V4.1 / V4 Styles / V4.1 Flash)
- Developer: Recraft
- Official site: https://recraft.ai
- Official API docs: https://recraft.mintlify.dev/docs/recraft-models/recraft-V4
- Category: AI image models
- Released: V4 in February 2026; V4.1 on May 14, 2026; V4 Styles in August 2026; V4.1 Flash in September 2026
Recraft V4 is a ground-up rebuild of the model line, aimed at three things: design taste, prompt accuracy, and output quality at any size. The differentiator is not "more photorealistic" - it is output that looks deliberate: balanced composition, cohesive color relationships, restrained detail, nothing stock-like.
Family and official pricing (per image, USD)
| Model | Raster | Vector | Median latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recraft V4 | $0.04 | $0.08 | 10s / 15s |
| Recraft V4 Pro | $0.25 | $0.30 | 30s / 45s |
| Recraft V4.1 | $0.035 | $0.08 | 6.5s / 12s |
| Recraft V4.1 Pro | $0.21 | $0.30 | 12s / 15s |
| Recraft V4.1 Utility | $0.035 | $0.08 | 8.5s / 14s |
| Recraft V4.1 Utility Pro | $0.21 | $0.30 | 14s / 17s |
| Recraft V4 Styles | from $0.035 | $0.05 | - |
| Recraft V4.1 Flash | $0.007 (raster only) | - | about 1.3s |
| Recraft V3 (previous gen) | $0.04 | $0.08 | - |
| Recraft V2 | $0.022 | $0.044 | - |
Pricing verified against Recraft's official API documentation (October 2026). The API default model is `recraftv4_1` - requests without a `model` parameter use it.
Choosing a tier
- V4.1: the default and most capable - photorealism, illustration and strong results from short prompts at a 6.5s median; the everyday pick
- V4.1 Pro: higher resolution and finer detail (Pro outputs 2048x2048) for print, large format, product and marketing work
- Utility: choose predictability over creative surprise - flat lighting, simple composition, ideal for mockups and product listing photos
- Vector: the only model that generates editable, production-quality SVG, preserving scalable geometry and discrete color regions you can reshape and recolor
- V4.1 Flash: $0.007 per image at roughly 1.3 seconds, speed and cost first, no style support
- V4 Styles (August 2026): give it 1 to 10 reference images and it locks a style with no training or fine-tuning, in Precise or Flexible matching modes
The V4 Styles benchmark (worth calling out)
Across a blind test on 159 real-world styles, Precise mode won 91.6% of head-to-head matchups. The comparison set was GPT Image 2 High, Nano Banana Pro, Seedream 5.0 Pro, Flux 2 Max, Nano Banana 2, Midjourney and Krea 2 Large, each at its August 14, 2026 version.
Read it with care: Recraft designed the test, but five independent evaluators per matchup - sourced through a third-party crowdsourcing platform and blind to which model produced which image - decided every result. It measures one thing, holding a style across a generation, not overall image quality.
Technical specifications
- API: `POST https://external.api.recraft.ai/v1/images/generations`, OpenAI-SDK compatible (just change base_url)
- Prompt: up to 10,000 characters
- Size: `size` accepts an aspect ratio (1:1, 16:9, 3:4, ...) or an exact size (1024x1024); inferred from the prompt when omitted
- Batch: `n` from 1 to 6
- Style: `style_id`, or `style_reference_urls` (up to 10) with `style_match` (flexible / precise)
- Color control: `controls.colors`, `controls.background_color`
- Export formats: SVG, PNG, JPG, PDF, TIFF, Lottie
- Availability: every V4 model is available on all plan types, including the Free plan
Limitations
V4 does not yet support style creation, prompt-based editing, image sets, or artistic level control.
At the API level, `negative_prompt`, curated `style`, `text_layout`, and the `artistic_level` and `no_text` controls are unsupported. Exploration mode is marked temporarily unavailable. For editing tasks, V3 still offers inpainting, outpainting and background operations.
Who it is for
- Brand and vector assets: icons, illustration, editable SVG - Recraft's uncontested position
- Design work with text: infographics, menus, signage, packaging, reliable on short and mid-length phrases
- High-volume cheap generation: V4.1 Flash at $0.007 per image in about 1.3 seconds
- Style-consistent batch output: V4 Styles, 1 to 10 references, no training
- Print and product imagery: Pro tier at 2048x2048
Frequently asked questions
How do V4 and V4.1 relate?
V4 was the February 2026 rebuild; V4.1 (May 14, 2026) is the capability upgrade and the current API default. Use V4.1 day to day.
How much per image?
Official pricing: V4.1 raster $0.035 and vector $0.08; V4.1 Pro $0.21 / $0.30; V4.1 Flash raster-only $0.007; V4 $0.04 / $0.08 and V4 Pro $0.25 / $0.30.
Can it generate vectors?
Yes - that is its exclusive strength. The Vector tiers of V4 and V4.1 output editable production-grade SVG, exportable as PDF, SVG or Lottie.
What is the maximum resolution?
The Pro tier outputs 2048x2048, positioned by Recraft for print, product and marketing clarity.
Is there a free allowance?
All V4 models are available on every plan type including Free. Exploration mode previously cost 2 credits per image (8 images per generation, 16 credits total), but Recraft marks that mode as temporarily unavailable.
Can V4 edit images?
No - V4 has no prompt-based editing. Use V3 for inpainting, outpainting and background operations.
*This page is not affiliated with Recraft. Specs and pricing verified as of October 2026 (Recraft official API docs); confirm current figures on the official site.*
