Recraft V4
Recraft V4 is Recraft's third-generation image model, built with input from working designers. It delivers improved photorealism with realistic skin, natural textures, clean lighting, varied composition, and original character generation.
import { experimental_generateImage as generateImage } from 'ai';
const result = await generateImage({ model: 'recraft/recraft-v4', prompt: 'A red balloon on a wooden table.'});Playground
Try out Recraft V4 by Recraft. Usage is billed to your team at API rates. Free users (those who haven't made a payment) get $5 of credits every 30 days.
Providers
Route requests across multiple providers. Copy a provider slug to set your preference. Visit the docs for more info. Using a provider means you agree to their terms, listed under Legal.
P50 throughput on live AI Gateway traffic, in tokens per second (TPS). Visit the docs for more info.
P50 time to first token (TTFT) on live AI Gateway traffic, in milliseconds. View the docs for more info.
More models by Recraft
| Model |
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| — | — |  | 02/17/2026 | ||||||||||
| — | — | | 10/01/2024 | ||||||||||
| — | — | | 03/01/2024 |
About Recraft V4
Recraft V4 is the third generation of Recraft's image model family. Recraft developed it with direct input from working designers, focusing on photorealism, composition variety, and character originality.
V4 emphasizes more realistic skin, natural textures, fewer synthetic artifacts, cleaner lighting, and more varied composition. Material textures (fabric, metal, wood, glass) show fewer repeating patterns.
Composition is another focus area. V4 produces more varied framing, camera angles, and spatial arrangements than earlier Recraft generations, which often defaulted to centered layouts. For illustration work, it generates original characters with less predictable color palettes.
Recraft V4 is optimized for speed and cost-efficiency within the V4 generation. Use it for everyday creative work and iterative design processes. For maximum resolution or print-ready fidelity, Recraft V4 Pro extends the output ceiling.
What To Consider When Choosing a Provider
- Configuration: Recraft V4 is optimized for speed and cost-efficiency. Confirm per-image rates. It fits iterative design workflows where rapid generation cycles matter. For maximum resolution and print-ready output, evaluate Recraft V4 Pro.
- Zero Data Retention: AI Gateway does not currently support Zero Data Retention for this model. See the documentation for models that support ZDR.
- Authentication: AI Gateway authenticates requests using an API key or OIDC token. You do not need to manage provider credentials directly.
When to Use Recraft V4
Best For
- Photorealistic design work: Marketing imagery, product visualization, and editorial content that require natural output
- Iterative creative processes: Rapid generation cycles at reasonable cost
- Original character illustration: Work that benefits from fresh aesthetics and unpredictable color palettes
- Varied composition: Layouts that need dynamic framing beyond centered defaults
Consider Alternatives When
- Print-ready resolution: Recraft V4 Pro delivers higher resolution output
- Style preset dependence: Recraft V3's 20+ style presets may outweigh V4's general improvements
- Budget-first workflows: Recraft V2 or V3 may meet your needs at lower per-image rates
- Native vector output: Recraft V3 introduced direct vector generation
Conclusion
Recraft V4 delivers photorealism and composition improvements for professional design and marketing use. It fits iterative workflows that prioritize speed and cost over maximum resolution. Move to Recraft V4 Pro when you need print-ready or large-format resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Recraft V4 different from Recraft V3?
V4 focuses on photorealism and composition: more realistic skin, natural textures, cleaner lighting, and more varied layouts. V3's strengths are style presets and vector output. Choose V4 when those photorealism and composition goals outweigh preset-driven workflows.
Was Recraft V4 developed differently from earlier versions?
Yes. Recraft developed V4 with direct input from working designers. That process focused on the gaps that matter most in professional creative work: photorealism, composition variety, and character originality.
How does Recraft V4 compare to V4 Pro?
V4 is optimized for speed and cost-efficiency in iterative design work. V4 Pro generates higher-resolution output for print-ready assets and large-scale applications. Use V4 for everyday creative production and V4 Pro for final fidelity.
Does Recraft V4 handle text rendering in images?
Yes. Recraft V4 builds on the text rendering from earlier Recraft generations. Text in generated images is legible and accurately rendered.
Is Recraft V4 a multimodal LLM?
No. Recraft V4 is a dedicated image generation model. It doesn't process conversation history or maintain a context window. Use
generateImagefrom the AI SDK.How do I use Recraft V4 on AI Gateway?
Pass
recraft/recraft-v4togenerateImagefrom the AI SDK. AI Gateway handles routing, retries, and provider failover automatically.What does Recraft V4 cost?
See the pricing section on this page for today's rates. AI Gateway exposes each provider's pricing for Recraft V4.
What types of content benefit most from V4's improvements?
Marketing imagery, product visualization, editorial photography, and character illustration. The photorealism improvements (skin, textures, lighting) and composition variety address the gaps that make generated images look synthetic.