Typography-led design
Create posters, covers, packaging concepts, and campaign artwork where words need to participate in the composition.
Independent tool overview
Recraft V4 at a glance
Recraft V4 is a design-focused image model family for generating raster artwork and genuinely editable SVG vectors with strong composition, typography, and production-oriented output. It remains available in Recraft Studio and the API, but Recraft V4.1 is now the newer default family with updated aesthetics, Utility variants, and lower raster API prices.
Visit the official Recraft V4 site ↗
- Product type
- Raster and editable vector image model family
- Current successor
- Recraft V4.1
- V4 variants
- Standard, Pro, Vector, and Pro Vector
- Native raster resolution
- 1024×1024 Standard; 2048×2048 Pro
- API price
- $0.04–$0.30 per generated image
- Last reviewed
- August 29, 2026
Overview
What Recraft V4 is
Recraft built V4 for professional visual work rather than broad image-generation taste alone. The family covers 1024-pixel Standard raster, 2048-pixel Pro raster, Vector, and Pro Vector models. Its distinguishing capability is prompt-to-SVG generation with structured layers and clean geometry that can be edited in Recraft's own vector editor or exported to professional design tools.
The model is strongest for posters, logos, brand illustration, icons, typography-led concepts, product visuals, and campaign assets where spatial relationships matter. V4 treats type, color, lighting, negative space, and material form as parts of one composition instead of simply adding a text overlay to an image.
Recraft released V4.1 in May 2026, so buyers should treat V4 as the previous generation rather than the newest option. V4 and V4.1 both remain in the API. Start new evaluations with V4.1, then keep V4 only when its established visual behavior, an existing workflow, or output comparison makes it the better fit.
Use cases
Who Recraft V4 is best for
The strongest fit depends on the job you need the product to complete, not the size of its feature list.
Editable vector assets
Generate logos, icons, illustrations, and product graphics as layered SVGs instead of tracing a raster result.
Brand and marketing production
Explore cohesive creative directions, then refine, recolor, resize, and export assets for web or print.
Programmatic image pipelines
Use predictable per-image API pricing for raster and vector generation, background work, vectorization, and upscaling.
Capabilities
Core Recraft V4 features
Design-focused raster generation
Emphasizes balanced composition, cohesive color, lighting, material realism, and prompt interpretation for professional visual briefs.
Integrated typography
Handles short and medium text as a structural element of the visual, including spatial interactions, alignment, and typographic hierarchy.
True vector generation
Produces SVG files with structured layers, discrete colors, clean geometry, and scalable paths rather than merely vectorizing a finished bitmap.
Standard and Pro outputs
Standard raster generates at 1024×1024, while Pro increases native output to 2048×2048 with finer detail and realism; Vector and Pro Vector cover scalable graphics.
Built-in vector editor
Recraft Studio now lets users move anchor points, recolor individual shapes, and duplicate vector elements without leaving the canvas.
Production export formats
The Recraft workflow supports SVG, PNG, JPG, PDF, TIFF, and Lottie exports for downstream web, print, motion, and design use.
Supporting editing suite
Studio includes tools for background removal or replacement, inpainting, erasing, vectorization, mockups, and crisp or creative upscaling, although some use separate models from V4.
Studio and API availability
V4 remains selectable in the web application and API alongside V2, V3, and the newer V4.1 family.
Process
How the Recraft V4 workflow works
Step 1
Choose V4 or V4.1 deliberately
Benchmark V4.1 first for new work; select V4 when its established composition or pricing behavior is preferable for an existing pipeline.
Step 2
Write a design brief
Specify deliverable, audience, hierarchy, exact copy, composition, palette, material treatment, negative space, dimensions, and what must not appear.
Step 3
Pick raster or vector
Use raster for photographic texture and complex scenes, or Vector for logos, icons, flat illustration, and graphics that must remain editable at any size.
Step 4
Explore before upgrading resolution
Generate lower-cost Standard directions first, then move the selected concept to Pro or refine the vector geometry when the asset needs production detail.
Step 5
Edit individual elements
Correct text, shape, spacing, color, and composition in Recraft's vector editor or an external design tool instead of repeatedly regenerating the whole asset.
Step 6
Confirm rights and output
Use a paid plan for private, commercially owned Studio generations, verify fonts, trademarks and likenesses, and export in the format the production channel actually needs.
Cost
Recraft V4 pricing and free plan
The V4 API is prepaid in non-expiring API Units at 1,000 units per $1. V4 raster costs $0.04 per image, V4 Vector $0.08, V4 Pro $0.25, and V4 Pro Vector $0.30. The newer V4.1 family is generally the better starting point: V4.1 raster is $0.035, Vector $0.08, Pro $0.21, and Pro Vector $0.30, with Utility at $0.035 and Utility Pro at $0.21. Studio subscriptions use a separate credit system. Free-plan images are public, owned by Recraft, and not licensed for commercial use; paid-plan generations are private and include ownership and commercial rights.
Studio Free
Free with credits
Lets users explore the model family, but the output terms are unsuitable for commercial client work.
- Generated images are publicly visible
- Recraft owns Free-plan images
- Free-plan images are not licensed for commercial use
- Use a paid plan before creating final commercial assets
Recraft V4 API
$0.04–$0.30/image
Previous-generation raster and vector models that remain available for existing workflows.
- V4 raster: $0.04
- V4 Vector: $0.08
- V4 Pro raster: $0.25
- V4 Pro Vector: $0.30
Recraft V4.1 API
$0.035–$0.30/image
Current model family and recommended baseline for new evaluations.
- V4.1 and Utility: $0.035
- V4.1 Vector: $0.08
- V4.1 Pro and Utility Pro: $0.21
- V4.1 Pro Vector: $0.30
API editing tools
$0.002–$0.25/request
Supporting operations are charged separately by action.
- Erase region: $0.002
- Crisp upscale: $0.004
- Vectorization or background removal: $0.01
- Raster image editing: typically $0.04
- Creative upscale: $0.25
Pricing checked . Check current pricing at the source ↗
Assessment
Recraft V4 strengths and limitations
Where it stands out
- Generates editable vector files directly instead of relying on bitmap tracing
- Treats typography, composition, color, and spatial relationships as a unified design problem
- Standard and Pro variants provide a clear speed, resolution, and cost tradeoff
- The Studio combines generation, vector editing, cleanup, enhancement, mockups, and export
- Per-image API pricing is public and easy to model
- V4 remains available, while V4.1 provides a current migration path
What to consider
- V4 is no longer the newest family; V4.1 should be the comparison baseline for new work
- The V4 model itself does not support style creation, prompt-based editing, image sets, or artistic-level control
- Generated typography, logos, anatomy, factual visual details, and brand elements still require close review
- Free-plan Studio images are public, owned by Recraft, and cannot be used as final commercial assets
- API Unit packages are prepaid, non-cancellable, and non-refundable, although they do not expire
- A generated SVG can still need manual path, spacing, layer, and accessibility cleanup before production
Compare
Recraft V4 alternatives
The right alternative depends on the specific output, workflow, controls and budget your project requires.
Design
Ideogram
Consider Ideogram for typography-heavy raster generation and creative ideation when editable native SVG output is not essential.
Explore Ideogram →Design
ChatGPT Images 2.0
Consider ChatGPT Images for conversational generation and precise iterative photo editing inside a broad assistant workflow.
Explore ChatGPT Images 2.0 →Content Creator
FLUX.2
Consider FLUX.2 for photorealistic generation, developer access, and an ecosystem with open and hosted variants.
Explore FLUX.2 →Content Creator
Krea
Consider Krea for a broader visual canvas spanning real-time exploration, multiple models, enhancement, and creative iteration.
Explore Krea →Questions
Recraft V4 FAQs
What is Recraft V4?
Recraft V4 is a design-focused raster and vector image model family. It generates 1024- or 2048-pixel raster images and editable SVG graphics with an emphasis on composition, typography, color, and production use.
Is Recraft V4 still available?
Yes. Recraft keeps V4 in Studio and the API, but V4.1 is the newer family and should be evaluated first for new projects.
What changed with Recraft V4.1?
V4.1 updates Recraft's aesthetic model behavior and adds current Standard, Pro, Vector, Pro Vector, Utility, and Utility Pro variants. Its raster API prices are also lower than the corresponding V4 rates.
Can Recraft generate real vector files?
Yes. V4 Vector and Pro Vector generate editable SVGs with structured layers and scalable geometry. Recraft Studio also includes a vector editor for moving points and recoloring shapes.
How much does the Recraft V4 API cost?
V4 raster is $0.04 per image, V4 Vector $0.08, V4 Pro $0.25, and V4 Pro Vector $0.30. The newer V4.1 raster and Pro rates are $0.035 and $0.21 respectively.
Can I use Recraft Free images commercially?
No. Recraft says Free-plan images are public, owned by Recraft, and not licensed for commercial use. Paid-plan images are private and come with ownership and commercial rights.
Is Recraft V4 good for logos?
It is useful for logo and wordmark exploration because of its typography and native vector output, but every result still needs trademark review, legibility testing, optical refinement, and manual production cleanup.
Bottom line
Our Recraft V4 verdict
Recraft V4 remains a strong specialist for teams that need design-aware composition and editable vectors from the same model family. Its real advantage is not that every prompt becomes a finished brand asset; it is that a promising generation can continue as structured design material. Because V4.1 is now current and cheaper for raster API use, begin there, compare both families on a real brief, and reserve paid, private output for any commercial deliverable.
Visit Recraft V4 website ↗Similar Design Tools
View all Design AI tools →
FireRed-Image-Edit
FireRed-Image-Edit - Open-source image editing model with SOTA results across style, text, try-on, and photo restoration tasks
Seedream 5.0 Lite
Seedream 5.0 Lite - ByteDance's updated text-to-image model with style control and real-time trend generation
Qwen Image 2.0
Qwen Image 2.0 - Alibaba's new unified image generation and editing model with native 2K resolution and 1K-token text rendering
Reve 2.1 (formerly Reve v1.5)
Reve v1.5 - Reve's updated text-to-image model with 4k resolution outputs
AI training for the future of work.
Get access to all our AI courses, hundreds of real-world AI use cases, live expert-led workshops, an exclusive network of AI early adopters, and more.
AI Courses
Get unlimited access to all of our current & upcoming industry-specific AI courses for the duration of your subscription.
Daily Guides
To keep up with the rapid pace of AI, our team publishes AI implementation guides daily. Our library contains 300+ practical use cases to automate real-world work.
Workshops
Join weekly, live, interactive sessions with industry leaders who are at the forefront of AI for hands-on implementation guidance and exclusive insights.
Community
Network with an exclusive community of AI-first professionals who are working smarter with AI. Learn how early adopters are using AI in their work and businesses.