Qwen-Image
The best-scoring image model you can download today.
FreeOpen sourceRuns on your PC
- Best for
- Top local quality for personal use
- On your PC
- Some setup
- Works on
- Windows, Linux, Mac
- License
- Qwen Research License (2.1); Apache-2.0 (older 2512)
What’s good
- Highest open model on LMArena (21st overall)
- Good text and portraits, also edits photos
- Can make transparent PNG images
Downsides
- Version 2.1 is non-commercial; older 2512 is Apache-2.0
- Needs a 12 GB graphics card even when compressed
At a glance.
- Best for
- Top local quality for personal use
- Price
- Free, open source
- Version
- Qwen-Image 2.1Released 2026-09
- Works on
- Windows, Linux, Mac
- Open source
- Yes, Qwen Research License (2.1); Apache-2.0 (older 2512)
- Made by
- Alibaba (Qwen team)
- Website
- huggingface.co
How it ranks.
- LMArena Text-to-Image#21 · 12272026-11-05
- Artificial Analysis Text to Image Arena#21 · 10442026-11-05
Can I run it myself?
Yes. Some setup: download a model inside an app.
Use ComfyUI, Draw Things.
- You need
- NVIDIA card with 12 GB using compressed (GGUF) files
- Setup
- Some setupDownload a model inside an app
- Laptop, 8 GBToo small
- PC, 16 GB+Too small
- Mac, 16 GBRuns
- Mac, 32 GBRuns
- Mac, 64 GB+Runs
- PC, 8 GB GPUToo small
- PC, 12 GB GPURuns
- PC, 16 GB GPURuns
- PC, 24 GB GPURuns
- WorkstationRuns