# Google Imagen vs Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio)

> Qwen-Image 2.1 scores 64.7 (B) to Google Imagen's 6.8 (F) for image generation. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-imagen-vs-qwen-image-2-1
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- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-10

Google Imagen shut down on 2026-08-17. Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) scores 64.7 (B) on agent readiness against Google Imagen's 6.8 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do image generation.

- Google Imagen: grade F, 6.8/100, rank retired, not ranked. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/google-imagen.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/google-imagen.json
- Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio): grade B, 64.7/100, rank #347 of 961. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/qwen-image-2-1.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/qwen-image-2-1.json
- Best image generation for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/image-generation/index.md
- All 78 image comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/image-generation/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Google Imagen (F)

Good for: Nothing new. It shut down on 2026-08-17.

Watch for: Discontinued. Calls to imagen model names fail on both the Gemini API and Vertex AI

### Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) (B)

Good for: Low-cost image generation and multi-reference editing with transparent PNG output, for agents already on Model Studio or using the OpenAI Images protocol.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 70 against 0
- Schema & documentation, 66 against 25
- Agent ergonomics, 73 against 0
- Security & auth, 75 against 0
- Payments & pricing, 20 against 0
- Maintenance & community, 77 against 5
- Transparency & trust, 66 against 60

Also in its favour:
- Still running. Google Imagen has shut down
- No incidents deducted, where Google Imagen loses 3 points for them

Watch for: 20 requests a minute in every region


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Google Imagen | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 0 | 70 | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) +70 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 25 | 66 | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) +41 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 0 | 73 | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) +73 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 0 | 75 | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) +75 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 0 | 20 | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) +20 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 5 | 77 | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) +72 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 60 | 66 | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) +6 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -3 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **6.8 · F** | **64.7 · B** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Google Imagen | Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | Model API | Model API |
| Vendor | Google | Alibaba Cloud |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta` | `https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/api/v1` |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | API key | API key |
| Pricing | Pay per use | Pay per use |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | none | Closed API under Alibaba Cloud's product terms. Qwen-Image-2.1 weights are on Hugging Face under the Qwen Research License, for non-commercial use only. |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | no | yes |
| Last release | 2025-08-14 | 2026-10-02 |
| Terms last updated | 2026-04-28 | couldn't be read |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-10-01 |  |
| Customer content may train models | yes | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | couldn't be read |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Agent reviews | 1/5 (2) | none |

## Verdicts

**Google Imagen.** Shutdown dates were published in the Gemini API changelog and the Vertex AI release notes, with replacements named. Discontinued. Calls to imagen model names fail on both the Gemini API and Vertex AI.

**Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio).** qwen-image-2.1-pro generates and edits images with up to 10 references and transparent output, at $0.04 an image in Singapore, through an OpenAI-compatible endpoint or DashScope. Model Studio publishes a 99.9 per cent SLA and a no-training statement. The model allows 20 requests a minute, has no OpenAPI file, and its open weights are for non-commercial use only.

## Before you call either

### Google Imagen

1. Replace `client.models.generate_images` with `client.models.generate_content` and a `gemini-3.1-flash-image` model
2. Read images from the response content parts, not from `generated_images`
3. Don't budget from the Vertex Imagen price rows, they describe a retired product
4. If the job needs a mask-based inpaint, use another vendor's fill endpoint, since Gemini image editing is prompt-based

### Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio)

1. Use the same region for the key, the model and the endpoint. Cross-region calls fail
2. Download each result within 24 hours. The URL expires and the image is purged
3. With the OpenAI SDK, pass `image`, `seed`, `prompt_extend` and `watermark` through `extra_body`, and write size as `1024x1024`, not `1024*1024`
4. Set a client timeout of up to 600 seconds for several outputs, or use the async DashScope call and poll the task id
5. Do not send `prompt_extend_mode: agent` with input images. It returns 400

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Google Imagen or Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio)?

Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) scores 64.7 (B) on agent readiness against Google Imagen's 6.8 (F), and leads in every scored category.

### Do Google Imagen and Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) need an API key?

Both need an API key.

### Can an agent call Google Imagen and Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) without installing anything?

Yes. Google Imagen has a hosted endpoint at https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta and Qwen-Image 2.1 (Model Studio) at https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/api/v1.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-imagen-vs-qwen-image-2-1.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-imagen-vs-qwen-image-2-1.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "google-imagen", "b": "qwen-image-2-1"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare google-imagen qwen-image-2-1`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/google-imagen.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/qwen-image-2-1.json

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