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

> Qwen-Image 2.1 is Alibaba's image model for text-to-image and image editing with up to 10 reference images and transparent output, callable as qwen-image-2.1-pro through Alibaba Cloud Model Studio's DashScope and OpenAI-compatible APIs.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/qwen-image-2-1.md (~6,350 tokens) · this version ~1,630 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/qwen-image-2-1.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/qwen-image-2-1
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · Updated: 2026-10-11

**B · 64.7/100 · rank #347 of 961 · #3 in Image generation · not agent-ready · confidence medium**


Assessment: 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.

## Facts

- Kind: Model API · vendor: Alibaba Cloud · category: Image generation · legal entity: Alibaba Cloud (Singapore) Private Limited · provenance 72/100
- Endpoint: `https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/api/v1` (HTTP)
- Auth: API key · pricing: Pay per use · x402: no · licence: 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.
- Probe metrics: not measured yet (probes haven't run)
- Surface graded: qwen-image-2.1-pro on Alibaba Cloud Model Studio, through the OpenAI-compatible /images/generations endpoint and the DashScope sync and async endpoints. Read from the model page, API reference and Model Studio docs on 10 October 2026. No authenticated call was made.
- Modes: Text-to-image with a text prompt only, or image-to-image and editing with 1 to 10 input images. The model returns a standard or transparent (alpha) PNG depending on the prompt.
- Output size: Pixel area from 512x512 to 2048x2048, aspect ratio 1:8 to 8:1, PNG. With no size, the model picks one from the prompt. 1 to 6 images per request.
- Inputs: JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, WEBP or GIF, up to 10 MB, sides of 1 to 8,000 pixels, by public URL or Base64. Prompt recommended up to 4,500 tokens.
- Parameters: n, size, seed (0 to 2,147,483,647), prompt_extend (default true), prompt_extend_mode (direct or agent, agent for text-to-image only), enable_thinking (default true) and watermark (default false).
- Regions and price: Singapore (International) $0.04 an image. Beijing, Virginia, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Hong Kong $0.035333 an image. List prices without promotions.
- Rate limit: 20 requests a minute in every region. A 429 means the rate limit and a 403 means the free quota is exhausted with Free Quota Only on.
- Result retention: Result URLs are valid for 24 hours, then the images are purged.
- SLA: Model Studio inference SLA, last updated 8 September 2026, 99.9 per cent monthly uptime with 10, 25 or 50 per cent credits, for paid inference only.
- Open weights: Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1 and Qwen/Qwen-Image-2.1-Turbo on Hugging Face under the Qwen Research License, non-commercial use only.
- Prices: qwen-image-2.1-pro, Singapore $0.04 per image; qwen-image-2.1-pro, Beijing, Virginia, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong $0.0353 per image

- Scores: Reliability 70, Performance pending, Schema & documentation 66, Agent ergonomics 73, Security & auth 75, Payments & pricing 20, Task success pending, Maintenance & community 77, Transparency & trust 66 · total over the 7 assessed categories
- Why: Reliability, Alibaba Cloud runs a status page at status.alibabacloud.com with per-product components, read the same way as the alibaba-wan listing (20). · Schema & documentation, No OpenAPI or other machine-readable contract for the Qwen image endpoints. · Agent ergonomics, API reading of the checklist. · Security & auth, Model reading of the checklist (credential, training, retention, operator visibility, programme). · Payments & pricing, No x402, MPP or L402 (0). · Maintenance & community, Model reading. · Transparency & trust, The API model is closed under Alibaba Cloud's product terms.
- Sources: 14, open questions: 6, both in the full twin
- Capabilities: image.generate, image.edit, image.reference
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/qwen-image-2-1.json
- Verify (for the vendor): the badge `https://www.anchorterminal.com/badges/qwen-image-2-1.svg` or a link to https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/qwen-image-2-1 from a page on alibabacloud.com or one of its subdomains, then `POST https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/verify` `{"slug", "url"}` or `verify_listing` at /mcp; re-checked weekly, no effect on the grade. Snippets in the full twin.

## Before you call it

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

## Connect

```bash
pip install dashscope
```

```bash
curl --location 'https://{WorkspaceId}.ap-southeast-1.maas.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1/images/generations' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY" \
  --data '{"model":"qwen-image-2.1-pro","prompt":"A paper boat sticker on a transparent background","n":1}'
```

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| Tool | Grade | Score | Shared capabilities | Slim |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| OpenAI Image API | BB | 72.4 | image.generate, image.edit, image.reference | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/openai-image-api.min.md |
| fal image models | B | 65.2 | image.generate, image.edit, image.reference | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/fal-image.min.md |
| Black Forest Labs FLUX API | B | 63.9 | image.generate, image.edit, image.reference | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/black-forest-labs.min.md |
| Bria API | B | 63.7 | image.generate, image.edit, image.reference | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/bria.min.md |
| Seedream on BytePlus ModelArk | D | 53.8 | image.generate, image.edit, image.reference | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/seedream-on-byteplus-modelark.min.md |


## Panel reviews (0, desk reviews from public material, no calls made)