MOSS-Image Turbo vs Qwen Image 2.1

MOSS-Image Turbo vs Qwen Image 2.1 at a glance

MOSS-Image Turbo from OpenMOSS and Qwen Image 2.1 from Alibaba Cloud are both in the Image Generation category, available through the EmpirioLabs API.

Key differences

• MOSS-Image Turbo is the newer release (Oct 16, 2026); Qwen Image 2.1 was released on Oct 2, 2026.
• Input types only Qwen Image 2.1 accepts: Image.
• Capabilities listed only for MOSS-Image Turbo: multilingual text, seed control.
• Capabilities listed only for Qwen Image 2.1: image editing, multi image, multi reference, transparent background.

MOSS-Image Turbo vs Qwen Image 2.1: specs

MOSS-Image Turbo vs Qwen Image 2.1: API pricing

Live rates from the EmpirioLabs catalog for both models. Each rate card always matches what the API charges.

MOSS-Image Turbo vs Qwen Image 2.1: API parameters

Request parameters each model lists on EmpirioLabs, with the allowed values or range where one applies. A dash marks a parameter the model does not list.

MOSS-Image Turbo vs Qwen Image 2.1: limits and notes

MOSS-Image Turbo

Generates images from text, with accurate English and Chinese text in signs, posters, labels, and layouts.

Input

• A text prompt of up to 4,000 characters. Image inputs, negative prompts, and LoRA adapters are not supported.
• Size from aspect_ratio (1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, or 2:3), from size as WIDTHxHEIGHT, or from width and height. Each side is a multiple of 16 from 512 to 2,048 pixels, and width x height is at most 1,048,576 pixels. The default is 1024x1024.
• Up to 4 images per request with num_images.

Output

• WebP by default, or PNG or JPEG with format.
• A signed URL by default, or base64 with response_format set to b64_json.
• Each image carries the seed it used.

Content safety

Generated images pass an automated content-safety check. An image flagged as explicit is not returned. Because the image is generated before the check runs, a flagged generation is still billed.

Weights

• INT8.

Qwen Image 2.1

Qwen Image 2.1 combines Pro and Turbo image generation and editing in one model. Pro is selected by default, output starts at 2K, and aspect ratio starts in Auto. Turbo provides a faster, lower-cost option.

Variants

• Choose qwen-image-2.1-pro for the highest image quality and complex edits.
• Choose qwen-image-2.1-turbo for faster, lower-cost generation and routine edits.
• Choose with model_variant. Without it, the model id qwen-image-2.1-turbo runs Turbo and every other id of this model runs Pro.

Modes

• Text to image from a prompt.
• Image editing and reference-guided generation from one to ten images.
• Direct prompt extension works for generation and editing. Agent prompt extension provides deeper refinement for text-to-image requests only.

Transparent images

• Output images are PNG files. For a transparent background, set prompt_extend to false and describe the image in this form: "This is an RGBA image with transparency. A glass perfume bottle. The image has alpha channel and the background is transparent."

Output limits

• One to six output images per request.
• 1K, 2K, automatic, aspect-ratio presets, or an exact custom size.
• Exact and custom sizes stay between 512x512 and 2560x2560 pixels in total area, with an aspect ratio from 1:8 to 8:1.

Billing

• Each output image is billed at its variant's rate. Reference images are not billed.

Content safety

Generated images pass an automated content-safety check. An image flagged as explicit is not returned. Because the image is generated before the check runs, a flagged generation is still billed.

How to call MOSS-Image Turbo and Qwen Image 2.1

MOSS-Image Turbo runs through POST /v1/images/generations. The request returns a job_id right away; poll GET /v1/jobs/{job_id} until the job completes and read the output URLs from the result. Or add "sync": true to skip polling: the request stays open and returns the finished OpenAI-style image response directly, so OpenAI SDKs work as-is. Both models are called through the same endpoint. Set model to moss-image-turbo or qwen-image-2-1. Get an API key from the EmpirioLabs dashboard.

curl https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/images/generations \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "moss-image-turbo",
    "prompt": "Describe what you want MOSS-Image Turbo to generate."
  }'

MOSS-Image Turbo vs Qwen Image 2.1: tests and guides

Prompt tests and comparison runs that cover both models.

Guides MOSS-Image Turbo vs FLUX.2 Klein 4B vs Qwen Image 2.1 vs Seedream 5.0 Flash: three text prompts Four image models on three prompts that need lettering, an English trail sign, a jazz poster, and a Chinese shop sign,...

MOSS-Image Turbo vs Qwen Image 2.1: common questions

What is the difference between MOSS-Image Turbo and Qwen Image 2.1?

MOSS-Image Turbo is the newer release (Oct 16, 2026); Qwen Image 2.1 was released on Oct 2, 2026. Input types only Qwen Image 2.1 accepts: Image. Capabilities listed only for MOSS-Image Turbo: multilingual text, seed control. The specs, rate cards, and parameters on this page come from the live EmpirioLabs catalog.

Which is newer, MOSS-Image Turbo or Qwen Image 2.1?

MOSS-Image Turbo is the newer release (Oct 16, 2026); Qwen Image 2.1 was released on Oct 2, 2026.

Which has the lower rate, MOSS-Image Turbo or Qwen Image 2.1?

The two models are priced on different units or tiers, so compare the live rate cards on this page. They always match what the API charges.

Can I switch between MOSS-Image Turbo and Qwen Image 2.1 without rebuilding my integration?

Yes. Both models use POST /v1/images/generations with the same EmpirioLabs API key, so most integrations switch by changing the model value. Check the parameters table on this page first if you rely on a model-specific parameter.

Can I try MOSS-Image Turbo and Qwen Image 2.1 in the browser before integrating?

Yes. Open each model in the EmpirioLabs playground and run the same prompt on both, with the parameters the API exposes.