Z-Image
Z-Image is a cost-effective AI image generator from Alibaba Tongyi Lab, featuring ultra-fast inference and budget-friendly pricing. Specially optimized for Asian portraits with more natural facial features and skin tones.
After submitting the form, the generation results will be displayed here






What is Z-Image
Z-Image is a 6B-parameter cost-effective AI image generator from Alibaba Tongyi Lab, designed for users who prioritize efficiency and budget control. Built on the innovative S³-DiT architecture, it generates high-quality images with just 8 sampling steps, at only 1/3 the API cost of competitors like Flux. Trained on extensive Asian face datasets, Z-Image excels at generating Asian portraits with more precise facial contours, natural skin tones, and well-proportioned features. The open-source Turbo version is compatible with Hugging Face, ComfyUI, and Alibaba Cloud ModelStudio API services.
Version Options
Free Version
Deployed using open-source models from Hugging Face, ideal for exploring model capabilities. Service may be unstable due to shared resources, with slower generation speed and basic parameter options only.
Standard Version
Deployed via Alibaba Cloud API, providing stable and reliable generation services. Supports more parameter adjustments, faster generation speed, suitable for production use.
Why Choose Z-Image
Ultra-Low Cost
API pricing at just 1/3 of Flux, Midjourney and other mainstream models. Same budget generates 3x more images - the best value for bulk image generation
Lightning-Fast Output
Turbo version achieves sub-second inference with just 8 sampling steps. 2.3 seconds per image on RTX 4090, 2-3x faster than Flux Pro
Asian Portrait Optimization
Training data specifically optimized for Asian faces. Generated Asian portraits feature more precise facial contours, natural skin tones, and balanced proportions - no more uncanny AI look
Bilingual Text Rendering
Excels at rendering mixed Chinese-English text and complex layouts, solving the common text distortion issue of traditional AI image generators
Low Hardware Threshold
Runs on 16GB VRAM consumer GPUs like RTX 3060, no high-end professional hardware required
Open-Source Commercial Use
Apache 2.0 licensed, free for commercial use and secondary development with no additional licensing fees
Z-Image Application Scenarios
Asian Portrait Photography
Generate natural, realistic Asian portraits for social media avatars, ID photo mockups, and character assets with facial details rivaling real photography
E-Commerce Bulk Generation
Low-cost bulk generation of product images and model photos. Same budget produces 3x more assets - perfect for sellers needing high-volume imagery
Video Thumbnails
Quickly generate eye-catching video thumbnails with fast output and low cost, ideal for daily content creators with high-frequency production needs
Ad Creative Testing
Rapidly produce multiple ad creative versions at low cost for A/B testing, then refine the winning concept
Social Media Management
Bulk generate images for blogs, Instagram posts, Twitter graphics and more, reducing daily content production costs
Personal Creative Practice
Low barrier entry to AI art, perfect for budget-conscious individuals learning and exploring AI image generation
How to Use Z-Image
Usage Steps
Environment Preparation
Prepare a GPU with 16GB+ VRAM, install dependencies including PyTorch, Transformers, and the latest version of Diffusers
Obtain Weights
Download Z-Image-Turbo weights from the Hugging Face repository (tongyi-mai/z-image-turbo) or ModelScope platform
Model Inference
Load the model via the Diffusers library, input prompts with customized parameters to generate images, enable Flash Attention for acceleration
Workflow Integration
Import Z-Image-Turbo into ComfyUI and combine with plugins like ControlNet or LoRA for precise image control
API Access
Call Z-Image's API through Alibaba Cloud ModelStudio for cloud-based generation without local deployment
Simple Code Example
Use Python to quickly generate images: load the ZImagePipeline with model weights, input custom prompts, set sampling steps and image size, then generate and save the output. Adjust the random seed to get different results, and refer to official examples for detailed parameter configuration.
Try Z-Image Now
Low cost, fast output, natural Asian portraits — pay 1/3 the price, get 3x the output
Access Z-Image Online GeneratorZ-Image FAQs
Which versions of Z-Image are currently available?
Only Z-Image-Turbo (distilled high-speed version) is open-source and downloadable now. Z-Image-Base (base version) and Z-Image-Edit (editing version) are pending release, with official access channels to be announced later.
What is the minimum hardware requirement for Z-Image?
Z-Image-Turbo runs smoothly on 16GB VRAM GPUs, and is also compatible with lower-spec consumer GPUs like RTX 3060 (6GB VRAM) with minor speed reductions, catering to users with different hardware conditions.
Are there limitations to Z-Image's text rendering capability?
Z-Image handles regular Chinese-English text and complex layouts accurately, but may have flaws in extreme scenarios like artistic fonts or special typography. Post-processing with professional design tools is recommended for such cases.
Does Z-Image support image-to-image and image editing functions?
The current Turbo version focuses on text-to-image generation. Dedicated image-to-image and editing features will be provided by the upcoming Z-Image-Edit, which can modify backgrounds, poses, and text while maintaining identity and lighting consistency.
What is Z-Image's open-source license, and can it be used for commercial purposes?
Z-Image adopts the Apache 2.0 open-source license, allowing commercial use and secondary development. Developers can fine-tune the Base version for customization, provided they comply with relevant open-source agreements.