# Z-Image Turbo API (Alibaba)

> Z-Image Turbo from Alibaba's Tongyi Lab generates photorealistic images with strong Chinese and English text in 8 steps, at about a tenth of a cent per megapixel.

Page: https://cheapergen.com/models/alibaba/z-image-turbo · API reference: https://cheapergen.com/models/alibaba/z-image-turbo/api

## Pricing
Official list price source: Alibaba Cloud Model Studio list price for z-image-turbo ($0.015 per image, Singapore, prompt rewriting off). Prices verified 2026-10-16.

| Tier | Official | Cheaper Gen. | Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1K | $0.0150/image | $0.0017/image | 89% |
| 2K | $0.0150/image | $0.0066/image | 56% |

## Specs
- Resolutions: 1K (≈1 MP) · 2K (≈4 MP)
- Aspect ratios: 1:1 · 4:3 · 3:4 · 16:9 · 9:16 · 3:2 · 2:3
- Weights: Open (Apache-2.0)

## Endpoints

### Text to Image — `POST https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/run/alibaba/z-image-turbo/text-to-image`

| Param | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| prompt | string | yes | Describe the shot: subject, action, camera movement, lighting and style. |
| aspect_ratio | string (enum) (1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 3:2, 2:3) | no | Output image shape. |
| resolution | string (enum) (1K, 2K) | no | 1K ≈ 1 MP; 2K ≈ 4 MP (long side up to 2048 px). |
| seed | integer | no | Use the same seed and settings to reproduce a result. Leave empty for random. |

```bash
curl -X POST https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/run/alibaba/z-image-turbo/text-to-image \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CHEAPERGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "prompt": "A neon noodle shop sign that reads “深夜食堂 LATE NIGHT”, rainy street, cinematic photo",
  "aspect_ratio": "1:1",
  "resolution": "1K"
}'
```

## Getting the result
Jobs are async. Poll `GET https://cheapergen.com/api/v1/generations/{id}` until status is succeeded/failed/canceled, or pass `webhook_url`. Failed generations are refunded automatically.

## FAQ
**How is Z-Image Turbo priced?**
Per image by output size (megapixels) — a fraction of a cent at 1K. Failed generations are not charged.

**Is this Alibaba's model?**
Yes. Z-Image Turbo is Alibaba Tongyi Lab's open-weights model, served on an optimized inference engine for open-source models.

**Can I use the output commercially?**
Yes — the weights are Apache-2.0 — subject to our Terms of Service.

Z-Image Turbo is developed by Alibaba. Cheaper Gen. provides API access and does not own the model.