STEALTHMARK · HEAD TO HEAD

All comparisons ↗

Crouton Alpha vs Muse Spark Open

Crouton Alpha leads Muse Spark Open by 3.9 points on StealthMark, 48.0 to 44.1. It leads on 5 of 9 benchmarks, including Foresight, and Muse Spark Open on 4, including Latch. Crouton Alpha scores higher on Newton's Mirror, with its largest category advantage in reflections.

See the difference ↘
Model guide ↗
All results ↗

Overall StealthMark

48.0/100Overall rank 23/56
44.1/100Overall rank 31/56

General Intelligence

43.5/100
42.6/100

Visual Intelligence

56.0/100
46.6/100

Reasoning efficiency

How many reasoning tokens a model needs for the quality it delivers.

Single-step reasoning How much it reasons to understand a task

Multi-step reasoning How much it keeps reasoning as a task goes on

Cost efficiency

How much Performance you get for your money.

  • Crouton AlphaNot measured

Open or local

BENCHMARK BY BENCHMARK

Where each model leads

  • Crouton Alpha
  • Muse Spark Open
  • Other models
  • Median

DATASHEET

Specs and pricing

Crouton Alpha scores higher on StealthMark. Muse Spark Open runs 2.1× faster in our speed test.

  • Crouton Alpha
  • Muse Spark Open
  • Other models
  • Median
PricePer 1M output tokens, input below
Crouton Alpha: No list priceMuse Spark Open: $4.25$1.25 input
Context windowTokens per request, max output below
Crouton Alpha: Not publishedMuse Spark Open: 1M1M max output
Output speedTokens per second, our measurement
Crouton Alpha: 175tokens/sMuse Spark Open: 3612.1× fastertokens/s
SizeTotal and active parameters
Crouton Alpha: Not disclosedMuse Spark Open: 816B42B active
Developer
Not publishedMeta
Released
Not published15 Oct 2026
Origin
Not publishedUnited States
Input → output
Not publishedText, image, audio, video → text
Architecture
Not publishedSparse mixture-of-experts Transformer with perception encoders; 62 decoder layers, 256 experts with 8 selected per token, grouped-query attention and sliding-window/full-attention layers.

Full datasheets, every price and sourceMuse Spark Open ↗

Anticipating threats and planning ahead. Collect coins while avoiding ghosts. Ghosts move before the player each turn, and collisions cost a life. 3 levels in sequence, up to 66 turns in total. Earlier moves and outcomes carry forward, testing learning across levels.

Crouton Alpha 32.3/100Rank 29/52

Survived 1 of 3
Foresight: complete playing field
Level 39 ptsTurn 20 / 20

Muse Spark Open 29.4/100Rank 37/52

Survived 0 of 3
Foresight: complete playing field
Level 38 ptsTurn 15 / 20

Points per level

LevelCrouton AlphaMuse Spark Open
Level 1Second Thoughts
3 ptsOut of lives
4 ptsOut of lives
Level 2Pressure Pot
7 ptsOut of lives
9 ptsOut of lives
Level 3Hide or Flight
9 ptsSurvived
8 ptsOut of lives

Cooperative planning and learning from experience. Coordinate two robots to push numbered cores onto matching sockets. Pressure plates hold doors open; moving either robot uses one turn. 5 levels in sequence, up to 152 turns in total. Earlier moves and outcomes carry forward, testing learning across levels.

Crouton Alpha 59.5/100Rank 24/53

Cleared 4 of 5
Latch: complete playing field
Level 520.2 ptsTurn 29 / 40

Muse Spark Open 75.7/100Rank 14/53

Cleared 5 of 5
Latch: complete playing field
Level 519.6 ptsTurn 32 / 40

Points per level

LevelCrouton AlphaMuse Spark Open
Level 1Hold the door
5.2 ptsCleared
5.2 ptsCleared
Level 2Crossfeed
9.4 ptsCleared
9.8 ptsCleared
Level 3Relay vault
11.2 ptsFinished early
19.2 ptsCleared
Level 4Passing bay
18.2 ptsClearedFinished early · 3 beacons left
17.8 ptsClearedFinished early · 1 beacon left
Level 5Second thoughts
20.2 ptsCleared
19.6 ptsCleared

Newton's Mirror

Same task instructions

Physics, perspective and recursive reflections, tested together. Explore the test ↗

The judgment

Crouton Alpha

The artwork establishes approximate central placement, a separate airborne black blob, and basic wall and floor sphere images. Its defining weaknesses are the largely absent recursive reflection system, missing emitter mappings, satin steel appearance and unresolved paint interaction. The black lateral wedges do not establish a separate viewport, and the hidden floor contact does not establish a gap. The category values remain unchanged.

Muse Spark Open

The airborne black blob and deformed paint support the broad contact sequence, although cyan attachment and wheel-directed transport remain partial. The sphere and black blob have substantial framing errors. The dominant limitation is the largely absent mirror system: faint wall circles and isolated highlights provide little evidence of recursive room geometry or curved nested reflections. Oversized compact paint features and diffuse material treatment further limit credit.

Score breakdown

CategoryCrouton AlphaMuse Spark Open
State at 600 ms19.0/2514.0/25
Camera and placement11.0/156.0/15
Reflections21.5/1208.0/120
Materials and scale6.0/103.5/10
Floor-damage reward0.0/100.0/10

Benchmark task

A spinning metal sphere and paint in a mirrored room test physical reasoning, perspective and consistency across repeated reflections.

Selfie

Different task instructions

Visual construction and creative interpretation.

The judgment

Crouton Alpha

A cheerful, readable cartoon captures the crouton's signature expression and many specific accessories. Coherent cube geometry and foreground foreshortening support the selfie. Simple construction and flat material treatment limit its sophistication, while the tipping raft, advancing soup and unnoticed soaking remain insufficiently clear.

Muse Spark Open

The rounded silhouette and asymmetric expression make an appealing baby elephant, supported by a quiet background and grounding shadow. The protective action remains difficult to read: forefeet cannot be confidently traced into a grip, and seed contact is crowded by fine lines. Controlled simple shapes provide charm, but limited anatomical clarity, shading and surface detail leave the execution uneven.

Score breakdown

CategoryCrouton AlphaMuse Spark Open
Task & likeness6.5/105.0/10
Anatomy & construction5.5/104.5/10
Space & placement6.5/106.0/10
Light & reflections5.5/105.0/10
Purposeful detail7.0/106.0/10
Artistry & character5.0/105.0/10
Materials & effects5.5/105.0/10
Visual integrity7.5/106.5/10

Benchmark task

Crouton Alpha

Character scenes test expression, anatomy, materials and coherent visual construction.

Muse Spark Open

A small elephant protecting a delicate seed tests expressive anatomy, physical contact and contrasting organic materials.

Mona Lisa

Different task instructions

Precise visual recall and portrait reconstruction.

The judgment

Crouton Alpha

A recognizable, coherent simplification with readable eyes, a restrained smile and modest facial volume. Frontal symmetry, an oversized head, capsule-like hands and geometric scenery substantially limit likeness, anatomy and depth. Clean contours preserve basic integrity but do not establish sophisticated construction or finish.

Muse Spark Open

A recognizable, orderly interpretation with clean major contours, connected body forms and modest facial shading. Wide eyes, frontal symmetry and schematic hands limit likeness and expression. Layered scenery establishes basic depth, but shallow arm overlaps, flat clothing and sparse fine detail keep the execution basic and uneven.

Score breakdown

CategoryCrouton AlphaMuse Spark Open
Task & likeness4.5/103.0/10
Anatomy & construction4.0/103.0/10
Space & placement4.5/105.0/10
Light & reflections5.0/104.5/10
Purposeful detail4.0/104.0/10
Artistry & character4.5/103.0/10
Materials & effects4.0/104.0/10
Visual integrity6.0/106.0/10

Benchmark task

An SVG interpretation of the Mona Lisa tests facial likeness, anatomy and the composition of a familiar portrait.

Beach

Different task instructions

Creativity, perspective and visual beauty.

The judgment

Crouton Alpha

A colorful, readable sunset beach scene with playful subjects and a clear central reflection. Purposeful equipment and animal details reward inspection, and the principal attachments remain intact. Basic geometric anatomy, mixed viewpoints and sparse directional shadows limit its construction and depth; smooth gradients provide atmosphere with little material differentiation.

Muse Spark Open

A coherent sunset beach with readable activities, balanced framing and controlled colour transitions. Small accessories add interest, but schematic anatomy, limited surface detail, weak directional shadows and a geometric reflection constrain its finish. Most shapes and overlaps remain clean.

Score breakdown

CategoryCrouton AlphaMuse Spark Open
Task & likeness8.5/108.0/10
Anatomy & construction5.0/106.0/10
Space & placement5.5/106.5/10
Light & reflections5.5/105.5/10
Purposeful detail7.0/106.5/10
Artistry & character5.0/105.5/10
Materials & effects5.5/106.0/10
Visual integrity7.0/108.0/10

Benchmark task

A busy shoreline at sunset tests scene composition, animal forms and the relationship between light and water reflections.

Ground Truth

Same task instructions

Physical reasoning, light and visual reconstruction.

The judgment

Crouton Alpha

This benchmark has not been assessed yet.

Muse Spark Open

This benchmark has not been assessed yet.

Benchmark task

A plank, computer mouse and blueberry in a steel room test physical stability, spatial relationships, materials and lighting.

Raccoon

Different task instructions

Scene composition and interacting subjects.

The judgment

Crouton Alpha

A readable cartoon with expressive faces, purposeful markings and clear water motion. Hull shading and an underside shadow establish modest depth. The dog contacts the controls, but the raccoon's frontal pose leaves its seated weight unresolved. Simple anatomy and limited shared perspective constrain the drawing.

Muse Spark Open

Expressive faces, distinct accessories and clean color separation make the scene appealing and recognizable. Character detail is stronger than the functional construction: steering contact, limb overlaps and seating remain ambiguous. The readable hull and lively spray establish motion, while limited directional shading and simplified surfaces constrain depth and physical coherence.

Score breakdown

CategoryCrouton AlphaMuse Spark Open
Task & likeness7.0/104.0/10
Anatomy & construction5.0/103.0/10
Space & placement6.0/106.0/10
Light & reflections6.0/104.5/10
Purposeful detail6.5/107.0/10
Artistry & character5.0/103.5/10
Materials & effects5.5/105.0/10
Visual integrity6.0/105.0/10

Benchmark task

A jet-ski scene pairs a canine driver with a raccoon passenger. It tests the placement and contact of interacting subjects, along with vehicle construction.

Pelican

Different task instructions

Subject construction and spatial relationships.

The judgment

Crouton Alpha

A recognizable, expressive pelican cyclist with purposeful feather and bicycle detail. Readable steering reach, connected machinery and modest body shading earn additional credit. Jointless legs, uncertain pedal engagement and unclear seated support keep the central action only partially resolved; shallow space and simple materials further limit the illustration.

Muse Spark Open

A controlled, appealing cartoon with a recognizable pelican, expressive face and clean curved forms. Feather lines, spokes and bill shading provide useful complexity. Aligned wheels and a ground shadow establish placement, but uncertain pedal contacts and obscured mechanical connections weaken support and riding action. Lighting remains loosely coordinated with the sun.

Score breakdown

CategoryCrouton AlphaMuse Spark Open
Task & likeness7.0/107.5/10
Anatomy & construction5.0/105.0/10
Space & placement5.5/106.0/10
Light & reflections5.5/105.0/10
Purposeful detail6.5/106.5/10
Artistry & character5.5/105.5/10
Materials & effects5.0/106.0/10
Visual integrity6.0/107.5/10

Benchmark task

A cycling pelican tests anatomy, riding posture and contact between the bird and the bicycle.