Stable Diffusion vs Midjourney vs DALL-E 3: Best AI Image Generator Compared (2025)
Stable Diffusion vs Midjourney vs DALL-E 3: Complete Comparison
These three dominate AI image generation. Each has a fundamentally different approach: Stable Diffusion is open-source, Midjourney is subscription-based through Discord, and DALL-E 3 is built into ChatGPT. Here is how to choose.
TL;DR: Midjourney for best quality. DALL-E 3 for easiest use. Stable Diffusion for free/unlimited/customizable. Most users should start with DALL-E 3 (already in ChatGPT) and upgrade to Midjourney if they need better quality.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Stable Diffusion | Midjourney | DALL-E 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image quality | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Ease of use | Hard | Medium | Easiest |
| Price | Free | $10-60/mo | $20/mo (ChatGPT) |
| Customization | Unlimited | Limited | Limited |
| Text in images | Poor | Good | Best |
| Run locally | Yes | No | No |
| Content filters | None (local) | Moderate | Strict |
| Commercial use | Yes (open license) | Yes (paid plans) | Yes (paid plans) |
Choose Based on Your Need
- Best quality, willing to pay: Midjourney ($10/mo)
- Easiest to use, already use ChatGPT: DALL-E 3 ($20/mo with Plus)
- Free, unlimited, full control: Stable Diffusion (free, requires GPU)
- Text in images: DALL-E 3 or Ideogram
- Professional/commercial: Adobe Firefly (copyright-safe)
Full rankings: 10 Best AI Image Generators
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