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AI Tools · head to head

Stable Diffusion vs DALL-E

Stable Diffusion logo

Stable Diffusion

AI Tools

Open-source AI image generation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DALL-E logo

DALL-E

Social Media & Content

OpenAI's advanced image generation model

From
$0.04/per-image
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Stable Diffusion has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Stable Diffusion generated images have lower resolution and quality at non-standard dimensions; DALL-E dALL-E 3 API pricing as captured 6 January 2024 ranged from $0.040 per Standard 1024x1024 image up to $0.120 per HD widescreen image; DALL-E 2 was cheaper at $0.016 to $0.020 per image depending on resolution
  • They diverge on capability: Stable Diffusion covers Image-to-image, DALL-E covers Prompt refinement.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Stable Diffusion and DALL-E actually diverge.

Attributes where Stable Diffusion and DALL-E differ
AttributeStable DiffusionDALL-E
Starting priceFree$0.04/per-image
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Local (GPU-based), Cloud APIsWeb, Api, Chatgpt
CategoryAI ToolsSocial Media & Content
Founded20192015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Stable Diffusion

  • Image-to-image
  • Inpainting
  • LoRA support
  • ComfyUI
  • Automatic1111
  • Multiple UIs
  • Local support

Only in DALL-E

  • Prompt refinement
  • Multiple aspect ratios
  • HD quality
  • OpenAI API
  • ChatGPT integration
  • Chatgpt support

Both cover

  • Text-to-image
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Stable Diffusion

  • ai tools management
  • Workflow automation
  • Reporting

DALL-E

  • ai tools management
  • Workflow automation
  • Reporting

Both are used for ai tools management, workflow automation, reporting, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Stable Diffusion

  • Generated images have lower resolution and quality at non-standard dimensions
  • Struggles with complex multi-object prompts and text generation
  • Poor rendering of human hands, limbs, and faces due to training data limitations
  • Trained primarily on English-language descriptions, reinforcing Western cultural bias
  • Requires significant GPU computational resources for local deployment

DALL-E

  • DALL-E 3 API pricing as captured 6 January 2024 ranged from $0.040 per Standard 1024x1024 image up to $0.120 per HD widescreen image; DALL-E 2 was cheaper at $0.016 to $0.020 per image depending on resolution

Pricing, plan by plan

Stable Diffusion

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Stable Diffusion review.

DALL-E

$0.04/per-image
  • Standard$0.04/per-image
    • 1024x1024 resolution
  • HD$0.08/per-image
    • HD quality
    • 1792x1024 resolution

Which should you pick?

Choose Stable Diffusion if

  • You need image-to-image.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Local (GPU-based), Cloud APIs.
  • You also want inpainting.
Stable Diffusion review

Choose DALL-E if

  • You need prompt refinement.
  • You work on Web, Api, Chatgpt.
  • You also want multiple aspect ratios.
DALL-E review

Questions people ask

Is Stable Diffusion or DALL-E better?
Neither clearly leads. Stable Diffusion starts at Free and DALL-E at $0.04/per-image, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Stable Diffusion or DALL-E?
Stable Diffusion has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Stable Diffusion and $0.04/per-image for DALL-E.
Does Stable Diffusion or DALL-E run on more platforms?
Stable Diffusion runs on Web, Local (GPU-based), Cloud APIs. DALL-E runs on Web, Api, Chatgpt.
Can I use Stable Diffusion for free?
Yes. Stable Diffusion has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DALL-E starts at $0.04/per-image.
What is Stable Diffusion best used for?
Stable Diffusion is most often used for ai tools management, workflow automation, reporting.
What can Stable Diffusion do that DALL-E cannot?
Stable Diffusion covers Image-to-image, Inpainting, LoRA support, ComfyUI. DALL-E covers Prompt refinement, Multiple aspect ratios, HD quality, OpenAI API. Both handle Text-to-image, Web support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stable Diffusion: Is Stable Diffusion truly free and open-source?

Yes. Stable Diffusion is released under the CreativeML Open RAIL-M license, allowing free use for both commercial and non-commercial purposes, and the code is open-source on GitHub.

Source
Stable Diffusion: Can I use Stable Diffusion commercially for free?

Yes, if your organization has less than $1M annual revenue. Organizations exceeding $1M annually must obtain an Enterprise License from Stability AI.

Source
Stable Diffusion: What are Stable Diffusion's image resolution limitations?

The base model was trained on 512x512 pixel images, and image quality degrades noticeably when deviating from this resolution. Newer models like SDXL support higher resolutions.

Source
Stable Diffusion: Can I run Stable Diffusion locally on my computer?

Yes. Stable Diffusion is open-source and can run locally on compatible hardware, though it requires a GPU for reasonable performance.

Source
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