Open-source AI image generation from text, runnable locally
Visit WebsiteThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free plan available, paid tiers above
Biggest pro
Open source
Biggest con
Requires GPU
TL;DR - Stable Diffusion
- Open-source AI image generation
- Stable Diffusion models for everyone
- Text-to-image and image editing
What is Stable Diffusion?
Available on: Web
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Open source
- Run locally
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Requires GPU
- Technical setup
Ratings Across the Web
What people say
“Many errors occurred during installation. It's a bit confusing for standard users. It uses a lot of resources on the computer, but I guess that's normal”via G2
“I'm studying it to use at my wife's company (swags, t-shirts, DTF, sublimations, all sorts of personalized products) to create some unique images.”via Capterra
“I recently used Stable Diffusion 3. I found the text to image capabilities to be absolutely top class. The level of spelling abilities and image quality is just remarkable”via SourceForge
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Pricing Plans
Free TrialPricing checked Jul 19, 2026
Free
Free
- 25 free credits
- Basic image generation
- Try before purchase
- $0.01 per credit
Stable Image Ultra
$0.08/image
- 8 credits/image
- SD 3.5 Large model
- Highest quality output
- 8B parameters
SD 3.5 Large
$0.065/image
- 6.5 credits/image
- High quality generation
- Flexible parameters
- Fast generation
SD Turbo
$0.04/image
- 4 credits/image
- Speed-optimized
- Quick iterations
- Production ready
Is Stable Diffusion worth the price?
The pricing for Stable Diffusion is quite fair and flexible, especially with the per-image billing for advanced models.
The free tier with 25 credits is generous for initial testing. It's best for users who need granular control over their image generation costs and quality.
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Higher credit consumption for complex prompts
Potential for rapid credit depletion with advanced models
No clear bulk credit purchase discounts beyond per-image rates
How Stable Diffusion Compares to Competitors
Compared to Midjourney, which typically charges around $10-$30/month for limited generations, Stable Diffusion's per-image pricing (e.g., $0.08 for 'Stable Image Ultra') offers more granular control. DALL-E 3, often integrated into ChatGPT Plus, costs $20/month for unlimited use, making Stable Diffusion potentially more expensive for high-volume users but cheaper for occasional, high-quality generations.
How Stable Diffusion's pricing compares
At $0.04/mo, Stable Diffusion is the most affordable of its 5 direct competitors.
Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked Jul 19, 2026.
Reviews
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Across 14 verified user reviews on G2, Capterra, SourceForge
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Stable Diffusion FAQ
How does Stable Diffusion enable graphic designers?
What kind of user benefits most from Stable Diffusion?
How is Stable Diffusion priced?
Can Stable Diffusion be run without an internet connection?
What are the main trade-offs when choosing Stable Diffusion?
How does Stable Diffusion compare to Midjourney?
Does Stable Diffusion support custom model training?
Source: stability.ai