DALL-E 3 vs FLUX vs Stable Diffusion: API Pricing Breakdown 2026

Comparing API pricing for the top AI image generation models. Find the most cost-effective option for your project.

Overview

Three main options for AI image generation APIs:

• DALL-E 3: OpenAI's latest model
• FLUX: New high-quality model
• Stable Diffusion: Open-source alternative

DALL-E 3 API Pricing

Direct OpenAI Pricing

DALL-E 3 (1024x1024):

• $0.040 per image
• $0.080 per image (1024x1792 or 1792x1024)

DALL-E 2 (Legacy):

• $0.020 per image (1024x1024)
• $0.018 per image (512x512)
• $0.020 per image (256x256)

Imagify Pricing (DALL-E 3)

Credit Packages:

• 10 credits: $5.00 ($0.50/image)
• 50 credits: $20.00 ($0.40/image)
• 100 credits: $35.00 ($0.35/image)
• 500 credits: $150.00 ($0.30/image)

Benefits:

• No API setup required
• Simple credit system
• Free 10 credits to start
• No credit card required for trial

FLUX API Pricing

Direct FLUX Pricing

FLUX.1 [dev] (1024x1024):

• ~$0.025-0.035 per image (varies by provider)

FLUX.1 [schnell] (Faster, lower quality):

• ~$0.010-0.020 per image

Note: FLUX pricing varies significantly by provider and isn't always publicly available.

Stable Diffusion API Pricing

Replicate (Stable Diffusion)

SDXL:

• ~$0.0023 per image (1024x1024)
• Very affordable but slower

SD 1.5:

• ~$0.0015 per image (512x512)
• Fastest and cheapest option

Hugging Face Inference API

Free Tier:

• Limited free inference
• Rate limited
• Good for testing

Paid:

• Pay-as-you-go pricing
• Varies by model

Self-Hosted (Free)

Cost: $0 per image (after initial setup)

Requirements:

• GPU server ($50-500/month)
• Technical knowledge
• Maintenance time

Detailed Cost Comparison

For 100 Images

For 1,000 Images

For 10,000 Images

Quality Comparison

DALL-E 3

Pros:

• Best prompt understanding
• Consistent high quality
• Excellent text rendering
• Professional results

Cons:

• Most expensive
• Slower generation
• Limited customization

FLUX

Pros:

• Very high quality
• Good prompt following
• Competitive pricing
• Modern model

Cons:

• Less established
• Fewer providers
• Variable pricing

Stable Diffusion

Pros:

• Very affordable
• Highly customizable
• Many model variants
• Open source

Cons:

• Lower base quality
• Requires more prompt engineering
• Slower on some providers

Use Case Recommendations

For Small Projects (< 100 images)

Best: DALL-E 3 via Imagify

• Free 10 credits to start
• No setup required
• Best quality

For Medium Projects (100-1,000 images)

Best: FLUX or Stable Diffusion

• Better cost efficiency
• Still good quality
• More affordable scaling

For Large Projects (1,000+ images)

Best: Self-hosted Stable Diffusion

• Lowest long-term cost
• Full control
• Requires technical setup

For Professional/Commercial Use

Best: DALL-E 3 (OpenAI or Imagify)

• Best quality and reliability
• Professional support
• Consistent results

Hidden Costs to Consider

API Setup Time

• DALL-E 3 (Imagify): 0 minutes (ready to use)
• DALL-E 3 (OpenAI): 15-30 minutes (API setup)
• FLUX: 30-60 minutes (provider research)
• Stable Diffusion: 15-30 minutes (provider setup)
• Self-Hosted: Hours to days (server setup)

Maintenance

• Managed APIs: $0 (handled by provider)
• Self-Hosted: $50-500/month (server costs)

Support

• DALL-E 3 (Imagify): Full support included
• DALL-E 3 (OpenAI): Limited support
• FLUX: Varies by provider
• Stable Diffusion: Community support

Total Cost of Ownership

For 1 Year, 5,000 Images

DALL-E 3 (Imagify):

• Images: $1,500-2,500
• Setup: $0
• Maintenance: $0
• Total: $1,500-2,500

DALL-E 3 (OpenAI):

• Images: $200-400
• Setup: $0 (time cost)
• Maintenance: $0
• Total: $200-400

FLUX:

• Images: $125-175
• Setup: $0 (time cost)
• Maintenance: $0
• Total: $125-175

Stable Diffusion (Replicate):

• Images: $11.50
• Setup: $0 (time cost)
• Maintenance: $0
• Total: $11.50

Self-Hosted SD:

• Images: $0
• Setup: $100 (time cost)
• Server: $600-6,000/year
• Maintenance: $500-2,000/year
• Total: $1,200-8,100

Recommendations by Budget

Budget: $0-50/month

Best: Stable Diffusion (Replicate) or free tier testing

Budget: $50-200/month

Best: FLUX or Stable Diffusion with higher limits

Budget: $200-500/month

Best: DALL-E 3 (OpenAI) or FLUX for high volume

Budget: $500+/month

Best: Self-hosted Stable Diffusion or DALL-E 3 for quality

Conclusion

Cheapest: Stable Diffusion (Replicate) at ~$0.0023/image

Best Quality: DALL-E 3 at $0.04-0.08/image

Best Balance: FLUX at ~$0.025-0.035/image

Easiest: DALL-E 3 via Imagify (includes convenience)

Choose based on your volume, quality needs, and technical capabilities.

Start with 10 free credits from Imagify to test DALL-E 3 quality!