Stable Diffusion Review - Pricing, Details & Features

Stable Diffusion is Stability AI's image generation model, open source and available via API. Free local models, API plans start at $20/month.

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SaaS Radar Review

8/10

The reference open image model, unbeatable on control and self-hosting, a bit more technical to run than ready-made image generators.

Open source models usable locally
Full control over the pipeline and privacy
Local use requires a GPU and technical skills

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Stable Diffusion (now also branded as Stable Image) is an AI image generation model published by the British company Stability AI. What made it famous: it's open source and can run locally, on your own machine, without depending on the cloud.

What is Stable Diffusion for?

You generate images from text prompts, but also through image-to-image transformation, inpainting, or upscaling. Because it's open, Stable Diffusion has spawned a huge ecosystem of interfaces, extensions, and community fine-tuned models. For a ready-to-use option, Stability AI's API and DreamStudio tool are still available. It's the go-to choice for anyone who wants full control over their image pipeline.

Stable Diffusion or Midjourney?

Compared to Midjourney, which is more polished aesthetically but closed, Stable Diffusion bets on openness, control, and self-hosting. Compared to DALL·E or Flux, it stands out for its community and its ability to run locally. For a studio focused on privacy or cost at scale, self-hosting is a real advantage.

How much does Stable Diffusion cost?

The models are free to download and run locally (free Community license for companies under $1M in revenue; a GPU is required). On the cloud side, DreamStudio runs on credits (about $10 for 1,000 credits) and the API starts around $20/month (about 6,000 credits, or roughly $0.01 to $0.05 per image). Above $1M in revenue, a custom-quoted Enterprise license applies.

Pros & Cons

What we love

Open source models usable locally
Full control over the pipeline and privacy
Large community ecosystem of tools and models
API and DreamStudio for a ready-to-use option

What could be better

Local use requires a GPU and technical skills
Credit-based pricing shifts over time
Default output sometimes less polished than Midjourney

Key features of Stable Diffusion

Text to image

Image generation from a text description

Image to image

Transformation, inpainting, and upscaling

Open source

Downloadable and fine-tunable models

API and DreamStudio

Ready-to-use cloud generation

Stable Diffusion pricing

Stable Diffusion offers open source models that are free to download and run locally (free Community license for companies under $1M in revenue, GPU required). On the cloud side: DreamStudio runs on credits (about $10 for 1,000 credits), API plans start at $20/month (about 6,000 credits, roughly $0.01 to $0.05 per image). Above $1M in revenue, a custom-quoted Enterprise license applies. The credit-based pricing changes regularly.

Free plan / trial

Free: open source models that can be downloaded and run locally (GPU required) under the Community license, plus trial credits offered on the API and DreamStudio.

Open source (local)

Downloadable models · Runs locally · GPU required

$0 Community license

DreamStudio

Cloud generation · No install · Pay-as-you-go

~$10 1,000 credits

API

Developer integration · ~$0.01 to $0.05/image · Stable Image models

$20 per month (~6,000 credits)

Enterprise

Commercial license · Support · Large-scale use

Custom quote above $1M in revenue

Pricing verified on July 12, 2026

Try Stable Diffusion

Who is Stable Diffusion for?

Best for

Developers and studios wanting to control their pipeline
Privacy-conscious or cost-at-scale use cases
Creators in the open source image ecosystem

Not recommended for

Users wanting the best output with no tweaking
People without a machine or the skills for local use

Want to try Stable Diffusion?

Head to the official site and the current offer.

Visit Stable Diffusion

Frequently asked questions about Stable Diffusion

Is Stable Diffusion free?▼

Yes for local use: the open source models are downloadable and free under the Community license (for companies under $1M in revenue, GPU required). On the cloud side, the API starts around $20/month and DreamStudio runs on credits.

Stable Diffusion or Midjourney?▼

Stable Diffusion is open, controllable, and can run locally; Midjourney is closed but often more polished out of the box. For control and privacy, go with Stable Diffusion; for ready-made quality, go with Midjourney.

Who publishes Stable Diffusion?▼

The model is developed by Stability AI, a British company based in London. The name Stable Diffusion refers to the model, while Stability AI is the company that publishes it and runs the API and DreamStudio.