Stable Diffusion Pricing 2026
Complete pricing guide with plans, hidden costs, and negotiation tips
Stable Diffusion pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $0.01 to $0.01 per month or per image in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: Yes
- Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
- Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training
Stable Diffusion offers 3 pricing tiers: Open Source (Self-Hosted), DreamStudio (Stability AI), Stability AI API. Standard paid plans include Open Source (Self-Hosted) at $0/month, DreamStudio (Stability AI) at $10/month, Stability AI API at $0/per image. The DreamStudio (Stability AI) plan is users wanting hosted stable diffusion.
Compared to other ai image generators software, Stable Diffusion is positioned at the budget-friendly price point.
Stable Diffusion is the leading open-source AI image generator, unique in allowing free local deployment on your own hardware. Created by Stability AI, it has spawned a massive ecosystem of tools, models, and customizations. While services like Midjourney offer better out-of-box quality, Stable Diffusion provides unmatched flexibility and cost efficiency at scale.
Stable Diffusion pricing is flexible: free self-hosted (you pay for GPU), DreamStudio at $10 for ~5,000 images, or API at $0.002-0.035 per image. The free self-hosting option makes it uniquely cost-effective for high-volume generation and customization.
In this guide, we explain Stable Diffusion's different deployment options, compare self-hosting vs hosted services, detail API pricing vs competitors, and help you decide if the technical setup is worth the cost savings.
All Stable Diffusion Plans & Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Source (Self-Hosted) Cost: Your compute onlyGPU: Requires 8GB+ VRAM | Free | Free 0 | Developers and enthusiasts with GPU hardware |
| DreamStudio (Stability AI) Credits: 1,000/month (~5,000 images)Rollover: Credits don't expire | $10 /month | Free 0 | Users wanting hosted Stable Diffusion |
| Stability AI API SDXL: $0.002-0.006/imageSD3: $0.035/image | Free | Free 0 | Developers integrating image generation |
View all features by plan
Open Source (Self-Hosted)
- Free to download and run
- Full model weights
- Unlimited generations
- Complete customization
- Local/cloud deployment
- Commercial use allowed
DreamStudio (Stability AI)
- 1,000 credits/month
- ~5,000 images at standard settings
- Web interface
- Multiple model versions
- No GPU required
Stability AI API
- SDXL: ~$0.002-0.006/image
- SD3: ~$0.035/image
- Pay per generation
- Programmatic access
- Multiple models available
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Frequently Asked Questions
01 How much does Stable Diffusion cost?
Stable Diffusion is free to self-host (you pay for compute). DreamStudio is $10 for 1,000 credits (~5,000 images). API pricing: SDXL ~$0.002-0.006/image, SD3 ~$0.035/image. Self-hosting is cheapest for high volume.
02 Is Stable Diffusion free?
Yes, Stable Diffusion models are free to download and run on your own hardware. This is unique among major AI image generators. You need a GPU (8GB+ VRAM recommended). Hosted services like DreamStudio charge for convenience.
03 Stable Diffusion vs Midjourney: Which is better?
Midjourney has better default image quality and ease of use. Stable Diffusion offers free self-hosting, unlimited customization, and fine-tuning. Use Midjourney for quality and convenience; Stable Diffusion for control and cost savings at scale.
04 How do I run Stable Diffusion locally?
Popular local interfaces: Automatic1111 web UI, ComfyUI, or Fooocus. Requires a GPU with 8GB+ VRAM (NVIDIA recommended). Download the model, install the interface, and generate unlimited images at no per-image cost.
05 What is SDXL vs SD3?
SDXL (Stable Diffusion XL) is the previous generation, free and open source, excellent quality. SD3 (Stable Diffusion 3) is newer with improved quality but has licensing restrictions and higher API costs. SDXL remains popular for being free.
06 What GPU do I need for Stable Diffusion?
Minimum: 8GB VRAM GPU (GTX 1070, RTX 3060). Recommended: 12GB+ VRAM (RTX 3080, 4070). More VRAM enables higher resolutions and faster generation. NVIDIA cards have best support; AMD works with some setups.
07 What is DreamStudio?
DreamStudio is Stability AI's official hosted interface for Stable Diffusion. Pay $10 for 1,000 credits (~5,000 images). No GPU required - runs in your browser. It's the easiest way to use Stable Diffusion without technical setup.
08 Can I use Stable Diffusion commercially?
Yes, SDXL and earlier versions have permissive licenses allowing commercial use. SD3 has a more restrictive license - check current terms. Self-hosted models give you full rights to outputs within license terms.
09 What is ComfyUI?
ComfyUI is a free, node-based interface for Stable Diffusion offering maximum control and customization. It's more complex than Automatic1111 but more powerful for advanced workflows. Popular with professionals and enthusiasts.
10 How does Stability AI API pricing work?
Stability AI API charges per generation: SDXL ~$0.002-0.006/image (very cheap), SD3 ~$0.035/image. Prices vary by resolution and model. Much cheaper than DALL-E API ($0.04-0.12) for high volume.
11 Is Stable Diffusion as good as DALL-E 3?
SD3 quality approaches DALL-E 3. DALL-E 3 is better at following prompts and text rendering. Stable Diffusion offers more customization and is cheaper/free. For ease of use, DALL-E; for control and cost, Stable Diffusion.
12 What is fine-tuning in Stable Diffusion?
Fine-tuning trains Stable Diffusion on your images to generate specific styles, characters, or products. Methods include LoRA, DreamBooth, and textual inversion. Requires some technical knowledge but enables unique capabilities.