Midjourney vs Stable Diffusion vs DALL-E 3
Three leading image generation options compared: style, controllability, licensing, and language support.
locale: “en”
Key takeaways
- Strongest artistic look and quick hero shots: Midjourney.
- Maximum control and on-prem flexibility: Stable Diffusion (open source, fine-tunable).
- Easiest for accurate text/logo/scene outputs: DALL-E 3.
Core comparison
| Dimension | Midjourney | Stable Diffusion | DALL-E 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Style | Strong artistry; rich color and composition | Any style with the right model/LoRA | Balanced realistic/illustration; stable output |
| Controllability | Moderate via prompts/parameters and reference images | Highest: choose models, LoRA, ControlNet | Mostly natural language; few knobs |
| Commercial use | Paid plans allow commercial use | Self-host gives maximum control; lower IP risk | Plus/API outputs allowed commercially |
| Chinese prompts | Works, but English is stronger | Varies by model; English often better | Chinese works; English best |
| Text rendering | Weak | Needs extra models | Strong for posters/signage/UI text |
| Cost | Subscription | Compute cost; can run offline | ChatGPT Plus or API billing |
Recommended use cases
- Design and concept art: Midjourney for quick hero shots and inspiration.
- Controlled generation and remix: Stable Diffusion + ControlNet/LoRA for product-ready or batch work.
- Marketing/posters/copy-to-visual: DALL-E 3 for reliable text-on-image and easy prompting.
Tips
- For style consistency: SD with LoRA/fine-tuning; MJ with reference images; DALL-E 3 with consistent wording.
- For compliance: prefer self-hosted SD or official Plus/API terms with clear usage rights.