Stable Diffusion
by Stability AI
Open-weight image models you can run on your own computer.
Overview
Stable Diffusion is a family of image generation models released by Stability AI with downloadable weights. Because the models can run locally, it has a large community building interfaces, extensions and fine-tuned versions.
What it does
Stable Diffusion generates and edits images from text. Through community tools such as ComfyUI you can control composition, train custom styles and run everything offline on a suitable graphics card.
Main features
- Downloadable model weights
- Runs locally on your hardware
- Community interfaces like ComfyUI
- Fine-tuning and custom styles
- Image-to-image and inpainting
Pricing
Model weights are free to download under Stability AI's licence, which sets conditions on commercial use above certain revenue levels. Hosted services cost extra.
Prices vary by country, currency and billing period and change often, so we don't quote figures. See current prices on the official pricing page.
Strengths and limitations
Our view — editorial assessment, not a claim by the developer.
Advantages
- Full control and privacy when run locally
- No per-image fees on your own hardware
- Huge community ecosystem
Limitations
- Needs a capable GPU and technical setup
- Licence terms must be checked for commercial use
- Results vary widely by setup
Best for
- Developers and technical artists
- Privacy-sensitive work
- Custom-trained styles
Alternatives to Stable Diffusion
Midjourney
Midjourney, Inc.
Highly stylised AI image generation from text prompts.
- Text-to-image generation
- Image references for style and character
- Variations and upscaling
Adobe Firefly
Adobe
Adobe's generative AI for images, effects and video, built into Creative Cloud.
- Text-to-image
- Generative Fill and Expand in Photoshop
- Text effects
Leonardo.Ai
Leonardo.Ai (Canva)
Web-based image and video generation with fine creative controls.
- Multiple image models and style presets
- Canvas editor with inpainting
- Custom model training
Stable Diffusion FAQs
Is Stable Diffusion free?
The models can be downloaded free, but the licence has conditions for larger commercial users, and you need suitable hardware.
Do I need coding skills?
Not necessarily. Community apps provide graphical interfaces, but setup is more technical than web-based tools.