Midjourney vs DALL-E 3 (2024): The AI Image Generation Face-Off

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Midjourney and DALL-E are prominent players in the AI image generation field, each with its own set of artistic features and capabilities. At a high level, Midjourney is known for the quality and consistency of its images, while DALL-E is easier to use and offers better pricing models. But when it comes to Midjourney vs DALL-E, understanding their strengths and differences can help you determine which better meets your specific creative needs.

To help you decide, I evaluated both tools to see how they compared on image quality and consistency, ease of use, pricing, and user support. Here’s what you need to know about each tool to make an informed decision between them.

Midjourney vs DALL-E at a Glance

The following comparison chart highlights the key differences between Midjourney and DALL-E, giving you a clear overview of their performance, strengths, and pricing.

	Midjourney	DALL-E
Best For	High-quality, realistic images	Conversational and imaginative art creation
Image Quality	Superior	Excellent
Image Accuracy	High	Strong
Ease of Use	✘	✔
Pricing Options	Tiered pricing	Usage-based Tiered pricing
Starting Price	$10 per user, per month	Monthly: $20 per user Usage-based: $0.040 per standard image generation
Free Version	✘	✔
Platforms	Discord Web interface	ChatGPT web interface ChatGPT mobile app OpenAI API
	Visit Midjourney	Visit DALL-E

What is Midjourney?

Midjourney is a fully-featured artificial intelligence (AI) image generator popular for its ability to create consistently stunning outputs in a wide range of styles. This AI art tool excels at producing high-quality, realistic, and meticulous artwork with customizable parameters. It’s also packed with powerful features for advanced editing tasks, like stylization levels, outpainting, and background removal.

Originally released in Discord, Midjourney has a vibrant community that fosters collaboration among users. Subscribers can share and receive feedback on their AI art and ask general questions about the tool.

Midjourney recently enhanced accessibility by introducing a web interface that simplifies the art creation process. This interface retains the functionalities available in Discord—including customization and stylization—while making the tool easier to navigate.

Key Features of Midjourney

Midjourney offers a rich set of features for crafting striking images:

• Consistent High-Quality Outputs: One of Midjourney’s key strengths is generating detailed, imaginative, visually-appealing images with remarkable consistency.
• Stylized Image Generation: Midjourney lets you create images that embody various styles and mediums. You can set the styles by including them in your text prompts or by using the AI art generator’s style parameters to achieve anything from hyper-realistic images to abstract art.
• Stealth Mode: By default, artworks created with Midjourney are visible to other users. The Stealth Mode feature bolsters privacy by allowing you to keep your artworks hidden from other Midjourney subscribers.
• Blend Command: With the AI tool’s blend command, you can combine two to five images to create a novel image.

Pros

• Highly-accurate, realistic outputs
• Stealth Mode keeps generated images private
• Strong community support

Cons

• Requires basic prompt engineering knowledge
• Limited legal protection
• Lacks a free version

What is DALL-E?

DALL-E 3 is the latest text-to-image model from OpenAI that stands out for its ability to generate intricate outputs from complex prompts that effectively reflect emotions. Integrated into ChatGPT, this AI art generator has better natural language understanding than previous models, enabling it to interpret subtle nuances to create images that closely match what you envision.

Another significant DALL-E feature is its style versatility and built-in image editor for refining AI-generated images. You can specify your desired art style in your text input and the AI application will take care of the rest. With its image editor, you fine-tune your outputs by selecting an area you want to modify and describing the changes, making the experience interactive and simple for users of any technical skill level.

In August 2024, OpenAI made DALL-E 3 available through ChatGPT’s free user plan, allowing a broader audience to experiment with the AI tool without any cost and encouraging creativity and exploration.

Key Features of DALL-E

DALL-E offers a wide range of features that make it easy to use:

• Conversational AI: DALL-E 3’s integration into ChatGPT lets you engage in real-time conversations to refine image requests, generate image captions, or even build entire stories about your images. This interactive approach makes the AI image generator extremely user-friendly, so average users can achieve specific creative outcomes through guided dialogue.
• Multi-Platform Availability: This AI art generator is accessible across various platforms, such as ChatGPT on the web, mobile applications, and via the OpenAI API. This versatility ensures that you can generate images in your preferred environment.
• Inpainting and Image Editing: DALL-E 3 lets you refine certain areas of your image by providing text instructions. This feature allows you to make targeted adjustments, such as changing parts of the background or swapping objects without regenerating the entire image.
• Indemnification: OpenAI offers indemnification for DALL-E enterprise users, protecting against potential legal risks, particularly in copyright-related matters.

Pros

• Mobile access provides portability on the go
• User-friendly and conversational
• Free version

Cons

• Output inconsistencies
• No built-in stylization selection
• Stringent policy restrictions may limit creative freedom

Best for Cost: DALL-E

DALL-E 3 wins in terms of cost because it offers multiple pricing options, with a free version through ChatGPT.

You can access DALL-E 3 at no cost and generate up to two images daily within the free ChatGPT tier. If you need more outputs, the paid ChatGPT Plus subscription starts at $20 per user, per month. This significantly raises the daily limits of image generation and gives access to additional features of GPT-4. Additionally, DALL-E has a per-image pricing structure that varies based on the output quality selected, starting at $0.040 per image for standard quality and increasing for higher resolution options.

In contrast, Midjourney only offers tiered pricing plans without a free version or trial. Its monthly subscription starts at $10 per user, per month, while the annual subscription costs $8 per user, per month—offering a 20 percent discount. Midjourney discontinued free trials due to high demand.

Best for Core Features: Midjourney

Both Midjourney and DALL-E are impressive in their ability to create high-quality and diverse images. However, Midjourney distinguishes itself in the core features category for its superior output consistency, realistic image generation, and robust customization and style tools.

While both tools did what I asked of them and generated high-quality, usable images, Midjourney stood out in this category for quality, consistency, and prompt fidelity.

Image Quality

Midjourney generated an exceptionally realistic and sharp image, capturing fine nuances with great accuracy. The output below showcases a high level of fidelity and clarity, making it appear almost lifelike and true to the real world.

In comparison, DALL-E produced a captivating, vivid image with fine details, including small elaborate elements like window curtains. This output evokes strong emotions and conveys a sense of depth and atmosphere. Also, it is noticeably larger by default compared to Midjourney’s. But while DALL-E’s images are richly-rendered, Midjourney’s outputs have a higher degree of realism and precision.

Prompt Fidelity

Midjourney demonstrated excellent prompt fidelity, adhering closely to the given prompt. It rendered a highly-realistic and natural image depicting a deep emotional connection with striking accuracy.

DALL-E’s output, while accurately following the prompt, resulted in a more stylized and animated portrayal. It captured the necessary emotions with definite features, but some aspects, like the girl’s tears, appear unnatural. Despite the overall emotional depth and prompt fidelity, this specific element seems slightly off in its representation.

Output Consistency

Midjourney generated high-quality and photorealistic images for the prompt ‘four dogs of different breeds and one pizza,’ but with inconsistent results. Among the three outputs, only one accurately captured the entire prompt, while the other two images contained notable errors. This variability highlights that while the system can produce immersive images, its consistency can be uneven.

Same as Midjourney, DALL-E’s images generally met the prompt requirements, but with clear inconsistencies in detail and perspective. For example, in one of its images, the positioning of the dogs was problematic, causing one to be improperly aligned. In addition, the tool also erroneously combined characteristics from different dog breeds rather than representing each breed accurately. This reflects a design error in prompt interpretation.

Text Integration Accuracy

Midjourney struggled with text generation. Despite several attempts, the text in its images did not achieve the same level of three-dimensionality as seen in DALL-E’s outputs. Although the result below features error-free text, I selected it as the best result among different outputs, which often had errors.

DALL-E integrated text into its output image flawlessly and remained true to the prompt. The text is presented with a convincing 3D effect and without errors, effectively overcoming a common challenge faced by many AI image generators.

Customization Tools

Midjourney brings an extensive range of customization and style options for greater user control over the final outputs. You can set the algorithm version and artistic style strength, create variations of the AI-generated images, and adjust their aspect ratios. You can also provide reference images to guide the AI software to make personalized content.

DALL-E’s customization features include an interactive image editor and an inpainting tool. You can highlight the areas for editing and enter edit requests in the text prompt panel. The AI system incorporates each modification request to build upon previous edits for a cohesive final product, giving design flexibility.

Best for Accessibility: DALL-E

DALL-E leads in accessibility because it can be used on several platforms, delivering multiple convenient options to generate images.

You can use DALL-E directly within the ChatGPT web platform. This AI tool also has native mobile applications on the App Store and Google Play Store, allowing you to generate images on the go. In addition, its availability through the OpenAI API enables developers to integrate its functionality into their own applications and services.

On the other hand, Midjourney only has two platforms for access: the Discord interface and a newly-introduced web interface. Despite this expansion, Midjourney does not offer a standalone desktop or mobile application, nor does it provide an API for integration with external systems, making it less accessible compared to DALL-E.

Best for Ease of Use: DALL-E

DALL-E beats Midjourney by a great deal when it comes to ease of use because of its minimalistic interface and ChatGPT integration, making it conversational.

DALL-E 3 has an incredibly simple interface across multiple platforms, including the ChatGPT web interface and mobile app. Thanks to this ChatGPT integration, even users without technical background can easily interact with the system using everyday language. You just need to describe the image you have in mind, and ChatGPT will generate tailored prompts for DALL-E 3, promoting intuitive and straightforward image creation, without the need for complex commands.

Unlike DALL-E, using Midjourney requires a good understanding of prompting techniques to achieve the desired results. While Midjourney now offers a web interface that simplifies image generation, users still need to learn how to craft prompts carefully, which can be challenging for those who are new to the platform.

Best for Ownership and Content Moderation: DALL-E

DALL-E excels in ownership and content moderation due to its in-depth policies and indemnification. 

OpenAI has established detailed terms of use, privacy policies, and guidelines for services, data processing, and plugins. It also provides separate terms for businesses, enterprises, and developers, along with indemnification for enterprise users. This meticulous policy framework ensures clarity as well as a strong level of security and legal assurance.

Like DALL-E, Midjourney upholds a strict content moderation policy and offers image privacy features. It enforces community standards and has guidelines for safe-for-work content. However, by default, generated images in Midjourney are visible to other subscribers, allowing them to see and potentially use these images. To get the Stealth Mode feature that will hide your images from others, you must upgrade to higher-tier plans. Nonetheless, this privacy feature does not give the same level of legal protection as the indemnification offered by OpenAI for DALL-E.

Best for Customer Support: DALL-E

DALL-E and Midjourney both have thorough documentation, active and cohesive user communities, and both companies are reachable via email. However, DALL-E offers superior support with more contact options and faster response times.

DALL-E provides a chat support feature that is easily accessible, even for free users, allowing for immediate interaction. Plus, its community is highly interactive, with users responding quickly to each other’s questions and issues. This combination of ready-to-use support and an active user base makes it more responsive compared to Midjourney.

Midjourney has in-depth documentation with step-by-step guides and visuals, as well as video tutorials, making it easier for you to use the platform. But, unlike DALL-E, it lacks a dedicated chat support feature for users. Additionally, individuals using the occasional free trial cannot engage in user communities and email support is limited to billing concerns. While its moderators on Reddit respond, it can take several hours to receive replies.

Why Shouldn’t You Use Midjourney or DALL-E?

Midjourney and DALL-E are top names in generative AI, but there are some cases where they may not be the best AI application.

Who Shouldn’t Use Midjourney

Midjourney isn’t the best fit for the following use cases:

• Beginners: Midjourney’s output quality heavily relies on your ability to craft detailed prompts. For best results, you must be skilled in composing well-structured prompts and using commands. Without a deep understanding of prompt techniques, you might find it difficult to use the platform’s potential.
• Cost-Sensitive Businesses: Businesses cannot explore Midjourney’s features without purchasing a subscription, as this top AI company lacks a consistent free trial or free tier. Therefore, for organizations with a tight budget or companies wanting to test the tools before committing, this could pose a financial risk.
• Organizations Requiring Strong Legal Protection: Midjourney doesn’t offer indemnification, leaving businesses exposed to potential intellectual property or copyright risks.

Who Shouldn’t Use DALL-E

DALL-E is not a good fit for the following use cases:

• Companies Focused on Highly-Realistic Outputs: DALL-E shines in creating imaginative and diverse outputs, but falls short in producing highly-realistic visuals. It is not the best fit for businesses where extreme realism is the primary goal.
• Users Wanting Pre-Built Style Options: Without a built-in style selection feature, DALL-E requires you to specify your desired style through detailed text prompts. This can be challenging for those who are not comfortable with describing artistic styles.
• Businesses or Users Seeking Complete Artistic Freedom: DALL-E operates under strict content policies that may limit certain creative expressions. Organizations or artists who aim to explore unconventional ideas may find these regulations restrictive, affecting their ability to fully experiment with their work.

3 Best Alternatives to Midjourney and DALL-E

There are numerous generative AI companies that develop state-of-the-art AI image creators today. If neither Midjourney nor DALL-E suits your needs, there are other options to consider.

Stable Diffusion

Stable Diffusion from Stability AI is a feature-rich AI art generator renowned for its flexibility and open-source nature. It produces clear and vivid images in diverse styles, which you can fine-tune according to your artistic vision. Its open-source nature promotes community-driven enhancements and expands its applications. Stable Diffusion is multiplatform, functioning seamlessly across local and web-based environments. You can access it through local installation and on Stable Assistant, Hugging Face, and DreamStudio. 

The AI tool offers free access for non-commercial use and small businesses, with a pay-as-you-go pricing model starting at $0.01 per credit. It also has tiered plans available through Stability AI Membership, beginning at $20 per user, per month. On the downside, Stability Diffusion’s outputs can sometimes exhibit errors in details, which may impact the overall quality of the AI-generated images.

starryai

starryai is an advanced AI art generator with well-polished outputs, extensive customization options, and a free version with 25 daily image generations. With a wide array of preset styles to choose from, this AI application lets you tailor your images to your preferences. The platform delivers additional tools, like a prompt builder and image upscaling, that level up the creative experience.

starryai’s paid plans start at $4.99 for 200 images. One potential drawback, though, is that users may experience delays as the image generation process can take some time.

Canva

Canva is a popular online design platform that incorporates AI capabilities for elevating image and art creation via its Magic Media tool. This AI feature enables users to craft images by describing their desired visuals, and Canva will produce images, graphics, and even videos for personal and enterprise use. It has a user-friendly interface and collaborative features that support easy sharing and editing among teams.

Canva offers a free trial that includes 50 AI-generated images and monthly subscription plans starting at $15 per user. However, a significant drawback is that this platform has limited customization features compared to other dedicated AI image generators, which may impact users seeking more tailored artistic control over their creations.

How I Evaluated Midjourney vs DALL-E

In comparing Midjourney and DALL-E, I focused on several key factors to gauge their performance: core features, cost, ease of use, ownership and content moderation, and customer support. Each category plays a substantial role in determining the overall effectiveness of these AI image generators.

• Core Features | 30 percent: This criterion assesses the main capabilities of each tool, such as image quality, output consistency, built-in customization options, and support for various output formats. In addition, I closely evaluated the tools’ prompt fidelity, text integration accuracy, batch processing, and platform availability. These factors are important in determining how well each tool meets user needs.

Criteria Winner: Midjourney

• Cost | 20 percent: For this category, I concentrated on examining the financial aspects of Midjourney and DALL-E. I checked whether they offer a free version or trial, the variety of pricing models, and the transparency of pricing information. These components affect the tool’s affordability and suitability for different budgets. Free trials let you test the tool before purchase, while multiple pricing models give flexibility.

Criteria Winner: DALL-E

• Ease of Use | 20 percent: For this, I evaluated how straightforward each tool is to set up and operate across all its platforms for both beginners and exp. A user-friendly tool enables quick and efficient use, reducing the learning curve and boosting productivity.

Criteria Winner: DALL-E

• Ownership and Content Moderation | 20 percent: This category measures each AI image generator’s provisions for legal protection, including indemnification against copyright-related issues and image privacy features. I also checked the comprehensiveness of their ethical policies. This is important to ensure that the creative content remains safe and adheres to ethical standards.

Criteria Winner: DALL-E

• Customer Support | 10 percent: Evaluating customer support involves looking at the availability and responsiveness of DALL-E and Midjourney’s support channels, like chat and email. I also factored in the thoroughness of the documentation and the activity of the user community. Effective support is important in resolving issues quickly, making sure that you have the help you need when facing challenges with your AI image generator.

Criteria Winner: DALL-E

Bottom Line: Midjourney vs DALL-E

Midjourney and DALL-E are both highly-regarded AI image generators with exceptional capabilities. Midjourney clearly leads in consistently delivering professional-grade images with ornate visuals and extensive customization functionalities. Meanwhile, DALL-E dominates in other key areas with its competitive pricing, user-friendliness, reliable support, and robust ownership features—all while producing good image quality. At the end of the day, the choice between them will hinge on which features and strengths best meet your specific needs.

Read our head-to-head comparison of Midjourney and Stable Diffusion to find out which AI image generator is right for you.