Midjourney vs. Dall-E: Which One Wins? (& Pricing)
AI art has officially left the uncanny valley and entered the "Wait, a robot made that?!" era.
But with Midjourney, DALL-E, and Weights all battling for the top spot, how do you pick the best one?
If you’re looking for ultra-detailed, hyper-realistic images, or maybe just a cursed meme generator, we’ve got the breakdown on which AI tool actually delivers.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- Midjourney vs. DALL-E vs. Weights: A quick comparison
- DALL-E: Features, pricing, pros and cons
- Midjourney: Features, pricing, pros and cons
- Weights: Features, pricing, pros and cons
- Which AI tool should you choose?
Midjourney vs. DALL-E vs. Weights: A quick comparison
Picking the right AI image generator in 2025 is like choosing your Pokémon starter — each has its own special powers, but only one is truly built different.
Midjourney, DALL-E, and Weights all bring something to the fight, but which one actually deserves your time (and possibly your money)?
Here’s how they stack up.
If you’re willing to pay, Midjourney is the best for artistic, stylized images, and DALL-E is a solid choice for professional, realistic renders. But if you like free, unlimited access to AI-generated images, Weights is the obvious winner, and that’s that.
Oh, and if you want more info about image generators, we also compared Midjourney vs. Stable Diffusion, for you Stable Diffusion die-hards out there.
DALL-E: Features, pricing, pros and cons
If DALL-E were a person, it would be the guy who always turns in their assignments early but occasionally hands in a drawing where the hands have six fingers.
Created by OpenAI, DALL-E is centered on photorealism, flexibility, and built-in editing tools — which makes it a good tool for AI image generators for businesses, marketers, and anyone who doesn’t want their AI art to look like a fever dream.
But is it actually worth paying for? And can you legally use the images it creates?
Let’s break it down:
DALL-E: Features
DALL-E is OpenAI’s golden child, birthed to crank out photorealistic images while pretending it doesn’t have a slight habit of generating extra fingers.
Whether you’re making hyper-realistic masterpieces or just want to slap sunglasses on a tortoise, DALL-E has some unique tricks up its AI-powered sleeve.
Here's what makes it rock:
- Inpainting (aka AI Photoshop but lazier): Ever wished you could just erase part of an image and have the AI fill it in perfectly? DALL-E lets you do that. Fix bad edits, remove weird objects, or give your cat a monocle.
- Photorealism — dialed to 11: Unlike Midjourney, which sometimes goes full fantasy novel cover, DALL-E tries to make images that could pass for real life (keyword: tries).
- Built into ChatGPT (because OpenAI wants you in their ecosystem forever): If you have ChatGPT Plus, you can generate images directly in the chat — no Discord bots, web UI, no extra steps, just AI doing its thing.
- Style-switching like a pro gamer: While realism is its default, DALL-E can mimic various art styles with the right prompts. Want a Picasso-style portrait of your dog? Done. Want it to look like it’s on the cover of a magazine? Done and done.
- API access for developers (a.k.a. automation nerds): Businesses can integrate DALL-E into apps, websites, or marketing tools — because nothing says "cutting-edge" like AI-generated stock photos.
DALL-E: Pricing
Dall-E’s AI art ain’t free — unless you’re using Weights (which, by the way, is free). DALL-E runs on a pay-per-image model, meaning every time you make a masterpiece (or something that looks like an AI had a stroke), you’re spending real cash.
Here's what you’ll pay:
ChatGPT Plus users: $20/month for access to DALL-E inside ChatGPT. OpenAI is real vague about the exact number of generations you get, so enjoy the mystery.
API pricing — pay-as-you-go chaos:
- Standard quality (1024x1024) — $0.04 per image
- Standard quality (1024x1792) — $0.08 per image
- HD quality (1024x1024) — $0.08 per image
- HD quality (1024x1792) — $0.12 per image
DALL-E: Who it's good for
DALL-E isn’t for everyone: Some people want hyper-stylized AI art that looks like it was pulled straight from a sci-fi novel — those people are better off with Midjourney. Others want clean, professional, photorealistic images without dealing with Discord nonsense. That’s where DALL-E shines.
Best for:
- Marketers and businesses: Need a fake product photo? An AI-generated stock image that doesn’t look like an AI-generated stock image? DALL-E’s got you. And by the way, you may ask, “Can you legally use DALL-E-images? The answer’s yes.
- People who want AI image generation inside ChatGPT: No extra logins, no weird external apps—just tell ChatGPT what you want, and it spits out an image.
- Anyone who wants direct image editing (a.k.a. inpainting): If you like tweaking AI-generated images instead of rerolling a hundred times, DALL-E actually lets you do that.
- API users and automation nerds: If you’re running an app, website, or project that needs AI-generated images on demand, DALL-E’s API is an easy plug-in.
Not great for:
- Casual users who don’t want to pay per image: This isn’t a free-for-all like Weights. If you’re just messing around, your wallet will feel it.
- People who want the most detailed, high-end artistic images: Midjourney is still the king when it comes to pure aesthetic appeal.
- Anyone who hates OpenAI’s ever-changing limits: If you’re using DALL-E inside ChatGPT, the generation cap fluctuates depending on vibes. (That is, on Sam Altman’s whims.)
DALL-E: Pros and cons
DALL-E has its strengths, but it also has its quirks (like its occasional inability to generate hands that don’t look like Lovecraftian horrors).
Let’s break it down:
✅ Pros:
- Photorealism is solid: If you need an AI-generated image that doesn’t scream “this was made by a robot,” DALL-E does a decent job.
- Built-in editing — aka inpainting: No need to regenerate an entire image just to fix a small mistake — DALL-E lets you tweak specific areas.
- Integrated into ChatGPT: If you’re already using ChatGPT Plus, you don’t need a separate platform. Just type, generate, and go.
- API access for businesses: Perfect if you want AI-generated images on demand without manually inputting prompts every five minutes.
❌ Cons:
- Expensive if you generate a lot: At $0.04 – $0.12 per image, costs add up fast if you’re experimenting.
- Inconsistent generations: Sometimes, it nails realism. Other times? Let’s just say AI still struggles with human anatomy and outputs images straight out of John Carpenter’s The Thing.
- Very limited free stuff: Unlike Weights (which lets you create as much as you want), DALL-E is pay-to-play. You get up to 3 images a day, depending on how OpenAI feels about things (it’s been variable).
- Copyright confusion: OpenAI says you can use the images commercially, but with the legal side of AI-generated content still evolving, some companies still don’t know what’s really going on and don’t want to wait for a lawsuit to find out.
Get in on our “How to use Dall-E” guide if you want to start prompting. Now, let’s look at Dall-E vs. Midjourney:
Midjourney: Features, pricing, pros and cons
Midjourney is the AI image generator for people who want their stylized art to look next-level. If DALL-E is the photography addict, Midjourney is the kid who skipped class to paint murals and somehow made a career out of it. But does that make it the best?
Let’s find out:
Midjourney isn’t here to make boring stock photos — it’s here to make some of the wildest, most artistic AI-generated images you’ve ever seen.
If you’ve scrolled past an AI stunner that looks like a movie poster from a universe that doesn’t exist, there’s a good chance Midjourney was behind it.
Here's what makes it good:
- Detail that makes other AIs look lazy: Midjourney makes images like it has an art degree. Textures, lighting, and composition are all dialed way up.
- Fails gracefully: Where some AIs spit out nightmare fuel when they mess up, Midjourney at least keeps things artistic. Even when it gets human hands wrong, they look like something a concept artist would sketch on purpose.
- No more Discord-only struggle: Midjourney started as a bot buried in Discord channels, but now there’s a full web UI. You can finally generate images without feeling like you're hacking into the Matrix. You can still do Discord though, if that’s your thing. Ain’t nobody stopping ya.
- Realism upgrade with V5 and V6: It used to be all about dreamy, painterly aesthetics, but the latest versions can produce photorealistic images that will have you doing a double take.
- More control if you know what you’re doing: Advanced prompting lets you tweak aspect ratios, lighting, styles, and more. If you’re willing to experiment, you can get exactly what you want instead of rolling the AI dice.
Midjourney: Pricing
Midjourney isn’t handing out free images — even though they used to have a free-ish tier, that’s gone, baby, gone. Unlike DALL-E’s pay-per-image setup, Midjourney runs on a monthly subscription, meaning you’re paying up anyway.
Here's what it’ll cost you:
- Basic plan: $10/month — Comes with 3.3 hours of fast GPU time. Enough if you’re just messing around but not enough for serious projects.
- Standard plan: $30/month — Gives you 15 hours of fast GPU time and unlimited relaxed mode, which means you can generate as much as you want — it’ll just take longer.
- Pro plan: $60/month — Doubles the fast GPU time to 30 hours and unlocks stealth mode, so no one sees your weird experimental prompts.
- Mega plan: $120/month — A massive 60 hours of fast GPU time, unlimited relaxed mode, and stealth mode. Made for heavy users who want all the power.
- Need more GPU time?: You can buy extra fast hours for $4 each instead of waiting for your next billing cycle. You can also win a fast hour by having your images rank in the top 2,000 users. Who doesn’t like a bit of social gaming? (Oh yeah, we don’t.)
Midjourney: Who’s it good for?
Midjourney is for people who want AI art that looks like it belongs in a video game cutscene, not on a suspiciously cheap T-shirt. If you’re after insanely detailed, cinematic images instead of DALL-E’s “definitely AI-made” stock photo vibe, this is where you turn to.
Best for:
- Artists and designers who want AI to do half the work: Need concept art? Character designs? A background that looks like it was painted by a sleep-deprived fantasy artist? Midjourney has you covered.
- Control freaks who love tweaking settings: With advanced prompts, parameters, and aspect ratio options, you can push Midjourney’s results in any direction. Basically, if DALL-E is an automatic transmission, Midjourney is a stick shift.
- Users who plan to generate a ton of images: Since Midjourney has unlimited relaxed mode, it’s way better for bulk image generation than DALL-E’s pay-per-image system. If you’re making 100 variations of “cat wearing a tiny suit of armor,” this is the tool for you.
- Anyone who wants AI art without OpenAI micromanaging their usage: DALL-E has vague limits; Midjourney just lets you cook.
Not great for:
- Casual users who aren’t ready to pay: There’s no free tier, no pay-per-image option — just a straight-up subscription. If you’re not down to commit, this isn’t your tool.
- People who need true photorealism: Midjourney can do realism, but it still has an “AI-generated” quality. If you’re trying to make fake LinkedIn profile pics, DALL-E is the better option.
- Anyone who wants a UI that doesn’t feel like a side quest: Even with the web app, Midjourney still has a learning curve, especially if you want to unlock its full potential.
Midjourney: Pros and cons
Midjourney is powerful, but it’s not perfect. It can create some of the best AI-generated images out there, but it also has its quirks.
✅ Pros:
- Insanely detailed images: Midjourney creates art that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie or a high-end concept book.
- Strong aesthetic consistency: Where other AI tools occasionally spit out something weird, Midjourney images tend to stay polished — even when it messes up.
- Web UI and Discord options: You’re no longer forced to fight a Discord bot or talk to other people just to generate images. The new web UI makes things easier.
- Unlimited relaxed mode: If you don’t mind waiting, you can generate as many images as you want without worrying about hitting a paywall.
- More control over outputs: Advanced prompting, style parameters, and aspect ratio settings give you way more customization than most AI generators.
❌ Cons:
- No free version: Unlike Weights, which lets you generate as much as you want, Midjourney is strictly pay-to-play. You might want to look into how to cancel your Midjourney subscription faster than you think.
- Not great for strict photorealism: It’s improved a lot, but if you’re trying to create AI-generated LinkedIn profile pics, DALL-E is still the better choice.
- The learning curve is real: Even with the web app, Midjourney takes some trial and error — especially if you want to fine-tune results instead of just rolling with whatever it spits out.
- Stealth mode is locked behind a paywall: If you don’t want people to see your generations, you’ll need to cough up extra for the pro plan.
Weights: Features, pricing, pros and cons
Midjourney’s got the artsy chaos. DALL-E is the polished professional — but what if you want unlimited AI art without paying a cent?
Then Weights is definitely what you’re looking for.
Unlike the others, Weights is 100% free — no trials, no hidden fees, no weird pay-per-image system that makes you do mental math.
But does free mean worse? Not really. Let’s break it down:
Weights: Features
If AI image generators were video game characters, Weights would be the one with infinite ammo and zero cooldowns.
Unlike Midjourney and DALL-E, it doesn’t ration out generations like it’s guarding the last pizza slice — you get unlimited AI images, totally free.
Here’s why it leads the pack :
- Free. For real. No weird fine print: Some AI tools act like they’re doing you a favor with a few measly free generations before hitting you with a paywall. Weights just lets you cook — no limits, no sneaky trials.
- Not just pictures — a full AI playground: Sure, you can make images, but Weights goes further. Train custom AI models, make freaky AI covers, chat with AI, mess around with AI voice generation, and experiment like a true mad scientist.
- No tech degree required: Some tools feel like you need to pass a coding exam just to get started. Weights keeps it simple — no Discord servers (unless you want to hang), no dodgy API, just get down to business.
- Train AI like a boss: Ever wish AI could generate images in your exact style? Weights lets you train and fine-tune custom models so your AI art actually looks like your art.
- Built-in inspiration feed: The Weights community is stacked with AI-generated creations, so you can share your work, explore what others are making, and get new ideas without scrolling through a million bad prompts.
Weights: Pricing
Weights doesn’t really believe in paywalls at all — it’s simple, free to use, and plain fun.
Here’s the tea:
- Zero dollars. Unlimited images. No trial, no catch: Unlike Midjourney and DALL-E, Weights won’t suddenly ask for your credit card after a few test runs. It just lets you have at it.
- No weird “GPU time” limits: Other tools make you keep track of confusing credits, fast vs. slow generations, or some other nonsense. Weights just allows you to play. If you want to train a model, you get 7 image models per week and 1 image model per day. Pretty cool.
- All features unlocked from day one: No “premium” features locked behind a subscription. Everything — from AI image generation to model training — is available for free.
Weights: Who it's good for
If Midjourney is for digital artists and DALL-E is for marketers, then Weights is for anyone who wants to experiment with AI and have fun — without being nickel-and-dimed for it.
Best for:
- Creatives who hate paying for tokens: If you want to generate AI art, voices, or videos without your fun getting cut short by a payment screen, or having to run out of the house because your mom suddenly faints when she sees your credit card bill, this is the tool for you.
- Meme lords and internet explorers: Whether you’re making reaction images, cursed memes, or just weird AI experiments, Weights is the perfect sandbox.
- Indie creators and small teams: Since it’s free, Weights is great for personal projects, social media content, and just following your dreams.
- People who love experimenting with AI: If you’re curious about AI-generated content beyond just images, Weights lets you play around with voices, videos, and custom models.
- Anyone who just wants to try AI without the hassle: No credit card, no Discord, no subscriptions — just open it up and start generating. It takes seconds.
Not ideal for:
- People who need ultra-photorealistic renders: If you’re trying to generate high-end commercial product images, DALL-E or Midjourney might be a better fit.
- Users who need absolute control over AI outputs: Weights is for creative experimentation, not pixel-perfect precision. If you need AI to follow strict design rules, traditional software still wins. That being said, there are a lot of models to play around with, and you can still train your own.
Weights: Pros & cons
Weights pretty much throws out the rulebook when it comes to common AI pricing rules. It lets you do your thing and doesn’t get in the way.
Let’s get into it:
✅ Pros:
- Unlimited free AI generations: Midjourney and DALL-E make you pay up or dole out your generations like it’s the last rations in a zombie apocalypse. Weights just lets you create, no strings attached.
- More than just an image generator: AI-generated art? Yep. AI voices? Also yes. AI video? You bet. Custom models? Absolutely. Weights does it all.
- Zero setup headaches: No weird Discord hoops to jump through, no API confusion. Just open the site and start generating.
❌ Cons:
- Not the go-to for hyper-realistic renders: If you need AI art that could pass as an actual photo, DALL-E or Midjourney still have the edge.
- Community-driven quality means some wildcards: Weights is improving fast, but since it’s open and free, results can sometimes be a bit unpredictable. (Which, honestly, is half the fun.)
- Midjourney still wins for stylized, high-detail images: If you need something that looks like it belongs on a movie poster, Midjourney’s ultra-detailed aesthetic still holds the crown.
Which AI tool should you choose?
So, which one wins this battle? Is Dall-E or Midjourney better?
Here’s the breakdown:
- Go with Midjourney if: You want AI-generated art so good it looks like an album cover for a band that doesn’t exist. It’s perfect for artists, designers, and people who spend too much time browsing vaporwave aesthetics. Just be ready to pay up and wait in line when the servers get moody.
- Pick DALL-E if: You need realistic AI images and want a built-in, “Whoops, I messed that up” tool. DALL-E lets you edit specific parts of an image, which is great for marketers, businesses, or anyone trying to pass off AI-generated stock photos as real. The downside? Each generation costs money, and the pricing system is about as clear as a 2000s MMORPG subscription model.
- Choose Weights if: You want free, unlimited AI generations, custom model training, and bonus tools like voice cloning and video AI — without pulling out your wallet. There’s no credit system, no weird pay-per-image nonsense, and no, “Sorry, you’ve used up your free tier” notifications.
Whether you’re here to create, experiment, or just force AI to generate SpongeBob reimagined as a Dark Souls boss (we wager he’d be something like “Spongius Longinus: Harbinger of the Deep), Weights lets you go wild for zero dollars.
If you’re cool with paying, Midjourney wins for artsy vibes, and DALL-E is solid for photorealism. But if you like having fun without spending money, Weights is the clear winner.
Summing up
At the end of the day, the Midjourney vs. DALL-E battle comes down to what you actually need.
Midjourney is good if you want pretty, stylized AI art with cinematic detail — but be ready to pay for it.
DALL-E is solid for photorealism and built-in editing tools, but the pay-per-image model can add up fast.
And then there’s Weights, which just lets you do whatever you want — for free. AI images? Free. AI-powered voice and video tools? Also free. Custom model training? Still free. If you’re looking for a no-cost, no-restrictions AI playground, Weights is the move.
Weights is:
- Free forever: No sneaky trials, no weird restrictions, no “pay to unlock” nonsense.
- More than just images: Generate AI art, build voices, create videos, and train custom models all in one place.
- Zero hassle: No coding, no complicated setup, just open it and start creating.
- For creators, by creators: Share your projects, get inspired, and push AI creativity to its limits.
Try Weights today and start creating for free.