AI image generation has become a standard tool for business. We break down which neural network to choose depending on your tasks.
Midjourney — for quality and style
Features
- The best artistic quality on the market
- Excellent work with styles and aesthetics
- Simple interface via Discord
- Fast generation
Pricing
- Basic: $10/mo (~200 images)
- Standard: $30/mo (~900 images)
- Pro: $60/mo (unlimited in relax mode)
Best for
- Marketing materials: posters, covers, promos
- Illustrations for articles and blogs
- Concept art and creatives
- Social media: Instagram, Pinterest
Cons
- No API for automation
- Works only via Discord
- Cannot generate real people
- No free tier
Example usage
Prompt: modern minimalist office interior,
natural lighting, plants, scandinavian style,
professional photography --ar 16:9 --v 6
GPT Image (OpenAI, formerly DALL-E) — for precision
Features
- Best at understanding text in images
- Follows the prompt description accurately
- Integrated into ChatGPT
- Safe and predictable
Pricing
- ChatGPT Plus: $20/mo (includes GPT Image 1.5)
- API: from $0.04 per image
Best for
- Images with text: logos, banners with captions
- Precise technical tasks
- Rapid prototyping
- Educational content
Cons
- Less artistic results
- Strong content censorship
- Limit on the number of generations
Example usage
Create an image for an article about digital marketing:
growth charts on a laptop screen, a desk,
bright accent colors, modern style
Stable Diffusion — for flexibility
Features
- Fully open source
- Can be run locally
- A huge number of models and styles
- No content restrictions
Pricing
- Free (if you run it locally)
- Cloud services: from $10/mo
Best for
- Large volumes of generation
- Specific styles and niches
- Fine-tuning for a brand
- Projects with a limited budget
Cons
- Requires technical skills
- Needs powerful hardware for local runs
- Harder to get the desired result
- Takes time to set up
Popular services based on Stable Diffusion
- Leonardo.ai — convenient web interface
- Playground AI — free generations
- Tensor.art — ready-made models
Which tool to choose
Choose Midjourney if
- You need maximum quality
- Aesthetics and style matter
- You work with visual content
- You're willing to pay for quality
Use cases: design studios, marketing agencies, bloggers, SMM specialists
Choose DALL-E if
- You already use ChatGPT Plus
- You need images with text
- Accuracy in completing the task matters
- You need fast generation without setup
Use cases: content managers, editorial teams, presentations, education
Choose Stable Diffusion if
- You have a large volume of generations
- You have a limited budget
- You need specific styles
- You have technical skills
Use cases: startups, game developers, e-commerce (product photos)
Practical tips for choosing
For small business
Start with DALL-E via ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo) — it gives you access to both text AI and image generation.
For marketing and design
Invest in Midjourney Standard ($30/mo) — it will pay for itself through quality and speed.
For content production
If you generate a lot of content, get Midjourney Pro ($60/mo) + Stable Diffusion for experiments.
For e-commerce
Stable Diffusion via Leonardo.ai — you can create product photos, design variations, and model products.
How to get started
Step 1: Define your tasks
- How many images do you need per month?
- What style (realism/art/minimalism)?
- Do you need text in the images?
- What's your budget?
Step 2: Test
- Midjourney: there's a cheap $10/mo plan for testing
- DALL-E: if you have ChatGPT Plus, try it right away
- Stable Diffusion: free generations on Playground AI
Step 3: Learn prompts
Result quality depends 80% on the prompt. Study the examples:
- Midjourney Showcase
- OpenAI Examples
- Lexica.art (prompt library)
Step 4: Create a prompt library
Save successful prompts for reuse and modifications.
Legal considerations
Copyright
- Midjourney: you own commercial rights (on paid plans)
- DALL-E: you own the images
- Stable Diffusion: depends on the specific model's license
Before use
- Check the Terms of Service
- For commercial use, choose paid plans
- Don't generate images with brand logos
- Don't use real people's names
Combined approach
Many businesses use several tools:
- Midjourney — for key creatives and marketing
- DALL-E — for quick tasks and text in images
- Stable Diffusion — for mass generation and experiments
The main thing is to understand each tool's strengths and use them for their intended purpose.