AI Image Generation Cost Calculator
Calculate monthly costs for AI image generation with DALL-E 3, Stable Diffusion, or Midjourney.
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How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter the number of images you generate each month.
- 2
Select your preferred AI image generation model or Midjourney plan.
- 3
Add any image edits or variations if applicable (for API-based models).
- 4
Review monthly and annual costs to choose the most cost-effective option.
Frequently asked questions
What formulas does the calculator use?
For the DALL-E 3 and Stable Diffusion API entries: monthly cost = (images + edits) × the per-image rate. For the Midjourney entries: monthly cost = the flat plan fee + max(0, images − included images) × the extra-image rate. Annual cost is monthly × 12.
What rates and plan allowances are built in?
Per image: $0.04 DALL-E 3 Standard 1024×1024, $0.08 DALL-E 3 HD 1024×1024, $0.12 DALL-E 3 HD 1792×1024, $0.002 Stable Diffusion API. Midjourney: Basic $10 with 200 images included and $0.05 per extra, Standard $30 with 900 included and $0.033 per extra, Pro $60 with no cap. These are figures built into this tool, so check each vendor’s current pricing and plan rules.
Why does the edits field not change a Midjourney result?
The code adds edits and variations only to the per-image models. For Midjourney entries the field is ignored: 500 images on Basic costs $25.00 whether the edits field is 0 or 300. If your plan counts edits against its allowance, add them to the images field yourself.
How is the effective cost per image calculated?
For per-image models it is simply the rate. For Midjourney entries it is the monthly cost divided by the images field, and it shows $0.0000 when images is zero. It does not divide by edits.
Does the Midjourney entry match how the vendor meters plans?
The tool simplifies each plan to a flat fee, an included image count and an overage rate. Vendors define allowances and relaxed or unlimited modes in their own terms and change them, so read the current plan description before relying on the overage figures.
Is HD priced at a fixed multiple of Standard?
In this tool’s table, DALL-E 3 HD at 1024×1024 is twice the Standard rate and the 1792×1024 HD size is three times it. Those multiples come from the stored numbers, not from a statement about the vendor’s current price list.
Does the calculator cover commercial licensing or self-hosting?
No. It prices generation only. Licence terms, usage rights, upscaling fees, failed generations that are still billed and the hardware cost of self-hosted models are not modelled.
When is the cheapest flat plan not the cheapest overall?
When volume is low enough that a per-image rate costs less than the plan fee. The comparison table on this page shows how the same 1,000 images cost across the seven options; change the images field to see where the order flips.
AI image generation cost calculator: per-image rates versus flat plans
Two pricing structures
The tool handles two kinds of price. Per-image models charge a fixed rate for each image and each edit or variation, so monthly cost = (images + edits) × rate. Midjourney entries are flat plans: the plan fee plus an overage of (images − included images) × an extra-image rate, applied only when images exceed the included count. The Pro entry has no cap, so it never adds overage. Annual cost is twelve times the monthly figure, and the effective cost per image shows how the flat fee spreads over the images you generate.
Rates and plans stored in the code
These are figures built into this tool, not live quotes. Plan names, allowances and the way each vendor meters usage are set by the vendor and change, and the tool simplifies each plan to an image count. Check the provider’s current pricing before budgeting.
| Option | Structure | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DALL-E 3 Standard 1024×1024 | Per image | $0.04 |
| DALL-E 3 HD 1024×1024 | Per image | $0.08 |
| DALL-E 3 HD 1792×1024 | Per image | $0.12 |
| Stable Diffusion API | Per image | $0.002 |
| Midjourney Basic | Flat per month | $10, 200 images included, $0.05 per extra |
| Midjourney Standard | Flat per month | $30, 900 images included, $0.033 per extra |
| Midjourney Pro | Flat per month | $60, no cap |
Worked examples
Image generation runs. The columns show Run, Monthly, Annual and Per image, one line per case.
| Run | Monthly | Annual | Per image |
|---|---|---|---|
| DALL-E 3 Standard, 500 images (defaults) | $20.00 | $240.00 | $0.0400 |
| DALL-E 3 HD 1024, 1,000 images + 200 edits | $96.00 | $1,152.00 | $0.0800 |
| Midjourney Standard, 1,000 images | $33.30 | $399.60 | $0.0333 |
| Midjourney Basic, 150 images | $10.00 | $120.00 | $0.0667 |
| Stable Diffusion API, 1,000 images | $2.00 | $24.00 | $0.0020 |
The same 1,000 images on every option
Volume decides which structure wins, so it helps to price one volume across all seven choices. The table below was produced by running 1,000 images with no edits through each option. A bigger plan is not automatically cheaper: at this volume Basic with overage costs more than Standard, and Pro costs more than both, because 1,000 images has not yet reached the point where a higher fee buys enough extra allowance. Change the images field to see where the order flips.
| Option | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| DALL-E 3 Standard 1024×1024 | $40.00 |
| DALL-E 3 HD 1024×1024 | $80.00 |
| DALL-E 3 HD 1792×1024 | $120.00 |
| Midjourney Basic | $50.00 |
| Midjourney Standard | $33.30 |
| Midjourney Pro | $60.00 |
| Stable Diffusion API | $2.00 |
Where the tool stays silent
Edits and variations are counted only for the per-image models. For Midjourney entries the edits field is ignored: 500 images on Basic comes to $25.00 whether edits are 0 or 300. Licences, upscaling fees, failed generations that are still billed, and the cost of running a model on your own hardware are also outside the calculation. Use it to compare structures at a volume, then read each vendor’s terms for what actually counts against an allowance.
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Results are estimates for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional financial, medical, legal, or technical advice. Read full disclaimer →