The two biggest names in AI image generation take very different approaches. Midjourney prioritizes artistic quality; DALL-E 3 prioritizes accessibility through ChatGPT. Here's how they compare for different use cases.
| Feature | Midjourney | DALL-E 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Image Quality | Superior artistic quality Winner | Very good, improving rapidly |
| Photorealism | Excellent Winner | Good |
| Text in Images | Good (V6 improved) | Excellent Winner |
| Accessibility | Discord-only | Built into ChatGPT Winner |
| Free Tier | None | Included with free ChatGPT Winner |
| Lowest Price | $10/month | Free (or $20/mo with Plus) Winner |
| Speed | Moderate | Faster Winner |
| Editing/Inpainting | Basic | Integrated editing Winner |
| Prompt Understanding | Requires skill | Very intuitive Winner |
| Consistency | Very consistent Winner | Can be inconsistent |
| Commercial License | Yes (paid plans) | Yes Winner |
Choose Midjourney if image quality is your top priority and you're comfortable learning prompt engineering on Discord. Choose DALL-E 3 if you want convenience, free access, and the ability to generate images conversationally through ChatGPT. For professional creative work, Midjourney wins. For everything else, DALL-E 3's accessibility is hard to beat.