Stable Diffusion (Stability AI)
The open-source image model you can run and fine-tune yourself
Stable Diffusion is the model that made local image generation possible. Stability AI releases the weights under a community licence that is free for…
FLUX (Black Forest Labs)
Open-weight image models from the original Stable Diffusion team
FLUX is the model family behind many of the best photorealistic generators, built by the researchers who created Stable Diffusion. Developers use it through the BFL API or via hosts like fal and Replicate; hobbyists run the open-weight variants locally.
Best for: developers and self-hosters
What works
- Top-tier prompt adherence and realism
- Open weights for local use
- Simple per-image API pricing
What to know
- No consumer app of its own
- Needs a capable GPU to run locally
Alternatives
Krea
Real-time canvas that runs many image and video models
Krea's trick is real-time generation: sketch or move shapes and the image updates as you go. It also aggregates third-party models (FLUX, Kling, Veo…
Midjourney
The image generator most people rate highest for style
Midjourney is still the benchmark for aesthetic quality. It now runs on the web as well as Discord, with editing, style references and a video model…