The Stability AI Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Stability AI in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Stability AI
The Insider’s Guide
Stable Diffusion image models to self-host or call through an API
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI image and video generators, read from Stability AI’s own pages.
Made by Stability AI Ltd · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Stability AI’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Stability AI’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 0 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade
Stability AI makes the Stable Diffusion image models, along with video, 3D and audio models. Developers can download the models and run them on their own hardware, free for anyone under $1M in yearly revenue, or call them through a pay-per-use API that adds editing, upscaling and control tools. Larger companies buy an Enterprise License through sales.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Stability AI, taken from its own pages and our grades.
For a person who just wants pictures, there's no app to open.
- 1
Best for developers building on open image models
For building image features into a product, that's handy.
- 2
There is a free plan
Community License: free self-hosted use of the core models, commercial use included, for people and organizations under $1M in yearly revenue.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Stable Diffusion 3.5 models
Large, Large Turbo and Medium versions of the image model to download and run yourself; Medium is designed to run on consumer hardware.
- 5
Image generation API
Stable Image Ultra, Stable Image Core, the Stable Diffusion 3.5 family and SDXL, each billed per image in credits.
- 6
Editing API
Erase objects, inpaint, outpaint, remove or replace a background and relight, and find an object by name to recolor or replace it.
- 7
A 1.8 GPA, above 0 of 21
That is against the other AI image and video generators we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Stability AI you would be making an image model, which you can rent by the picture but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Stability AI at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 25 free API credits on sign-up
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Stability AI Ltd
- Category
- AI Image & Video Generators
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for developers building on open image models
Stability AI makes the Stable Diffusion models and sells them to developers: download them and run them yourself, free under $1M in yearly revenue, or call a pay-per-image API. For building image features into a product, that's handy. For a person who just wants pictures, there's no app to open.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Nothing a person can subscribe to. The models are free to run yourself under $1M yearly revenue, which takes your own hardware, and the API charges $0.025 to $0.08 an image at a cent a credit. Fair, but there's no plan to set against this category's. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The Community License lets people and companies under $1M a year run the core models free, commercial use included. That needs your own hardware, and the API's free start is 25 credits. |
| Features | D | Strong building blocks: SD 3.5 models, editing, upscaling, sketch and style control, and 3D. But there's no app for a person, and the image page's Start creating link goes to enterprise partnerships, so it needs code or another product to be useful. |
| Ease of use | D | No app and no rating. Using it means calling an API from code or running the models on your own hardware. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | An API plus the models on Amazon Bedrock, SageMaker JumpStart and Microsoft Azure AI Foundry, and downloads for your own machines. No phone or desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Stability AI is for
- Great if you're a developer adding image generation and editing to your own app
- Handy when you want to run open image models on your own servers for free
- Good for teams already building on Amazon Bedrock or Azure
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you just want to type a prompt and get a picture, as there's no app
- Not for you if your company makes over $1M a year, as that needs an Enterprise License priced by sales
- Too light for developers who want video by API, as the price list has none
Good to know
Good for
- Developers adding image generation and editing to their own apps
- Small companies that want to run open image models on their own servers
- Teams already building on Amazon Bedrock or Azure
Worth knowing
- The API is pay per use: 1 credit is $0.01, an image costs 2.5 to 8 credits, and the Creative Upscaler costs 60 credits per image.
- Organizations with more than $1M in yearly revenue need an Enterprise License, priced only through sales.
- The API price list has image, 3D and audio services but no video; Stable Video Diffusion is offered for self-hosting only.
- There is no image app sold to consumers: the image page's "Start creating" link leads to the enterprise partnerships page.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
2
plans to choose from
Stability AI has a free plan.
Fair, but there's no plan to set against this category's.
Community License
$0
Run Stable Diffusion 3.5, SDXL Turbo, Stable Fast 3D and Stable Audio 3.0 on your own hardware; for those under $1M in yearly revenue.
Enterprise License
Custom
Commercial use above $1M in yearly revenue, with implementation support; custom model training and consulting cost extra.
The free plan
Community License: free self-hosted use of the core models, commercial use included, for people and organizations under $1M in yearly revenue.
Trying it first
25 free API credits on sign-up
Read from stability.ai on Oct 17, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Stable Diffusion image models to self-host or call through an API. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, public API, AI features, image generation, video generation.
An API plus the models on Amazon Bedrock, SageMaker JumpStart and Microsoft Azure AI Foundry, and downloads for your own machines.
- Stable Diffusion 3.5 models
- Large, Large Turbo and Medium versions of the image model to download and run yourself; Medium is designed to run on consumer hardware.
- Image generation API
- Stable Image Ultra, Stable Image Core, the Stable Diffusion 3.5 family and SDXL, each billed per image in credits.
- Editing API
- Erase objects, inpaint, outpaint, remove or replace a background and relight, and find an object by name to recolor or replace it.
- Upscaling and control
- Creative, Conservative and Fast upscalers, plus sketch, structure and style tools that guide a new image from one you supply.
- Video and 3D models
- Stable Video Diffusion turns text into short clips for self-hosting; Stable Fast 3D and SPAR3D make 3D assets from one image through the API.
- Cloud partners
- The models are also offered on Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker JumpStart and Microsoft Azure AI Foundry, and in NVIDIA-optimized versions.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Amazon Bedrock
- Amazon SageMaker JumpStart
- Microsoft Azure AI Foundry
Stability AI is made by Stability AI Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/21
Other AI image and video generators it is graded above
Stability AI's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 6 of 21) and worst on features (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 22 AI image and video generators we grade, cut by the letter each got. Stability AI’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 2 of 21
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 21
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 21
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 21
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 21
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Stability AI you would be making an image model, which you can rent by the picture but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 20 of the 21 other AI image and video generators grade higher.
What you could not
- An image model, which you can rent by the picture but not make.
- A video model, which you can rent by the second but not make.
- It plugs into other products, Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker JumpStart and Microsoft Azure AI Foundry among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Stability AI’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
FLUX by Black Forest Labs, Ideogram, Recraft, Leonardo.Ai and Midjourney
The 5 tools Stability AI is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
FLUX by Black Forest Labs
Free plan
FLUX image and video models, paid per use via API and playground.
- 2.8GPA
Ideogram
Free plan · from $15/mo
Image generator for designs with text, plus editing and video apps.
- Only Ideogram lists an iOS app.
- Stability AI is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Recraft
Free plan · from $10/mo
Image and vector generator built for designers and brand work.
- Only Recraft lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Recraft lists a browser extension.
- Stability AI is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Leonardo.Ai
Free plan · from $12/mo
Image, video and 3D generator with its own and partner models.
- Only Leonardo.Ai lists iOS and Android apps.
- Stability AI is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.0GPA
Midjourney
From $8/mo
Image and short-video generator run on monthly GPU time.
- Stability AI has a free plan. Midjourney does not.
- Stability AI is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Stability AI free?
Stability AI has a free plan. Community License: free self-hosted use of the core models, commercial use included, for people and organizations under $1M in yearly revenue.
How much does Stability AI cost?
Stability AI lists 2 plans. Community License: $0.
What platforms does Stability AI work on?
Stability AI is available on Web.
Does Stability AI have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Stability AI is listed for Web.
Does Stability AI have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Stability AI is listed for Web.
Is Stability AI open source?
Stability AI is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Can Stability AI be self-hosted?
Yes. Stability AI's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Does Stability AI have an API?
Yes. Stability AI offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Stability AI integrate with?
Stability AI's listing names Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker JumpStart and Microsoft Azure AI Foundry.
Does Stability AI have a free trial?
Yes. 25 free API credits on sign-up.
Who makes Stability AI?
Stability AI is made by Stability AI Ltd.
What are the alternatives to Stability AI?
The closest alternatives to Stability AI in our directory are FLUX by Black Forest Labs, Ideogram, Recraft, Leonardo.Ai and Midjourney.
How does Stability AI compare with other AI image and video generators?
Stability AI's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 21 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 1.
Could I make my own version of Stability AI?
To replace Stability AI you would be making an image model, which you can rent by the picture but not make.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Stability AI’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Stability AI's own pages on 17 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Stability AI Ltd. Prices change, so check stability.ai before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Stability AI, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/stability-ai
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Stability AI: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/stability-ai
Know someone choosing between AI image and video generators?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/stability-ai/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI image and video generators after Stability AI, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Image & Video Generators Insider's GuideEvery one of the 22 AI image and video generators we grade, compared
- Adobe Firefly Insider's GuideAdobe's image, video and audio generator, with partner models3.0 GPA
- Leonardo.Ai Insider's GuideImage, video and 3D generator with its own and partner models3.0 GPA
- Magnific Insider's GuideFormerly Freepik: AI image, video and audio tools plus stock library3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Stability AI’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Stability AI is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Stability AI Ltd. Prices and plans change: check stability.ai before you buy.