Stable Diffusion is Stability AI's flagship open and hosted image generation platform. It is available through the Developer Platform API (pay-per-credit), Brand Studio (subscription for creative teams), and self-hosted open models under community license. Stability AI offers SD 3.5 model family plus editing, upscaling, 3D, and audio generation APIs.
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Features & details
Full overview from our catalog (read-only reference).
Category (short)
AI Image Generation
Category
AI Image Generation
Pricing (CSV)
Free Trial
Directory pricing
Freemium
Sponsored note
no
Target audience
Teams needing API control, self-hosting options, or enterprise brand-consistent image workflows. Not ideal for: casual users wanting a simple one-click consumer app without technical setup.
Best for
Teams needing API control, self-hosting options, or enterprise brand-consistent image workflows. Not ideal for: casual users wanting a simple one-click consumer app without technical setup.
Pricing notes
Developer Platform API: 1 credit = $0.01; 25 free starter credits. SD 3.5 Large: 6.5 credits ($0.065)/image. Stable Image Ultra: 8 credits ($0.08)/image. Stable Image Core: 3 credits ($0.03)/image. Brand Studio Trial: free up to 1,000 credits. Brand Studio Core: $50/mo including 5,000 credits (non-rolling). Enterprise: custom pricing with SSO and Brand Central.
Pros & cons
Editorial notes to help compare fit before opening the vendor site.
Pros
Flexible deployment: API, hosted studio, or self-hosted
Transparent per-credit API pricing
Broad model family with editing and 3D tools
Strong prompt adherence in SD 3.5 generation
Cons
Steeper learning curve than consumer apps
Brand Studio credits do not roll over monthly
Self-hosting requires GPU infrastructure and maintenance
Enterprise license needed for high-revenue commercial use
Review notes
Context from the listing review and editorial research.
Verified July 2026 at platform.stability.ai/pricing and stability.ai/brand-studio-plans. Open models free under Community License for orgs under $1M annual revenue; enterprise license required above that threshold.
Extended features
In-depth description and capability notes.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large, Medium, Flash, and Turbo models
Stable Image Ultra and Core hosted generation services
Precision editing: inpainting, outpainting, background removal, recolor
Image upscaling up to 4K (Creative and Conservative Upscaler)
Brand Studio with curated multi-model routing and Brand ID models
3D generation via Stable Fast 3D and SPAR3D
Stable Audio 2.5/3.0 text-to-audio generation
Use cases
Developers, designers, and enterprises generating, editing, and scaling AI image production via API, hosted studio, or self-hosted deployment.