How Much Does AI Image Generation Cost in 2026? Full Pricing Breakdown

If you've been curious about AI image generation but aren't sure what it actually costs, you're not alone. Pricing in this space is weirdly confusing — some platforms charge monthly subscriptions, others use credits, and a few bill per API call. It's hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison.

So we did the math for you.

Here's what every major AI image generator actually costs per image in 2026, broken down by usage level.

The Quick Answer

AI image generation costs anywhere from $0.02 to $0.20 per image depending on the platform, model, and resolution. If you're on a subscription plan, your effective per-image cost drops the more you generate.

For occasional use (under 50 images/month), you can spend as little as $0.03 per image on platforms like Myjourney. Heavy users on subscription plans typically pay $0.04–$0.08 per image effectively.

Platform-by-Platform Pricing Breakdown

Midjourney

Midjourney uses a subscription model with limited "fast hours" of GPU time:

The catch? You're paying that monthly fee whether you use it or not. If you only generate 20 images in a month on the Basic plan, your effective cost is $0.50 per image. Midjourney also requires a Discord account, which adds friction for business users.

DALL-E 3 (OpenAI)

OpenAI charges per image through their API or via ChatGPT Plus:

The API pricing is straightforward, but you need developer knowledge to use it directly. Through ChatGPT, you're sharing your $20/month across text, code, and image generation — so the effective per-image cost varies wildly based on your usage mix.

Stable Diffusion

Stable Diffusion is open source, so pricing depends on how you run it:

Self-hosting is cheapest long-term but requires a $500+ GPU and technical setup. Most people end up using a hosted service, which brings costs in line with other platforms.

Adobe Firefly

Adobe's advantage is tight integration with Photoshop and Illustrator. The downside is that per-image costs stay relatively flat regardless of volume, and you're locked into Adobe's ecosystem.

Myjourney

We built Myjourney specifically to make pricing simple. No subscriptions, no credits to figure out — just pay for what you generate:

The key difference: you only pay when you generate. No monthly commitment, no wasted credits. Generate 5 images one month and 500 the next — you're only charged for actual usage.

Cost Comparison at Different Usage Levels

Here's what you'd actually spend per month at different volumes:

Light Use (50 images/month)

Medium Use (300 images/month)

Heavy Use (1,000+ images/month)

For heavy users who need volume, Myjourney's Draft mode at $0.03/image is extremely competitive. For quality-focused work at lower volumes, the Standard and Raw modes offer premium results at fair per-image rates.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Beyond the sticker price, watch for these:

Wasted subscriptions. If you pay $30/month for Midjourney but only use it twice, that's expensive. Pay-per-use models like Myjourney eliminate this entirely.

Resolution upcharges. Many platforms charge more for higher resolutions. A "standard" image might be 1024×1024, but if you need print-ready resolution, expect to pay 2–3x more.

Commercial licensing. Some free tiers restrict commercial use. Make sure you understand the commercial rights before using AI images in business materials.

API overhead. If you're using an API, factor in developer time for integration. Platforms with a web UI (like Myjourney) save you engineering hours.

Which Pricing Model Is Right for You?

Choose pay-per-use (Myjourney, DALL-E API) if:

• Your usage varies month to month
• You're testing different platforms
• You want predictable per-image costs

Choose a subscription (Midjourney, Adobe) if:

• You generate consistently high volumes
• You want unlimited relaxed-mode generations
• You need ecosystem integrations

Choose self-hosted (Stable Diffusion) if:

• You have technical expertise
• You need complete data privacy
• You generate thousands of images monthly

The Bottom Line

AI image generation has gotten remarkably affordable. For most people, you're looking at $0.03–$0.20 per image — a fraction of what stock photos or custom illustrations cost.

If you want to try it without committing to a monthly plan, Myjourney lets you start generating immediately with simple per-image pricing. No subscription required, no credits to decode — just pick a model that fits your needs and go.

The best way to find your sweet spot? Generate a few images and see what works for your workflow. At these prices, experimenting is basically free.