Midjourney vs DALL-E: which AI image generator to choose?

Neither tool wins across the board. Midjourney is a dedicated image generator that one eWeek comparison rates higher on image quality and customization, while OpenAI's tool is built into ChatGPT and is easier to start with. DALL-E has since been replaced there by ChatGPT Images, so the right pick depends on what you make and how you like to work.

Updated: October 2026

What each tool is

Midjourney is a standalone AI image generator. According to eWeek, it began in Discord, the chat app, and now also has a web interface that keeps the same customization and stylization functions while being easier to navigate. You write a text description (a prompt), and the tool returns images in a wide range of styles.

OpenAI's option started as DALL-E, a text-to-image model. eWeek's comparison, which covers DALL-E 3, describes it as integrated into ChatGPT. OpenAI's help center now says that the official DALL-E GPT has been retired from ChatGPT and tells users to use ChatGPT Images to create or edit images. So when people search for DALL-E today, the product they will actually use is ChatGPT Images. Developers can also work with images through the API, a programming interface that lets other software request images; OpenAI's images and vision documentation says it covers both understanding and generating images with the API.

One caveat on sources: the eWeek article was last updated in December 2025 and evaluates DALL-E 3, while OpenAI's help page describes ChatGPT Images 2.5. Treat the third-party comparison as a guide to the approach of each tool, not as a test of the newest model. The wider picture of how assistants compare is in our guide ChatGPT vs Gemini, since image generation is only one feature of such products.

Image quality, style and features

Image quality is partly a matter of taste, so the best evidence is your own eyes. Still, eWeek's reviewer rates Midjourney's image quality as superior and DALL-E's as excellent, and image accuracy as high for Midjourney and strong for DALL-E. The article lists consistent, detailed, imaginative output as Midjourney's key strength, and it says you can set styles in the prompt or with style parameters, from hyper-realistic to abstract.

Midjourney's other features, as eWeek lists them:

• Stylization levels, outpainting and background removal for advanced editing, plus an External Editor that supports editing images you upload.
• Stealth Mode: images made with Midjourney are visible to other users by default, and this mode lets you keep them hidden from other subscribers.
• Blend command: combines two to five images into a new one.
• Community: subscribers can share their art, get feedback and ask questions.

For OpenAI's side, eWeek highlights conversation. You can refine an image request in a chat, and the article presents DALL-E 3's understanding of natural language as a strength for complex prompts. Its listed drawbacks are output inconsistencies, no built-in stylization selection and strict policy restrictions that may limit creative freedom. OpenAI's own page says ChatGPT Images 2.5 brings sharper details, more precise editing and faster generation, and that it can follow instructions to add text, add details or make a background transparent. Those are the provider's claims about its own product, and I have not verified them myself.

Editing, text and ease of use

OpenAI's help page describes two ways to edit in ChatGPT. You can select part of an image with a selection tool and describe the change, or skip the tool and describe the edit in the conversation. You can also upload an existing image, pick any aspect ratio, start from a template such as a poster or logo, or, on the mobile app, draw a sketch and add instructions. The same page warns that highlights are not always precise and that edits may extend beyond the area you selected, so compare every edit with the original.

Midjourney's editing leans on its tool set (outpainting, background removal, the External Editor), as covered above. eWeek marks Midjourney as not easy to use and says it requires basic prompt-engineering knowledge, that is, knowing how to phrase and tune prompts. It marks DALL-E as easy to use, calling it user-friendly and conversational, so average users can reach specific results through guided dialogue. My own reading: if you only need an occasional illustration, the chat route removes a learning curve. If you want to build a recognizable style over many images, Midjourney's extra controls may repay the effort.

Text inside images is a historical weak spot for generators. OpenAI says ChatGPT Images can follow instructions to add text, and it advises being specific, for example describing any text a poster should include. Whichever tool you use, I recommend proofreading every word and adding important text (prices, dates, warnings) in a design editor afterwards. That advice is mine, not a finding from the sources.

Availability and pricing model

According to OpenAI's help page, ChatGPT Images is available on all tiers, on web, iOS and Android, while a mode called Images with thinking is available on Plus, Pro and Business, with Enterprise and Edu listed as coming soon. eWeek adds that the tool is reachable through the OpenAI API too, and describes its pricing as both tiered and usage-based.

The figures below come from eWeek, which was last updated in December 2025 and describes DALL-E 3, so they may be out of date. Prices change, so check each provider's own pricing page before paying:

• Midjourney: tiered pricing, starting at $10 per user per month in eWeek's chart, with no free version.
• OpenAI: eWeek reports up to three images a day on the free ChatGPT tier, a ChatGPT Plus plan starting at $20 per month with higher limits, and API pricing from $0.040 per standard-quality image.

The structural difference matters more than the numbers. Midjourney is a separate subscription for an image service. OpenAI's images come bundled with a ChatGPT plan you may already pay for, which makes trying them cheap. eWeek concludes that DALL-E wins on cost, but that was based on the plans it saw, so run your own numbers.

Rights, privacy, limits and risks

Here the two differ in what eWeek reports. It lists limited legal protection as a Midjourney drawback and says OpenAI offers indemnification (a promise to cover certain legal risks, especially copyright claims) to DALL-E enterprise users. That protection is described for enterprise users, not everyone, so read the current terms for your own plan. The article gives DALL-E the edge on ownership and content moderation, but it also notes that strict policy restrictions can limit creative freedom.

On privacy, eWeek says Midjourney images are visible to other users by default unless you use Stealth Mode. For ChatGPT, OpenAI says images you create are saved automatically under Images, and that deleting one means deleting the conversation where it was made. OpenAI also describes parental controls for linked teen accounts, which can decide whether a teen may create or edit images.

Other risks apply to both and come from general knowledge rather than the sources. Copyright protection for AI-made images varies by country, terms of service cannot change the law, and both services may refuse some prompts. There is also a wider debate about how image models were trained and what that means for artists; our article on generative art before AI gives some historical context. If you publish AI images, say so where it matters to your audience, and avoid prompts that copy a living artist's style.

Side-by-side summary

The table sums up the sections above. Figures and ratings come from the sources named in the text and may have changed.

Which one should you choose? A verdict by use case

These are my recommendations, based only on the facts above, not on tests of my own.

• Art direction and a consistent style: Midjourney, given its higher quality rating, style parameters and richer editing tools.
• Beginners and occasional use: ChatGPT Images, because you describe what you want and ask for changes in chat.
• Targeted edits to an existing picture: ChatGPT Images, with its selection tool and plain-language edits, though Midjourney's External Editor is worth a look.
• On a budget: start with ChatGPT's free tier or a plan you already pay for. If you only want images and need the extra control, compare the cheapest plans on the official pricing pages.
• Business and client work: choose the tool whose current terms and legal protections clearly cover your plan, and keep a copy of those terms.
• Developers: OpenAI documents an API for generating images, so it is the one to look at if you want to build image requests into software.

To get started, write five prompts that resemble your real work, run them in both tools, and judge the results without looking at which tool made which. That is a better guide than any review, including this one.

Frequently asked questions

Is DALL-E still available in ChatGPT?

According to OpenAI's help center, the official DALL-E GPT has been retired from ChatGPT. To create or edit images there, you use ChatGPT Images. Many people still say DALL-E for OpenAI's image tool in general.

Can I try either tool for free?

ChatGPT Images is listed as available on all tiers, and eWeek reports that its free tier has daily limits. eWeek says Midjourney has no free version. Plans change, so check the providers' pages.

Which is better for text in images?

OpenAI says ChatGPT Images can follow instructions to add text, and its chat format makes fixes easy to request. Still, proofread every letter and add critical text in a design tool.

Can I use the images commercially?

It depends on the provider's current terms and your plan, which I could not confirm here. Read the terms for your plan before using images in ads or client work, and remember that copyright rules for AI images differ by country.