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Stable Diffusion 3vsStable Diffusion 3.5 Large

Stability AI vs Stability AI — Side-by-side model comparison

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large leads 2/5 categories

Head-to-Head Comparison

MetricStable Diffusion 3Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large
Provider
Arena Rank
Context Window
N/A (image)
N/A (image)
Input Pricing
Free (open)/1M tokens
Free/1M tokens
Output Pricing
Free (open)/1M tokens
Free/1M tokens
Parameters
8B
8B
Open Source
Yes
Yes
Best For
Image generation, art creation, design
Open source image generation, customization, fine-tuning
Release Date
Jun 12, 2024
Oct 22, 2024

Stable Diffusion 3

Stable Diffusion 3 is Stability AI's most advanced text-to-image model, using a novel Multimodal Diffusion Transformer (MMDiT) architecture. It features dramatically improved text rendering, better prompt adherence, and higher quality image generation compared to previous versions. SD3 comes in multiple sizes and is available as open weights, enabling local deployment and fine-tuning for specialized image generation applications.

View Stability AI profile →

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large is Stability AI's open-source image generation model using an innovative MMDiT (Multimodal Diffusion Transformer) architecture. It generates high-quality images from text descriptions with excellent prompt following and composition capabilities. As an open-weight model, it can be self-hosted, fine-tuned, and integrated into custom applications without API costs. The model has spawned a massive ecosystem of community-built tools, LoRA adapters, and specialized models for various art styles and use cases.

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Key Differences: Stable Diffusion 3 vs Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large

1

Stable Diffusion 3 has 8B parameters vs Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large's 8B, which affects inference speed and capability.

S

When to use Stable Diffusion 3

  • +Your use case involves image generation, art creation, design
View full Stable Diffusion 3 specs →
S

When to use Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large

  • +Your use case involves open source image generation, customization, fine-tuning
View full Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large specs →

The Verdict

Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large wins our head-to-head comparison with 2 out of 5 category wins. It's the stronger choice for open source image generation, customization, fine-tuning, though Stable Diffusion 3 holds an edge in image generation, art creation, design.

Last compared: March 2026 · Data sourced from public benchmarks and official pricing pages

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Stable Diffusion 3 or Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large?
In our head-to-head comparison, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large leads in 2 out of 5 categories (arena rank, context window, input pricing, output pricing, and parameters). Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large excels at open source image generation, customization, fine-tuning, while Stable Diffusion 3 is better suited for image generation, art creation, design. The best choice depends on your specific requirements, budget, and use case.
How does Stable Diffusion 3 pricing compare to Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large?
Stable Diffusion 3 charges Free (open) per 1M input tokens and Free (open) per 1M output tokens. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large charges Free per 1M input tokens and Free per 1M output tokens. For high-volume production workloads, the pricing difference can significantly impact total cost of ownership.
What is the context window difference between Stable Diffusion 3 and Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large?
Stable Diffusion 3 supports a N/A (image) token context window, while Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large supports N/A (image) tokens. Context window size matters most for tasks involving long documents, large codebases, or extended conversations.
Can I use Stable Diffusion 3 or Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large for free?
Stable Diffusion 3 is a paid API model starting at Free (open) per 1M input tokens. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large is available for free (open-source). Open-source models can be self-hosted for free but require your own GPU infrastructure.
Which model has better benchmarks, Stable Diffusion 3 or Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large?
Stable Diffusion 3's arena rank is not yet available, while Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large's rank is not yet available. Note that benchmarks don't capture every use case — we recommend testing both models on your specific tasks.
Is Stable Diffusion 3 or Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large better for coding?
Stable Diffusion 3's primary strength is image generation, art creation, design. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large's primary strength is open source image generation, customization, fine-tuning. For coding specifically, arena rank and code-specific benchmarks are the best indicators of performance.