DALL·E (OpenAI)

Freemium

By AI Bookmarks Editorial Team, Directory editors Last reviewed 2026-10-23

Visit DALL·E (OpenAI) Official site · opens in a new tab

OpenAI's 2023 image model, driven through ChatGPT conversation or the API, now superseded by ChatGPT Images.

Quick facts

Pricing	Freemium
Free tier	Limited — a small number of images through free ChatGPT accounts
Platforms	Web, API
Developer	OpenAI
Launched	2023
Website	https://openai.com/dall-e-3

What DALL·E (OpenAI) is

DALL·E 3 is OpenAI's image generation model, released in 2023. Its main advance over earlier versions was prompt adherence: describe a scene in detail and it follows the instructions rather than improvising, which makes it practical for briefs and mockups rather than only abstract art. It is not a standalone product — you reach it by asking inside ChatGPT, where you can iterate conversationally and ask for changes in plain language, or through OpenAI's API for programmatic use. Images can include legible text more reliably than earlier models, though not consistently. OpenAI has since moved its consumer image features to ChatGPT Images, so DALL·E 3 is best treated as a legacy model still available through the API. It runs only on OpenAI's servers, safety filters are strict and will refuse some prompts, and there is no local deployment option. Because it is a closed model, there is no way to inspect or replace the training data behind a given output.

Best for

Illustrating a concept from a detailed written brief
Iterating on an image by describing changes in ChatGPT
Programmatic image generation through an API key

Not ideal for

On-premise or offline generation
Photorealistic work where a dedicated image model is required

Pros

Follows detailed prompts more closely than earlier versions
Editable through ordinary conversation in ChatGPT
Available through the same API key as other OpenAI models

Cons

Superseded in the consumer product by ChatGPT Images
Strict safety filters refuse a wide range of prompts
No standalone app and no local deployment

Pricing in detail

DALL·E 3 is not sold on its own. It is reachable through paid ChatGPT plans and through OpenAI's API, which bills per generated image at rates that differ by resolution and quality. Free ChatGPT accounts get a limited number of images rather than a monthly allowance. Because OpenAI has shifted its consumer image features to ChatGPT Images, check the API pricing page for current per-image rates instead of assuming the older model is cheapest.