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ChatGPT vs Midjourney: Which is better for image creation?

December 26, 202412 min readImagePromptly TeamComparison

An in-depth comparison of ChatGPT with DALL-E 3 and Midjourney for AI image generation and transformation. Pros, cons, and use cases.

Side-by-side comparison of ChatGPT DALL-E 3 and Midjourney outputs showing their different strengths

The AI image generation landscape is dominated by two major players: ChatGPT (with DALL-E 3) and Midjourney. Both offer impressive capabilities, but they excel in different areas. This comprehensive comparison will help you choose the right tool for your needs.

Quick comparison table

| Feature | ChatGPT + DALL-E 3 | Midjourney | |---------|-------------------|------------| | Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Easy | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate | | Image Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding | | Text Accuracy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Perfect | ⭐⭐ Poor | | Style Variety | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptional | | Speed | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fast | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate | | Price | $20/month | $10-120/month | | Platform | Web chat interface | Discord only |

Detailed feature comparison

User interface and accessibility

ChatGPT + DALL-E 3

  • Simple chat interface
  • No learning curve
  • Upload images directly
  • Natural language interaction
  • Web-based, works everywhere

Midjourney

  • Discord-based commands
  • Steeper learning curve
  • Complex parameter system
  • Community-driven
  • Requires Discord account

Winner: ChatGPT for ease of use, Midjourney for power users

Image quality and aesthetics

ChatGPT + DALL-E 3

  • Consistently good quality
  • Clean, polished results
  • Excellent for illustrations
  • Great color accuracy
  • Natural lighting

Midjourney

  • Stunning artistic quality
  • Film-like aesthetics
  • Superior textures
  • More dramatic lighting
  • Better photorealism

Winner: Midjourney for pure quality, ChatGPT for consistency

Text rendering capabilities

ChatGPT + DALL-E 3

  • Perfect text rendering
  • Accurate spelling
  • Multiple languages
  • Clear typography
  • Readable at all sizes

Midjourney

  • Struggles with text
  • Often misspells words
  • Limited text support
  • Better for logos than sentences
  • Requires workarounds

Winner: ChatGPT by a wide margin

Use case strengths

ChatGPT + DALL-E 3 excels at:

  1. Educational content

    • Diagrams and infographics
    • Scientific illustrations
    • Educational posters

  2. Business graphics

    • Presentations
    • Marketing materials
    • Product mockups

  3. Character design

    • Consistent characters
    • Multiple poses
    • Clear expressions

  4. Quick iterations

    • Fast modifications
    • Easy refinements
    • Conversational adjustments

Midjourney excels at:

  1. Artistic photography

    • Fashion photography
    • Cinematic shots
    • Atmospheric scenes

  2. Fantasy and sci-fi

    • Concept art
    • World building
    • Creature design

  3. Abstract art

    • Surreal compositions
    • Artistic experiments
    • Gallery-quality pieces

  4. Professional photography

    • Product photography
    • Architecture
    • Landscapes

Pricing comparison

ChatGPT Plus

  • Cost: $20/month flat rate
  • Includes: GPT-4, DALL-E 3, browsing, plugins
  • Image Limits: ~50 images per 3 hours
  • Value: Excellent for casual users

Midjourney

  • Basic: $10/month (200 images)
  • Standard: $30/month (unlimited relaxed)
  • Pro: $60/month (fast unlimited)
  • Mega: $120/month (most features)
  • Value: Scales with usage

Workflow differences

ChatGPT workflow

  1. Open chat
  2. Upload image or describe idea
  3. Get result
  4. Ask for modifications
  5. Download final image

Midjourney workflow

  1. Join Discord server
  2. Type /imagine prompt
  3. Wait for grid
  4. Select variations
  5. Upscale chosen image
  6. Use parameters for control

Pros and cons summary

ChatGPT + DALL-E 3 pros

✅ Beginner-friendly ✅ Perfect text rendering ✅ Conversational interface ✅ Great for edits ✅ Integrated with GPT-4 ✅ Consistent results

ChatGPT + DALL-E 3 cons

❌ Limited style control ❌ Less artistic flair ❌ Rate limits ❌ Can't access community ❌ Fewer advanced options

Midjourney pros

✅ Superior image quality ✅ Incredible aesthetics ✅ Active community ✅ More control options ✅ Better for professionals ✅ Constant updates

Midjourney cons

❌ Discord-only ❌ Learning curve ❌ Poor text handling ❌ More expensive ❌ Public by default ❌ Complex commands

Which should you choose?

Choose ChatGPT + DALL-E 3 if:

  • You're new to AI art
  • You need text in images
  • You prefer simple interfaces
  • You want quick results
  • You're on a budget
  • You need educational content

Choose Midjourney if:

  • You're a professional artist
  • Image quality is paramount
  • You want artistic control
  • You enjoy experimentation
  • Community matters to you
  • You need photorealism

Best practices for each platform

ChatGPT tips

  1. Be conversational and specific
  2. Use reference images when possible
  3. Ask for incremental changes
  4. Specify text requirements clearly
  5. Use style references

Midjourney tips

  1. Master parameter commands
  2. Study community prompts
  3. Use aspect ratios effectively
  4. Blend images for unique results
  5. Experiment with styles

The verdict

There's no universal "better" choice – it depends on your needs:

  • For beginners and general use: ChatGPT + DALL-E 3
  • for professional artists: Midjourney
  • For text-heavy designs: ChatGPT + DALL-E 3
  • For artistic photography: Midjourney
  • For quick iterations: ChatGPT + DALL-E 3
  • For gallery-quality art: Midjourney

Many creators use both tools, leveraging each platform's strengths for different projects.

Future outlook

Both platforms are rapidly evolving:

ChatGPT/DALL-E: Focusing on accuracy, consistency, and integration Midjourney: Pushing artistic boundaries and photorealism

The competition benefits users, driving innovation and improvements across both platforms.

Ready to try AI image transformation? Explore our ChatGPT prompts designed to get the most out of DALL-E 3's capabilities.

Ready to start transforming?

Explore our collection of proven prompts and start creating amazing AI art today.

Browse image prompts

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Frequently Asked Questions

ImagePromptly is a curated collection of over 160+ effective image transformation prompts designed specifically for ChatGPT and DALL-E. We help users transform their photos into amazing art styles, creative effects, and unique visual transformations with just a simple copy-and-paste.
Simply browse our collection, find a prompt you like, click the 'Copy' button, then open ChatGPT. Upload your image and paste the prompt. ChatGPT will transform your image based on the prompt instructions. You need ChatGPT Plus for image generation capabilities.
Yes, you need ChatGPT Plus (or Team/Enterprise) to use DALL-E image generation features. The subscription costs $20/month and includes access to GPT-4 and DALL-E image creation.
While our prompts are optimized for ChatGPT with DALL-E, many can be adapted for use with Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Leonardo AI, and other AI image generators. You may need to adjust the syntax slightly for different platforms.
Our prompts cover a wide range of transformations including: toy and action figure conversions, artistic styles (oil painting, watercolor, anime), professional portraits, fashion photography, cyberpunk aesthetics, vintage effects, 3D renderings, and much more across 40+ categories.
Images generated through ChatGPT are subject to OpenAI's usage policies. Generally, you own the rights to images you create, but you should review OpenAI's current terms of service for commercial usage guidelines.
For best results: 1) Use high-quality source images, 2) Choose prompts that match your image type, 3) Replace [subject] with specific descriptions, 4) Experiment with tweaking prompts, 5) Try multiple prompts for different effects.
Absolutely! Our prompts are templates. Feel free to modify them by adding specific details, changing styles, adjusting colors, or combining elements from different prompts to create unique results.
The [subject] placeholder should be replaced with a description of what's in your image. For example, if transforming a photo of yourself, replace [subject] with 'person' or a more specific description like 'woman with brown hair' or 'man in business suit'.
We regularly update our collection with new prompts based on trending styles, user requests, and emerging AI capabilities. Check back frequently or follow us for updates on new additions.
We love community contributions! While we don't currently have a direct submission system, you can contact us with your prompt ideas and we'll consider adding them to our collection with credit.
Difficulty levels help users choose appropriate prompts. Beginner prompts produce reliable results with minimal tweaking. Advanced prompts may require more specific inputs or work better with certain image types.
While most prompts are versatile, some work better with specific image types. Portrait prompts work best with photos of people, while landscape prompts are optimized for scenery. Check the prompt description for guidance.
No! All our prompts are free to use as many times as you want. The only limits are those imposed by your ChatGPT subscription (typically 40 messages per 3 hours for Plus users).
After ChatGPT generates your image, you can download it directly from the chat. Feel free to share your creations on social media - we'd love to see them! Tag us @imagepromptly to be featured.