Alternatives · Last reviewed October 20, 2026
AUTOMATIC1111 alternatives for a maintained or hosted Stable Diffusion setup
The AUTOMATIC1111 Stable Diffusion web UI is an open-source browser interface, built on Gradio, that you install and run yourself for txt2img, img2img, inpainting and upscaling. People look for an alternative because development has slowed: the last commit on its master branch is dated July 27, 2024, and the latest release, v1.10.1, came out on February 9, 2025. Setup also needs Python 3.10.6 and Git. ComfyUI and Invoke suit people who want a maintained local tool, and Mage and Civitai suit those who want Stable Diffusion models hosted. ImageQuarry suits people who would rather describe changes in words and keep each version.
We make ImageQuarry, one of the alternatives below. AUTOMATIC1111 and each alternative were compared on project activity, install and hardware, how edits are made, model support, image history and price, using each vendor's public pages, checked October 20, 2026.
Last updated October 20, 2026
AUTOMATIC1111 alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Price from | How it differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| ComfyUI | Local Stable Diffusion users who want an actively released engine for SDXL, SD3.5, Flux and newer models | No cost to run locally; Comfy Cloud from $20 a month, billed monthly (as of 2026-10) | Maintained open-source engine, with stable releases about every 2 weeks |
| Invoke | People who want a maintained local app with a launcher and a canvas, not a Python setup | Nothing to buy; Apache 2.0 open source (as of 2026-10) | Desktop launcher, layer canvas and boards, with v7 alphas in October 2026 |
| Mage | Stable Diffusion users who want SD 1.5, SDXL and LoRAs in a browser with nothing to install | Basic $10 a month (billed monthly); free plan opens with 300 Gems (as of 2026-10) | Hosted SD and newer models, unlimited base-model generations from $10 |
| ImageQuarry | People who want to ask for changes in plain words and keep a history of versions with no add-ons | Starter $9 a month or Pro $29 a month (as of 2026-10) | Hosted, and each change you write is saved as a version to revisit |
| Civitai | People who want community checkpoints and LoRAs hosted, with a daily Buzz allowance | Free daily Buzz; Bronze membership $10 a month (as of 2026-10) | Web generator for SD 1.5, SDXL and Flux with community models |
What is AUTOMATIC1111?
AUTOMATIC1111 describes its project as "A web interface for Stable Diffusion, implemented using Gradio library". You run it on your own Windows, Linux or Mac machine and work in tabs: txt2img and img2img, inpainting and outpainting, Loopback, X/Y/Z plots, and an Extras tab with GFPGAN, CodeFormer and ESRGAN upscalers. It loads Stable Diffusion 2.0, SDXL and Stable Diffusion 3 checkpoints with LoRAs, hypernetworks and textual inversion, and lists an API among its features. The licence is AGPL v3.
AUTOMATIC1111 is an interface for running models, not a model itself and not a hosted service, and the maintainer sells no hosted version.
What AUTOMATIC1111 does well
Fine control over Stable Diffusion
Beyond txt2img and img2img, the README lists Prompt Editing to change a prompt mid-generation, Loopback to run img2img several times, Variations with tiny differences, X/Y/Z plots and saved Styles.
Repair and upscaling built in
The Extras tab offers GFPGAN and CodeFormer face restoration and RealESRGAN, ESRGAN, SwinIR, Swin2SR and LDSR upscalers, plus Highres Fix and Stable Diffusion Upscale.
Settings stored inside every image
The parameters used for an image are saved with it, in PNG chunks or JPEG EXIF, and dragging the image into the PNG info tab restores them.
Works on small graphics cards
The README claims 4GB video card support, with reports of 2GB working, and gives install guides for NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Ascend and Apple Silicon.
No cost, open source, with an API
No paid plan exists on the repository or wiki, the code is under AGPL v3, and an API is listed as a feature of the self-hosted web UI.
Where AUTOMATIC1111 falls short
Little recent work on the main branch
The last commit on master is dated July 27, 2024, the latest release is v1.10.1 from February 9, 2025, and the dev branch's last commit (March 2, 2026) was a setuptools version fix.
Python and Git required
Even the one-click script needs you to install Python and Git first; the dependencies page names Python 3.10.6, and the Windows notes warn that newer Python versions do not support torch.
No editing by instruction
The README names inpainting, outpainting, Color Sketch and Prompt Editing, but no feature for editing an image by telling it what to change.
History needs an extension
A browser for past images is available only through an extension, the History tab.
Gaps on Mac
The Apple Silicon wiki says most of the web UI works on macOS, with the CLIP interrogator and training as the main exceptions.
Why people look for a AUTOMATIC1111 alternative
- You want a tool that is still being developed, and AUTOMATIC1111's master branch has had no commits since July 27, 2024.
- You would rather not install Python 3.10.6 and Git, and the maintainer sells no hosted version.
- You want to edit by writing what should change, and the README offers masks and Prompt Editing but no instruction editing.
- You ran it on Google Colab, and the project wiki warns that Google seems to be restricting Stable Diffusion use there.
- You want a history of past images without adding an extension.
The 5 AUTOMATIC1111 alternatives
Ordered by how much of an AUTOMATIC1111 workflow each keeps while fixing the reasons above: the two maintained local tools first, then hosted tools by how well they cover setup, typed editing and history. Civitai is last because its library keeps unposted images for only 30 days.
1. ComfyUI
Best for: Local Stable Diffusion users who want an actively released engine for SDXL, SD3.5, Flux and newer models
How it differs from AUTOMATIC1111: ComfyUI runs locally like AUTOMATIC1111 and on similar hardware (its README gives 4GB of VRAM and 8GB of RAM), but its latest release, v0.42.1, is dated October 19, 2026. It replaces tabs with a node graph, covers newer families such as Flux.2, Qwen Image and HiDream, and offers a desktop app plus a paid Comfy Cloud if you would rather skip the install.
Price: No cost to run locally; Comfy Cloud from $20 a month, billed monthly (as of 2026-10)
Limitation: Every job is a node graph rather than a set of tabs, and Comfy Cloud runs stop after 30 minutes outside the Pro plan.
2. Invoke
Best for: People who want a maintained local app with a launcher and a canvas, not a Python setup
How it differs from AUTOMATIC1111: Invoke is open source and local too, supporting Flux, SDXL and SD 1.5 with checkpoints, LoRAs, Textual Inversions and ControlNets managed in a Model Manager. It ships a desktop launcher for Windows, macOS on Apple Silicon and Linux, and its v7.0.0 alpha releases landed through October 2026. Boards and Canvas Projects keep images, layers and references organized.
Price: Nothing to buy; Apache 2.0 open source (as of 2026-10)
Limitation: Its guideline minimum for SDXL is an Nvidia 20xx card with 8GB of VRAM, AMD GPUs are supported on Linux only, and v7 is in alpha.
3. Mage
Best for: Stable Diffusion users who want SD 1.5, SDXL and LoRAs in a browser with nothing to install
How it differs from AUTOMATIC1111: Mage hosts Stable Diffusion 1.5, SDXL and SD3.5 next to Flux 2, Chroma and its own Mango models, and the $10 Basic plan includes unlimited generations on base models, LoRAs, Inpainting and Refine. Where AUTOMATIC1111 has no instruction editing, Mango edits part of an image while the rest stays put. Creations are private by default and may be used commercially on every plan.
Price: Basic $10 a month (billed monthly); free plan opens with 300 Gems (as of 2026-10)
Limitation: Gems expire (membership Gems after 30 days), no annual billing is offered, and automation is forbidden outside its limited-beta API.
4. ImageQuarry
Best for: People who want to ask for changes in plain words and keep a history of versions with no add-ons
How it differs from AUTOMATIC1111: AUTOMATIC1111 changes an image through masks, img2img and prompt syntax, and keeps a history only through an extension. In ImageQuarry you select a version and type the change you want, and each result becomes a new version beside the earlier ones, with its prompt kept alongside. Projects and a library hold that history, so you can come back later and branch from any step.
Price: Starter $9 a month or Pro $29 a month (as of 2026-10)
Limitation: Every plan is paid, it offers four models rather than any checkpoint or LoRA you load, and ImageQuarry publishes no output specifications.
5. Civitai
Best for: People who want community checkpoints and LoRAs hosted, with a daily Buzz allowance
How it differs from AUTOMATIC1111: Civitai's on-site generator runs SD 1.5, SDXL and Flux combined with community models, LoRAs and embeddings, so many resources AUTOMATIC1111 users download can be used without a local install. It adds image-to-image, Face Fix, Hi-res Fix and upscaling, and plain-instruction edits through hosted Nano Banana models. Logged-in users get some free Buzz every 24 hours.
Price: Free daily Buzz; Bronze membership $10 a month (as of 2026-10)
Limitation: Images you do not post to your profile are kept for 30 days, inpainting is not mentioned, and the free Buzz amount is not stated.
Who should stay with AUTOMATIC1111
- Your install works and you want hands-on control of Stable Diffusion, with X/Y/Z plots, Loopback and Prompt Editing.
- You depend on extensions, or on the PNG info tab to pull settings back out of saved images.
- You run SD 1.5 or SDXL checkpoints, LoRAs and textual inversions you have already tuned and do not need newer model families.
- You need a tool with no subscription that runs on a 4GB graphics card.
How to move your work out of AUTOMATIC1111
- Keep your output images, because AUTOMATIC1111 stores the parameters behind each one inside the file, in PNG chunks for PNG and EXIF for JPEG.
- To read a recipe back, drag an image into the PNG info tab, which restores its generation parameters, then copy the prompt and settings into a note.
- Moving to Invoke, copy your safetensors checkpoints and LoRAs across; Invoke's Model Manager handles checkpoints, LoRAs, Textual Inversions and ControlNets.
- Export your saved Styles (the stored prompt fragments) as plain text so you can paste them into the next tool.
- Moving to a hosted tool, rewrite one or two prompts that rely on Prompt Editing as plain sentences and compare the results on the same subject.
Does not carry over: Extensions, X/Y/Z plot scripts and Prompt Editing syntax belong to AUTOMATIC1111, so expect to rebuild those habits in whichever tool you choose.
AUTOMATIC1111 alternatives: questions
Is AUTOMATIC1111 still maintained?
The GitHub repo is not archived, but the last commit on master is dated July 27, 2024, the latest release is v1.10.1 from February 9, 2025, and the dev branch's newest commit, on March 2, 2026, was a setuptools version fix. ComfyUI, by contrast, published v0.42.1 on October 19, 2026, and Invoke shipped v7.0.0 alpha releases during October 2026.
What is the best free alternative to AUTOMATIC1111?
For local use at no cost, ComfyUI (GPL v3) and Invoke (Apache 2.0) are open source and actively released. For hosted use, Mage's free plan opens with 300 Gems, and Civitai gives logged-in users free Buzz every 24 hours. Every ImageQuarry plan is paid.
Can I run Stable Diffusion online without installing AUTOMATIC1111?
The maintainer sells no hosted version. The wiki lists third-party options such as Paperspace, Runpod, Kaggle and Google Colab, and warns that Google seems to be restricting Stable Diffusion on Colab. Hosted generators such as Mage and Civitai run SD 1.5 and SDXL in the browser.
Which alternative works with my existing LoRAs and checkpoints?
Invoke's Model Manager takes checkpoints, LoRAs, Textual Inversions and ControlNets locally. ComfyUI's Creator cloud plan imports LoRAs from CivitAI or Huggingface, and Mage's Pro Plus plan lets you import custom models.
How does ImageQuarry compare with AUTOMATIC1111?
AUTOMATIC1111 gives you local, no-cost control over Stable Diffusion checkpoints, LoRAs, inpainting and upscaling. ImageQuarry is a paid hosted workspace built around another loop: you ask for a change in words, each result becomes a new version, and you can branch from any earlier one.
Sources
Checked October 20, 2026. Recheck public pages before making a buying decision.
Checked October 20, 2026
- AUTOMATIC1111: github.com/AUTOMATIC1111/stable-diffusion-webui
- AUTOMATIC1111: github.com/AUTOMATIC1111/stable-diffusion-webui/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md
- AUTOMATIC1111: github.com/AUTOMATIC1111/stable-diffusion-webui/releases
- AUTOMATIC1111: github.com/AUTOMATIC1111/stable-diffusion-webui/wiki/Dependencies
- AUTOMATIC1111: github.com/AUTOMATIC1111/stable-diffusion-webui/wiki/Installation-on-Apple-Silicon
- AUTOMATIC1111: github.com/AUTOMATIC1111/stable-diffusion-webui/wiki/Online-Services
- Civitai: civitai.com/ecosystems/nano-banana
- Civitai: civitai.com/pricing
- Civitai: education.civitai.com/using-civitai-the-on-site-image-generator
- ComfyUI: comfy.org/pricing
- ComfyUI: github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI
- ComfyUI: github.com/Comfy-Org/ComfyUI/releases
- Invoke: github.com/invoke-ai/InvokeAI/releases
- Invoke: invoke.ai
- Invoke: invoke.ai/features/canvas/layers-and-drops
- Invoke: invoke.ai/features/gallery
- Invoke: invoke.ai/start-here/system-requirements
- Mage: docs.mage.space
- Mage: docs.mage.space/models/mango
- Mage: docs.mage.space/privacy/private-by-default
- Mage: docs.mage.space/rights/commercial-use
- Mage: mage.space
- Mage: mage.space/membership
Related pages
Create an image. Edit it with words. Keep refining.
Ask for the change and keep the history
Describe what should change in the version you picked, and ImageQuarry adds the result next to the versions before it.
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