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The Stack / Image
DALL-E (in ChatGPT)
03 CreationYes, but stop shopping for it by name — DALL-E is now a retired label, not a product you buy. OpenAI pulled DALL-E 2 and 3 from the API on May 12, 2026, and the last surface carrying the name, the official DALL-E GPT inside ChatGPT, retires August 30, 2026. The job it held — conversational image generation and editing where you already chat — continues as ChatGPT Images on GPT Image 2. If you subscribe to ChatGPT you already have the seat; nobody should pay anything extra for it.
The job in the stack
The in-chat image seat: conversational generation and editing where ChatGPT users already work.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Via ChatGPT Plus | $20/mo | Included in subscription; quota-limited |
| Via ChatGPT Pro | $200/mo | Higher generation quota |
| API (GPT Image 2) | $0.005–$0.21/image | Varies by quality tier and resolution; GPT Image 1 Mini as low as $0.005 |
Pricing verified 2026-08-19. Plans change — the source of truth is DALL-E (in ChatGPT)'s own pricing page.
Models & versions
- GPT Image 2Current flagship image model in ChatGPT and the API. GPT Image 1 deprecates Oct 23, 2026
- DALL-E (retired name)DALL-E 2 and 3 removed from the API May 12, 2026; the official DALL-E GPT in ChatGPT retires Aug 30, 2026. Custom GPTs with image generation enabled are unaffected, and images already generated should be downloaded before that date
The honest read
What works
- +Conversational editing — 'now make it night' just works
- +Instruction-following beats most rivals for literal prompts
- +Zero extra cost for ChatGPT subscribers
What breaks
- −Standalone DALL-E is effectively sunset — it's a feature now
- −Aesthetic ceiling below Midjourney for hero work
- −Quotas on Plus tier pinch heavy use
Use it for
- →ChatGPT users needing quick images in-flow
- →Literal, instruction-heavy generations
- →Iterative editing by conversation
Skip it if
- ×Images are your product — buy a dedicated seat
- ×You need volume — quotas make it a convenience, not a pipeline
Questions operators ask
?Is DALL-E dead?
As a brand, yes — DALL-E 2 and 3 left the API in May 2026. As a capability, it's stronger than ever, running as GPT Image 2 inside ChatGPT. The listing exists because people search for it; the verdict points them to where it actually lives.
?Is DALL-E being shut down?
The name is, not the capability. DALL-E 2 and 3 left the API on May 12, 2026, and the official DALL-E GPT in ChatGPT retires August 30, 2026. Image generation continues in ChatGPT as ChatGPT Images running GPT Image 2, and custom GPTs with image generation enabled keep working. Download anything you want to keep out of the DALL-E GPT before August 30 — it does not transfer.
What changed
- News scan: OpenAI is retiring the official DALL-E GPT in ChatGPT on August 30, 2026 — the last surface still carrying the DALL-E name. This is a consolidation, not a shutdown of image generation: ChatGPT Images on GPT Image 2 keeps the job, and custom GPTs with image generation stay live. Anything generated inside the DALL-E GPT should be downloaded before the date; it does not migrate. Verdict sharpened to say plainly that DALL-E is now a label, not a seat you buy.
- Freshness sweep: no changes. GPT Image 2 remains the flagship in ChatGPT and the API (dall-e-2/3 stayed removed since May 12); API pricing still $0.005–$0.21/image by tier.
- Verified and released from staging. DALL-E 2 and 3 were removed from the API entirely on May 12, 2026 — the model powering image generation now is GPT Image 2. Updated pricing to confirmed ChatGPT Plus/Pro tiers and current per-image API rates.
- Added to the stack (in-chat image seat) with the honest frame: standalone DALL-E has folded into ChatGPT. Seeded from January 2026 baseline; pricing pending fresh verification by the update loop.
Give DALL-E (in ChatGPT) a job
The in-chat image seat: conversational generation and editing where ChatGPT users already work.
Try DALL-E (in ChatGPT) →Alternatives with different jobs
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03 CreationThe hero-image seat: thumbnails, brand visuals, and any image where aesthetic quality is the deliverable.
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