ComfyUI vs Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111)

Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

ComfyUI

Open-source, node-based app for running image, video and audio models locally or in Comfy Cloud.

Open sourceSelf-hostable

Visit ComfyUI ComfyUI profile

Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111)

The classic open-source browser interface for running Stable Diffusion models locally.

Open sourceSelf-hostable

Visit Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111) Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111) profile

The short answer

Both are free, open-source interfaces for running image models on your own machine. Pick ComfyUI if you want the most capable and actively updated tool, with node-based workflows and fast support for new models such as FLUX. Pick AUTOMATIC1111's Stable Diffusion web UI if you already have an SD 1.5 or SDXL setup and prefer its familiar tabbed, form-based interface.

ComfyUI or Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111): our take

The design is the real difference. AUTOMATIC1111's web UI runs locally and opens in the browser as a set of tabs for text-to-image, image-to-image, inpainting, outpainting, upscaling and training, each a form of settings. It is the interface that made local image generation popular, and countless tutorials and model pages still assume it. ComfyUI replaces the form with a graph of nodes: load a model, encode a prompt, sample, upscale, mask. That takes longer to learn, but it makes complex pipelines repeatable and shareable as workflow files.

Momentum favours ComfyUI. It usually supports new open models such as FLUX, Stable Diffusion, Wan and LTX within days, has thousands of community custom nodes, and offers partner nodes that call hosted models. The AUTOMATIC1111 project's updates are now infrequent, with its last code push in March 2026, and support for newer model families lags behind ComfyUI and forks such as Forge. Its extension ecosystem, including ControlNet, remains a strength for older models. ComfyUI's flexibility has a cost too: custom nodes can break between updates.

Both are free. ComfyUI is GPL-3.0 licensed and has a free desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that works offline after setup; Comfy Org also sells Comfy Cloud on rented GPUs, with a Standard plan at $20/month ($16 billed yearly). The web UI is AGPL-3.0 licensed, runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, works best with an NVIDIA GPU, and its manual install can be fiddly. Either way you need a capable GPU for local use.

For new users willing to learn, power users and studios, ComfyUI is the better long-term choice. For people with a working AUTOMATIC1111 setup built around SD 1.5 or SDXL and its extensions, there is little reason to switch until you need newer models.

Choose ComfyUI if…

Power users and studios who want full control over local image and video pipelines
You need Web, which Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111) doesn't list
Fastest support for new open models
Shareable, repeatable node workflows

Choose Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111) if…

Users with existing SD 1.5 or SDXL setups who like a familiar tabbed interface
Huge extension ecosystem, including ControlNet
Familiar interface with countless tutorials

What is ComfyUI?

ComfyUI is the most widely used open-source interface for generative image models. Instead of a form with settings, you build a graph of nodes: load a model, encode a prompt, sample, upscale, mask, and so on, which makes complex pipelines repeatable and shareable as workflow files. It usually supports new open models such as FLUX, Stable Diffusion, Wan and LTX within days, and thousands of community custom nodes extend it further. Partner nodes also call hosted models like Nano Banana. The desktop app and the core engine are free, GPL-licensed and run offline on Windows, macOS and Linux. Comfy Org also sells Comfy Cloud, a hosted version on rented GPUs with monthly plans, and a platform for deploying workflows as APIs. The learning curve is steep for beginners, but it suits power users and studios who want full control over every step.

What is Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111)?

AUTOMATIC1111's Stable Diffusion web UI is the open-source interface that made local image generation popular. It runs on your own machine and opens in the browser, with tabs for text-to-image, image-to-image, inpainting, outpainting, upscaling and model training, and a huge catalogue of community extensions such as ControlNet. Many tutorials, model pages and prompts online still assume it, which makes it easy to find help. The project is AGPL-licensed and free. Its pace has slowed, though: updates are infrequent and support for newer model families like FLUX lags behind ComfyUI and forks such as Forge, so many users have moved on. It runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, best with an NVIDIA GPU. It still suits people with existing SD 1.5 or SDXL setups who like a familiar form-based interface and its extension ecosystem.

Side by side

Attribute	ComfyUI	Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111)
Pricing	Open source	Open source
Open source	Yes	Yes
Self-hostable	Yes	Yes
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted, Web	Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted
Best for	Power users and studios who want full control over local image and video pipelines	Users with existing SD 1.5 or SDXL setups who like a familiar tabbed interface
Status	Active	Active

Verified facts, compared

Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.

Fact	ComfyUI	Stable Diffusion web UI (AUTOMATIC1111)
License	GPL-3.0	AGPL-3.0