DALL-E (Discontinued) vs Microsoft MAI-Image-2

Which one should you pick? Here's the full breakdown.

DALL-E (Discontinued)

D
5.0/10

OpenAI's DALL-E 2 and DALL-E 3 -- DEPRECATED. API shuts down May 12, 2026. DALL-E 3 already removed from ChatGPT in December 2025. See alternatives: Nano Banana 2, Midjourney, FLUX.2 [klein], Ideogram

Our Pick

Microsoft MAI-Image-2

B
7.4/10

Microsoft's first in-house diffusion image model -- launched 2026-04-02, debuted #3 on Arena.ai leaderboard for image model families. Public preview on Azure Foundry. Powers Copilot, Bing Image Creator, and PowerPoint. Efficient variant (MAI-Image-2-Efficient) shipped 2026-04-14

CategoryDALL-E (Discontinued)Microsoft MAI-Image-2
Ease of Use9.06.5
Output Quality8.08.5
Value1.07.5
Features3.07.0
Overall5.07.4

Pricing Comparison

FeatureDALL-E (Discontinued)Microsoft MAI-Image-2
Free TierNoYes
Starting PriceN/A$5 input / $33 output

Which Should You Pick?

Pick DALL-E (Discontinued) if...

  • ✓Easier to use (9 vs 6.5)

Historical context only. If you have an API integration with DALL-E, migrate before May 12, 2026. Choose from: GPT Image inside ChatGPT (direct replacement), Nano Banana 2 (best text-in-image), Midjourney (best artistic), FLUX.2 [klein] (best open-weight), or Ideogram (strong text).

Visit DALL-E (Discontinued)

Pick Microsoft MAI-Image-2 if...

  • ✓Better value for money (7.5/10)
  • ✓More features (7 vs 3)
  • ✓Has a free tier

Microsoft shops already on Azure or M365 Copilot who need a first-party image model without an OpenAI dependency. Also good for any high-volume programmatic image workflow (ad creative, product photography variations) where MAI-Image-2-Efficient's 4x cost efficiency materially changes the economics.

Visit Microsoft MAI-Image-2

Our Verdict

Microsoft MAI-Image-2 is the clear winner here with 7.4/10 vs 5.0/10. DALL-E (Discontinued) isn't bad, but Microsoft MAI-Image-2 outperforms it across the board. Pick DALL-E (Discontinued) only if historical context only.