WhichBot › What replaced it › What replaced DALL·E 3?
Last checked Oct 28, 2026 · plain English · no paid picks
What replaced DALL·E 3?
Short answer: OpenAI shut down DALL·E 3 on May 12, 2026 and recommended gpt-image-2 at the time. Its newer image models are gpt-image-2.5 (Sunburst or Flare).
What to do: If you just want pictures, ChatGPT makes images in the app. Developers should move to OpenAI's current image models.
The facts
| Old | DALL·E 3 |
|---|---|
| Status | Retired. Shut down May 12, 2026 |
| Replaced by | gpt-image-2 (OpenAI's recommendation at the time) |
| Official source | platform.openai.com |
| Last checked | Oct 28, 2026 |
Current options at a glance
| ChatGPT | Nano Banana 2.1 | Grok Imagine Image 2.0 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Chat app from OpenAI | Image model from Google | Image model from xAI |
| Made by | OpenAI | xAI | |
| Price | Free $0; Go $8/mo (US); Plus $20/mo; Pro 100 $100, Pro 200 $200, Pro 500 $500 /mo | Not listed in our data | Developer price: $0.04 per image |
| Free plan | Yes | Not listed in our data | Not listed in our data |
| Good at | Broadest feature set in one app: voice, images, files, deep research; Best for: all-rounder, data analysis, images, voice | Best for: images | Best for: images |
| Watch out for | Go plan may include ads (OpenAI pricing page) | Not listed in our data | Not listed in our data |
| Privacy | Personal accounts: chats may train models by default; turn off 'Improve the model for everyone' in Data Controls. Business/Enterprise: no training by default | Not listed in our data | Not listed in our data |
| Where it runs | web, iOS, Android | Not listed in our data | Not listed in our data |
| Status | Current. Custom GPTs retire Dec 11, 2026 (Enterprise workspaces with an approved delay: Feb 11, 2027); OpenAI says move them to Plugins. Existing chats with GPTs stay accessible. New Oct 20, 2026: locked chats (hide a chat behind a 4-digit PIN or device unlock) rolling out to Free, Go, Plus and Pro | Current | Current. $0.04 per image (developer service) |
| Sources | chatgpt.com · openai.com · help.openai.com · help.openai.com (2) · help.openai.com (3) · help.openai.com (4) | ai.google.dev | docs.x.ai |
Related pages
- Alternatives to ChatGPT
- ChatGPT vs Claude
- ChatGPT vs Gemini
- ChatGPT vs Microsoft Copilot
- Alternatives to Nano Banana 2.1
- Nano Banana 2.1 vs Grok Imagine Image 2.0
- What replaces GPT Image 1.5?
- What replaced Imagen 4?
- What replaces Grok Imagine Image Quality?
Questions people ask
What replaced DALL·E 3?
OpenAI shut down DALL·E 3 on May 12, 2026 and recommended gpt-image-2 at the time. Its newer image models are gpt-image-2.5 (Sunburst or Flare).
What should I do if I used DALL·E 3?
If you just want pictures, ChatGPT makes images in the app. Developers should move to OpenAI's current image models.
Does DALL·E 3 still work?
Retired. Shut down May 12, 2026
Facts come from the companies' own pages, linked above, and were last checked Oct 28, 2026. Prices are US and can change. Picks are Hector's: no paid picks, sponsors always labeled, and no sponsorship from AI labs. Our policy.