Stable Diffusion XL image APIs typically charge $0.003-$0.01 per image. A dedicated GPU has fixed monthly cost. The crossover point depends on your generation speed and throughput targets. On our dedicated GPU hosting the math is usually favourable above a few thousand images per day.
Contents
Throughput
SDXL 1024×1024 Lightning 4-step:
| GPU | Images/sec | Per Month 24/7 |
|---|---|---|
| 4060 Ti | ~1.0 | ~2.6M |
| 5080 | ~3.2 | ~8.3M |
| 5090 | ~4.5 | ~11.7M |
At realistic 30-50% utilisation, divide by 2-3x.
Break-Even
At $0.005/image API pricing, a 4060 Ti at 50% util breaks even around 30,000-50,000 images/month. A 5080 breaks even around 100,000 images/month. A 5090 above 150,000/month.
For production apps with any scale, self-hosting wins easily. Hobby apps or very-low-volume use cases probably stay with API economics.
FLUX
FLUX Schnell on a 5090 is 4-5x faster than SDXL Lightning while producing arguably better images. Self-hosted FLUX reaches break-even at lower volumes.
When API Wins
- Fewer than 10,000 images/month total
- Very bursty traffic – 90% idle
- You need many different fine-tuned models and API catalog is broader
- You do not want to manage infrastructure
Otherwise, a dedicated GPU pays back quickly and scales without additional per-image cost.
SDXL Hosting That Pays Back
Fixed UK monthly hosting with no per-image charges on dedicated GPUs.
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