ComfyUI
ComfyUI is a free, open-source node-based AI tool for images, video, and 3D. Comfy Cloud plans in 2026 start at $20/month with 50,400 annual credits.
About ComfyUI
What is ComfyUI (2026 update)
ComfyUI is an open-source, node-based visual programming tool in the art and creative design category, used to build and run AI workflows for generating images, video, 3D assets, and audio. Instead of a single prompt box, you wire together nodes for models, samplers, and post-processing steps into a visible pipeline you can save, share, and rerun.
What is new in 2026
ComfyUI added performance optimizations aimed at NVIDIA GPUs, including NVFP4 quantization to shrink model file size and memory use, async offload to move parts of a model between VRAM and system RAM in the background, and pinned memory to speed up that transfer. Official AMD ROCm support arrived on Windows for ComfyUI Desktop. On the model side, LTX-2 video generation is natively supported from day zero, and the partner node system expanded to include Google’s Nano Banana 2 Lite, GPT-5.5 and GPT-5.5-pro, and Ideogram JSON prompt support through a new Bounding Box Canvas node. ComfyUI-Manager is now officially built into the core app, adding pre-installation previews, batch installation, conflict detection, and node scanning that flags malicious extensions before they install.
Key features
- Node-based visual workflow builder for image, video, 3D, and audio generation
- Native day-zero support for major new models such as LTX-2, plus partner nodes for Nano Banana 2 Lite, GPT-5.5, and Ideogram
- NVFP4 quantization, async offload, and pinned memory for faster, lighter GPU usage on NVIDIA cards
- Official AMD ROCm support on the Windows desktop app
- Built-in ComfyUI-Manager with batch installs, conflict detection, and malicious node scanning
- A large custom node registry with growing versioning and discoverability
- 900+ pre-installed models available through the hosted Comfy Cloud option
- Fully self-hostable and free to run on your own hardware
Pricing in 2026
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Free | Full open-source ComfyUI running on your own GPU, no credits or usage limits beyond your own hardware |
| Cloud Free | Free | 400 monthly credits on Comfy Cloud, no credit card required |
| Standard | $20/month or $192/year | 50,400 annual credits, 30 minute max workflow runtime, access to 900+ pre-installed models |
| Creator | $35/month or $336/year | 88,800 annual credits, ability to import your own models, 30 minute max workflow runtime |
| Pro | $100/month or $960/year | 253,200 annual credits, custom model imports, workflow runtime up to 1 hour |
| Team | $700/month or $7,560/year | 1,772,400 annual credits, invite members, concurrent workflows, shared credit pool, role-based permissions |
Yearly billing saves 20 percent on Standard, Creator, and Pro, and 10 percent on Team. GPU time is billed at 0.39 credits per second of active processing, so idle time spent building a workflow does not consume credits.
Who should use it
ComfyUI suits people who want fine-grained control over an AI generation pipeline rather than a single prompt box, including artists building repeatable image or video workflows, developers wiring custom nodes for a specific look, and studios that need to swap models in and out of the same pipeline. The self-hosted version fits anyone with a capable local GPU who wants zero recurring cost, while Comfy Cloud fits people who want the same node editor without managing drivers, VRAM, or model downloads.
Limitations and alternatives
ComfyUI has a real learning curve compared to single-prompt tools, since building a working node graph takes time even with templates. Local use needs a decent GPU to be practical, and Comfy Cloud costs scale with runtime and model complexity, so heavy 3D or long video workflows can burn through credits quickly. If ComfyUI feels like more than you need, consider these alternatives:
- Automatic1111, another open-source Stable Diffusion interface with a simpler, less node-heavy layout
- Krea AI, for a more streamlined, prompt-first image and video generation experience
- Midjourney, for high-quality image generation without any workflow building
Frequently asked questions
Is ComfyUI free?
Yes, the core ComfyUI software is free and open-source for self-hosting on your own GPU. Comfy Cloud, the hosted version, has a free tier plus paid plans starting at $20/month.
What is new in ComfyUI for 2026?
NVIDIA-focused performance optimizations (NVFP4 quantization, async offload, pinned memory), official AMD ROCm support on Windows, day-zero LTX-2 support, and an integrated ComfyUI-Manager with malicious node scanning.
How much does Comfy Cloud cost?
Paid Comfy Cloud plans in 2026 are Standard at $20/month, Creator at $35/month, Pro at $100/month, and Team at $700/month, each with a different annual credit allowance and yearly billing discount.
Do I need a powerful GPU to run ComfyUI locally?
You need a capable GPU with enough VRAM for the models you want to run; the 2026 optimizations like async offload and pinned memory help lower-VRAM cards handle larger models more smoothly.
Information last verified: September 2026.
Related Tools
