Civitai

Civitai is where people go to find and share open-source image models. The site is a model hub and community for AI art creators, centered on Stable Diffusion and Flux.

You browse thousands of models, plus images and videos that creators have made with them, so you can see what a checkpoint produces before you download anything.

Beyond the library, Civitai runs challenges and events, and it features top creators in several categories.

A buzz-based system rewards community engagement.

There is also an auction system for checkpoints, which is an unusual addition for a model site and worth understanding before you bid on anything.

As an AI art generator directory and open-source AI models resource, Civitai suits hobbyists hunting for a specific style as well as developers who want models to build on.

The community side is a large part of the appeal.

If you only want a quick image from a prompt, a simpler generator may fit better, because Civitai is built around browsing, sharing and trying out other people's work.