Hi everyone,
I’m a Mac user currently using a MacBook Pro M3 Max. A few years ago I used Automatic1111 quite a lot, but I’ve been away from the Stable Diffusion scene for a while.
After reading several posts, it seems that ComfyUI has now become the standard for more advanced workflows. However, before jumping directly into ComfyUI, I have a few questions.
From what I understand, Forge Neo seems to be one of the most direct alternatives or “successors” to Automatic1111, since A1111 appears to have slowed down a lot in terms of updates. Is Forge Neo actively maintained and updated quickly? Is it a good modern replacement for Automatic1111?
I’ve also seen SDNext mentioned quite often. Is SDNext currently a better option than Forge Neo, especially for someone coming from Automatic1111?
Another option I’m considering is SwarmUI, because it seems to offer a simpler interface while still using ComfyUI in the background. Would SwarmUI be a better choice for someone who wants the power of ComfyUI without having to use the node-based interface right from the start?
My main goal is to achieve the same or better results than I used to get with Automatic1111, especially for:
- img2img;
- improving image details;
- upscaling/enhancing images;
- using modern models like SDXL or similar;
- possibly using LoRAs and ControlNet-style workflows later.
My main question is: which of these options works best on macOS, specifically on Apple Silicon/M3 Max?
Between Forge Neo, SDNext, SwarmUI and ComfyUI, which one would you recommend for a Mac user who wants a stable, modern and relatively user-friendly setup?
Thanks a lot for your help!