Want the most beautiful AI-generated images on the internet? Midjourney is the gold standard of AI art — an independent research lab whose text-to-image models produce breathtaking, gallery-worthy visuals from simple descriptions.
What is Midjourney?
Midjourney is a self-funded AI research lab founded by David Holz, focused on what it calls “expanding the imaginative powers of the human species.” Unlike Big Tech competitors, it runs no ads and offers no freemium layer — just a pure subscription product obsessed with image quality.
Originally famous for its Discord bot, Midjourney now runs primarily through a polished web app at midjourney.com. Its latest V8 model family delivers stunning photorealism, accurate text rendering, and remarkable stylistic range — from cinematic photography to anime via Niji mode.
Key Features of Midjourney
Here are the standout features that keep Midjourney ahead of the pack:
- V8 image model: The current flagship — 4–5x faster than earlier versions with near-perfect text rendering and exquisite detail.
- Web app + Discord: Generate at midjourney.com/imagine or in Discord; sign in with Google or Discord.
- Niji mode: A dedicated anime and illustration style engine for stylized artwork.
- Inpainting & outpainting: Edit regions of an image or extend beyond its borders with the built-in web editor.
- Image-to-video: Animate stills into short video clips (up to ~21 seconds).
- Style & character references: Omni Reference keeps objects and characters consistent across generations.
- Relax mode: Unlimited slower generations on Standard plans and above — no extra GPU cost.
- Stealth Mode: Private generations hidden from the public gallery (Pro and Mega plans).
How to Use Midjourney
Creating your first Midjourney image takes minutes:
- Sign up and subscribe: There is no free tier — pick a plan starting at $10/month at midjourney.com.
- Open Imagine: Go to midjourney.com/imagine in the web app (or use /imagine in Discord).
- Write your prompt: Describe subject, style, lighting, and mood — e.g., “a cozy cabin in snowy mountains at dusk, cinematic lighting, photorealistic”.
- Pick variations: You get four image variations per prompt. Upscale your favorite or create new variations.
- Refine: Use inpainting to fix details, outpainting to expand the scene, or remix with new prompts.
Pro tip: Add parameters like –ar 16:9 for widescreen or –style raw for more photographic, less “Midjourney-looking” results.
Midjourney Pricing Plans
Midjourney sells GPU compute time, not image counts. Four flat tiers (20% off with annual billing):
- Basic – $10/month: 3.3 Fast GPU hours (~200 images), SD video, no Relax mode. Best for trying it out.
- Standard – $30/month: 15 Fast GPU hours plus unlimited Relax-mode images. The sweet spot for regular creators.
- Pro – $60/month: 30 Fast GPU hours, unlimited Relax images and SD video, Stealth Mode for privacy.
- Mega – $120/month: 60 Fast GPU hours, everything in Pro — built for studios and high-volume production.
Extra Fast GPU time costs $4/hour on any plan. Note: companies earning over $1M annually must use Pro or Mega under Midjourney’s terms.
Pros and Cons of Midjourney
Pros:
- Unmatched image aesthetics — the benchmark the industry is judged against
- Simple, transparent pricing (GPU hours, not confusing credits)
- Relax mode gives effectively unlimited generations on Standard+
- Excellent text rendering and style control in V8
Cons:
- No free tier or trial — $10 minimum just to test
- Basic plan’s 3.3 GPU hours run out fast for active users
- Generations are public unless you pay for Stealth Mode (Pro+)
- Discord-first history can feel alien to non-Discord users
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Midjourney free?
No. Midjourney has never offered a free tier — the free trial was removed in 2023 and never returned. The entry point is the $10/month Basic plan, which buys about 3.3 hours of Fast GPU time (roughly 200 standard images).
How do I use Midjourney without Discord?
You no longer need Discord. Midjourney’s web app at midjourney.com lets you generate, upscale, and edit images entirely in the browser. Sign in with a Google or Discord account and head to midjourney.com/imagine.
Can I sell Midjourney images commercially?
Yes — all paid plans include commercial rights under Midjourney’s General Commercial Terms. One important rule: companies with over $1 million in gross annual revenue must subscribe to Pro or Mega to retain ownership of what they generate.
What is Relax mode?
Relax mode is a slower, shared GPU queue that doesn’t consume your Fast hours. Available on Standard, Pro, and Mega plans, it effectively gives you unlimited image generations — ideal for experimentation and high-volume work when you’re not in a hurry.
