Midjourney

Midjourney is an AI image generator known for stylised, painterly and cinematic results. You create images from text descriptions on the Midjourney website, refine them with variations and references, and can also create short videos. It is a paid service with no free plan.

Quick facts

• Made by: Midjourney, Inc. (founded 2021)
• Free plan: No. A paid subscription is needed from the start.
• Plans: Basic, Standard, Pro and Mega
• Works on: The Midjourney website
• Pricing last checked: October 2026, using several recent published sources. Confirm on the official plans page.

What Midjourney is best at

• Concept art and mood boards: fast visual exploration of an idea.
• Stylised illustration: strong, distinctive looks that are hard to get elsewhere.
• Marketing visuals: social graphics, banners and campaign concepts.
• Consistent looks: style and image references help keep a series on-brand.

Key features

• Text-to-image generation with variations and upscaling.
• Image prompts and style references.
• Short video generation.
• Stealth mode for private generations on Pro and Mega.
• Fast and Relax modes, which trade speed for GPU time.

Plans and pricing

Companies with more than $1 million in annual revenue are required to use Pro or Mega. On Basic and Standard, your images are visible in the public gallery. Plan details have changed over time, so confirm on the official page before subscribing.

Best for

• Designers, illustrators and marketers who value a strong visual style.
• Creators who generate many images and can use Relax mode.

Less suited to

• Images with a lot of accurate text inside them.
• Anyone who needs privacy on a low-cost plan, since Stealth starts at Pro.
• People who want to try an image tool for free first.

How to get started

1. Create an account on the Midjourney website and choose a plan, starting with Basic or Standard.
2. Write a short prompt describing the subject, style and mood.
3. Pick the best result and create variations rather than rewriting the whole prompt.
4. Use style or image references to keep a consistent look across a project.
5. Read the current terms about commercial use and revenue thresholds before publishing images.

Prompt ideas to copy

Studio photograph of [product] on a clean [colour] background, soft diffused lighting, subtle shadow, centred composition, space for text

Wide landscape of [place] at golden hour, mist in the valleys, cinematic composition, natural colours, high detail, no people

Flat vector-style illustration of [scene], limited palette of [colours], simple shapes, friendly and modern, no text

Limitations and things to watch

• Text inside images is often unreliable.
• Images on lower plans are public by default.
• Avoid prompts that copy a living artist’s style, real people or trademarked characters.

Frequently asked questions

Is Midjourney free?

No. Midjourney has no free plan, so a paid subscription is needed from the start. Plans are Basic, Standard, Pro and Mega.

How much does Midjourney cost?

When we last checked in October 2026, Basic was $10 per month, Standard $30, Pro $60 and Mega $120. Billing annually lowers the monthly rate. Confirm on the official plans page.

Are my Midjourney images private?

Not on lower plans. On Basic and Standard, your images are visible in the public gallery. Stealth mode for private generations starts at Pro.

Can I use Midjourney images commercially?

Check the current terms. Companies with more than $1 million in annual revenue are required to use Pro or Mega.

Can Midjourney put accurate text in images?

Often not. Text inside images is unreliable, so add text afterwards in a design tool.

Alternatives

For general assistants that can also create images, see ChatGPT and Gemini. For video, see Runway.