Midjourney
Midjourney is a paid, subscription-based AI image and video generation platform metered by Fast GPU hours, with a web Editor for inpainting and outpainting, a legacy Discord bot, and Stealth mode on higher tiers.
What is Midjourney?
Midjourney is a text-to-image and text-to-video generation service operated through a web application and a Discord bot. Unlike per-image or token-based pricing models, Midjourney sells subscriptions metered by GPU time: each plan includes a monthly allotment of Fast GPU hours, and prompts consume that time at rates that differ between SD and HD outputs. Standard, Pro, and Mega plans also add Relax mode, which provides unlimited image generations at the cost of waiting in a queue rather than drawing down Fast hours.
The service does not offer a free tier or a standalone API. Access is tied to an active subscription on one of four tiers—Basic, Standard, Pro, or Mega—with annual billing available at a 20% discount. The web app has become the primary creation surface for many workflows, while Discord remains supported with a feature set that overlaps but is not identical to the web Editor.
How does Midjourney work?
Users enter a text prompt in the Imagine bar on midjourney.com or via a slash command in Discord. The prompt can be augmented with reference images, style references, character references, and parameters that control aspect ratio, model version, and generation speed. Fast mode processes prompts immediately against the user’s GPU-hour balance; Relax mode queues them for slower, non-metered processing on eligible plans.
Once an image grid is generated, users can upscale individual results, create variations, or open the image in the Editor for localized changes. The Editor supports inpainting through Vary Region (called Erase on the web), outpainting through Pan and Zoom Out, prompt remixing, and layer-based composition. The same conceptual operations exist in Discord, but Vary Region is invoked as a separate command, and panning and aspect-ratio changes are performed step by step rather than on a single canvas.
Video generation follows the same subscription logic: SD video Relax mode is available on Pro and Mega, while HD video generation requires Standard or higher and consumes Fast GPU time unless Relax video mode is active. Stealth mode, which hides creations from public view on the Midjourney website, is restricted to Pro and Mega plans.
Use Cases
- Generating stylized concept art, illustrations, and marketing visuals from text prompts without per-image billing
- Iterating on compositions with inpainting, outpainting, and prompt remixing inside the web Editor
- Producing short SD or HD video clips from still images or prompts where plan eligibility allows
- Running high-volume image exploration in Relax mode on Standard or higher without consuming Fast GPU hours
- Keeping client or commercial work private on Pro or Mega through Stealth mode
Pricing
Pricing model: Paid
| Plan | Price | Billing | Included usage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $10 | per month | 3.3 hr/month Fast GPU time (200 minutes), SD video only, no Relax mode, no Stealth mode. Annual price $96 ($8/mo). | — |
| Standard | $30 | per month | 15 hr/month Fast GPU time, unlimited Relax mode for images, SD and HD video, no Stealth mode. Annual price $288 ($24/mo). | — |
| Pro | $60 | per month | 30 hr/month Fast GPU time, unlimited Relax mode for images and SD video, Stealth mode. Annual price $576 ($48/mo). | — |
| Mega | $120 | per month | 60 hr/month Fast GPU time, unlimited Relax mode for images and SD video, Stealth mode. Annual price $1,152 ($96/mo). | — |
Common Limitations
- No free tier · A paid subscription is required to generate images or video. There is no trial or free usage allowance.
- Public by default · Images and videos are public by default. Stealth mode, which keeps creations private on the Midjourney website, is available only on Pro and Mega plans. Creations made in public Discord channels remain visible even with Stealth mode enabled; total privacy requires the web Create page, Discord direct messages, or a private server while using Stealth mode.
- GPU-time metering · Usage is metered in Fast GPU time. The Basic plan includes 3.3 hr/month; Standard 15 hr; Pro 30 hr; Mega 60 hr. Relax mode provides unlimited image generations on Standard and higher, but only unlimited SD video on Pro and Mega. Each prompt consumes GPU time: an SD prompt costs approximately 0.8 minutes, an HD prompt approximately 1.3 minutes.
- Commercial use revenue threshold · Companies with annual gross revenue exceeding $1,000,000 must be subscribed to the Pro or Mega plan to own their assets and use them commercially under Midjourney’s terms. This threshold applies regardless of how the images are created.
- Discord vs. web feature split · Not all editing tools are available in both interfaces. The web Editor combines Remix, inpainting (Vary Region/Erase), Pan, Zoom Out, layers, and custom aspect ratios in a single canvas. Discord exposes Vary Region as a separate command and requires individual steps for panning and aspect-ratio changes. Option Sets can be used in web prompts but can only be created and managed in Discord.
- Vary Region version and resolution behavior · In Discord, Vary Region on V8.2 SD images uses the V6.1 model. For HD images, the web Editor’s edit tools can be used, but results are produced at SD resolution and can be upscaled. Vary Region operates on images generated in Midjourney versions 5 and later.
Key Features
- Text-to-image generation through web app and Discord
- Fast GPU-hour metering with optional Relax mode on Standard and higher
- Web Editor with Remix, Vary Region inpainting, Pan, Zoom Out, layers, and custom aspect ratios
- Discord-based Vary Region and standalone pan/zoom commands
- SD and HD video generation on eligible plans
Midjourney vs. DALL·E 3 and Stable Diffusion
This comparison focuses on documented differences in access model, pricing structure, and commercial licensing. It does not rank image quality, which depends on prompt, model version, and subjective evaluation.
| Tool | Positioning | Key differences | Best fit | Pricing note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midjourney Comparing Midjourney Plans Stealth Mode Web vs Discord | A subscription-based image and video generation platform metered by GPU hours, with web and Discord interfaces. | Sells GPU-time subscriptions rather than per-image credits. Relax mode provides unlimited image generations on Standard and higher. Stealth mode is limited to Pro and Mega. No free tier or standalone API. Commercial use above $1M annual revenue requires Pro or Mega. | Users who want high-volume image exploration within a fixed monthly GPU-hour budget and do not require a free tier or API access. | Basic $10/mo (3.3 Fast hr); Standard $30/mo (15 Fast hr, unlimited image Relax); Pro $60/mo (30 Fast hr, Stealth, unlimited SD video Relax); Mega $120/mo (60 Fast hr). Annual billing is 20% less. |
| DALL·E 3 OpenAI API pricing | An image generation model accessible through ChatGPT and the OpenAI API. | Primarily consumed either through a ChatGPT subscription that bundles other features, or through the API on a per-image basis. Does not use GPU-hour metering or a Relax queue. Access and pricing are tied to ChatGPT plans or API usage rather than image-generation-specific subscription tiers. | Users already working within ChatGPT or building API-based image generation into an application, who want image generation bundled with a broader assistant or billed per image. | Available through ChatGPT Plus at $20/mo (bundled with ChatGPT features) or via the OpenAI API at approximately $0.04–$0.12 per image depending on resolution and quality. |
| Stable Diffusion Stability AI License Stability AI API Pricing | An open-weights image generation model family that can be self-hosted or accessed through Stability AI’s API. | Core models can be downloaded and run locally without per-generation fees for individuals and organizations under $1M annual revenue. The API is credit-based and separate from self-hosted use. Provides no built-in web Editor or Discord interface; the user supplies the interface and hardware. | Users who want to self-host, fine-tune, or integrate image generation into their own infrastructure, and who are prepared to manage model deployment and hardware. | Core models are free under the Community License for entities under $1M annual revenue. Stability AI API plans start at $10/mo for 6,500 credits, with per-image credit costs varying by model. Enterprise licensing is required above $1M annual revenue. |
Comparison checked against official product information on 2026-11-04. Features and pricing may change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Midjourney have a free plan?
No. Midjourney requires a paid subscription; there is no free tier or trial. The lowest-priced plan is Basic at $10 per month (or $8 per month billed annually).
How does Midjourney’s GPU-hour pricing work?
Each plan includes a monthly allotment of Fast GPU time: 3.3 hours on Basic, 15 hours on Standard, 30 hours on Pro, and 60 hours on Mega. Prompts consume GPU time at different rates for SD and HD outputs. Standard and higher plans add Relax mode, which provides unlimited image generations without consuming Fast hours.
Is Midjourney’s Vary Region available on the web?
Vary Region is a Discord feature. On the web Editor, the equivalent inpainting tool is called Erase. Discord’s Vary Region works on images generated in Midjourney versions 5 and later, and for V8.2 SD images it currently uses the V6.1 model. For HD images, the web Editor’s edit tools can be used, but results are SD resolution and can be upscaled.
Can I keep my Midjourney images private?
Stealth mode, which controls who can see your images and videos on the Midjourney website, is available only on Pro and Mega plans. Even with Stealth mode enabled, creations made in public Discord channels remain visible. For full privacy, users should work on the web Create page, in Discord direct messages, or in a private Discord server while Stealth mode is active.
Does Midjourney allow commercial use?
Commercial use is permitted under Midjourney’s terms, but companies with annual gross revenue exceeding $1,000,000 must subscribe to the Pro or Mega plan to own their assets and use them commercially. Lower-revenue users are not subject to that specific upgrade requirement.
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