Midjourney
by Midjourney, Inc.
AI-first image generation service that turns text prompts into high-quality visual art via Discord and a web app.
See https://www.midjourney.com/
Features
- Text-to-image generation (primary interface via Discord bot and web app)
- Multiple model versions (v5/v6 family, incremental improvements to coherence and realism)
- Four initial image variants per prompt with buttons to Upscale (U), Variations (V), and Re-roll
- Prompt parameters / flags (aspect ratios, quality, stylization, seeds, negative prompts)
- Fast / Relax / Turbo generation modes (tradeoffs between speed and compute credits)
- Image blending, “Vary Region” (edit region of an image), and short video/animation output for some models
- Stealth/private mode for paid tiers; public gallery by default
- Community gallery and Discord-based community for prompts, tips, and inspiration
Superpowers
Midjourney is especially strong at producing highly stylized, compositionally pleasing images with rich color palettes and artistic rendering. It’s fast to iterate from an idea to multiple visual directions, making it ideal for concept art, storyboarding, mood boards, thumbnails, and exploratory visual design. The Discord-based workflow encourages rapid experimentation and community-driven prompt engineering.
Who is this for
- Concept artists, illustrators, designers, and creative teams who want quick visual exploration
- Product/marketing teams that need artwork or mood images for ideation
- Hobbyists learning promptcraft and generative art techniques
What you gain
- Fast visual exploration with minimal setup (Discord account + subscription)
- Large community gallery for learning and remixing ideas
- Commercial licensing available for paid tiers (see Licensing section)
Pricing
Midjourney uses a subscription model. Plans historically include tiers named Basic, Standard, Pro, and Mega with varying monthly prices, fast-hours or generation quotas, and features like concurrent jobs and Stealth Mode. Pricing and specific tiers change over time — always check the official subscription page at https://www.midjourney.com/account/subscribe for current plans.
Licensing & commercial use
- Paid subscribers: images created while on a paid subscription generally have broad commercial usage rights (Midjourney’s terms grant users ownership “to the fullest extent possible under applicable law” for assets created under paid plans). Images made during a paid subscription typically remain usable after cancellation. Check the current Terms of Service for exact language and limits.
- Free trial / non-paid users: historically subject to more restrictive terms (e.g., non-commercial licenses like CC BY-NC 4.0 in earlier policies). Free-mode content is usually public and may carry sharing/remix conditions.
- Community/public content: by default images created in public channels are visible and may be remixable by others. Paid tiers may offer Stealth/Private generation modes to reduce public exposure, but verify behavior for your plan.
Always consult Midjourney’s official Terms of Service and Licensing pages for definitive, up-to-date legal guidance:
Quick practical usage (Discord-first workflow)
- Primary command: /imagine prompt:
- Common flags (examples — confirm current syntax in docs):
- —ar <W:H> (aspect ratio, e.g. —ar 16:9 or —ar 9:16)
- —v
or —version (select model version, e.g. —v 6) - —q
(quality multiplier, e.g. —q 2) - —stylize
or —s (controls how strongly Midjourney applies its default aesthetics) - —seed
(reproducible randomness) - —no
(negative prompt to exclude elements)
Example prompts
- /imagine prompt: cinematic portrait of an astronaut, rim lighting, Kodak Portra tones —ar 2:3 —v 6 —q 2
- /imagine prompt: isometric city map, pastel colors, sharp detail, editorial style —ar 3:2 —stylize 250
- /imagine prompt: product mockup of a minimalist coffee grinder on a marble counter, soft morning light —ar 4:5 —v 6 —no people
Iterating outputs
- Use the U1..U4 buttons to upscale the corresponding image
- Use the V1..V4 buttons to create variations from that image
- Use the Re-roll button to generate a fresh set from the same prompt
- Use image blending by uploading multiple images and referencing them in a prompt (or using the /blend tool if available)
Promptcraft tips (practical)
- Start with the subject and key modifiers: “subject, mood, lighting, lens, color palette, style” (e.g., “portrait, golden hour, 85mm, cinematic, film grain”)
- Use commas to separate descriptive chunks and quotes for exact text you want rendered
- Use negative prompts with —no to remove unwanted elements
- Include artist or style references sparingly — the model blends styles but may produce derivative-looking results
- Use seeds for reproducibility when you need consistent variations
Limitations & risks
- Public by default: unless using Stealth/Private modes (paid), outputs in public Discord channels are visible and may be reused/remixed by others
- Copyright & IP: legal landscape for AI-generated imagery is evolving. Confirm licensing if you rely on images commercially, and check Midjourney’s policy for the most current rights language
- Human likeness & content safety: the platform has restrictions on generating certain kinds of content (illegal, hateful, sexual, or content violating rights). Safety rules are enforced via moderation and the terms of service
- Determinism: results can vary with small prompt changes; exact reproduction requires using the seed and same model/version
Best practices for teams
- Use a paid plan with Stealth/Private generation for client work or confidential projects
- Keep a prompt log and save seeds for reproducibility
- Version-control final assets outside Midjourney and document any post-processing
- Verify commercial rights before using images in revenue-generating products
Sources & further reading
- Official site: https://www.midjourney.com/
- Official docs: https://docs.midjourney.com/
- Terms of Service / Licensing: https://www.midjourney.com/terms/
- Midjourney community (Discord): https://discord.gg/midjourney (link via site invite)