There are numerous AI art generators out there, but very few come close to Midjourney’s capabilities. In our step-by-step guide on how to use Midjourney, we explained how you could leverage the potential of its powerful text-to-image model. And recently we published a list of mindblowing Midjourney prompts that will help you generate some incredible images. Having said that, it’s also true that Midjourney is a premium service that costs $10 per month. Yeah, Midjourney has put an end to its freemium model. So in this article, we bring you the 10 best Midjourney alternatives that are mostly free and have a powerful text-to-image model. On that note, let’s jump to the list.
1. Stable Diffusion
Stable Diffusion is an open-source text-to-image model that can be installed on a local PC. With the ability to generate images quickly, it has gained popularity among websites and apps. While the image quality may not match Midjourney initially, the recent release of Stable Diffusion XL aims to bridge the gap. It is recommended to have at least 8GB of VRAM for smooth usage.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free and open-source | Hand and eye rendering still need some work |
| Powerful capabilities | |
| Trained on large dataset |
Platforms: Web
Check out Stable Diffusion (Free)
2. DALL-E 2
Developed by OpenAI, DALL-E 2 is a highly accurate and realistic text-to-image model. It enables users to create photorealistic images from natural language descriptions. With improved resolution and the ability to blend various concepts, styles, and attributes, DALL-E 2 stands out as a powerful alternative to Midjourney. While 15 free credits are available, additional credits can be purchased for extended usage.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Accurate and realistic visual translation | A bit expensive |
| Expand canvas of images | |
| Built on 3.5B parameters |
Platforms: Web
Check out DALL-E 2 (Free up to 15 credits, Get more credits for $15)
3. Leonardo.Ai
Leonardo.Ai is a promising text-to-image model currently accessible through early-bird access or by joining their Discord server. It specializes in generating highly detailed game assets, environments, and characters. Notably, Leonardo.Ai excels in creating realistic human faces without any imperfections, making it an attractive choice for artists and game developers.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best for generating game assets | Access to early-bird users only |
| Character portraits are quite good | |
| Train your own visual model |
Platforms: Web
Check out Leonardo.Ai (Free early access)
4. Bing Image Creator
Microsoft’s Bing Image Creator integrates AI image generation into Bing AI Chat and Bing Search. Utilizing OpenAI’s DALL·E model, it provides a free service for quickly generating AI images based on natural language prompts. While it may have limitations on daily image generation after exceeding the initial limit, Bing Image Creator offers a viable alternative to Midjourney for generating images on abstract concepts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best free AI image generator | Limited customization options |
| Powered by DALL·E | |
| Integrated with Bing Chat |
Platforms: Web, Android, iOS
Check out Bing Image Creator (Free)
5. Adobe Firefly
Adobe Firefly is Adobe’s creative AI model aimed at rivaling Midjourney. Although still in development, Firefly offers various tools for text-to-image generation, vector recoloring, inpainting, and more. The Text to Image tool is currently free to use, allowing users to input prompts and receive multiple image variations. While it may not achieve the same level of photorealism as Midjourney, Adobe Firefly shows promise in generating landscapes and other concepts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| In-house text-to-image model by Adobe | Still a work-in-progress |
| Has promising features like image expansion and sketch-to-image | |
| Free for now |
Platforms: Web
Check out Adobe Firefly (Free in beta)
6. Blue Willow
Blue Willow has garnered a large user base of over 300 million users on its Discord server. This free alternative to Midjourney is highly capable of digital art and graphics, enabling users to create logos, characters, landscapes, and more. Despite its popularity, Blue Willow remains impressively fast at generating images. While it may fall short in realistic scenes, it offers excellent results for digital art and graphics.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Surprisingly good at generating human faces | Need to join a Discord server |
| Free to use; no limitation | |
| Very fast |
Platforms: Web (Discord), Android, iOS
Check out Blue Willow (Free)
7. InstantArt
InstantArt is a platform hosting over 25 text-to-image models, including Stable Diffusion, Midjourney V4, DALL-E 2, and more. It allows users to explore and compare various models, making it an excellent platform for experimenting with different text-to-image approaches. With options for image dimensions and free access to Midjourney V4, InstantArt provides a valuable resource for artists and enthusiasts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 25+ image models to choose from | Often throws errors |
| Midjourney V4 available for free | |
| Easy to use |
Platforms: Web
Check out InstantArt (Free)
8. NightCafe
NightCafe is a website service that provides access to multiple text-to-image models, such as Stable Diffusion, DALL-E 2, CLIP-Guided Diffusion, and Style Transfer. With each model catering to different artistic needs, NightCafe allows users to generate masterpieces based on old artworks, create artistic images, or generate beautiful sceneries. While some models may require payment or credits earned through social campaigns, NightCafe offers a diverse range of options.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very capable text-to-image model | Not entirely free |
| Stable Diffusion and DALL·E available | Multiple limitations |
| Best for creating old masterpieces |
Platforms: Web
Check out NightCafe (Free up to 3 credits, Paid plan starts at $5.99/ month)
9. Lexica
Lexica is an AI-image generator website powered by Stable Diffusion. With a generous free tier allowing users to generate up to 100 AI images per month, Lexica presents an accessible option for users seeking a Midjourney alternative. The image quality is impressive, making it an excellent starting point for those interested in AI image generation.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Effortless to use | Only two models available |
| Only 2 models are available | |
| Generate 100 images per month for free |
Platforms: Web
Check out Lexica (Free up to 100 images/month, Paid plans start at $10/month)
10. Playground AI
Playground AI offers free access to Stable Diffusion and limited access to DALL-E, allowing users to create up to 1,000 images per day. While there may be limitations on image dimensions and DALL-E usage, Playground AI provides a user-friendly platform for beginners looking for a free alternative to Midjourney.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Generate 1000 images per day for free | Free users can generate only one image at a time |
| Stable Diffusion and DALL·E are available | Plenty of limitations for free users |
| Pretty quick at generating images |
Platforms: Web
Check out Playground AI (Free up to 1000 images/ day, Paid plan starts at $15/month)
While Midjourney’s shift to a premium model may have disappointed some users, the ten alternatives mentioned in this guide offer powerful and detailed text-to-image capabilities. Each alternative comes with its strengths and limitations, catering to a wide range of artistic needs. Whether you’re seeking photorealistic images, game assets, or digital artwork, these alternatives provide accessible and impressive options to explore the exciting possibilities of AI-generated images.
