Midjourney in 2026: Pricing, Free Trial, What’s New in V8.2 and Limits

Midjourney is a subscription AI image generator: you describe an image in a few words (the “prompt”), it returns several versions, and you can then edit them or animate them into a short video. You use it on midjourney.com or in Discord, it costs $10 to $120 a month, and there is no free trial (Midjourney plans, checked Sept. 25, 2026). It’s built for people who care about a polished, artistic look and fine control over style.

This page reflects Midjourney as of September 25, 2026, based on its official documentation, update blog and Terms of Service. Since the February 2025 version of this page, the default model has moved from V6.1 to V8.2, video has arrived, the website has overtaken Discord as the main interface, and several tools have been merged into a new Edit model. Génie Artificiel earns no commission from Midjourney.

Midjourney at a Glance

What’s New in Midjourney in 2026?

Midjourney’s Version page (checked Sept. 25, 2026) lays out how the image model has evolved:

• V7 (April 2025) was the default model from June 2025 to June 2026. It introduced Draft Mode and Omni Reference.
• V8 opened for testing on March 17, 2026 at alpha.midjourney.com. It renders about 5x faster, follows detailed directions more closely and handles text better when you put it “in quotes” in the prompt (V8 announcement).
• V8.1 (April 14, 2026) added HD images: 2,048 pixels without upscaling, at 1.3 minutes of GPU time versus 0.8 minutes for standard definition (SD).
• V8.2, the default since July 24, 2026, focuses on aesthetics and Personalization. It comes with the new Edit model, which replaces Omni Reference, Character Reference and the Retexture tool (V8.2 announcement).

The Edit model does three things: it changes an image from a written instruction (“let’s see this image from the front”), it builds a new image from up to four reference images (a character, an object, a setting), and it powers inpainting and outpainting in the Editor. On Sept. 24, 2026, Midjourney said targeted edits now change only the selected pixels, so you can make repeated edits without degrading the image (announcement).

For manga and anime styles, Midjourney and Spellbrush develop a separate Niji series (Niji 7 since January 2026), with its own website and Discord server.

Website or Discord: Where Do You Use Midjourney?

Midjourney started on Discord, where you type /imagine in a channel or in a direct message to the bot. Today midjourney.com is the main interface: the docs describe every feature “On Web” first, and several tools exist only on the site (Transitioning to Web, checked Sept. 25, 2026):

• the Editor for inpainting and expanding the frame;
• creating and editing Personalization profiles and Moodboards, which learn your visual taste;
• Conversational Mode: describe your idea by typing or speaking, and an AI writes the prompts for you, even in languages other than English;
• Draft Mode in V8.1 and V8.2: 24 low-resolution (512 × 512) sketches per prompt for 0.4 minutes of GPU time, which you then rerun at full quality (Draft Mode).

The site also offers folders, advanced search across your creations and bulk downloads. Discord remains useful for the community and for longtime command-line users. If your subscription is tied to Discord, sign in to the website with “Continue with Discord.”

How Does Midjourney Video Work?

Midjourney has animated images since June 18, 2025 (V1 Video Model announcement). Here is how it works, per the video documentation (checked Sept. 25, 2026):

• Starting point: a Midjourney image or one of your own becomes the first frame. A text prompt is optional; an image is always required.
• Length: 5 seconds, extendable by 4 seconds up to four times, for a maximum of 21 seconds.
• Motion: “Low Motion” (calm scenes, slow camera, the default) or “High Motion” (bigger movement, with a higher risk of glitches).
• Loops and end frames: you can set the last frame, or reuse the first one for a seamless loop.
• Resolution: 480p (SD) on every plan; 720p (HD) on Standard and above, in Fast Mode only.
• Cost: a batch of 4 videos uses 8 minutes of GPU time in SD and 26 minutes in HD; a single video uses 2 and 7 minutes. Each extension costs the same as the original generation.
• Export: MP4 (including a version optimized for social media) or animated GIF.

The documentation does not mention any audio track. For longer clips, sound, or text-to-video, see our top 10 AI video tools.

How Much Does Midjourney Cost?

Midjourney has four plans, billed in U.S. dollars only (payment currency). Sales tax or VAT is calculated at checkout based on your billing address (tax and VAT).

Source: Comparing Midjourney Plans, before tax, checked Sept. 25, 2026.

What matters when choosing:

• Fast GPU time is the real quota. Based on the costs listed on the Version page, Basic’s 200 minutes work out to roughly 250 SD image prompts (0.8 minutes each in V8.1 and V8.2), or 25 batches of 4 SD videos. Extra Fast time costs $4 per hour.
• Relax Mode generates without using Fast time, just more slowly. It’s what makes Standard worthwhile for regular use.
• Concurrent jobs go from 3 images at once (Basic and Standard) to 12 (Pro and Mega).
• Free Fast time: each day, the 2,000 members who rate the most images earn one extra hour of Fast time, valid for 30 days and usable only with an active subscription (Earning Free Fast Time).

Is Midjourney Free?

No. Midjourney has no free plan and no free trial on midjourney.com or Discord. A limited trial exists only in the niji・journey mobile app (iOS and Android), which focuses on anime styles (Free Trials, checked Sept. 25, 2026). The cheapest way in is one month of Basic at $10, which you can cancel at any time.

To generate images for free, Google Gemini includes Nano Banana 2 in its free tier (see our Google Gemini guide), and ChatGPT creates images as well (see our ChatGPT Images guide (formerly DALL·E 3)).

Can You Use Midjourney Images Commercially?

Yes, within the rules set by the Terms of Service (effective May 27, 2026):

• Ownership: you own the images and videos you create “to the fullest extent possible under applicable law,” and that ownership continues if you later downgrade or cancel.
• Larger companies: a company with more than $1,000,000 in annual revenue, or an employee of one, must be on the Pro or Mega plan to own its creations.
• Other people’s images: upscaling another member’s image doesn’t make it yours.
• License to Midjourney: by using the service, you grant Midjourney a perpetual, worldwide license to your prompts and creations.
• Visibility: your creations are public and can be remixed by others unless you use Stealth Mode (Pro and Mega). In a shared Discord channel, everyone can see them, Stealth Mode or not.
• Prohibited uses: adult content or gore, images for political campaigns or to influence elections, and misleading people about what an image is or where it came from.

Copyright on other people’s work is the bigger risk. Disney and Universal (June 2025), then Warner Bros. (September 2025), sued Midjourney in U.S. federal court, arguing it generates their characters; as of July 2026, the case was still in discovery (TechCrunch). Keep protected characters, logos and brands out of commercial work. Our piece on AI-generated “Studio Ghibli style” images covers the wider debate.

How to Create an Image with Midjourney

1. Subscribe at midjourney.com, or sign in with Discord if you already have an account there.
2. Write your prompt in the Imagine bar on the Create page: subject, setting, lighting, style, framing. Add parameters at the end, such as --ar 16:9 for the aspect ratio or --raw for a less stylized look.
3. Pick an image from the results, then run variations, an Edit-model change or an upscale.
4. Animate it if you like, with the Animate buttons.
5. Download the result from the Organize page.

For parameters and sample prompts, follow our Midjourney beginner’s guide.

What Are Midjourney’s Limitations?

• No free trial: you have to pay for at least a month before you can judge it.
• Privacy: on Basic and Standard, everything you generate shows up in the public gallery.
• Basic video: 720p max, 21 seconds, no documented audio, and always from an image. Dedicated video generators go further.
• No automation: the terms prohibit generating with automated tools and reselling access to the service.
• Legal risk around protected characters and brands, as the ongoing studio lawsuits show.

Midjourney vs. ChatGPT vs. Gemini: Which Should You Use?

• Midjourney is the pick when visual quality and a consistent style come first: Personalization, Moodboards, Style References and reusable profiles. It’s a creative tool, not an assistant.
• ChatGPT generates and edits images inside a conversation, handy when the image is only one part of the job.
• Google Gemini creates and edits images with Nano Banana, including on its free tier, and handles text inside images well.

The simplest route: use Gemini or ChatGPT for free for everyday needs, and try a month of Midjourney Basic if you want a more crafted style.

Who Is Midjourney For?

Midjourney is built first for illustrators, designers, art directors, authors and content creators who produce visuals regularly and want a recognizable style. Standard ($30/month) is the most versatile plan thanks to unlimited Relax image generation; Pro becomes necessary if you need private creations or your company earns more than $1M a year. For a handful of images a month, a free tool will do.

Midjourney FAQ

Is Midjourney free?

No. There’s no free plan or trial on midjourney.com or Discord. The cheapest plan, Basic, costs $10 a month before tax. Only the niji・journey app offers a limited trial.

What is the latest Midjourney version?

V8.2, the default model since July 24, 2026. It follows V8.1 (April 2026) and V7, which was the default from June 2025 to June 2026.

Do I still need Discord to use Midjourney?

No. Everything works on midjourney.com, which even has tools Discord lacks (the Editor, Conversational Mode, Moodboards). Discord is still available if you prefer it.

Can Midjourney make videos?

Yes, from an image: 5 seconds, extendable to 21 seconds, at 480p or 720p depending on your plan. The documentation doesn’t mention sound.

Can I sell images made with Midjourney?

Yes, on any paid plan, as long as you don’t reproduce protected works, characters or brands. Companies with more than $1M in annual revenue must be on Pro or Mega.