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The Stack / Image
Midjourney
03 CreationYes if images are revenue-adjacent for you — Midjourney's output quality still sets the bar and V8's editor closed the workflow gap. Basic at $10 is enough to find out; Standard at $30 with unlimited relax mode is the operator tier.
The job in the stack
The hero-image seat: thumbnails, brand visuals, and any image where aesthetic quality is the deliverable.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $10/mo | ~200 fast generations; $8/mo annual |
| Standard | $30/mo | 15 fast GPU hours + unlimited relax mode; $24/mo annual |
| Pro | $60/mo | 30 fast hours, stealth mode, 12 concurrent jobs |
| Mega | $120/mo | 60 fast hours; extra fast time $4/hr |
Pricing verified 2026-10-06. Plans change — the source of truth is Midjourney's own pricing page.
Models & versions
- V8.2 edit model Instruction-based editing inside the V8 editor: describe the change in plain language and attach reference images. Since September 24, edits change only the selected pixels, so repeated edits don't degrade the image. --tile on V8.1/8.2 now blends seams. Rolled out through Midjourney's alpha changelog.
- V8.2 Default since July 24, 2026 — aesthetics and personalization update; sharper style profiles, Big Batch Draft Mode accepts --sref random
- V8.1 Previous default (May 2026), improved coherence and editing; still selectable
The honest read
What works
- + Best default aesthetic quality of any image model
- + Unlimited relax-mode generations from Standard up
- + Web editor and personalization have removed the old Discord friction
- + Stealth mode (Pro+) keeps client work out of the public feed
What breaks
- − No free trial — $10 minimum to even test it
- − Precise text rendering and exact layout control still trail rivals
- − Public gallery by default below Pro — check your trust boundary for client work
Use it for
- →YouTube thumbnails and social visuals where quality drives clicks
- →Brand imagery with a consistent, directable style
- →Creators generating daily at volume (relax mode)
Skip it if
- ×You need images embedded in a design tool — Canva's built-ins may be enough
- ×You need free — Leonardo.Ai's daily tokens cover light use
Questions operators ask
?Is there a free Midjourney trial?
No — trials ended in 2023. Basic at $10 is the cheapest way in; one month is enough to know if the quality difference matters for your work.
?Which Midjourney plan for YouTube thumbnails?
Standard. Unlimited relax generations means you can iterate on thumbnail concepts without watching a credit meter, and 15 fast hours covers deadline work.
What changed
- Freshness sweep: pricing unchanged. Basic $10, Standard $30, Pro $60 and Mega $120, with the 20% annual discount ($8/$24/$48/$96). V8.2 is still the default and no V8.3 or V9 has been announced. NEW: Midjourney's own update posts (Sept 16 and 24) now confirm a V8.2 edit model in the editor. It takes plain-language edit instructions, makes targeted edits that only change selected pixels, and blends --tile seams on V8.1/8.2. That model was added to versions. Third-party claims that it replaces Omni Reference, Character Reference and Retexture still have no official confirmation, so they were not recorded.
- Freshness sweep: no changes. V8.2 (default since July 24) is still current — no V8.3 or V9 announced. Basic $10, Standard $30, Pro $60, Mega $120 monthly all hold, with the 20% annual discount unchanged (Basic $96/yr confirmed). One aggregator claimed V8.2 ships an Edit Model that replaces Omni Reference, Character Reference, and Retexture; a second source lists edit/inpainting upgrades as still on the roadmap, and Midjourney's own docs blocked automated fetch — unconfirmed, so not recorded.
- Freshness sweep: no changes. V8.2 (July 24) still current default, no newer version announced. Pricing held at Basic $10/Standard $30/Pro $60/Mega $120, 20% annual discount.
- News scan: V8.2 became the default model July 24 (previewed via --preview since June 25). The update targets aesthetics and personalization — bolder output, fewer junk generations, better-trained style profiles, and --sref random in Big Batch Draft Mode. Pricing unchanged.
- Re-verified — no changes since July 3. Pricing has held flat since 2022 launch; V8.1 still current, no new version announced.
- Verified pricing: Basic $10, Standard $30, Pro $60, Mega $120, 20% annual discount. V8.1 current.
- V8.1 released with improved editing and coherence.
Give Midjourney a job
The hero-image seat: thumbnails, brand visuals, and any image where aesthetic quality is the deliverable.
Try Midjourney →Alternatives with different jobs
Leonardo.Ai
03 CreationThe volume-image seat: daily-token generation, style consistency, and control features for repeatable asset production.
Canva
03 CreationThe everyday design seat: social graphics, decks, and brand-consistent assets without a designer in the loop.