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Head-to-head · AI Art Generators

InvokeAI vs Midjourney

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score InvokeAI #6 in AI Art Generators 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit InvokeAI
Midjourney #7 in AI Art Generators 8.6/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Midjourney

InvokeAI leads on 1 check, Midjourney on 0, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreInvokeAI · 8.7/10
  • Free planonly InvokeAI

InvokeAI scores higher on our rubric for ai art generators: 8.7 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #7.

InvokeAI offers free plan; Midjourney doesn't.

InvokeAI is the better fit for open-source teams needing self-hosted generation. Midjourney is the better fit for subscribers prioritizing image creation and editing.

  • InvokeAI fits best

    Open-source teams needing self-hosted generation

  • Midjourney fits best

    Subscribers prioritizing image creation and editing

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature InvokeAI 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Midjourney 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.6
Ranking #6 in AI Art Generators #7 in AI Art Generators
Best for Open-source teams needing self-hosted generation Subscribers prioritizing image creation and editing
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop Cloud
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux Web
Support Community, Docs Email, Tickets, Community, Docs
Integrations 4 integrations 1 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features InvokeAI 0/4 · Midjourney 0/4
Image-to-image Not checked yet Not checked yet
Commercial use Not checked yet Not checked yet
Inpainting/outpainting Not checked yet Not checked yet
Private generation Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Output resolution Not checked yet Not checked yet
Monthly credits Not checked yet Not checked yet
Platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Text-to-image, image-to-image, inpainting, and outpainting in one workspace
  • Layer-based canvas, node workflows, ControlNet, and model management
  • Free, open source, self-hosted, and available through an OpenAPI-documented API
  • Supports prompts, image references, style references, and edit-model references
  • Includes inpainting, outpainting, masking, layers, retexturing, and upscaling
  • Commercial use is included across subscription plans
Cons
  • Local deployment requires a compatible Windows, macOS, or Linux system
  • Commercial-use rights depend on the selected model or external provider
  • External integrations are limited to selected providers rather than a broad ecosystem
  • No free plan is available
  • No general API access
  • Access is limited to web and Discord
Our verdict

InvokeAI is a free, open-source creative engine for AI image generation and editing. It is aimed at open-source teams and creators who want to run image workflows locally or through self-hosting rather than rely on a hosted platform.…

Read the review →

Midjourney is an AI image-generation platform for artists, designers, creative teams, and other visual-content creators. It combines text-prompt generation with uploaded or library image prompts, style and edit-model references, and tools…

Read the review →
  1. InvokeAIAI Art Generators 8.7Free plan
  2. MidjourneyAI Art Generators 8.6Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • InvokeAI — where it wins

    • Text-to-image, image-to-image, inpainting, and outpainting in one workspace
    • Layer-based canvas, node workflows, ControlNet, and model management
    • Free, open source, self-hosted, and available through an OpenAPI-documented API

    Where it doesn't

    • Local deployment requires a compatible Windows, macOS, or Linux system
    • Commercial-use rights depend on the selected model or external provider
    • External integrations are limited to selected providers rather than a broad ecosystem

  • Midjourney — where it wins

    • Supports prompts, image references, style references, and edit-model references
    • Includes inpainting, outpainting, masking, layers, retexturing, and upscaling
    • Commercial use is included across subscription plans

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan is available
    • No general API access
    • Access is limited to web and Discord

More comparisons

All AI art generators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update