The facts, with their sources

What it does

Done-for-you service: NoSelf-serve software subscription only: you buy GPU time on four renewing tiers and do the creating yourself, with no vendor team producing work for you.All Midjourney plans are subscriptions - meaning they automatically renew on a monthly or yearly basis unless you set your plan to cancel.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/2…

Which models it runs on

Claude: NoRuns only Midjourney's own image models and the Niji series; the version documentation enumerates every selectable model and no third-party text model such as Claude appears anywhere.Midjourney versions refer to the different models released over time—each with unique features.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
GPT: NoModel choice is limited to Midjourney's own numbered versions and the Niji collaboration; GPT is not among the models the version list makes selectable.Midjourney versions refer to the different models released over time—each with unique features.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
Open models: NoAll generation happens on Midjourney's own hosted models; the terms forbid reverse engineering the service and no open-weight model option exists on any tier.You may not reverse engineer the Services or the Assets.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
Model choice: PartlyYou do pick the model, but only from Midjourney's own versions via the --v parameter or the settings panel; there is no third-party or bring-your-own model path.Explore and switch between Midjourney versions using the version parameter: --version or --vdocs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…

Where you use it

In your editor: NoThe documented surfaces are the midjourney.com website and Discord; no editor or IDE extension is described anywhere in the help centre.With your Midjourney subscription, you have the freedom to create images on both our website and Discord.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
On the command line: NoPrompting happens in the web Imagine bar or through Discord slash commands; there is no terminal client, and automated access to the service is prohibited.You may not use automated tools to access, interact with, or generate Assets through the Services.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
In your pipeline: NoNo pipeline or pull-request surface exists, and the vendor explicitly bans automating interactions with the service, which rules out CI usage.Midjourney does not provide an API, nor provide third-party apps or scripts, and automating interactions with Midjourney service is strictly…docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
In a browser: Yesmidjourney.com is the primary hosted surface, with Explore, Create, Edit and Organize pages; newer draft features ship there before Discord.The Create page is the heart of your creation journey. It's where you bring your ideas to life and see your images and videos generate in real-time.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…

Whose machine it runs on

Self-hosted: NoGeneration runs on Midjourney's GPUs that a subscription buys time on; the four-tier plan table offers no self-hosted or bring-your-own-infrastructure option.When you subscribe to Midjourney, you're actually buying time to use these GPUs.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
Open source: NoClosed, proprietary service: the terms forbid reverse engineering and redistribution, and no repository or source availability is mentioned in the documentation.You may not reverse engineer the Services or the Assets. ... You may not resell or redistribute the Services or access to the Service.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…

What it costs to run

How it meters: YesA monthly seat-like subscription that meters GPU minutes: Fast time is capped per tier, extra hours cost $4/hr, and individual jobs are priced in GPU minutes.Fast GPU Time 3.3 hr/month (200 minutes) 15 hr/month 30 hr/month 60 hr/month ... Purchase Extra GPU Time $4/hrdocs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/2…
Free tier: NoNo standing free plan and no trial on the website or Discord; the only limited trial sits on the separate niji journey mobile app.A limited trial is available on the niji · journey app, available for iOS and Android devices. No free trial is currently available in Discord or the…docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/2…
API access: NoThe vendor states plainly that it provides no API and prohibits scripts and automation, with only rare explicitly granted exceptions.With a few rare exceptions that are explicitly granted, Midjourney does not provide an API, nor provide third-party apps or scripts, and automating…docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
MCP server: NoNo MCP server or connector is documented anywhere in the help centre, and the same rule that bars an API bars another agent driving the service.Midjourney does not provide an API, nor provide third-party apps or scripts, and automating interactions with Midjourney service is strictly…docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
Bring your own key: NoInference is sold as Midjourney's own GPU time on its own models; there are no API keys, no bring-your-own-cloud and no third-party inference path.Midjourney uses powerful Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to handle the prompts you give it and turn them into images and videos. When you subscribe…docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…

Buying it for a team

A company can buy it: PartlyCompanies can buy, but only as individual accounts; bulk billing exists solely for 50 or more yearly Pro or Mega plans and carries no extra discount.If your organization requires 50 or more yearly Pro or Mega Plans, our support team can assist with bulk billing arrangements.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/2…
Seat model: NoThere is no seat concept at all: one user per account and one account per user, so an organisation buys separate subscriptions rather than seats.Only one user may use the Services per registered account.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
Pooled budget: NoFast GPU time is granted per subscription and resets per account at renewal; nothing in the billing docs lets several users draw on one shared balance.This is a set amount of GPU time you receive each month with your Midjourney subscription . Each time your subscription renews, your Fast time is…docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
Admin controls: NoThe vendor states it does not offer seat or admin management, so no administrator can constrain what an account may generate or spend.Please note that we do not offer the following: Seat or admin managementdocs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/2…
Single sign-on: NoSSO is named in the vendor's explicit list of things it does not offer for organisations; login is by Discord, Google or email instead.Please note that we do not offer the following: Seat or admin management Terms and policy negotiations SSO loginsdocs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/2…

What happens to your code

Opt out of training: NoUsing the service grants a perpetual, irrevocable licence over prompts and assets and the privacy policy covers data collected while training its models; no opt-out is published.You grant to Midjourney, its affiliates, successors, and assigns a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, sublicensable no-charge, royalty-free,…docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
Data residency: NoNo region choice is offered: data is processed wherever Midjourney and its processors operate, and may be moved outside the user's own country.Your Personal Data is processed at the Midjourney’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are…docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…
Getting out: PartlyCreations can be downloaded and an account plus its data can be deleted with a 7-day reversal window, but purchased Fast hours expire after 60 days and monthly Fast time never carries over.Keep in mind, these purchased hours come with a 60-day expiration, so plan accordingly.docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/3…

Plans and pricing

Price and terms

Free to start: PartlyPartlyNo free plan and no trial on midjourney.com or Discord
The terms in full
the only free way in is a limited trial on the separate niji journey iOS/Android app. Vendor does not state its length or whether a card is required.