--- title: "FLUX vs Midjourney: Pay per Image or Subscribe" url: https://www.imagequarry.com/compare/flux-vs-midjourney/ last_updated: 2026-10-20 --- # FLUX vs Midjourney: model API by the image, or a subscription app FLUX is Black Forest Labs' family of image models, sold pay per image through an API and a browser Playground, with open weights for self hosting; FLUX 3 Image edits from written instructions and combines up to ten references. Midjourney is a subscription app on its website and Discord with its own models and an Edit model. FLUX suits developers and teams who pay by usage; Midjourney suits people who want an app and a flat monthly price. _We make ImageQuarry, which is not one of these two products. We compared FLUX and Midjourney using their own public pages, checked October 20, 2026._ ## At a glance | | FLUX | Midjourney | |---|---|---| | How you pay | Credits at $0.01 each; no subscriptions or seat fees | Monthly or yearly subscription, $10 to $120 a month | | Editing with words | FLUX 3 Image: write the change as an instruction | Edit model: written instructions | | References | Up to ten references | Up to 4 references | | Where you use it | Browser Playground, REST API, MCP server, open weights | midjourney.com, Discord, niji journey app | | Ownership | You own all right, title and interest in API outputs | Broad use; Pro or Mega above $1M revenue | ## FLUX and Midjourney: the differences that matter - **Usage pricing or a flat plan**: FLUX charges per image or per second of video, with one credit costing $0.01 and the same prices in the API and Playground; FLUX 3 Image runs from $0.041 at 768 by 768 to $0.607 at 4K. Midjourney charges a flat subscription with Fast GPU hours and, on Standard and up, Relax mode. - **Building it into your own product**: FLUX has a REST API, an MCP server and open weights licenses for self hosting. Midjourney's pages read show no public API. - **An app for everyday creating**: Midjourney gives you a website with an Organize page, an Editor, Draft batches and a mobile app through niji journey. FLUX's browser Playground is for testing ideas and iterating on prompts, and BFL lists no iOS or Android app. - **More references per request**: FLUX 3 Image can combine up to ten references, and FLUX.2 offers multi-reference support up to 10 images. Midjourney's Edit model takes up to 4 reference images. ## FLUX vs Midjourney, side by side | Topic | FLUX | Midjourney | |---|---|---| | Models | FLUX 3 Image, FLUX 3 Image Klein, FLUX.2 [max], [pro], [flex], [klein], Kontext | V6, V7, V8.1, V8.2 and Niji | | Editing one element | Bounding boxes to recolor, move, replace or remove one element | Vary Region, Move and Resize, Erase | | Maximum size | Prices listed up to 4K; FLUX.2 up to 4MP | 2048 x 2048 | | Video | FLUX 3 Video with native audio, clips up to 20 seconds (vendor claim) | Video alongside images | | Provenance | May embed Content Credentials, which users may not remove | Not stated | | Subscriptions | None: pay for what you generate | Basic, Standard, Pro, Mega | As of 2026-10-20. ## Pricing Prices as of October 2026, from each vendor's own pages. Credits are not comparable across products, because each vendor defines its own credit. Check the vendor for current pricing. - FLUX API and Playground: 1 credit = $0.01 per pay per image (Same price for API and Playground; no subscriptions) - FLUX FLUX 3 Image: $0.048 at 1K, $0.10 at 2K, $0.607 at 4K per image (FLUX 3 Image Klein from $0.008) - FLUX FLUX.2 [pro]: $0.03 first megapixel, $0.015 each additional per image (FLUX.1 Kontext [pro] $0.04 per image) - FLUX Self hosted licenses: Purchase or Contact Sales (Builder: 10K images a month) - Midjourney Basic: $10 per month, billed monthly (3.3 hours of fast GPU time a month) - Midjourney Standard: $30 per month, billed monthly (15 hours fast GPU time, relax mode) - Midjourney Pro: $60 per month, billed monthly (30 hours fast GPU time, Stealth Mode) - Midjourney Mega: $120 per month, billed monthly (60 hours fast GPU time, Stealth Mode) - Midjourney Basic, Standard, Pro, Mega (annual): $96, $288, $576, $1,152 per year, paid upfront (20% discount) Prices as of 2026-10. ## About each product - **FLUX**: FLUX is a family of foundation models from Black Forest Labs. FLUX 3 Image edits from a written instruction and can combine up to ten references; bounding boxes target one element. You pay $0.01 per credit, per image or per second of video, through the API or the browser Playground, or license open weights to self host. API outputs include full commercial rights. - **Midjourney**: Midjourney is a subscription image and video generator from $10 to $120 a month, used on its website, in Discord and in the niji journey app. Its Edit model takes written instructions with up to 4 references, and its Editor, Organize page and Draft mode support everyday creating. ## Which one fits your work **Choose FLUX when:** - You are building an app or workflow and need an API or self hosting - You want to pay per image instead of a subscription - You need up to ten references in one request - You want ownership of outputs written into the terms **Choose Midjourney when:** - You want a ready app with an editor and a library - You want a predictable monthly price - You work in Discord or on mobile through niji journey - You like Draft batches to explore ## Where ImageQuarry fits ImageQuarry is a workspace you open and create in: you describe an image or upload one, ask for changes in words, and keep every version in projects and a library. It offers four image models by name, with Nano Banana 2.1 as the default, on monthly plans with 100 or 300 image credits a month and optional metered overage that is off unless you turn it on. ## Questions about FLUX vs Midjourney ### Is FLUX a subscription? No. Black Forest Labs says there are no subscriptions or seat fees: you pay $0.01 per credit, per image or per second of video, in the API or the Playground. ### Can I use FLUX in an app like Midjourney's? BFL offers a browser Playground for testing and iterating on prompts, an MCP server and an API. Its official pages list no iOS or Android app. ### Which handles more reference images? FLUX 3 Image can combine up to ten references. Midjourney's Edit model takes up to 4. ### Who owns FLUX outputs? BFL's Developer Terms say you own all right, title and interest in API outputs and may use them for personal or commercial purposes. ## Sources Checked 2026-10-20. - [FLUX homepage](https://bfl.ai/) - [FLUX llms.txt](https://docs.bfl.ai/llms.txt) - [FLUX flux3_image_overview.md](https://docs.bfl.ml/flux_3/flux3_image_overview.md) - [FLUX kontext_overview.md](https://docs.bfl.ml/kontext/kontext_overview.md) - [FLUX pricing.md](https://docs.bfl.ml/quick_start/pricing.md) - [FLUX pricing](https://bfl.ai/pricing) - [FLUX developer terms of service](https://bfl.ai/legal/developer-terms-of-service) - [Midjourney page (Wayback capture)](https://web.archive.org/web/20261006094752/https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/32199405667853-Version) - [Midjourney page (Wayback capture)](https://web.archive.org/web/20261010084459/https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/48495453462797-Edit-Model) - [Midjourney page (Wayback capture)](https://web.archive.org/web/20261001035429/https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/32764383466893-Editor) - [Midjourney page (Wayback capture)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260919200921/https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/35577175650957-Draft-Conversational-Modes) - [Midjourney page (Wayback capture)](https://web.archive.org/web/20261001215107/https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/32804058614669-Upscalers) - [Midjourney page (Wayback capture)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260611023212/https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/41268334793613-Transitioning-to-Web) - [Midjourney page (Wayback capture)](https://web.archive.org/web/20261015064915/https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/27870484040333-Comparing-Midjourney-Plans) - [Midjourney page (Wayback capture)](https://web.archive.org/web/20261016072158/https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/27870399340173-Free-Trials) ## Related comparisons - [ImageQuarry vs FLUX](https://www.imagequarry.com/compare/imagequarry-vs-flux/) - [ImageQuarry vs Midjourney](https://www.imagequarry.com/compare/imagequarry-vs-midjourney/) - [FLUX vs Krea](https://www.imagequarry.com/compare/flux-vs-krea/) - [FLUX vs Stable Diffusion](https://www.imagequarry.com/compare/flux-vs-stable-diffusion/) - [All comparisons](https://www.imagequarry.com/compare/) ## An image app built around asking for changes In ImageQuarry, each change you describe becomes a new version, and you can branch from any earlier one.