Leonardo AI vs Midjourney: which one to choose in 2026?

Community ratings, features, pricing and free plans: the complete head-to-head between Leonardo AI and Midjourney to find the right tool for your needs.

Screenshot of Leonardo AI
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Leonardo AI

4.5 (265)

Originally built for video game creators, Leonardo AI has grown into a comprehensive and generous image generation platform, acquired by Canva in 2024. Its many specialized models — including Lucid Origin, its flagship model — along with a real-time engine, advanced editing tools and video generation make it an accessible graphic studio, popular with hobbyists and professionals alike.

Text to ImageArt Generator
Screenshot of Midjourney
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Midjourney

4.6 (735)

A benchmark in AI image generation, Midjourney turns simple text descriptions into visuals of remarkable artistic quality. Its distinctive, carefully crafted aesthetic has won over graphic designers, art directors and content creators around the world. The tool can now also animate images into short video clips.

Text to ImageArt Generator

Comparison table

CriterionLeonardo AIMidjourney
Average rating4.54.6
Number of reviews265735
Free planYesNo
PlansFree, Essential, PremiumBasic, Standard, Pro
CategoriesText to Image, Art GeneratorText to Image, Art Generator
Last updatedJuly 8, 2026July 8, 2026

See all tools in these categories: Text to Image, Art Generator

Our verdict

Leonardo AI or Midjourney?

Leonardo AI (4.5/5) and Midjourney (4.6/5) earn very similar ratings from our community: the choice mostly comes down to your use case.

Budget-wise, Leonardo AI offers a free plan to get started, while Midjourney does not appear to offer one.

Both tools play on the same field (Text to Image and Art Generator): compare their features and pricing above to make the call.

Features head to head

Leonardo AI

  • Specialized models for each graphic style
  • Lucid Origin, a flagship model designed for Full HD output
  • 150 free tokens renewed daily
  • Real-time generation as you draw
  • Editing Canvas with image extension and retouching
  • Smart upscaling up to large-format print quality
  • Video generation from text or images

Midjourney

  • Some of the most polished artistic rendering on the market
  • Web interface with editing and organization of your creations
  • Control over style, framing and aspect ratios
  • Variation, upscaling and region-based editing tools
  • Image and style references to maintain visual consistency
  • Animate images into short video clips
  • Latest models are faster, with high-resolution image generation

Pricing compared

Leonardo AI

Free

  • 150 tokens renewed every day
  • Access to most models
  • Public creations

Essential

  • $12 per month
  • 8,500 monthly tokens
  • Private generations
  • Priority queues

Premium

  • $30 per month
  • 25,000 monthly tokens
  • Ideal for regular graphic production

Midjourney

Basic

  • Around $10 per month
  • Around 200 generations per month
  • Commercial usage rights

Standard

  • Around $30 per month
  • Extended fast generation time
  • Unlimited relax mode

Pro

  • Around $60 per month
  • Stealth mode to keep your images private
  • More concurrent generation queues

Prices are indicative and may change — check the official sites for up-to-date pricing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Leonardo AI and Midjourney?

Leonardo AI and Midjourney belong to the same categories (Text to Image and Art Generator): the difference comes down to the features, pricing and user experience detailed in this comparison.

Leonardo AI or Midjourney: which one is rated higher?

The two tools are neck and neck: Leonardo AI shows 4.5/5 (265 reviews) and Midjourney 4.6/5 (735 reviews).

Can you use Leonardo AI or Midjourney for free?

Leonardo AI offers a free plan, and Midjourney does not offer a free plan as far as we know.

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