Can I Use Midjourney For Free? | Current Access Rules

As of April 2026, the old “try it first” path is gone on Midjourney’s website and in Discord. If you want full Midjourney access, you need a paid plan. The one free route left is a limited trial inside the niji・journey mobile app.

That makes this a simple yes-or-no question with one small catch. No, you can’t use the full Midjourney service for free on the main site. Yes, there is still a narrow trial path on mobile through a related app. If you only saw older posts, that split is where the confusion starts.

Can I Use Midjourney For Free? What Applies Now

Midjourney’s own Free Trials page says there is no free trial on Discord or on midjourney.com. It also says a limited trial is available in the niji・journey app for iOS and Android.

So the plain answer is this: if you want the web version, the Discord version, or the normal paid account features, you should expect to subscribe before you create images. That matches Midjourney’s current getting-started flow too. New users are sent to plan selection before making images on the main service.

This matters because a lot of older articles still talk about the old free-trial era. Midjourney did run free trials in the past. That is no longer the rule on the main platform.

What “free” means here

There are three different things people mean when they ask this question:

• Full free access: using Midjourney on the web or in Discord without paying.
• A small test run: making a few images to see how it feels.
• No-cost extras after paying: squeezing more use from a live subscription.

Only the second and third versions still exist. Full free access on the main service does not.

Using Midjourney For Free On Web And Mobile

If you just want the short version, here’s how the current access options break down.

Where free access still exists

The niji・journey app is the only official place Midjourney lists a free trial right now. That is not the same as full web access, and it is not a standing promise that all features will match the main paid plans.

Where free access does not exist

The website and Discord both require a subscription for normal use. Midjourney’s own getting-started page says you’ll need to subscribe before making your first image on the main service.

What happens once you subscribe

Paid plans unlock the main creation flow, plan minutes, and plan-specific extras like Relax mode on higher tiers. Midjourney also lets active subscribers earn extra Fast time by rating images, though that is not the same thing as a free account. It only works if you already have a live subscription.

Access Path	Free Or Paid	What You Get
midjourney.com	Paid	Main web creation flow after subscribing
Discord	Paid	Main bot access after subscribing
niji・journey iOS app	Limited trial	Small no-cost test on mobile
niji・journey Android app	Limited trial	Small no-cost test on mobile
Basic plan	Paid	Entry tier with monthly Fast GPU time
Standard plan	Paid	More Fast time plus unlimited image Relax mode
Pro or Mega plan	Paid	Higher limits plus Stealth mode

What Midjourney Costs Once The Free Trial Ends

Midjourney’s plan comparison page lists four tiers: Basic, Standard, Pro, and Mega. Monthly pricing is $10, $30, $60, and $120. Annual billing cuts the effective monthly rate by 20%.

There’s also a feature split that matters more than the sticker price. Standard and higher plans include unlimited image generations in Relax mode. Pro and Mega add Stealth mode, which keeps your creations private. If you only need a light amount of image generation, Basic may be enough. If you expect to make lots of images, Standard is the first tier where the math starts to feel better.

One more cost detail gets missed a lot: Midjourney bills in US dollars. If your bank account uses another currency, your bank will handle conversion and may add its own fee. Midjourney says that on its payment currency page.

When a paid plan makes sense

A subscription is easier to justify when you:

• need the full website workflow
• want steady output each month
• care about Relax mode on bigger plans
• need private generation on Pro or Mega
• sell client work and need the proper plan tier

If you only want to test the look and feel, the limited mobile trial is the safer first stop.

What You Can Still Do Without A Full Paid Plan

You do still have a few no-cost options, just not full access. The first is the limited mobile trial. The second is reading prompts, studying image structure, and planning your style before you spend anything. Midjourney’s output often depends less on a single magic prompt and more on clear subject wording, camera cues, lighting cues, and style control.

You can also wait until you have a real use case. That sounds obvious, though it saves money. If you subscribe with no project in mind, it’s easy to burn through paid time on random tests. If you show up with a brand style, mood references, and a shortlist of prompts, you get more from the first month.

Subscribers can also rate images to try to earn extra Fast GPU time. Midjourney says those rewards go to top daily raters and expire after 30 days. That can stretch a paid account, though it does not turn Midjourney into a free service.

User Type	Best Starting Point	Why It Fits
Curious first-time user	niji・journey trial	Lets you test the style without web-plan billing
Casual image maker	Basic plan	Lower monthly cost for lighter use
Heavy hobby creator	Standard plan	Relax mode helps when you make lots of images
Client or studio work	Pro or Mega	Stealth mode and larger limits fit paid work better

Common Mistakes People Make With Midjourney Pricing

Mixing up old posts with current rules

This is the big one. Older articles still mention free Discord trials. Midjourney’s current docs say that is no longer available on Discord or the website.

Thinking Discord Nitro includes Midjourney

It does not. A Discord subscription and a Midjourney subscription are two different things.

Buying too much plan too soon

If you only need a few images for a one-off project, a higher plan can be overkill. Start with what matches your workload, then upgrade if you hit the ceiling.

Forgetting currency conversion fees

If you pay outside the US, your bank may add costs on top of Midjourney’s listed price.

Should You Wait For A Free Trial To Return?

You can wait, though there’s no sign on Midjourney’s official docs that a main-site free trial is back. If your goal is to test the look, the limited niji・journey trial is the only official no-cost route listed right now. If your goal is paid work, private generations, or web access, waiting may just delay the project.

For most people, the cleanest move is simple:

• use the mobile trial if you only want a taste
• pick Basic if your usage will be light
• pick Standard if you expect a lot of image output
• pick Pro or Mega if privacy and bigger limits matter

That keeps the decision tied to how you’ll use the service, not just to the word “free.”