Leonardo AI vs Midjourney: 5 Reasons to Choose the Better AI

Leonardo AI vs Midjourney: Which is best? We compare these AI image generators to help you choose the right one for creating AI art.

The Quick Verdict

Reasons to Use Leonardo AI Instead of Midjourney:

Leonardo AI’s interface is easier to use, while Midjourney, tied to Discord, has limitations and some usability challenges. To see your image in Midjourney, use the Midjourney App to view everything you’ve created. Leonardo AI unifies everything in one interface for a smoother user experience.

Reasons to Use Midjourney Instead of Leonardo AI:

Midjourney generations have a better consistency. Leonardo AI needs negative prompts for better images, while Midjourney provides clear images without needing them. Leonardo AI offers more control but requires precise prompts and manual fine-tuning. Midjourney creates smooth, consistent images with some limitations.

Ready for a rundown of the benefits and drawbacks of both software? Let’s start with a fundamental question:

What Are Leonardo AI and Midjourney?

Leonardo AI and Midjourney are top-notch AI tools for making amazing art, especially for video games.

Users can input text and images to create many pictures together. Leonardo.ai and Midjourney are AI art generators that offer users various image creations.

How Leonardo AI and Midjourney Work?

Leonardo AI and Midjourney blend AI and creativity to turn text into art. Both use a diffusion technique, which relies on generative AI and ML technologies.

For smooth operation with Leonardo AI and Midjourney, ensure you have a strong Internet, regardless of your device. Without it, you might find it hard to use all the features and save your work.

Leonardo AI and Midjourney: History and User Bases

Leonardo AI arose from research labs, where bright minds pushed AI’s limits. Originally designed to change how images are made, it quickly became a symbol of innovation.

On Nov 27, 2023, AWS stated that Leonardo AI, an Australian AI platform, makes 4.5 million images every day on their cloud. 

Leonardo AI tool users created over 700 million AI arts and trained 400,000+ custom AI models since December 2022.

Midjourney, Inc., founded by David Holz in San Francisco, California, entered on July 12, 2022. Holz has been an entrepreneur since high school, running a design business as a student.

Midjourney has over 16 million users, demonstrating its appeal to the art generation. The platform has day-to-day active users ranging from 1.2 to 2.5 million.

Leonardo AI vs Midjourney – Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria for Leonardo AI vs Midjourney are:

1. 💰🔍Pricing comparison
2. 🖥️👤User-friendly Interface
3. 🛠️Features
4. 🗣️📝User Feedback
5. 📊✅Output result

1. Leonardo AI vs Midjourney: Pricing Comparison

Let’s start Leonardo AI vs Midjourney with a price comparison.

Leonardo AI Pricing Plan

With Leonardo AI, select the price that suits you best. Details are listed below.

Here are the plans:

• Free: Make 150 images/day.
• Apprentice: $10/month for 8,500 images/month.
• Artisan: $24/month for 25,000 images/month.
• Maestro: $48/month for 60,000 images/month.

The Pricing Plan Calculator of Leonardo AI allows you to estimate API credit usage for different generations. You can utilize it to try different setups and notice the number of API credits you’ll use.

In this example:

• 4 images
• Size: 512 x 512
• Steps: 30
• Cost: 11 API credits.

Tip: Generating one image or many images could cost the same.

Look at this estimated pricing:

• SDXL Model + Alchemy v2 (Leonardo Diffusion XL):

• – 4 images, 512 x 512 -> 24 credits
•  – 4 images, 1024 x 1024 -> 66 credits

• PhotoReal v1 + Alchemy v1:

• 4 images, 512 x 512 -> 23 credits
• 4 images, 1024 x 1024 -> 63 credits

• SD Model + Alchemy v1 (DreamShaper v7):

• 4 images, 512 x 512 -> 16 credits
• 4 images, 1024 x 1024 -> 44 credits

Midjourney Pricing Plan

Midjourney offers four premium subscription tiers. Pay monthly or yearly for a discount of 20%. Each plan includes a gallery, a Discord server, commercial use terms, and many more.

Plan comparison:

🟢 Basic Plan:

• 💲 Monthly: $10 | Annual: $96 ($8/month)
• ⏱️ Fast GPU Time: 3.3 hr/month
• 💼 Features: Work solo in DMs, Rate images for free GPU time

🟡 Standard Plan:

• 💲 Monthly: $30 | Annual: $288 ($24/month)
• ⏱️ Fast GPU Time: 15 hr/month
• 💼 Features: Unlimited Relax GPU Time, Rate images for free GPU time

🔵 Pro Plan:

• 💲 Monthly: $60 | Annual: $576 ($48/month)
• ⏱️ Fast GPU Time: 30 hr/month
• 💼 Features: Stealth Mode, Rate images for free GPU time

🟣 Mega Plan:

• 💲 Monthly: $120 | Annual: $1152 ($96/month)
• ⏱️ Fast GPU Time: 60 hr/month
• 💼 Features: Stealth Mode, Maximum Concurrent Jobs (12 Fast, 3 Relaxed), Rate images for free GPU time

Leonardo AI vs Midjourney Pricing Plan Verdict:

Leonardo AI is the clear winner in terms of pricing plans because Leonardo offers a free plan which is not available in Midjourney and the premium plan is cheaper than Midjourney.

You can use the Midjourney promo code for the discount, but still not be able to match Leonardo AI in terms of price plan.

2. Leonardo AI vs Midjourney: User-friendly Interface

Next will be an interface comparison between Leonardo AI vs Midjourney.

Leonardo AI Interface

We like how sleek and easy-to-use this platform’s UI is. It’s awesome and each option is effortlessly accessible, and simple. It was easy to use. We think even non-techies will get it.

The UI of Leonardo AI is dark by default. It would be nice to have a light version too. We would like to see a light version as well.

Midjourney Interface

The Midjourney Discord interface helps users connect and build a community. 

The software Discord-only interface can be great for some but troublesome for others. Not everyone gets Discord right away. If you’re new, you’ll need to learn a new platform.

This might be a challenge for people who like using a classic, standalone app for their innovative work.

But if you are used to Discord, then Midjourney will be perfect for you. You can also make your community or be in a different community to send some of your AI art or make your stickers on Discord to communicate.

Leonardo AI vs Midjourney User Interface Verdict:

It all depends upon yourself. If you want a clean interface and do not look for any third-party platform Discord, go for Leonardo AI. Or if you love to use the Discord community, then go for Midjourney.

3. Leonardo AI vs Midjourney: Features

Next will be the feature comparison between Leonardo AI vs Midjourney.

Leonardo AI Features

Leonardo AI lets you make personalized data sets and models with your photos. This method makes Leonardo AI easy to use and helps you achieve your desired results.

Another key feature is its wide selection of existing models ready for users. Each model is finely tuned to create detailed, high-quality AI images, perfect for artistic visions.

Join the early-access program to explore Leonardo AI’s features before the official release. Get exclusive access to new features and share feedback to help shape the forum’s growth.

Training is crucial for achieving desired results. It’s very important and requires careful attention to ensure it’s effective.

Some core features of Leonardo AI are:

• AI Canvas
• Dataset
• Sharing the artwork
• Consistency
• Directing the Output

Midjourney Features

Midjourney creates images from text descriptions, known as “prompts.”

Midjourney can create images in realistic, surreal, or abstract styles.

Midjourney empowers users with extensive inventive control over AI-generated images, enabling customization of size, aspect ratio, resolution and more.

The Outpainting feature lets users create images that go beyond the actual image’s edges.

Users can easily remove and replace image backgrounds with the Background Removal feature.

Object Recognition helps identify and remove objects from images.

High image resolution generates detailed images up to 1,792 x 1,024 pixels.

Leonardo AI vs Midjourney Features Verdict:

Midjourney has better features than Leonardo AI. So Midjourney is the clear winner.

4. Leonardo AI vs Midjourney: User Feedback

Next will be the user feedback comparison between Leonardo AI vs Midjourney.

Leonardo AI User Feedback

In Trustpilot, the top five User Feedbacks of Leonardo AI are:

1. David Monrad: User-friendly with good image quality. Free service is excellent; can’t speak for paid. May upgrade in the future.
2. Wayney Wayney: I can’t review the paid service, so I’m deducting one star. But I’m happy with everything else in the free version. The photoreal feature is great, but I’m still getting used to it. The free version is generous, but V2 models are pricier, so tokens run out quickly. I might try the pro subscription, but I’ll check the reviews first. Overall, I’m satisfied!
3. Dave: Either this AI is incredibly deceptive and malicious, or it’s just utterly incompetent after countless attempts at creating art.
4. Lone Walker: Switched from Midjourney to Leonardo! It’s fantastic—innovative, sleek UI, and packed with features. Realtime Canvas, Motion, and Realtime Gen are game-changers! Customer support might be slow due to time zones but they’re responsive (1-2 days). Sorted out my double charge issue swiftly. Highly recommend it!
5. Steven Randle: Since June 2023, I’ve used Leonardo AI and learned tons about art and the app itself. It’s constantly updated with better tools, thanks to a hardworking development team. Their social media communities, like Facebook and Discord, are great places to connect with others. I’ve even made lifelong friends through Leonardo. With quick answers to any questions, it’s impressive for a company just one-year-old. 5 stars without a doubt!

• Overall Trustpilot rating: 2.9/5 (24 votes)
• Slashprompt rating: 5/5 (42 votes)
• App review in App Store: 4.8/5 (2,069 votes)

Midjourney User Feedback

In Trustpilot, the top five User Feedbacks of Midjourney are:

1. Michael Mohr: Horrible customer service! I’ve been a paid member since 2023, and out of nowhere, my account got banned with no explanation. Couldn’t even reach support on Discord. Emails to billing were pointless. Reddit deleted my question. Paid till July, but they act like they’ll just keep my money. Ridiculous!
2. Michael Oliphant: Midjourney is a nightmare. The product’s fine and works well, but once I subscribed, I couldn’t log back in. No matter what I tried, the login kept failing. When I asked for help, all I got was a link to my account. So, I just cancelled. It’s definitely the worst login experience ever.
3. Mona: My subscription was charged but no credits or subscription benefits show up. Support isn’t helping. I’m switching to better alternatives. Disappointing from a company with so much hype.
4. Chris Tucker: Terrible billing! The Cancelled plan still charged me. No support. Avoid and choose companies that treat customers well. Zero stars if I could.
5. Sahil Rajan: Version 6 brings top-notch image quality, but too many prompts are banned. Midjourney should focus on character consistency to outshine competitors. The team is doing great with updates for users! Keep it going!

• Overall Trustpilot rating: 1.8/5 (152 votes)
• Product Hunt rating: 4.5/5 (86 votes)
• G2 rating: 4.4/5 (82 votes)

Leonardo AI vs Midjourney User Feedback Verdict:

To combine all reviews and understand the point of view of users related to these tools, we can say that Leonardo AI is a clear winner between them in terms of User Feedback. Most users of Midjourney are facing billing or subscription-related issues.

5. Leonardo AI vs Midjourney: Output Result

Last will be the output result comparison between Leonardo AI vs Midjourney.

Leonardo AI Output Result

To generate an image in Leonardo AI, just click “Image Generation“, the center icon, or the “Create New Image” option on the top right.

To start, describe the picture you like in your Leonardo AI prompt.

You can also pick an art style when describing, like asking for a giant grasshopper sipping a Wine in Renoir’s style.

Click Generate. Hover over the Tab to see the number of tokens you’ll use in the free plan.

Leonardo makes four pictures for you to see and check.

Afterwards, pick a model. Open the dropdown for Leonardo Diffusion XL and switch to another model. Some model terms are clear, like Pastel Dream and Animation Style. You might have to try the rest to notice what images they make.

Select an element from the “Add Elements” drop-down menu, like Coloring Book, Kids, Folk Art, Vintage Christmas Illustration, or Toon & Anime.

You can choose multiple elements, but Leonardo warns that picking more could lead to surprises.

Select elements, then click Confirmation to go back. Adjust weight with a slider. Click Generate when ready.

In the AI generative tool, negative prompts are when you ask for something but also specify what you don’t like. For instance, if you want a picture of a hopper drinking Wine but without wings.

To start, flip the switch for “Add Negative Prompt.” Then, type “Wings” in the box and hit Generate.

Switch on PhotoReal for realistic images. Adjust “Depth of Field” to Low, Medium, or High and allow “RAW” mode for more larger and detailed images.

Scroll to add Dimensions, and select your desired dimensions. Or, click “Advanced Controls”, pick Aspect Ratio, adjust sliders for Width and Height for manual sizing.

Once you find the images you like, select the one you like to use. Then, you’ll see some options on the picture screen.

Use the Unzoom to zoom out, Remove Background to delete the background, and Alchemy Smooth/Crisp Upscale to boost image resolution. Easily switch between edited and original versions.

Copy the image with the “Copy to Clipboard” option, then paste it wherever you need. Or download it to your PC using the “Download Image” tab.

Midjourney Output Result

To begin creating your image, head to any of the newbie channels in the Discord server, usually named “#newbies-“. Don’t worry too much about which to select – they’re all the same.

The Midjourney takes a minute to respond and creates four images from your prompt.

After Midjourney generates your image, the AI bot will give you prompts to customize and refine it. Here are your options:

U Buttons

Use U buttons (U1-U4) to make images bigger and add more details.

V Buttons

Use V buttons (V1-v4) to create different versions of the specified grid image. Each variation maintains the general face and layout of the original image.

Re-roll

You can rerun the work to get a fresh set of images.

Parameters added to a Midjourney prompt can change how a picture is generated. You can adjust things like image aspect ratios, model versions, upscaling methods, and more using parameters.

Add parameters to the end of your prompt.

Images can be added to a prompt to change how a job looks. To begin with a photo prompt in Discord, just type /imagine followed by the image’s web link. Make sure the link ends with,jpg, .gif, or .png.

If you want to include extra text or parameters, add them after the photo address.

Leonardo AI vs Midjourney Output result Verdict:

According to the outcome, both Leonardo AI and Midjourney are great in their output results. Also, if you give a detailed prompt for AI art and with some settings, the results in these platforms will surprise you with high-quality output.

Alternatives to Leonardo AI and Midjourney

Many Leonardo AI and Midjourney alternatives are available for free!

Bing Image Creator

Use Bing image generator to make custom images from text using DALL·E. It’s integrated into Microsoft Copilot for easy image creation in chat.

Stable Diffusion

Stable Diffusion is a highly adaptable AI image generator. It’s open source and allows you to train models with your own data for precise image generation. No Stable Diffusion alternatives or competitors can come near to this AI.

Conclusion to Leonardo AI vs Midjourney

Is Midjourney better than Leonardo? If we talk about pricing and User Feedback, Leonardo AI is far better than Midjourney. And in terms of features, Midjourney will be the choice of many.

But overall in Leonardo AI vs Midjourney, Leonardo AI is the best AI image generator.

FAQs