The prices, plans and models in this article were checked on September 24, 2026.
Midjourney and Adobe Firefly generate images with AI, but their operating models differ greatly.
Midjourney sells computing time. Plans differ mainly in Fast GPU Time, Relax Mode access, privacy and video. Firefly uses generative credits alongside unlimited standard generations on paid plans, integrating AI capabilities into Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Adobe Express and Creative Cloud services.
Choosing between them is therefore not just about "Which image looks better?". It depends on workflow, video, privacy, editing tool integration and how you want to pay for usage.
Midjourney prices
Midjourney currently offers four subscription plans:
- Basic: 10 dollars per month.
- Standard: 30 dollars per month.
- Pro: 60 dollars per month.
- Mega: 120 dollars per month.
Annual billing provides a 20% discount when the whole year is paid upfront:
- Basic: 96 dollars per year.
- Standard: 288 dollars per year.
- Pro: 576 dollars per year.
- Mega: 1,152 dollars per year.
The current plans page does not show a permanent free plan.
How Midjourney measures usage
Midjourney does not sell a simple "number of images per month".
Plans include Fast GPU Time:
- Basic: 3.3 hours per month, or 200 minutes.
- Standard: 15 hours.
- Pro: 30 hours.
- Mega: 60 hours.
Additional GPU time can be purchased at 4 dollars per hour.
Actual consumption depends on model, settings and action type. These hours should therefore not be converted into a fixed image count.
Standard, Pro and Mega include unlimited Relax Mode for images. Pro and Mega also add unlimited Relax Mode for SD video.
Adobe Firefly prices
Adobe offers Free with limited daily generations, alongside four paid personal plans:
- Firefly Standard: 9.99 dollars per month, with 2,000 generative credits.
- Firefly Pro: 19.99 dollars per month, with 4,000 credits.
- Firefly Pro Plus: 49.99 dollars per month, with 10,000 credits.
- Firefly Premium: 199.99 dollars per month, with 50,000 credits.
Adobe sometimes runs temporary promotions. Prices here are the regular list prices checked, not promotional prices.
What is a generative credit
A Firefly Credit does not necessarily equal one image.
Adobe prices different actions differently. Many standard actions consume few credits, while advanced image models, video, audio and partner models can consume more.
For example, current documentation states:
- Firefly Image 5 consumes 10 credits per generation.
- Firefly Image 4 Ultra consumes 20.
- Generate Video at 1080p and 24fps consumes 100 credits per second.
- Generate Video at 720p and 24fps consumes 50 credits per second.
- Generate Sound Effects consumes 10 credits per generation.
These numbers can vary by model and action. Credit counts should therefore not be converted into one "number of images" here either.
Standard generation without credit limits in Firefly
Adobe says paid Firefly plans include unlimited standard generations. Credits are not deducted for these standard actions, except for exceptions such as certain Firefly Graph actions.
"Unlimited" is subject to Adobe safeguards against automation, account sharing, resale and unusual usage. Adobe may temporarily limit usage triggering these safeguards.
Premium actions still consume credits.
Video
Both products now include video, but pricing differs.
In Midjourney:
- Basic allows SD video.
- Standard, Pro and Mega allow SD and HD.
- Pro and Mega include unlimited Relax Mode for SD video.
- Fast video continues consuming GPU Time.
In Firefly, Standard, Pro and Pro Plus include credits usable for video too. The pricing page shows up to 20 videos of 5 seconds in Standard, up to 40 in Pro and up to 100 in Pro Plus under relevant settings.
Firefly Premium includes unlimited Firefly Video Model access within Generate Video. This does not mean every third-party video model or Adobe video action is unlimited.
Midjourney's current image model
Midjourney V8.2 has been the default since July 24, 2026.
V8.1 was the default from June 10 to July 23, 2026. A comparison presenting V8.1 as the current model is therefore outdated.
Midjourney describes V8.2 as an update focused on aesthetics, image quality and Personalization, including a new Edit Model.
Privacy in Midjourney
Stealth Mode is available only on Pro and Mega.
Anyone needing built-in output privacy within Midjourney must therefore consider that requirement when choosing a plan.
Basic and Standard do not include Stealth Mode.
Commercial use in Midjourney
Midjourney's plans page says all plans use the service's general commercial terms.
According to Midjourney's current clarification, a former subscriber can use their images and video for most uses, but a company with annual gross revenue exceeding one million dollars must use Pro or Mega.
For substantial business use, read current service terms rather than rely solely on the plan summary.
Commercial use in Firefly
Adobe allows outputs from features not marked Beta in commercial projects. Beta outputs may also be allowed commercially unless Adobe states otherwise in the product, but a Beta output is not eligible for Firefly indemnification.
Distinguish three things:
- Whether the output may be used in a commercial project.
- What material Adobe says its models were trained on.
- Whether a particular customer receives contractual protection against an intellectual property claim.
These are not the same question.
Adobe says Firefly is not trained on Creative Cloud subscribers' personal content or customer content, describing training materials as licensed content, including Adobe Stock, and public-domain material whose copyright has expired.
What about indemnification
Adobe offers Firefly IP indemnification only under specified conditions for eligible customers, plans, surfaces and export workflows.
This is not an automatic promise to every Firefly subscriber.
Features marked Beta or Trial are excluded from standard protection. Third-party models are also not automatically covered unless appropriate supplementary terms exist.
Firefly should therefore not simply be described as "copyright safe" or "legally protected". Protection depends on contract and use.
Integration with Adobe tools
This is one of the major differences between Firefly and Midjourney.
Firefly is integrated into tools such as:
- Photoshop, including Generative Fill and other actions.
- Illustrator, including vector graphics generation.
- Premiere Pro, including Generative Extend.
- Adobe Express.
- Creative Cloud more broadly.
If your work starts and ends inside Photoshop or Premiere, this integration may matter more than an aesthetic difference between models.
Who Midjourney suits
Midjourney particularly suits people wanting:
- A dedicated image and video generation tool.
- Fast GPU Time-based pricing.
- Image Relax Mode on Standard and higher.
- Stealth Mode on Pro and Mega.
- Style and Personalization control within Midjourney.
- Work independent of Adobe's ecosystem.
There is no need to declare it "more beautiful" in every situation. Aesthetic quality also depends on style, prompt and editing process.
Who Adobe Firefly suits
Firefly particularly suits people wanting:
- To start with a free plan.
- To combine creation with Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere or Express.
- Generative credits-based payment.
- Unlimited standard generations on paid plans, subject to usage safeguards.
- Video, audio and partner models in one workspace.
- Potential contractual protections on eligible business plans, subject to terms.
Midjourney or Adobe Firefly?
If you seek a dedicated creative environment with GPU-based usage, Relax Mode and Stealth on higher plans, Midjourney offers a clear structure.
If you already work in Creative Cloud, Firefly connects AI directly to design and editing workflows, offering a free plan and four paid plans.
For professionals working with commercial assets, the decision should also include privacy, usage rights and contract terms, not just the first image a prompt produces.
Sources checked
- Midjourney plan comparison: https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/27870484040333-Comparing-Midjourney-Plans
- Midjourney versions: https://docs.midjourney.com/hc/en-us/articles/32199405667853-Version
- Midjourney plans: https://www.midjourney.com/plans
- Adobe Firefly plans: https://www.adobe.com/products/firefly/plans.html
- Adobe generative credits FAQ: https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/apps/generative-ai/generative-credits-faq.html
- Adobe Firefly Help: https://helpx.adobe.com/firefly/
- Adobe generative AI user guidelines: https://www.adobe.com/legal/licenses-terms/adobe-gen-ai-user-guidelines.html
- Adobe Firefly product description: https://helpx.adobe.com/legal/product-descriptions/adobe-firefly.html