A lot of people ask me if they should pay for Midjourney and if it’s really worth it. Luckily, I have the answer because I’m a paid subscriber at the moment.
Let’s get real for a second. We live in a world where everything comes with a subscription. You don’t just “buy” stuff anymore; you rent it on a monthly basis. Whether it’s Adobe Photoshop, Netflix binging, or blasting sick music on Spotify, the subscription model is the name of the game.
Guess what? Midjourney is no exception. So, should you cough up your hard-earned cash for a Midjourney subscription? Is it worth the hype? Well, today is your lucky day. I’m going to tell you.
When You Should Pay For Midjourney (When it’s Worth it)
Definitely buy Midjourney if:
1. You’re a graphic designer looking to dramatically speed up your workflow and bang out more designs than ever before. However, keep in mind that this situation is a double-edged sword. There may come a time in the near future when you get replaced by an AI tool. What this means is, you need to become a world-class graphic designer, shining above the rest. You’ll need to become the best of the best, and you’ll need to know how to leverage AI tools like no other.
2. You’re an artist looking to spice up your creations with some AI-generated magic. Are you a painter? Do you like to draw? If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to supercharge your art with AI, then Midjourney has your back.
3. Your website or blog is thirsting for a steady flow of drool-worthy images. I can personally attest to the tool as being an absolute lifesaver and game-changer for this website. This site looks like it was expertly designed by a team of stellar professional graphic designers. It wasn’t. It was put together with jaw-dropping images from Midjourney, along with some help from my other friend, Adobe Photoshop. What a time to be alive.
4. You’re a college art student hungry for a convenient tool to meet those art project deadlines. Don’t blame me if it’s cheating, though. I don’t know the rules. Personally, I think it would be an awesome addition to any college art course to teach Midjourney.
5. You’re a digital marketer in need of fresh images for your email campaigns, social media, banner ads, etc. If you’re stuck and need design help with just about anything in the realm of marketing, Midjourney can come to the rescue.
6. You’re a photographer who wants to inject some AI into your mixed media masterpieces. I personally know a photographer who loves Midjourney and Photoshop’s Generative Fill. It is taking his photos to new heights and expanding on what he is able to create by one million.
Also, keep in mind that with a Midjourney subscription, you can subscribe for as long as you want, which is nice. So if you need it for work and then suddenly get fired, you can simply cancel it and use the money for Kleenex to soak your tears and alcohol to drown your sorrows.
If you want to research the most up-to-date pricing and package options from Midjourney, check out their pricing page.
When You Should Not Pay For Midjourney (When it’s Not Worth it)
Do not pay for Midjourney if:
1. None of the bullet points above apply to you. Bummer.
2. You’re not planning on needing a boatload of images. If you only need an image here and there, then the price may not be worth it to you. Divide the price of a subscription by the number of images you think you’ll need each month. And then ask yourself if that’s worth it.
3. Your wallet is as empty as a politician’s promises, and you can’t spare $10 a month. If you’re broke, then don’t buy it. Eat food and keep the lights on in your trailer instead.
4. You hate Discord. If you want to use Midjourney, then you need to use an app called Discord (at least for now). This might change in the future.
5. Photoshop’s AI “Generative Fill” feature already tickles your pickle. If you can get by with just using that, then you don’t need Midjourney. Personally, I like combining both tools to blast my designs into another dimension.
6. You’re having a moral dilemma about Midjourney’s image-scraping techniques. Hey, we’re not here to judge. There is some controversy around how Midjourney works. It had to scrape millions of images, and let’s just say that some of them were copyright-protected. Crap.
If you find yourself nodding in agreement to any of these points, it might be time to slam the brakes on that Midjourney subscription idea.
Can You Fire Your Graphic Designer and/or Photographer and Just Buy Midjourney Instead?
Now, this is where things become uncomfortable for some people.
Can a Midjourney subscription allow you to fire your designer or photographer?
Yes, but only under certain circumstances.
In order to completely substitute the need for human creatives, you have to tick a few boxes:
1. I know this sounds stupidly obvious, but you’ll need to learn how to use Midjourney. Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science. I mean, you can generate a work of art using two words. With that being said, the better you get prompting the machine, generally speaking, the more value you’ll get out of the tool. Learning the most effective prompts for your needs can save you time, effort, energy, and tokens. And it will yield better images.
2. You have an eye for design. You can decipher good design from bad design. Any amount of formal art education also helps.
3. Understand how to align Midjourney’s creations with your brand’s unique image. Take this site for example. My site features images that are dark, mysterious, hackerish (not a word, but I like it), slightly psychedelic, and have an “underground” type of feel. If you don’t understand the subtleties of how to string together images that feel like they go together, then you may need to keep a design person around.
4. Photoshop skills help, but they aren’t 100% necessary. You’d be amazed at how much better you can make a Midjourney image look with a little Photoshop editing.
I don’t think the bar is set too crazy high, but at the same time, a lot of people will not qualify to fire their designer. Or they will fire them, but then later realize that they have no idea what they are doing. Then, they’ll have to come crawling back.
What are 10 Practical Applications of Midjourney?
The better question is, “When it comes to image creation, what can’t you do with Midjourney?” Why? Because it can do a lot.
Here are a few examples:
1. Create custom birthday cards that’ll put Hallmark to absolute shame. Just combine Midjourney’s images with some personalized text from Photoshop or Canva.
2. Channel your inner rockstar and create album covers for your favorite artists (or for yourself, if you’re an artist…but that’s doubtful).
3. Deck out your home or trailer with stunning custom artwork. Your walls will thank you for the upgrade. Why buy something generic on Amazon for your walls when you could create something that’s truly what you want for less money?
4. Curate images of your dream girl or guy. Just don’t tell anyone, because it’s kind of weird.
5. As stated previously, create images for websites, social media posts, email campaigns, banner ads, and more.
6. Personalize your phone and computer background with images that’ll make your friends think you’re a total nerd.
7. Add images or photos to that killer eBook you’re still writing to generate that “passive income,” am I right? Wait, why aren’t you rich off that sh*t yet?
8. Make your favorite song lyrics come to life through art.
9. Create posters and sell them online. Personally, I think this is morally a so-so idea, but whatever. Up to you. Just be clear in your profile that your stuff is AI-generated. Don’t be a charlatan.
10. Create a new AI LinkedIn profile picture without needing to hire a photographer or go to some dumb photo shoot.
Basically, if you need an image, Midjourney is there for you.
My Personal Experience So Far as a Midjourney Subscriber
I think Midjourney is absolutely amazing. It’s the one underground product that I talk about with friends that hardly anyone has tried yet.
Just when I think I’ve seen it all, Midjourney floors me again.
$10/month for a Midjourney subscription is undeniably worthwhile to me, and it’s right up there with my Spotify subscription. It’s like…why would I not want this?
The amount of time and money I’ve saved by paying for Midjourney vs. designing things myself, shuffling through free stock images online, or paying a designer is truly astounding.
Wrapping it up
So at this point, we’ve traveled on a journey through the realms of Midjourney. Should you pay for a Midjourney subscription? Is Midjourney truly worth your time, effort, and $10 a month?
If you’re a graphic design fanatic, artist, website owner, marketing guru, or photography maestro, and you’re ready to dive headfirst into the world of AI-generated images, then Midjourney might just be your golden ticket. However, if you’re not in need of a massive image arsenal, broke as f*ck, or simply don’t fit the Midjourney mold, it might be time to save those pennies for something else and let the coin jar sink to the bottom of the ocean.
Remember, the power to create anything is now in your hands. We are living in the most exciting period in human history, and I truly believe that. Yes, there will be graphic design and photography jobs that get cut. However, those who can rise above, become the best, and harness the sheer power of AI will come away with a gold trophy.
Disclaimer: Run The Prompts is not affiliated with Midjourney in any way. Images generated with Midjourney are for creative purposes only and should be used responsibly. Also, remember: Run the prompts and prompt the planet!
