Midjourney is a really popular AI that makes pictures. You just tell it what to make, and it creates cool, artistic images. The thing is, they stopped giving out free trials in 2023. So, can you still use Midjourney for free? Well, yes, but you need to get a little creative.
In this guide, the Cabina.AI team will show you how to use tech that’s similar to free trial Midjourney. Plus, we’ll show you some other options that might even be better for you.
Does Midjourney Have a Free Trial?
Midjourney free version was stopped in April 2023. Why? Well, it got too popular. People were making tons of accounts to get free images, and their servers just couldn’t keep up. Plus, some people were making stuff they shouldn’t have, which caused a lot of problems.
Now, you need a paid subscription to use Midjourney. The most basic subscription Midjourney cost $10 a month. If you want things to be faster or need more images, you’re looking at $30, $60, or even $120 each month.
But there are still legitimate ways to access free trial Midjourney without spending a cent.
Niji Journey App: Your Free Entry Point
Niji Journey is a partnership between Midjourney and a company called Spellbrush. It uses the same powerful AI engine as Midjourney ai free trial, but it’s specifically designed for anime and manga-style artwork. And the cool thing is, you can actually try it out for free right on your phone.
How to Get Started with Niji Journey
Getting your free images is simple:
- Step 1: Download the Niji Journey app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
- Step 2: Open the app and create an account. You can sign up with your email or social media.
- Step 3: You’ll automatically receive 20 free image generations. No credit card required.
- Step 4: Type what you want to create in the text box. For example: “a warrior cat in anime style” or “cyberpunk city at sunset, manga aesthetic.”
- Step 5: Hit generate and wait about 30 seconds. You’ll get four different versions of your image to choose from.
What’s Different from Standard Midjourney?
Niji Journey is fantastic for anime and manga art, but it’s more limited than regular Midjourney. The images lean heavily toward Japanese animation styles: vibrant colors, big eyes, dynamic action poses. If you’re looking for photorealistic images or Western art styles, you might want to check out the alternatives below.
Still, for anime fans or anyone curious about AI art, those 20 free images are a great way to experience what Midjourney technology can do.
Accessing Midjourney Technology Through Meta AI
In August 2024, Meta (the company behind Facebook and Instagram) announced a partnership with Midjourney, which means you can now generate images using Midjourney tech for free through Meta AI.
There’s no limit on how many images you can create.
Here’s how to access it:
- Go to meta.ai in your web browser. You can also use it through Facebook Messenger or Instagram;
- If you’re not already logged in, sign in with your Facebook or Instagram account;
- Look for the “Create” or image generation option;
- Type your image description;
- Meta AI will generate your image using Midjourney technology;
What works great:
- Unlimited image generation;
- High-quality, realistic images;
- Fast generation speed;
- Easy interface, no Discord needed;
- Good for product photos, portraits, and realistic scenes.
What’s limited:
- Focused mainly on photorealism, not artistic styles;
- Fewer customization options than paid Midjourney;
- Can’t upscale images to super high resolutionl
- NNo advanced Midjourney parameters.
Best Alternatives to Midjourney
If Niji Journey and Meta AI don’t quite fit your needs, don’t worry. There are excellent alternatives that are completely free—and some might even work better for what you’re trying to create.
Cabina.AI
Cabina.AI is a platform that gives you access to multiple AI tools in one place, including Midjourney, Flux, Stable Diffusion, and more. Instead of subscribing to each service separately, you get them all through one account.
What makes Cabina.AI special:
- Access to Midjourney and 25+ other AI models;
- New users get free tokens (credits) to test almost all AI models;
- Simple interface (no technical knowledge needed);
- You can compare results from different AI models side-by-side;
Flux AI
Created by the team that originally built Stable Diffusion (one of the most popular open-source AI models), Flux delivers professional-quality images that rival Midjourney.
What you need to know:
- Created by Black Forest Labs in Germany;
- You can use it free through platforms like Cabina.AI, Replicate, and others;
- Excellent at understanding complex descriptions;
- Great for both artistic and realistic images;
Nanobanana
Nanobanana is a newer AI tool that’s been turning heads for one specific reason: it’s incredibly good at editing existing images. Most AI image tools focus on creating images from scratch, but Nanobanana is different.
What makes Nanobanana unique:
- Uses Google Gemini AI technology;
- Exceptionally good at maintaining consistent characters across multiple images;
- You can edit photos just by typing simple instructions;
- It does a better job of keeping faces and identities consistent compared to other tools;
- Perfect for making AI influencers or designing characters that look the same every time
Which Option Should You Choose?
Well, you don’t have to pick just one. Since most of these options offer free trials or credits, you can test them all and see which one fits your style. AI image generation is constantly evolving, and what works best for you today might change next month.
