Leonardo vs Midjourney
Midjourney still sets the bar for polished, stylized images. Leonardo is cheaper to start, has a free tier and makes private generations easier to get.
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How this page was made: this is a research-based comparison built from official pricing pages, product documentation and vendor announcements. We haven’t tested these tools ourselves or run hands-on benchmarks for this page, and we don’t invent scores. Our methodology.
Quick answer
Choose Leonardo.Ai if you want to try image generation for free first or you need private images without paying $60 a month. Choose Midjourney if you want the most polished, artistic results, you’re happy to pay from the start or you’ll generate a lot and want unlimited Relax mode from $30.
Last updated Pricing checked Oct 2026
Check Leonardo.Ai pricing (opens in a new tab)Check Midjourney pricing (opens in a new tab)
Key facts at a glance
| Leonardo.Ai | Midjourney | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, 150 fast tokens a day (public images) | No free trial |
| Entry plan | Essential $12/mo (about $10/mo yearly) | Basic $10/mo ($8/mo yearly) |
| How usage is metered | Monthly fast tokens, plus a rollover token bank | Fast GPU hours a month, plus Relax mode on Standard and up |
| Unlimited slower generation | Premium and up (relaxed images on select models) | Standard and up (Relax mode) |
| Private generations | From Essential | Pro or Mega only (Stealth mode) |
Looking at other options too? See our Midjourney alternatives.
Pick Midjourney if image quality and style are what matter and you’re fine paying from day one (there’s no free trial). Pick Leonardo if you want a free plan to try things, private generations on a cheaper tier, or more control tools for game and product art. On price alone, the tiers line up closely: about $10–$12, $30 and $60 a month.
Leonardo.Ai vs Midjourney: side-by-side
| Leonardo.Ai | Midjourney | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, 150 fast tokens a day (public images) | No free trial |
| Entry plan | Essential $12/mo (about $10/mo yearly) | Basic $10/mo ($8/mo yearly) |
| How usage is metered | Monthly fast tokens, plus a rollover token bank | Fast GPU hours a month, plus Relax mode on Standard and up |
| Unlimited slower generation | Premium and up (relaxed images on select models) | Standard and up (Relax mode) |
| Private generations | From Essential | Pro or Mega only (Stealth mode) |
| Top individual plan | Ultimate $60/mo (about $48/mo yearly) | Mega $120/mo ($96/mo yearly) |
| Team plans | Teams Starter $24/seat, Growth $48/seat | No separate team tier; companies over $1M revenue need Pro or Mega |
How much do they cost?
Leonardo.Ai plans
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly (per month) | Fast tokens/mo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 150 a day | Public creations |
| Essential | $12 | about $10 | 8,500 | Private; 25,500-token bank |
| Premium | $30 | about $24 | 25,000 | 75,000-token bank; unlimited relaxed images on select models |
| Ultimate | $60 | about $48 | 60,000 | 180,000-token bank; relaxed video |
Midjourney plans
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly (per month) | Fast GPU time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $10 | $8 | 3.3 hours | No Relax mode |
| Standard | $30 | $24 | 15 hours | Unlimited Relax images |
| Pro | $60 | $48 | 30 hours | Stealth (private) mode |
| Mega | $120 | $96 | 60 hours | Stealth mode |
What are the pros and cons?
Leonardo.Ai: pros
- Real free tier for testing
- Private generations from the $12 Essential plan
- Unused tokens roll into a token bank
- Team plans with per-seat pricing
Leonardo.Ai: cons
- Token costs vary by model and settings, so budgeting takes work
- Free images are public
- Unlimited relaxed images start at Premium
Midjourney: pros
- Widely regarded as the benchmark for stylized, polished images
- Simple GPU-hour metering
- Unlimited Relax mode from the $30 Standard plan
- Extra fast time at $4 an hour
Midjourney: cons
- No free trial
- Private (Stealth) generations need the $60 Pro plan or higher
- Businesses with more than $1M in revenue must buy Pro or Mega
Which should you choose: Leonardo.Ai or Midjourney?
For most hobbyists who care mainly about the look of the output, Midjourney Standard ($30/mo) is the safer bet. Leonardo is the better value if you need privacy on a budget, want to try before you pay, or work in a team.
Choose Leonardo.Ai if…
- You want to try image generation for free first
- You need private images without paying $60 a month
- You make game assets or product art and want more control tools
- You’re buying seats for a small team
Choose Midjourney if…
- You want the most polished, artistic results
- You’re happy to pay from the start
- You’ll generate a lot and want unlimited Relax mode from $30
- You prefer simple GPU-hour budgeting
Privacy and commercial use
Midjourney images are public in its gallery unless you’re on Pro or Mega and turn on Stealth mode. Midjourney also says companies with more than $1M in annual gross revenue must be on Pro or Mega. Leonardo’s free images are public, but every paid plan from Essential up makes your generations private. If client work has to stay confidential, that difference can decide it.
Tokens vs GPU hours
Midjourney counts the GPU time your jobs use. Upscales and video take more time than a standard image grid. Leonardo charges tokens, and the cost per image depends on the model, resolution and features you choose. Leonardo’s token bank lets unused tokens carry over up to a cap (25,500 on Essential), while Midjourney’s fast hours reset each month.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leonardo cheaper than Midjourney?
Does Midjourney have a free trial in 2026?
Which is better for private client work?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
- Leonardo.Ai pricing (leonardo.ai)
- Midjourney plans (docs) (docs.midjourney.com)
- AI Plan Tracker: Midjourney vs Leonardo (aiplantracker.com)
- Knois: Midjourney vs Leonardo (knois.com)
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