Top pick: ComfyUI. Switching saves about $96 USD a year.
$96 USDa year
≈$136.87 CAD (converted from USD)
Every pick below has a free version.
4 alternatives
The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
Best for full control over local image and video models
GPL-3.0 and free locally. FLUX.1 [schnell] weights are Apache-2.0; FLUX.1 [dev] weights are non-commercial. Check each model's license. Free version: The local app and the desktop build are free. Comfy Cloud is an optional paid hosted service.
Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.
Best for a canvas-first editing workflow
Apache-2.0. The project site is invoke.ai; the older invoke.com address no longer serves it. Model licenses vary.
Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
Best for simple SDXL prompting with few settings
GPL-3.0. In limited long-term support with bug fixes only; the last release was v2.5.5 in Aug 2024. SDXL only.
Best for A1111-style workflows with Flux and SDXL
AGPL-3.0. The last commit was in June 2025, so new model support may lag. Windows and Linux only.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
How each alternative covers what people use Midjourney for. Numbers link to editor notes.
| Feature | ComfyUI | InvokeAI | Fooocus | Stable Diffusion WebUI Forge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation | ||||
| Text-to-image generation | YesNote 1Quality depends on the model you load | YesNote 2Flux and SDXL and SD 1.5 models | YesNote 3SDXL models only | YesNote 4Stable Diffusion and SDXL and Flux models |
| Editing | ||||
| Inpainting and outpainting | YesNote 5Built-in inpainting and outpainting | YesNote 6Layer-based canvas for inpainting and outpainting | YesNote 7Inpaint and outpaint tools | YesNote 8img2img with inpainting |
| Upscaling and variations | YesNote 9Upscale models and frame interpolation nodes | YesNote 10Upscaling inside the app | YesNote 11Upscale 1.5x or 2x and subtle or strong variations | YesNote 12Hires fix and upscaler extras |
| Control | ||||
| Style and image references | YesNote 13Reference conditioning and adapters | PartialNote 14Reference images and ControlNet depend on the model | YesNote 15Image prompts and style presets | PartialNote 16Integrated ControlNet; reference quality depends on the model |
| Video | ||||
| Short video generation | YesNote 17Runs open video models; needs a strong GPU | PartialNote 18Wan 2.2 video added in v6.14 | NoNote 19Still images only | NoNote 20Still images only |
| Access | ||||
| Runs without your own GPU | NoNote 21Needs a capable GPU; Comfy Cloud is a paid hosted option | NoNote 22Needs an NVIDIA or AMD GPU or an Apple Silicon Mac | NoNote 23Needs an NVIDIA GPU with at least 4 GB of VRAM | NoNote 24Needs a capable GPU |
| Parity score | 83% | 67% | 67% | 58% |
Not covered by any free alternative yet: Runs without your own GPU. See all feature gaps
Switching saves about $96 USD / ≈$137 CAD (estimated from the USD price) a year. Prices checked ; ≈ means converted from USD.
Based on Midjourney Basic, annual plan. Price source. USD to CAD at 1.4257 as of Oct 7, 2026.
Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.
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Midjourney is a product of Midjourney, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for Midjourney: Web.