Choosing the right AI image generator can dramatically impact your creative workflow. With FLUX, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion dominating the landscape in 2025, we've conducted extensive testing to help you make an informed decision.
Executive Summary
| Model | Best For | Pricing | Learning Curve |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLUX | Photorealism, text rendering | $0-30/month | Medium |
| Midjourney | Artistic quality, aesthetics | $10-60/month | Low |
| Stable Diffusion | Full control, customization | Free (local) | High |
Model Overview
FLUX (Black Forest Labs)
FLUX emerged in 2024 as a serious challenger to established players, developed by the team behind the original Stable Diffusion.
Key specifications:
- Parameters: 12 billion
- Variants: FLUX.1 [schnell], FLUX.1 [dev], FLUX.1 [pro]
- Open source: Partially (schnell and dev weights available)
- Local deployment: Yes
Standout features:
- Industry-leading text rendering accuracy
- Exceptional photorealism
- Strong prompt adherence
- Efficient architecture
Midjourney
The aesthetic powerhouse that popularized AI art, known for stunning out-of-box results.
Key specifications:
- Parameters: Undisclosed
- Current version: v6.1
- Open source: No
- Local deployment: No (Discord/Web only)
Standout features:
- Unmatched aesthetic quality
- User-friendly interface
- Strong community
- Excellent upscaling
Stable Diffusion
The open-source foundation that enabled the AI art revolution.
Key specifications:
- Parameters: 860M (SDXL), 8B+ (SD3)
- Variants: SD 1.5, SDXL, SD3, SD3.5 Turbo
- Open source: Yes (fully)
- Local deployment: Yes
Standout features:
- Complete customization
- Extensive ecosystem (LoRAs, ControlNet)
- Free local usage
- Maximum privacy
Head-to-Head Comparison
1. Photorealism Quality
We tested each model with identical prompts for photorealistic output:
Test prompt:
"Professional portrait photograph of a 30-year-old woman with freckles, natural lighting from window, shallow depth of field, Canon EOS R5, 85mm f/1.4"
Results:
| Criteria | FLUX | Midjourney | SD 3.5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin texture | 9.5/10 | 8.5/10 | 8/10 |
| Lighting accuracy | 9/10 | 9/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Eye detail | 9/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Overall realism | 9.5/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
Winner: FLUX - Consistently produces the most photorealistic images, especially for human subjects.
2. Text Rendering
A historically challenging task for AI models:
Test prompt:
"Coffee shop menu board, chalk lettering reading 'ESPRESSO $3.50', rustic wooden frame"
| Model | Accuracy | Readability |
|---|---|---|
| FLUX | 95% | Excellent |
| Midjourney v6.1 | 75% | Good |
| SD 3.5 | 60% | Fair |
Winner: FLUX - Clear leader in text accuracy. Midjourney v6.1 improved significantly but still struggles with longer text.
3. Artistic Style Variety
Testing capability across different art styles:
Test styles:
- Oil painting
- Anime/manga
- Watercolor
- Art nouveau
- Cyberpunk
| Style | FLUX | Midjourney | SD + LoRA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil painting | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | 9/10 |
| Anime | 7/10 | 8/10 | 9.5/10 |
| Watercolor | 8/10 | 9/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Art nouveau | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | 9/10 |
| Cyberpunk | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 |
Winner: Midjourney for out-of-box artistic quality. Stable Diffusion + LoRAs for specialized styles like anime.
4. Prompt Adherence
How closely models follow complex instructions:
Test prompt:
"Three red apples and two green pears in a blue ceramic bowl, on a white marble counter, morning sunlight from the left"
| Criteria | FLUX | Midjourney | SD 3.5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Correct fruit count | 95% | 70% | 60% |
| Correct colors | 98% | 85% | 80% |
| Spatial accuracy | 90% | 75% | 70% |
| Lighting direction | 85% | 80% | 65% |
Winner: FLUX - Most reliable for precise prompt following, especially counting and spatial relationships.
5. Generation Speed
Average generation time for a single 1024x1024 image:
| Model | Cloud API | Local (RTX 4090) |
|---|---|---|
| FLUX schnell | 2-3 sec | 3-5 sec |
| FLUX dev | 10-15 sec | 15-25 sec |
| Midjourney | 30-60 sec | N/A |
| SDXL | N/A | 5-10 sec |
| SD 3.5 Turbo | 3-5 sec | 4-6 sec |
Winner: FLUX schnell/SD 3.5 Turbo for speed. Note that Midjourney generates 4 images per job, affecting apparent speed.
6. Customization & Control
Ability to fine-tune and control generation:
| Feature | FLUX | Midjourney | Stable Diffusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| LoRA support | Yes | No | Extensive |
| ControlNet | Limited | No | Full |
| Inpainting | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| Outpainting | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Custom training | Possible | No | Full |
| API access | Yes | Limited | Yes |
Winner: Stable Diffusion - Unmatched flexibility for technical users.
7. Consistency & Reproducibility
Ability to recreate similar results:
| Model | Seed control | Style consistency | Character consistency |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLUX | Full | High | Medium |
| Midjourney | Yes (--seed) | High | High (--sref) |
| SD | Full | Medium | High (with LoRA) |
Winner: Tie - Midjourney's style reference feature is excellent, SD's LoRA system offers more control, FLUX balances both.
Pricing Comparison
FLUX
| Tier | Price | Generations |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | $0 | Limited daily |
| Pro | $20/month | ~1000 images |
| API | Pay-per-use | Variable |
Midjourney
| Plan | Price | GPU Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $10/month | 3.3 hrs/month |
| Standard | $30/month | 15 hrs/month |
| Pro | $60/month | 30 hrs/month |
| Mega | $120/month | 60 hrs/month |
Stable Diffusion
| Option | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local | Free | Requires GPU |
| Cloud APIs | Variable | Per-image pricing |
| ComfyUI Cloud | ~$10/month | Managed hosting |
Most cost-effective: Stable Diffusion (local) for high volume, FLUX for moderate use, Midjourney for casual users.
Use Case Recommendations
Choose FLUX if you need:
- Product photography - Best-in-class photorealism
- Text in images - Only reliable option for accurate text
- Marketing materials - Professional, polished output
- Architectural visualization - Precise structural accuracy
- Technical documentation - Diagrams with labels
Ideal users: Marketing teams, e-commerce, content creators
Choose Midjourney if you need:
- Concept art - Stunning imaginative visuals
- Illustration - Beautiful artistic interpretations
- Social media content - Eye-catching, shareable images
- Creative exploration - Discovering unexpected directions
- Mood boards - Quick aesthetic ideation
Ideal users: Artists, designers, creative directors
Choose Stable Diffusion if you need:
- Anime/manga - Best with specialized LoRAs
- Batch processing - High-volume generation
- Complete control - ControlNet, custom workflows
- Privacy - Local generation, no data sharing
- Custom characters - Train your own models
Ideal users: Developers, technical artists, game studios
Decision Framework
Use this flowchart to choose your tool:
Start
│
├─ Need photorealism? ──────────────── Yes → FLUX
│
├─ Need text in images? ────────────── Yes → FLUX
│
├─ Need artistic style? ────────────── Yes → Midjourney
│ └─ Need specific anime style? ──── Yes → Stable Diffusion + LoRA
│
├─ Need full customization? ────────── Yes → Stable Diffusion
│
├─ Need privacy/local? ─────────────── Yes → Stable Diffusion or FLUX
│
├─ Budget-conscious? ───────────────── Yes → Stable Diffusion (local)
│
├─ Beginner? ───────────────────────── Yes → Midjourney
│
└─ General use? ────────────────────── → FLUX (balanced choice)
Hybrid Workflow Recommendation
For professional workflows, we recommend using multiple tools:
- Ideation phase: Midjourney for creative exploration
- Production phase: FLUX for final high-quality renders
- Specialized needs: Stable Diffusion for custom requirements
This approach leverages each tool's strengths while minimizing weaknesses.
Future Outlook
FLUX
- Rapidly improving with frequent updates
- Strong backing from Black Forest Labs
- Expected: Video generation, better control features
Midjourney
- Version 7 anticipated in 2025
- Web interface maturing
- Expected: Better text, API improvements
Stable Diffusion
- SD4 development ongoing
- Focus on efficiency and quality
- Expected: Better base quality, easier training
Conclusion
There's no single "best" AI image generator—the right choice depends on your specific needs:
- FLUX: Best overall balance of quality, speed, and versatility
- Midjourney: Best aesthetic quality and ease of use
- Stable Diffusion: Best flexibility and value for technical users
For most users starting out, we recommend FLUX as the default choice, with Midjourney as a complement for creative work.
Ready to try the comparison yourself? Start with FLUX on CreateIO—generate your first images free and see how different models perform for your use cases.
