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We’re having a look at Adobe Firefly vs Midjourney, to see how they compare to one another.
Adobe has just begun the Beta for Adobe Firefly, what they describe as ‘a Family of new Creative Generative AI’. This family will be a full toolkit of AI image manipulation tools, that will be eventually integrated into Adobe software. They will offer the chance to radically alter and augment the creative workflows of anyone who uses Photoshop, Premiere or other Adobe programs.
For now, though, only two tools have been made publicly available, image generation and text generation. To gain access you’ll need to sign up for the Beta.
The image generation tool in particular will put them in direct competition with Midjourney, an incredibly popular image-based AI, which is available through Discord.
Midjourney has firmly established itself as one of the big players in the AI-generated image game, thanks to its ability to create artistic and photorealistic images that are creatively stunning and engaging. It has also recently released V5 which has a host of new exciting settings. Midjourney is intended to be a tool used by artists to spark creativity or offer a starting point for new projects.
So how do these two AIs compare? We’ll be having a look at all the important similarities and differences, so you can get a complete overview of these exciting and powerful tools. Let’s get into it.
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Adobe Firefly vs Midjourney – similarities
We can only compare Midjourney to the two tools within Adobe Firefly that have been made available, fortunately, one of these, the image generator functions very similarly to Midjourney.
Both Midjourney and Adobe Firefly’s image generator, create images based on text prompts from the user. In both, you can add words to affect style genre and content, and both can then create variations on the images generated.
Some of the controls available to the user involve deciding the aspect ratio of the image created, as well as whether it will be photo-realistic, abstract, or anything in between.
Both these generative tools are also marketing themselves towards artists themselves. They want to be used as tools artists use to create work, rather than doing the full creation themselves. This explains the extensive control and adjustability users of both AIs can enjoy.
There was a conception that Midjourney was primarily for creating artistic images, performing poorly at creating something photo-realistic. Any idea of this has been put to bed with Midjourney V5 which can create images that are often almost indistinguishable from real photos.
Both tools are currently only accessible online via your browser.
Adobe Firefly vs Midjourney – differences
The vital difference between Adobe Firefly and Midjourney is that the image generation tool of Firefly will eventually just be one aspect of the tool kit. While for now, Midjourney is only an image-generation tool.
In the demos Adobe has released we see a user create a very simple drawing of a woodland with a river running through it, they then get the AI to stylise it into a more visually engaging image, all while staying fully within Adobe software.
Another example sees a user in Premier Pro editing a photo of a cabin in Summer, instructing the AI to ‘change the scene to winter’, in a moment the green trees and blue skies are replaced by barren branches and falling snow.
The other tool we currently have access to from Adobe Firefly is one called text generation. It essentially does what it says on the tin – you give it the characters you want to be generated, then give it the style and kind of design you want. This is a brilliant tool for generating fonts and something lacking entirely from Midjourney.
However, from the tests we’ve seen, Midjourney does seem more powerful at creating photo realistic images or responding to more challenging prompts, providing work that is great as a creative kick-off point.
This is unsurprising as Firefly is in a testing stage, having only just been released to the public and even then through a signup process only.
Which one should you use?
These are two incredibly powerful AI tools that have the potential to massively alter and improve creative workflows. What’s more, these technologies are both actually in their early days, meaning that improvements will be coming thick and fast.
Because of these factors, there is not yet an objective answer to which one is better to use. Though, depending on what you think an image generation tool can help you with, there might be one which suits you more.
Those who already use Adobe programs will find that Firefly, when fully realised, will fit into their workflow in a more seamless manner. This is because the tools will be available and fully integrated into those programs.
Midjourney meanwhile, now, seems to be better at creating images in response to prompts. With the new Midjourney V5 settings, it is especially impressive at creating photo-realistic images
As for pricing, both are free at the first point of use, though you will need to be accepted onto the Beta to use Adobe Firefly. It is also likely that, at some point in the future, it will be bundled with other Adobe programs.
For Midjourney your first twenty-five prompt inputs are free, from there you will have to start paying for this it. Depdningn your exact plan you will pay between $8 and $60 a month.
Frequently asked questions
Is Midjourney V5 available?
Yes, Midjourney V5 is now available to play with in Discord, though the developers have made it clear that this is an Alpha meaning that things will change when it is fully released.
Can you only use Adobe Firefly online?
Yes, you will have to be online to access Adobe Firefly. In fact, for now, you can only access the tool through your browser.
