3 Open Source alternatives to Midjourney in 2026
We compare 3 self-hostable tools you can deploy on your own server in minutes, with license, tech stack and a ready-to-copy docker-compose.
Quick comparison
Sorted by featured first, then GitHub stars as a tiebreaker — the same rule we use across the whole site.
| Tool | License | Minimum RAM | Docker | GitHub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stable Diffusion WebUI (AUTOMATIC1111) Lightest option100% FOSSMost popular on GitHub | AGPL-3.0 | ~256MB | ✅ | ★ ~145,000 |
| ComfyUI Lightest option100% FOSS | GPL-3.0 | ~256MB | ✅ | ★ ~58,000 |
| InvokeAI Lightest option | Apache-2.0 | ~256MB | ✅ | ★ ~24,000 |
Detailed profile of each alternative
Alternative to Midjourney
Complete interface for local Stable Diffusion, an alternative to Midjourney.
Alternative to Midjourney
Node-based image generation, an advanced alternative to Midjourney.
Alternative to Midjourney
Polished Stable Diffusion interface with a unified canvas, an alternative to Midjourney.
How much does Midjourney cost, and how much can you save?
Midjourney charges a recurring monthly fee. Self-hosting the alternative, you only pay for the server — usually a few dollars a month.
Calculate your exact savings in the SaaS Audit →Already know which one you want?
Add Stable Diffusion WebUI (AUTOMATIC1111) to the Stack Builder and generate a ready-to-deploy docker-compose.yml, alone or alongside the rest of your stack.
Build my stackFrequently asked questions
Do I need Docker to self-host a Midjourney alternative?
Yes, for all 3: each one has a ready-to-copy docker-compose.yml. You just need Docker installed on your server.
How much RAM do I need at minimum?
The lightest option on this list is Stable Diffusion WebUI (AUTOMATIC1111), which runs on as little as 256MB of RAM — enough for a cheap VPS.
Are they all 100% free, or are there paid features like on Midjourney?
2 out of 3 are 100% FOSS. The rest are Open-Core: the core is free and self-hostable, but some advanced feature may stay paid — we call it out on each tool's page.