IOPaint vs Midjourney
An open-source image editing tool (formerly Lama Cleaner) that removes objects, people, text and watermarks from photos using AI inpainting — and can replace or expand parts of an image. Runs locally, free and private.
🧠 Expert verdict
Our expert verdict: Midjourney is the stronger all-round choice, scoring 4.8/5 versus 4.5/5 for IOPaint, and it stands out for "Best-in-class artistic & cinematic quality". If budget is your priority, IOPaint (Free / Open Source) is the more affordable option. Choose Midjourney if you want the best image tool overall, especially for concept art; pick IOPaint if "Remove objects, people & watermarks" matters more for your workflow.
IOPaint
An open-source image editing tool (formerly Lama Cleaner) that removes objects, people, text and watermarks from photos using AI inpainting — and can replace or expand parts of an image. Runs locally, free and private.
Midjourney
State-of-the-art text-to-image generator creating stunning cinematic visual art from prompts.
IOPaint
✅ Pros
- +Remove objects, people & watermarks
- +AI inpainting & outpainting
- +Runs locally & free
- +Open source
- +Simple browser UI
❌ Cons
- −Needs a GPU for best speed
- −Local install required
- −Fewer features than Photoshop AI
- −Results vary by image
Midjourney
✅ Pros
- +Best-in-class artistic & cinematic quality
- +Highly detailed, painterly results
- +Web app available (no Discord required)
- +Frequent model upgrades (v7+)
- +Strong style-reference tools
❌ Cons
- −No official API
- −Steeper prompt-engineering learning curve
- −No free tier
- −Less fine-grained control than Stable Diffusion
🎯 Best for — IOPaint
🎯 Best for — Midjourney
🏷️ Tags — IOPaint
🏷️ Tags — Midjourney
Our Verdict
After comparing ratings, pricing and features, Midjourney comes out ahead with a 4.8/5 rating. It is the better choice for most users.
Expert take on each tool
📌 IOPaint
IOPaint (formerly Lama Cleaner) is the go-to open-source image cleanup tool: remove objects, people and watermarks or expand images with AI inpainting, all locally and free. A private, no-subscription alternative to paid photo editors.
📌 Midjourney
Midjourney is the top pick for users who want the highest artistic and cinematic quality straight out of the box, even if it takes a bit more prompt practice to master.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: IOPaint or Midjourney?
Midjourney has the higher user rating (4.8/5 vs 4.5/5), making it the stronger overall pick. That said, IOPaint can still be the better fit depending on your budget and specific needs — see the full comparison above.
Is IOPaint or Midjourney cheaper?
IOPaint (Free / Open Source) is generally more budget-friendly than Midjourney (From $10/mo). If cost is your main concern, IOPaint is worth trying first — but compare the feature sets above to confirm it covers what you need.
Can I switch from IOPaint to Midjourney?
Yes — switching between IOPaint and Midjourney is usually straightforward since both are image tools with similar core workflows. Most users can export their data and get started with Midjourney within a day; just check Midjourney's free plan before committing to a paid tier.