Ideogram v4.5 vs Midjourney V8.2

33 identical prompts, default settings, blind community votes. Head-to-head: 45% preferred Ideogram v4.5, 45% preferred Midjourney V8.2, 1 ties, 11 votes.

Ideogram v4.5 and Midjourney V8.2 have met in 11 blind head-to-head votes on 33 identical prompts in the BudgetPixel AI Image Arena. The votes are too close to call so far: Ideogram v4.5 45%, Midjourney V8.2 45%, 1 ties. Ideogram v4.5 was faster, at 13.2s median per image against 104.1s for Midjourney V8.2.

• “Exactly five wooden toy blocks sit on a pale gray table: two red cubes on the left, one yellow cylinder in the center, and two blue cubes on the right. A small green ball sits behind the cylinder, nothing else.”Prompt adherence

  

  

• “Exactly five candles stand on a dark slate tabletop: two ivory candles on the left, one red candle in the center, and two teal candles on the right. A brass snuffer sits above the red candle, nothing else.”Prompt adherence

  

  

• “Realistic. Adults in the U.S., Canada, and Asia getting a ton of expensive free stuff (phones, PCs, nice food, and all kinds of other things). 4–6 panels. The adults react in the way one would expect as a result.”Prompt adherence

  

  

• “Across a brushed steel counter, exactly six fountain pens rest in three groups: two crimson pens on the left, two ivory pens in the center, and two cobalt pens on the right; nothing else.”Prompt adherence

  

  

• “Exterior of an Art Deco railway terminal in pale limestone and dark green glazed brick, with stepped massing, bronze-framed windows, and a broad canopy; clear winter morning light, viewed from the station forecourt, precise lines and credible structure.”Architecture & interiors

  

  

• “Across a sheltered coastal inlet, a contemporary high-tech cable-stayed bridge spans between granite shores, its slender steel pylons and pale concrete deck catching cool sunrise light; viewed from a rocky bank, straight lines and credible engineering define the scene.”Architecture & interiors

  

  

• “A majestic deer, its antlers intertwined with blooming vines, pauses by a crystal-clear stream in an enchanted glade. Sunlight filters through the canopy, dappling the forest floor. This is an oil painting with a rich, textured surface, capturing the dreamlike atmosphere of the scene.”Concept art & fantasy

  

  

• “Create a painted image of a frontier lawman in heaven, facing away from the camera with angel wings. He is standing on a ground made of clouds, with a door in front of him. Holding a cross, he uses it to knock on the door.”Concept art & fantasy

  

  

• “A bioluminescent panda bear, its fur patterns glowing with neon blues and vibrant greens, sits peacefully amidst a grove of luminous, alien flora. Giant, pulsing mushrooms and floating orbs of light create an otherworldly ambiance. The background fades into an inky blackness, making the glowing elements pop. Style: Sci-fi fantasy illustration with sharp, defined lines and glowing contrasts, drawing inspiration from futuristic concept art.”Concept art & fantasy

  

  

• “A majestic phoenix rising from a cascade of molten gold and shimmering embers against a backdrop of a dark, volcanic caldera. Its feathers are ablaze with brilliant oranges, reds, and fiery yellows. The air around it crackles with heat and energy. Style: Epic fantasy art with dynamic composition and vibrant color contrast”Concept art & fantasy

  

  

• “A brass-and-ceramic deep-sea crawler with arched pressure tanks trundles across the floor of a sunken obsidian caldera. Its searchlight cuts through green silt, revealing ruined stone arches far below the surface.”Concept art & fantasy

  

  

• “A majestic winged horse, with iridescent feathers and a coat like polished obsidian, is soaring through a celestial realm filled with nebulae and shimmering stardust. Around its hooves, tiny galaxies spiral outwards. The style is reminiscent of intricate fantasy illustration, with glowing, ethereal colors and a sense of deep cosmic wonder”Concept art & fantasy

  

  

• “A miniature, intricately detailed fox crafted from living constellations, curled asleep atop a crescent moon. Surrounding it are delicate, bioluminescent flowers that pulse with gentle light, casting intricate shadows. The background is a deep indigo sky filled with swirling nebulae and distant, twinkling stars. The overall aesthetic is dreamlike and whimsical, with a painterly finish and a touch of cosmic wonder.”Concept art & fantasy

  

  

• “Editorial glamour photograph of an adult man in a midnight-plum dinner jacket and black trousers, standing naturally beside a sculptural marble bar in a quiet hotel lounge, flattering amber light, easy smile, polished editorial elegance.”Glamour

  

  

• “Editorial glamour photograph of an adult man in a forest-green fitness set, resting naturally after a hike on a sunlit alpine lodge terrace, flattering morning light on his face, relaxed expression, distant peaks softened behind him.”Glamour

  

  

• “A cat flying in the sky wearing a super kitty costume.”Illustration & anime

  

  

• “Clean cel-shaded painted cityscape, wide high-angle elevated rooftop level shot looking out over dense modern downtown office buildings, small dark winged figure hovering above central midground rooftops, pale overcast deep blue sky with wispy white clouds, diffused even daylight lighting with soft subtle ambient shadows, muted cool grey, beige, blue building facades with uniform office windows, flat concrete building rooftops, receding hazy distant city skyline with atmospheric perspective, eye level relative to building tops, no outlines, smooth flat color rendering, no grain.”Illustration & anime

  

  

• “Watercolour illustration of an adult ceramicist shaping a blue-glazed vessel in a sunlit workshop, shelves of unfinished pottery and leafy plants softened by loose brushwork. Palette of terracotta, indigo, warm cream, and sage.”Illustration & anime

  

  

• “Wind combs a high granite ridge above a glacial cirque at sunrise, beneath clearing snow squalls; granular rime crusts foreground boulders while successive peaks dissolve into blue cloud shadow.”Landscape & nature

  

  

• “Moonlight washes a snowbound high plateau beneath sharp stars, while dry flurries cross the midnight air; frost feathers the foreground tussocks, and dark, rolling ridgelines recede into a blue-black distance.”Landscape & nature

  

  

• “Wide shot of a golden-hour prehistoric football match, photorealistic, cinematic. A weathered, muscular adult caveman with ochre face paint sits upright on a plump medium T-Rex's back, gripping a braided leather leash. The mounted T-Rex strains mid-kick, wearing a tiny faded grey cotton T-shirt riding up over its scaled shoulders and frayed athletic shorts bunched at its hips, one massive clawed foot cocked back behind a pockmarked 3ft stone football. A weathered timber goalpost stands 20 yards ahead; the opposing T-Rex goalie hunches ready in a sleeveless striped jersey #1 and grass-stained shorts, claws dug into dusty red earth. Sunlit bleachers line the natural rock arena: cheering adult cave families wave bone flags, assorted small dinosaurs bounce and roar along the sidelines, warm late-afternoon light gilds fern fronds and dinosaur scales, soft long shadows stretch across the playing field, playful triumphant atmosphere, sharp focus on the kicking T-Rex, shallow depth of field on spectators.”Photorealism

  

  

• “Candid documentary photograph of an adult market vendor arranging ripe tomatoes at an outdoor produce stall, cool early-morning side light, 50mm lens with shallow depth of field, condensation droplets beading on the tomato skins.”Photorealism

  

  

• “Realistic. Four scenes in one. 1) A pretty Japanese woman, about 19–23 years old, in cat-type cosplay at an anime convention. 2) An old German man or woman, about 60–65 years old, finally having a breakthrough that would change the world. 3) A happy, mixed-race, 21-year-old female or male hacker checking their bank account, which has many zeros, with a bundle of cash near their PC. 4) A happy moment that would make you smile.”Photorealism

  

  

• “A man is pushing his car, which is stuck in the mud, amid heavy rain in the countryside. The sky is gloomy, and some hail is also falling on the car and the ground. The big man has mud all over his trousers. Show him struggling.”Photorealism

  

  

• “Photorealistic image, late at night. The image shows a pretty 21-year-old Japanese woman wearing a blue dress that fits her body. Next to her is a pretty 24-year-old Indian woman wearing a crop top and leggings that fit her. Another is a pretty Black woman, age 23–27, wearing gym wear and glasses. They are having a group photo in front of a bar called “AI Prompt’s Bar.” The image shows full front, back, and side views of the women. Vibe: busy friends who finally made time to hang out.”Portrait & fashion

  

  

• “Fashion portrait of an adult nonbinary person in their late twenties wearing a structured saffron-yellow canvas jacket over a fine-gauge navy merino top, hands resting on the jacket hem. Their bright, self-assured expression contrasts with a softly lit sage-green backdrop.”Portrait & fashion

  

  

• “Wind lifts the hem of a charcoal wool coat as an adult man in his late 40s keeps a pensive gaze. The portrait frames him against a windswept coastal bluff beneath cool, cloud-filtered daylight.”Portrait & fashion

  

  

• “Commercial product photograph of an unbranded sculptural desk lamp with a frosted opal glass globe and brushed copper stem, standing on a pale travertine surface against a muted sage background, illuminated by soft overhead diffusion and a delicate warm rim light.”Product & commercial

  

  

• “An unbranded, unmarked faceted optical-glass paperweight rests on charcoal slate against a pale blue-gray background; broad diffused studio light and a narrow side highlight reveal crisp internal refractions and bright edge reflections.”Product & commercial

  

  

• “A slim, unbranded sparkling-water can of brushed aluminum, beaded with condensation, stands on a pale terrazzo surface against a seamless electric-blue background; broad overhead diffusion and a crisp side strip create clean highlights, with no lettering or graphics.”Product & commercial

  

  

• “A realistic image where the theme is all about people having the best year ever. 4–6 moments seen from different angles. At the top it says, "The Best Year seen from different angles".”Typography

  

  

• “People on the set of a super mega game show called "Who Wants Money$$$?". There are at least six adults (three men and three women), all of different races, looking really excited. There is a big machine with a lot of cash inside. At the top of the machine it says "Who Wants Money$$$? MEGA Machine". In the middle of the machine it says "Banker", with the shadow of a man near the name. At the bottom of the machine it says "$Set 4 Life$", with a red button in the middle of the words. Near the machine are game hosts on both sides of it: a handsome man and a pretty woman.”Typography

  

  

• “Rain beads on a bicycle repair shop’s blue awning, with wheels and brass tools visible behind the glass; “IRON PETAL” is lettered in warm yellow enamel capitals across the wooden fascia.”Typography