The #1 reason AI images are rejected from stock sites is "Technical Quality issues." This often means your image was pixelated, blurry, or simply too small.
Stock agencies typically require images to be at least 4 Megapixels (approx 2500px on the shortest side). Since Midjourney generates images at roughly 1024x1024px, you HAVE to upscale. But not all upscalers are created equal.
1. Topaz Photo AI (Gigapixel)
Topaz has been the industry leader for years. Its "Gigapixel" technology uses AI to guess missing details.
- Pros: Excellent face recovery (best in class). Removes noise effectively. One-time purchase or annual plan.
- Cons: Sometimes makes skin look "waxy" if the Denoise setting is too high.
- Verdict: The reliable workhorse. Best for portraits.
2. Magnific AI
The new kid on the block. Magnific doesn't just upscale; it "hallucinates" new details. It feels like magic.
- Pros: Can turn a blurry mess into HD. Adds incredible skin texture (pores, wrinkles) that Midjourney missed. Great for "Creativity" and "Hallucination" sliders.
- Cons: Expensive subscription model. Sometimes changes the face of the person completely (bad for consistency).
- Verdict: The best for landscapes, food, and objects. Be careful with faces.
3. Midjourney Built-in Upscaler (2x / 4x)
Midjourney now offers "Upscale (Creative)" and "Upscale (Subtle)".
- Pros: Free (included in your compute hours). Convenient.
- Cons: Often doesn't fix artifacts. Just makes the image bigger but not necessarily sharper in a "photographic" way.
- Verdict: Good starting point, but usually needs a pass through Topaz afterwards.
My Recommended Workflow
For the highest acceptance rate on Adobe Stock, try this:
- Generate image in Midjourney v6.
- Use Midjourney's Upscale (Subtle) to get it to 2048px.
- Import into Topaz Photo AI.
- Set "Face Recovery" to 40% (not 100%).
- Upscale 2x to reach ~4000px.
- Export as High-Quality JPEG.
This workflow balances the natural look of Midjourney with the sharpness of Topaz.