Imagine generating images with nothing but your thoughts put into words, sounds exciting right? That’s exactly what AI image generators do for you! Without having to do any manual creation, you can brainstorm, and keep the ideas flowing without compromising creativity.
But with the constant development of AI, there are thousands of AI tools with noticeable differences. So what is the best tool on the market?
To answer this question, I’ve tested and compared the best AI image generators of 2024 and categorized them according to their special use cases. So, dive right in to learn which photo generator works for you.
In this article
Part 1. What Makes the Best AI Image Generator?
Now that you know what AI image generators are capable of, the next question is, what are significant parameters for choosing one? Here are a few important factors you should consider when choosing an image generator.
- Cost: Look for tools that balance functionality with affordability. Premium features are great but there’s no reason they can’t be easy on the pocket. Set your budget and look for tools with a desired list of features. Free versions also work great for those just starting out.
- Functions: Versatility is key when it comes to AI image generators. A top-tier software should offer multiple art styles such as photorealistic, cartoony, conceptual arts, or animations. Easy customizations through prompts or edits are always a cherry on top!
- Convenience: A user-friendly interface is the first thing that stands out when trying different tools. Features like drag-and-drop uploads, pre-made sample prompts, and built-in chat assistance make all the difference, especially for beginners.
- Reviews: Want to know the most honest take on a tool? There’s nothing better than user reviews. Considering feedback from real users gives you a clear idea of the tool’s functionalities. A high user ratings often reflect a tool’s reliability and performance.
Part 2. 10 Best AI Image Generators You Must Try in 2024
1. Midjourney - Best for Realistic Visuals
Midjourney is a Discord-based AI bot that requires you to provide specific image requirements (style and dimensions) in the prompt to get the most accurate results. Of all generators I tried, Midjourney gave me the highest image quality results. It is undoubtedly the best AI image generator for crafting hyperrealistic human-like images with the most consistent finishings.
Key Features
- Easy text-to-image generation.
- Extensive area for customization through prompts.
- Ability to share and collaborate.
- Public and private Midjouney bots for privacy.
User Reviews
I used Midjourney to generate more than 3,000 images, with variable prompts for multiple proposals. Most of the images were beautiful and impressive, but usually with little details. - Maicon S. Mid Full Stack Developer.
Source: G2
2. Wondershare Virbo - Best Photo Generator for Marketing
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100% safe & secureWondershare Virbo is an innovative AI-powered tool for generating images and videos. It uses advanced AI algorithms to transform text prompts into visually stunning graphics. It is tailored for people in marketing, and creative industries who require diverse artistic styles like anime, watercolor, etc. Its diverse use cases make it an ideal choice for various projects.
Key Features
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor.
- Cross-platform compatibility.
- Customizable AI templates for diverse use cases.
- A collection of AI tools, including montage maker, clip generator, talking photos, and more.
- Virtual reality graphics without any coding.
User Reviews
The thing I like the most about Virbo is its various features to customize your videos such as choosing background, gender, and a theme for your content out of genres like marketing, education, news, sports and others. But I can suggest an autocorrect punctuation and grammar tool that can be integrated with the tool for the script to be meaningful. - Satish K. Social Media Manager
Source: G2
3. Adobe FireFly - Best for Digital Marketers and Creators
Adobe FireFly is built into Adobe’s existing tools like Photoshop, making it an impressively trained text-to-image generator. You can try its free web version, but for the best results, it's better to head to the latest version of Photoshop. I found Firefly practical for professional use for its wide range of artistic and stylistic options.
Key Features
- Structure and Style reference for recreating images.
- Seamless integration with Adobe Creative Suite.
- Safe for commercial use as images are trained on Adobe’s stock images.
User Reviews
Adobe Firefly generative fill is insanely helpful. I was surprised by the quality and versatility of the tool. I even could react to notes from the director and improve certain parts of the image. And everything is in the browser, no need to install any Adobe software. - r/editors, Isiosi-Editor.
Source: Reddit
4. Microsoft Copilot - Best Free Solution for Professional Use
The Microsoft Copilot image generator is an AI-powered tool built on Open.AI’s DALL-E. It is designed to transform text prompts into creative visuals. Though generated images are high-resolution and personalized, it may cause inaccuracies with complex prompts. Moreover, its integration within the Microsoft ecosystem facilitates a seamless experience for generating images in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Key Features
- Integration with AI apps.
- Free and pro plans are available.
- Customizations for professional use.
User Reviews
I think that Microsoft CoPilot's image AI makes cool high-quality images. However, it does not always follow the prompt closely, even if it is reasonable. - AllisMables
Source: Reddit
5. Recraft V3 - Best for Editable Graphics
A major challenge for most AI image generators is writing text on images accurately. In most cases, the words end up deviating from what the user envisioned. Recraft V3, however, can generate text on images precisely and free of charge. Plus, the generated images are customizable, giving you full control over the outcome.
Key Features
- User-focused flexibility.
- Advanced text generation.
- High image quality.
User Reviews
The Recraft V3 model focuses on artistic style and detail, making it suitable for creative projects. However, it may not match the speed of others in this comparison. - DK_Stark
Source: Reddit
6. Craiyon - Best Free Photo Generator for Beginners
Craiyon, also known as DALL-E Mini, is an AI art generator that mimics DALL-E's capabilities but with less precision. It is an open-source alternative that lets you tweak the text prompt till you get exactly what you visualized. You can also include “negative keywords” and seek inspiration for specific imagery. It is a good option for creating basic-level educational and entertainment AI images.
Key Features
- High-resolution output.
- Competitive processing.
- Extensive style options.
User Reviews
I heard about the new Craiyon's update. Just got to try it myself and re-run an old prompt... The resolution is a little higher, the edges better refined and the model even improved coherence. Craiyon is very good at reading the prompts.
Source: Reddit
7. Canva - Best for Presentations and Ads
Canva is popular in the creators' community for its user-friendly interface. It lets users create everything from marketing ads to presentations, and interactive greeting cards with minimal design experience.
Its AI image generator, the Magic Media, is also a great option for beginners. It converts your prompt into high-resolution photos, embedded in the editing panel. This is excellent for anyone wanting AI integration on a familiar tool.
Key Features
- Vast templates library with AI.
- Image adjustments, and layout suggestions.
- Directly generate AI images on Canva.
- Multi-device compatibility.
User Reviews
One of the neat features is Magic Media, which lets you turn text into images, videos, or graphics. You just type in what you want, and Canva will create it for you. This can save you from hunting for the perfect stock photo or trying to figure out how to make a graphic yourself.
Source: Reddit
8. Dream Studio - Best for Simplified AI Image Generation
Dream Studio is a popular open-source text-to-image generator on the list. Anyone with basic technical skills can use it for free and train the model to generate AI images from simple prompts. The platform stands out with its “negative prompt” feature to help specify everything that you don’t want in an image.
Key Feature
- Easily change the image ratio.
- Diverse entries for customization.
- 25 free credits on account opening.
User Reviews
Open-source, allowing for extensive customization and deployment.Good balance of quality and speed for generating images.Ability to run on personal hardware or cloud setups.API integration for businesses or developers. - Premier Webtech
- Source: Qoura
9. Leonardo AI - Best for Creating Copyrighted Characters
Leonardo.Ai lets professionals create stunning images and motion videos within a budget. This AI photo generator is the most viable option if you’re looking to create copyrighted characters — say a Disney character like Cinderella. Leonardo AI is rather lenient in these terms compared to its competitors who have maintained guardrails to prevent users from creating harmful images.
Key Features
- AI image and motion video generation.
- 3D texture generation.
- Neat user interface
User Reviews
I'm impressed with Leonardo AI's capabilities and features. However, I do wish there were more tutorials and guides to help users get the most out of the platform.
Source: Reddit
10. Dalle-3 - Best for Ease of Use
DALL-E 3, is proving to be significantly better than its previous version and finally catching up with its competitors. First, it is simple to use. Second, it automatically enhances your prompts to create more interesting and realistic images. You can also request further edits to your AI image through the chat interface (think ChatGPT’s chat interface).
Key Features
- Integration with ChatGPT.
- The free public version available.
- Optimized context understanding.
- Image expansion beyond the existing canvas.
User Reviews
Not perfect, but a huge improvement over “DALL-E 2.5” (the one used in Bing Image Creator). I think it is better than Midjourney, but hard to say as I haven’t used Midjourney myself. It does people way better especially, whether cartoony or realistic. - Rob Brown, Software Developer.
Source: Qoura
Part 3. What is the Best AI Image Generator Overall?
Now that we have discussed the top ten options, the question is, which is the best? Don’t worry, I am here to help.
After using them all, here are my top five image generators. In this section, I have compared these five tools based on their prompt personalization, art style, convenience, and realism. So, let’s begin and see which one suits you.
But before that, here is how to use an average image generator.
- Visit your desired generator website and log in with or register your Google account, as required.
- Type a detailed prompt about what you would like in the image. For this, you can also get help from AI chatbots like ChatGPT, or Copilot.
- Click the generate button and you will be able to see the outcomes in a few seconds.
Now, let's start the test. In this comparison, I will use the following prompt for all image generators for a fair evaluation;
“Create an animated character of a confident young woman with vibrant purple hair and glowing teal eyes, wearing a futuristic silver jacket with holographic accents, and sleek black pants. She stands in a dynamic action pose”
1. Wondershare Virbo
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100% safe & secureI usually create ads and social media posts using Virbo’s AI video and clip generator. And, recently, realized it even has a photo generator. After using it, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that it is one of the best for the combination of realism and AI-airbrushed outcomes.
What’s even better is your control over the outcome. I really like that it has a collection of art styles and filters. These personalizations help me tailor the outcome for different purposes, be it for social media engagement, marketing, or webtoons. Its free templates for different art styles and use cases are also worth the appreciation.
2. Adobe FireFly
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100% safe & secureThe free Adobe FireFly is the easiest generator for non-technical users. It lets you choose aspect ratio, content type, and your reference art style. What I like best is that it creates true-to-prompt images. After using it multiple times, the results were consistent across art styles.
However, when I tried to download the image, it had a big watermark about AI generation. Adobe has a strict AI-use policy, which explains it.
3. Copilot
Here is the image I created using the Copilot generator, with the same prompt. It is pretty easy to use and even though the image is close to the prompt, it lacks realism. That said, you have a built-in chatbot to personalize specific details of the image.
- Pro Tip: I tried several prompts and regenerations and was able to achieve the desired quality and textures.
4. Canva
After Virbo, Canva is another one of my favorite marketing tools for creative assets. The images generated with its Media Magic were true to the prompt, and I had the freedom to experiment with different art styles.
However, the Canva free version has only 50 AI credits, so use them wisely.
5. Dream Studio
Dreamstudio is yet another free and easily accessible generator and here is what I got using the same prompt. For one prompt, you can get up to ten images. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and the AI-airbrushed character, though it was not the most realistic.
The prompt personalization and preferences also make it one of my favorites. You also get a negative prompt section to include things you want the generator to avoid in your art. The only downside is that it is not quick and takes a lot of time to process the prompt.
Conclusion
AI image generators have completely transformed how social media influencers, business advertisers, and marketers produce creative assets. I hope this guide was helpful in determining the best match for your requirements. Of all I tried, Virbo and Canva are excellent starting tools for their free version and personalized results. Give them a shot and see whether they work for you!
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