The Top 6 AI Image Generators to Try in 2024 (Tested & Ranked)

AI image generators use advanced technology to quickly turn text prompts into various visual formats, from realistic images to illustrations.

These tools are ideal for creating marketing assets, performing design tasks, and more.

We've selected and tested the top 6 image generators for you to try in 2024.

Below, we'll explore how these tools work and highlight our top picks.

The Best AI Image Generators in 2024 [Free and Paid]

Here’s a quick rundown of our favorite AI image generators:

1. Midjourney: Advanced Image Generation for AI Wizards

TL;DR

Midjourney is another popular AI image generator, most suitable for users who are experienced in creating AI prompts.

It was even the first AI image generator to (controversially) win an art competition.

The platform offers different model versions, image upscaling, image blending, and parameter manipulation.

However, Midjourney is limited to the chat interface of Discord, a messaging and social platform. 

This means that users need to learn various prompts, as all image settings have to be added directly to the prompt.

For instance, you need to specify the dimensions and image style in the prompt:

On the other hand, you get access to an amazing community where you can learn from others and be inspired.

We’ve spent months testing Midjourney and trying out various image formats. Below we share our main observations.

Realistic Images and Photos

Midjourney generates impressive images of food, people, landscapes, and anything in between.

For example, you can create an image of a delicious dish for your hotel or restaurant’s promotional assets.

Prompt: <Delicious poke with salmon, Canon EF 35mm, f1. 8, photography，intricated details, high on details, ultra realistic, HD, HDR, 8K, real life --ar 16:9>

The result:

Or, you might need a banner for your fashion event promo campaign.

Prompt: <A photo of a young female model wearing a futuristic black-colored outfit with leather and metal elements, Canon EF 35mm, f1. 8, photography high on details, ultra realistic, HD, HDR, 8K, real life --ar 16:9>

The result:

Creating Realistic Images with Advanced Prompts

Midjourney works especially well with advanced requests and detailed prompts.

We looked at Midjourney and DreamStudio (one of the popular AI image tools) side by side and compared the results.

The outcome?

Midjourney is somewhat more difficult to use than DreamStudio and other alternatives. 

However, it offers incredible opportunities for creating unique pictures and art.

The Midjourney prompt: <Bird’s-eye drone photograph of Manhattan at night, showcasing the city lights, skyscrapers, ultra realistic, HD, HDR, 8K real-life - --ar 16:9>

The DreamStudio prompt: <Bird’s-eye drone photograph of Manhattan at night, showcasing the city lights, skyscrapers, ultra realistic.>

Style: Photographic

Size: 16:9

The Midjourney result:

The DreamStudio result:

As you can see, Midjourney produced a more realistic, highly detailed picture compared to its rival.

DreamStudio’s image is distorted and looks more like an illustration than a photo.

However, we’re sure you can achieve great results with both tools. 

The best way to work with any AI image generator is by testing prompts and running experiments.

Digital Art and Illustrations

Midjourney also creates digital art of any type. Let’s look at an example.

Prompt: <A futuristic city landscape with skyscrapers, planets visible in the sky, weird shapes and colors.>

The result:

Image Referencing

Image referencing is one of the great distinctive features of Midjourney.

Simply put, you can include reference photos in your prompts to improve the results of AI image generation.

You can even use the Insight Face Swap Bot to produce AI-generated images of real people. 

These will guide the composition, style, and color of the task.

For example, try generating a LinkedIn profile portrait for yourself by referencing your own pictures.

Pricing

Pricing

Midjourney’s Basic Plan starts at $10 per month, which gets users 3.3 hours of graphics processing unit (GPU) time. This is around 200 images.

To create more images, upgrade to the Standard Plan ($30), Pro Plan ($60), or Mega Plan ($120).

2. DALL-E 3: Easy-to-Use AI Image Generator for ChatGPT Plus Users

TL;DR

DALL-E was the pioneer in AI image generation, launched by OpenAI (the team behind ChatGPT) in 2022.

But with the release of other advanced tools like Midjourney and DreamStudio, it was gradually falling behind. For example, the image quality and customization left a lot to be desired.

DALL-E 3 is a new version available on the ChatGPT Plus plan. For those not subscribed to ChatGPT Plus, you can also test it via Microsoft Copilot. 

The new version makes it easier to create a wide range of detailed images with simple instructions.  

It also automatically improves and optimizes your AI image generation prompts.

For example, we created another image with a flying cat using a simple prompt:

But here’s the actual prompt used by ChatGPT:

You can also easily add changes and create different iterations of your AI image using the chat interface.

For example, we can ask to draw wings for our cat. 

Voilà!

The tool changed the original image, but the result is still close to it.

As you can see, DALL-E 3 lets you make any request directly in the chat—without thinking too much about prompt formatting.

Another thing you can do is ask it to generate more images in a similar style.

For example:

Request #1:

Request #2:

Finally, DALL-E 3 can generate a series of images at your request.

We used the following prompt:

<Create 5 separate images of this same potato having fun on the beach.>

All of this can make image generation much easier and faster for OpenAI’s users.

Let’s look at more examples.

Realistic Images and Photos

We tried to create some realistic pictures with DALL-E 3. Here’s one of the outputs we got.

Prompt: <Create a photo of a ginger cat wearing a red beret sitting next to the Eiffel tower. You can see people in the background. Image ratio is 3:2, horizontal>

The result:

As you can see, the image quality is pretty impressive.

Digital Art and Illustrations

We also used DALL-E 3 to generate futuristic AI illustrations.

Prompt: <A futuristic city landscape with skyscrapers, planets visible in the sky, weird shapes and colors, image ratio 3:2>

The result:

Overall, DALL-E 3 seems to be consistently delivering high-quality, customized images. 

However, be prepared to add changes and write more prompts, as sometimes it might hallucinate. 

For example, we made three attempts to create a nightclub scene with potatoes but couldn't get AI to make all the potatoes the same size.

Pricing

3. DreamStudio (Stable Diffusion): Impressive Image Quality with a User-Friendly Interface

TL;DR

DreamStudio by Stability AI uses the latest version of the Stable Diffusion image generation model.

As an open-source tool, this AI image maker is constantly getting better and being updated.

It can generate any image type—from illustrations to realistic photos and art.

Here’s what the DreamStudio tool looks like:

DreamStudio is easy to use and has various features for customization. For example, besides entering a prompt, you can:

• Choose the style of your image (e.g., “photographic,” “3D model,” etc.)
• Set up the width and height
• Add a negative prompt
• Determine the number of images generated 
• Choose the image generation model
• Add the seed to create similar images

Next, we tested DreamStudio to write our review. We used a few sample prompts to create AI images and list the results.

Realistic Images and Photos

DreamStudio certainly creates high-quality realistic AI images. Some of the results it produced were quite impressive.

Let’s look at some examples.

Prompt:

<A photo of a ginger cat wearing a red beret sitting next to the Eiffel Tower. You can see people in the background.>

We also chose the “Photographic” style and the 3:2 image size.

The result:

Prompt:

<A photo of a woman wearing a futuristic space outfit.>

The result:

However, we noticed that some images of people had errors such as odd, distorted faces. For example:

Digital Art

DreamStudio also shows impressive results with digital art and illustrations.

For instance:

Prompt:

<City view of Paris at night, with the Eiffel Tower illuminated, in the swirling, starry style of Vincent van Gogh’s ’Starry Night’.>

The result:

Prompt:

<An illustration of two kawaii potatoes enjoying a sunny day.>

The result:

As you can see, the tool delivers high-quality images and doesn’t require any deep knowledge of AI prompt engineering.

However, it might be limiting if you’re a design or marketing professional looking for something advanced. 

Pricing

DreamStudio operates on a pay-per-use model.

Users pay approximately $1.18 for every 100 generation credits.

4. Craiyon: A Free Tool for Simple AI Image Generation

TL;DR

Craiyon emerged as one of the first AI art generators in 2022. 

It uses DALL-E Mini technology to create images from simple text inputs.

Here’s how the tool’s interface looks:

The good news? It’s completely free. And it’s available both on desktop and as an Android app.

Prompt quality is extremely important when generating art with AI; practicing with Craiyon will help you learn how to improve your prompts for the best result.

The images you’ll produce might not be as good as those on other platforms, but you can still create a handful of decent illustrations.

Let’s look at an example.

AI Generated Image Example

We tried Craiyon with a few prompts we used with other tools. Here’s one example.

Prompt: <City view of Paris at night, with the Eiffel Tower illuminated, in the swirling, starry style of Vincent van Gogh’s ’Starry Night>

The result:

Overall, the image quality is quite average.

But, you can use the tool for simple requests and training.

Pricing

The platform offers free AI image generation but is supported by adverts. To use it, you might want to turn off your ad-blocker.

Note: Images produced by Craiyon must be credited as such.

5. Adobe Firefly: A New AI Image Tool for Professional Creatives  

TL;DR

Adobe has long incorporated AI tools into its apps.

In 2023, it introduced its first text-to-image generator—Adobe Firefly.

The AI model, called Firefly, has some impressive features.

In addition to generating images, it can also create unique text effects, re-color vector artwork, and integrate other AI-generated elements into your images.

As a text-to-image generator, the quality of images generated by the tool can vary.

However, its integration with Photoshop, the industry-standard image editor, elevates the experience.

You can set up the image’s style, ratio, color, tone, and more using the simple interface.

Sample AI Images Generated with Adobe Firefly

Overall, we managed to create quite a few high-quality images using Adobe Firefly.

Sometimes we had to reformulate the prompt and add more details to get the desired results.

Let’s look at some examples.

Prompt: <An image of a futuristic city landscape with skyscrapers, planets visible in the sky, weird shapes and colors.>

The result:

Prompt: <a 3D render of a fluffy pink chair standing in the middle of a green grass field>

The result:

All in all, it looks like this tool has a good potential, and we recommend keeping an eye on it.

Pricing

There's a free plan for the web version of the tool, offering 25 monthly credits. The paid plans start at $4.99/month for 100 credits and images without watermarks.

6. AI Image Generator in Microsoft Copilot

TL;DR

Microsoft’s AI image generator is available as part of its Copilot tool.

It’s simple and straightforward, offering high-quality images thanks to its integration with DALL-E 3.

Like ChatGPT, you can use the chat interface to type your prompts and request follow-up edits.

The tool even suggests ideas for changes, which simplifies the experience for beginners.

Finally, Copilot lets you add manual changes to each AI-generated tool. Simply click the visual you want to change and get transferred to Microsoft Designer.

Here, you add text, remove the background, add visual effects, and more.

Pricing

The free plan is available to all registered Microsoft users. The Pro plan offers priority access to GPT-4 Turbo and 100 daily boosts with Designer for $20/month.

Other AI Image Generating Tools

We’ve covered some of the best-known AI image generator platforms out there.

But here are a few other lesser-known tools you might like to try out.

The following tools can also help you produce digital posters, images for social media, and banner generating capabilities.

Snappa

Snappa is a versatile AI-powered image tool.

It simplifies creating captivating visuals for various social media platforms.

The tool has a user-friendly interface and a wide array of templates.

It makes it easy to produce striking visuals for Instagram posts, Facebook covers, and Twitter headers.

Additionally, its AI capabilities make sure your social media graphics adhere to the specific requirements of each platform.

Pricing

Snappa is free for a single user, with some limitations. Pro and Team plans are available, for $10/month and $20/month respectively.

Canva

Canva excels in helping you produce visually striking images for marketing, social media, advertising, and more.

The platform’s AI technology gives you layout suggestions, font pairings, and image adjustments.

This makes it a great option for those with minimal design experience.

Pricing

Canva offers a free plan, as well as the Canva Pro plan for $14.99/month and the Canva for Teams plan for $29.99/month.

Semrush Instant Banner Generator

Semrush’s Instant Banner Generator is a powerful AI image tool that helps you craft banners quickly and to the right design specs.

You’ll be able to produce eye-catching banners for websites, social media, and digital advertising campaigns.

It also includes a large collection of templates and design assets, which will help you stay aligned with your branding guidelines and marketing needs.

Pricing

You can check out the tool during a 7-day free trial, followed by $15/month.

Ecommerce Booster by Semrush

Ecommerce Booster is a tool for Shopify stores with built-in AI features to save time for what's most important: your business.

Its AI tools audit your images, generate alt texts, improve image quality, and remove image backgrounds in seconds.

The app can also rewrite your product descriptions, and it’ll provide a step-by-step plan to optimize your product pages for better conversions.

With Ecommerce Booster, you’ll get an expert-level audit of the main areas of page performance: UX, text and visual content, page speed, and accessibility.

Pricing

Ecommerce Booster is free for a basic audit, but AI tools are available in a paid version: $29.99/month.

AI Social Media Post Generator

AI Social Media Post Generator is a free AI tool that creates relevant posts for your social media weaving your brand into trending conversations. It also suggests an image for the post to make it even more attention-grabbing and potentially viral.

1. Enter your domain or URL.
2. Choose a trending topic from the list that would likely interest your audience.
3. Choose where you want to publish your post: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Threads.
4. Let AI generate a topical, branded post with an image for your social media.

How Did We Choose These AI Image Generators?

There are various AI image generators on the market. 

So, how did we choose the best of them to create this guide?

First, we conducted research and shortlisted the top AI image generators for 2024. 

We examined their websites, read user reviews, and analyzed forum threads.

Next, we tested each AI image generator for ease of use, quality of results, costs, and speed. 

Finally, we listed each generator along with its pros and cons so you can pick the best AI image software for your own projects.

How Do AI Art Generators Work?

Image generators work based on patterns they’ve learned from thousands of existing images.

To use them, you need to input text (the “prompt”) describing what you want. It’s important to add the right details to make your request specific enough. For example:

<Beautiful countryside landscape in Ireland, green hills, small houses made of stone, ultra realistic, HD, 8K real life --ar 16:9>

In this prompt, we specify the subject, the image style, and the aspect ratio. The program then processes your request and produces an image that matches your description, turning your words into visual art.

This is the result from the prompt above, generated via Midjourney:

AI image generators are powered by deep-learning models trained on massive datasets.  

These datasets contain millions of image and text pairs. By analyzing these pairs, the model learns to recognize patterns that connect specific words to visual elements. 

For instance, it might learn that the word “blue" often corresponds to a specific range of numerical values representing color data. 

This process builds a vast internal knowledge base that the AI uses to generate images.

Did you know?

When you provide a text prompt, the AI doesn't directly convert words into pixels. 

Instead, it translates your prompt into a numerical format and starts with a random pattern of numbers (noise). 

This noise is then iteratively adjusted based on your prompt and the AI's knowledge of image patterns.

How to Pick the Best AI Image Generator

Choosing the best AI image generator starts with understanding your needs.

Do you need a simple tool for personal use? Are you going to create marketing materials? Would you need an advanced tool for professional use?

Having a clear goal will help you choose a tool that meets your requirements, budget, and desired output quality.

Think about the following aspects:

• Is the tool easy to use?
• How much does it cost?
• What kind of art does it generate?
• Are there any limitations?
• What level of customization does it provide?
• Does it generate high-quality, realistic images?
• Is there a photo editor?

For example, Midjourney is a powerful tool that should be a first choice for design teams. 

However, if you simply need to create a couple of blog images, OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 is more than enough. 

How to use an AI image generator

Here's a quick guide to get you started:

1. Choose the perfect tool

As discussed above, list your goals and evaluate your options. We hope this guide will streamline this step for you.

2. Write your prompt

Your prompt acts as the blueprint for your image. The more specific and descriptive you are, the better the results will be. 

However, it’s also important to stay focused. Don’t overload AI with unnecessary and excessive details.

Here are some tips for what to include in your AI image generation prompt:

• Content: Describe the scene, objects, characters, and their actions
• Style: Indicate your desired artistic style (e.g., Van Gogh, photorealistic, pixel art)
• Mood: Convey the overall feeling of the image (e.g., peaceful, mysterious, energetic)
• Size: Choose the optimal image size for your needs

3. Experiment and Refine

Most AI image generators allow you to generate multiple variations based on your prompt. Don't be afraid to experiment with different ideas to achieve the perfect result.

If you use Midjourney, you can also check art uploaded by other users and learn from their prompting techniques.

Pro tip: Many platforms let you upload your own reference images to guide the AI. This can be helpful for adding specific details or capturing a particular style.

With a little practice, you'll be a master of AI image generation, turning your imagination into reality with just a few words. So, dive in and explore the endless creative possibilities!

Who holds the rights to AI-generated images?

The ownership of AI-generated images can be a complex legal matter.

In most cases, the user of the AI image generator will hold the copyright to the generated images.

Be sure to review the terms and conditions of the image generator you are using. 

Avoid legal issues by picking an AI image generator that clearly states that users keep full ownership rights.

AI Image Generators: Unlock Your Creativity

AI image generating tools have improved our ability to create visually stunning images, illustrations, and graphics. These tools have also democratized the design process.

Thanks to these tools, individuals with different skill levels can explore new dimensions of their creativity.

Each AI image tool brings unique strengths to the table. And with so many options available, you’re sure to find one that meets your needs.

Whether you’re looking for powerful image generators, or just a mechanism to quickly create social media graphics, there are options out there for everyone.