Best AI Image Generators [Free And Paid]

Text-to-image algorithms have generated over 15 billion images. Yes, you heard that right. With an AI image generator, it’s easy for anyone to whip up creative and unique photos, paintings, pencil drawings, 3D graphics, icons, and abstract art.

Whether you’re an artist, marketer, or simply a curious enthusiast, these AI image generators are your gateway to unleashing the potential of digital artistry. Join us on this journey to discover the best AI image generators, both free and paid and unlock the canvas of your imagination like never before.

But with so many AI text-to-image tools out there, how do you know which one is the best? In this piece, we’ve put together some of the best AI image generators ( both free and paid) and an in-depth dive into what they offer, respectively. 

What is an AI Image Generator?

An AI image generator is a computer program or system that leverages artificial intelligence, particularly deep learning techniques, to create digital images from textual or other types of input data.

These AI generators are capable of producing a wide range of images, including artwork, photographs, and graphics, based on the user’s instructions or prompts.

AI image generators have a wide range of applications, from creating artwork and design concepts to generating realistic photographs or assisting in content creation. 

How Does AI Image Generation Work?

AI image generation, often powered by deep learning techniques, is a fascinating process that involves the creation of digital images from textual or other input data. Here’s how it generally works:

• Training the AI Model: The foundation of AI image generation is a well-trained AI model. This model has been exposed to vast datasets containing images and associated textual descriptions. Through this extensive training, the model learns patterns, styles, and relationships between text and images. 

• Input Prompt: To generate an image, you provide an input prompt, typically in the form of text. This prompt describes what you want to see in the image. For example, you might enter “a cozy cabin in the snowy mountains” or anything that you want to depict.

• Understanding the Prompt: The AI model interprets your input and aims to understand the description you’ve provided. It identifies key elements and their visual attributes.

• Generating the Image: Using the information it has learned from its training data, the AI model goes to work. It employs its understanding of the prompt to create an image that embodies the description. It considers factors like composition, style, color, and texture to craft a visual representation that aligns with the text input.

• Output Image: The generated image is presented as the final output. You can view, save, or further modify this image as needed.

• Iterative Process: Some AI models allow you to fine-tune the output by adjusting the text prompt. You can make slight changes to the prompt to guide the AI in producing the desired image.

It’s important to note that while AI image generation is powerful and can produce impressive results, it is still based on patterns and data learned during training. The AI model doesn’t possess true creativity or understanding; it simulates human-like image generation based on the data it has been exposed to.

What Are The Best AI Image Generators [Free and Paid]

1. Visme

One of the best things about Visme is that it is free, easy to use, and a very powerful tool you can use to generate visuals literally out of plain text. Visme can transform your text into various styles like photos, drawings, 3D graphics, and more. You can find this magic in all your Visme projects.

You get everything with Visme. You enjoy full access to a full suite of AI-powered tools, including Visme Brand Design Tool, Visme AI Text Generator, and Visme AI Image Editor—all accessible via desktop and mobile apps.

With Visme, you can create awesome visual content from scratch or use their templates. Plus, you can work with your team on online whiteboards and improve how you share ideas visually.

Do you want to add icons to your infographics, backgrounds to presentations, or 3D graphics to social media posts? You got it! You can even add motion and cool effects like pop-ups or GIFs. With the Visme AI TouchUp tools, you can change the appearance of any image or graphic. You can remove stuff you don’t like, fix blurry images, and make them bigger without losing quality.

In addition to the AI image generator, Visme has a stock image library, a rich template library for creating different types of visual content, and a large repository of design assets, including icons, illustrations, animated graphics, widgets, and more.

Visme has a free plan for basic usage, making it an affordable solution for individuals and small teams. However, it’s limited. 

• For the free plan, you get: 3 projects, an available storage of about 100 MB, you can publish Online, and also download Projects in (JPG) plus some other features.

• For the Personal plan at $12.25 per month: your number of Projects increases to 15, with an available Storage of 250 MB, you can download projects in (JPG, PNG, PDF, and HTML5) and other perks.

• For the Business plan at $24.75 monthly, you get an unlimited number of projects, unlimited storage, you can publish online or privately, you can download Projects in (JPG, PNG, PDF, and HTML5), no Visme Brand on Projects, and many more amazing perks.

You should know that paid accounts can create an unlimited number of prompts, compared to the limited number available to free accounts.

2. DALL-E2

DALL-E and DALL-E 2 are Open AI image generators powered by deep-learning models that generate digital images from textual prompts. DALL-E 2 is an AI image generator that uses CLIP (Contrastive Language-Image Pre-training) to produce high-quality images based on text prompts. 

Two standout features of DALL-E 2 is its ability to generate images based on text prompts, allowing users to input specific details and ideas that the platform can interpret and generate into an image. Secondly, the platform offers both outpainting and inpainting features. This allows you to generate images with specific details or remove unwanted elements from existing images. 

Users can create original and realistic images from a given text description. Generate variations, upload your sketches for manipulation, or even generate complete artwork from scratch using these powerful tools.

While DALL-E 2 initially offers free credits to generate images, users will need to purchase additional credits once they run out. The cost of using the DALL·E 2 API is based on the resolution of the generated images. The pricing is as follows: 

• $0.02 per image for 1024×1024 resolution. 
• $0.018 per image for 512×512 resolution.
• $0.016 per image for 256×256 resolution.

Dall-E 2 has drastically increased the realism of generated images; however, you must provide Dall-E 2 with a well-defined prompt that includes useful context. Vague prompts may lead to an inaccurate image. In the same vein, High-res images can cost a bit more.

The platform’s user interface may be a bit complex for beginners, but it offers extensive documentation and tutorials to get you started. 

3. Craiyon 

Craiyon is an AI model that creates images from text. All you need to do is enter a text prompt of what you want to see, and just like that, Craiyon goes in to create it.

You can create sets of nine images without any limits. And the best part? It’s free and super easy to use. That’s not all. You can even tell Craiyon to avoid certain elements in your search results. You give the directions and watch them unfold.

There are some caveats you should take note of, though. Sometimes, the image quality might not be top-notch. Secondly, it’s not the best at making photorealistic images or copying specific art styles. Also, it’s only available on Android, so if you’re an iOS user, you might have a tough time accessing it.

Craiyon has a free plan, but it includes watermarked images and ads. Now, let’s talk about the cost. Craiyon offers subscription plans, starting at $5 per month, with advanced options going up to $20 per month (when billed yearly).

• For $5/mo (billed yearly); you enjoy unlimited images, no ads, and no watermark

• For $20/mo (billed yearly), you enjoy 15 seconds for 9 images, unlimited images, highest priority, no ads, no watermark, early access to new features, amongst other things.

4. Midjourney

Midjourney makes this list because of its unique feature set and distinct capabilities. It creates digital art from text descriptions, but it’s more like hand-drawn illustrations than lifelike photos. So, are you a storyteller, a game developer, or a concept artist? Midjourney is for everybody!!

You can effectively customize details within the generated artwork by adjusting text prompts. You also have the luxury of first-hand experience of variations of a single artwork for endless creative possibilities. Add a user-friendly interface to the lid as well.

One thing you should keep in mind is that the output resolution may vary from a traditional photo resolution, which could be a problem depending on the type of project you’re embarking on.

Midjourney offers four monthly plans at varying prices: $10, $30, $60, and $120. Before opting for a monthly plan, though, Midjourney allows you to test drive the service through a free trial that offers 25 generations. All you need to do is join the Discord channel, and you’re good to go.

• Basic Plan priced at $10 per month, the Basic Plan provides 200 minutes of Fast GPU hours. 

• Standard Plan: The Standard Plan, costing $30 per month,  avails you 15 hours of Fast GPU hours and unlimited Relaxed GPU hours per month. With around 1000 actions at your disposal, once exhausted, you can switch to the “relax” mode, enabling you to generate images infinitely. 

• Pro Plan: The Pro Plan comes at a monthly cost of $60. It includes 30 hours of Fast GPU hours and unlimited Relaxed GPU hours. An additional benefit you enjoy from this plan is the access to stealth mode, allowing you to keep your images private on the Midjourney gallery website. 

• Turbo Plan: This offers the highest level of service at $120 per month. It includes all features of the Pro Plan, providing 60 hours of Fast GPU hours and unlimited Relaxed GPU hours. 

In addition to monthly subscriptions, Midjourney pricing also extends to annual plans, offering a 20% discount.

• Basic Plan: $8/month with a yearly subscription

• Standard Plan: $24/month with a yearly subscription

• Pro Plan: $48/month with a yearly subscription

5. Jasper Art

Jasper Art uses the DALL-E 2 system to generate unique images, which is why it is one of the best AI image generators. You can create unique images that are free of watermarks by just inputting a description of the image you want it to create.

Jasper Art is the gift that keeps giving!! You can customize how you want to represent your art by selecting from its various styles and medium options. You have access to choose from 13 different styles, including pixel, vector art, line art, 3D render, retro, and more! You can also choose between 15 different medium options, such as modern oil painting, pencil sketch, charcoal, pastel, and more!

There’s more. You have access to 19 moods to choose from for your picture in the dropdown menu. You can use happy, sad, aggressive, dull, energetic moods, and more to generate pictures that match your content style. You can also preview all your old work in your dashboard.

Jasper Art also listens. After every result, the like and dislike button is available to help the AI train to understand your preferences. The feedback is saved, enabling the tool to generate better and personalized results later. 

With Jaspert Art, you can also download your pictures in PNG format and use them for your other designs by customizing them as you wish. 

With Jasper Art, there are no restrictions on the number of images you can generate in a month, and the user interface is straightforward 

You should also keep in mind that the high-quality images usually require tier subscriptions, which can get pricey. Also, sometimes, the conversion from text prompt to image may take longer than some other platforms, requiring more patience.

Jasper Art costs $20/mo per user, and with a Jasper Art subscription, you can make an unlimited number of artworks. However, currently, it’s not possible to buy Jasper Art on its own. This means you need to have an active Jasper AI plan to buy a Jasper Art subscription, which would ultimately serve you better.

There are two plans. The Creator Plan and the Teams Plan.

• Creator plan costs $49/month or $39/month, billed yearly. You get access to 50+ templates, 50 Knowledge Assets, access to Jasper Chat And Art, and other perks.

• Teams Plan costs $125/month or $99/month, billed yearly. You get access to all the features of the Creator plan, three seats included, savable and shareable dynamic templates, live chat support, and so many other perks.

6. NightCafe

Let’s dive into NightCafe, the AI wizard for crafting stunning and unique visuals. It’s like having a magic canvas that transforms your imagination into art. NightCafe is an AI image generator that uses the power of artificial intelligence to create unique and stunning visuals. 

Nightcafe Studio uses five different algorithms – clip-guided Diffusion, Dall E-2, stable Diffusion, neural style & VQGAN+CLIP that generate coherent & realistic images, paintings & portraits using your own words.

What’s cool about NightCafe is that it doesn’t just spit out one image. It’s a creative process, allowing you to keep adjusting and generating until you’re satisfied. From abstract art to portraits, NightCafe can replicate a variety of art styles. The platform also includes a rich library of AI-generated artworks. 

You can access Nighcafe features on its web-based studio or install its app on tablets, androids, and iPhones. You get to enjoy  features such as:

• Strong AI image generation & printing capabilities.
• Five different text-to-image algorithms.
• You can create your chatroom with friends to collaborate or jam.
• An AI face generator to generate realistic portraits after providing text descriptions.
• A “Photo to Painting” tool to convert images into paintings and many other incredible features.

As for the price, you can break NightCafe offers into four monthly packages based on credits:

• AI Beginner ($5.99/month): You get 100 credits/month, and generate up to 1240 images/month.
• AI Hobbyist ($9.99/month): You get 200 credits/month and generate up to 1640 images/month
• AI Enthusiast ($19.99/month): You get 500 credits/month and generate up to 2840 images/month
• AI Artist ($49.99/month): You get 1400 credits/month and generate up to 6440 images/month

Whether you’re a digital artist, a game designer, or you’re just looking to create mind-blowing visuals, NightCafe is the way to go. NightCafe lets you create 3D scenes, which is pretty unique. You can fine-tune even the tiniest of details. However, crafting 3D scenes can be a tad complex and time-consuming, especially when you’re new to it.

7. Deep AI

Deep.ai is a web-based platform that offers a variety of features, including the ability to generate images from existing images and text prompts. It’s safe to say Deep.ai is popularly known for its ability to create realistic but visually stunning images.

So it’s two ways. You can generate images from existing images. You can upload an image and have the platform generate new images based on the original. This will come in handy if you are looking for inspiration or new ideas. Similarly, the AI image generator allows you to generate unique images based on your input prompts. 

DeepAI is a powerful AI tool that’s easy to use and also has a flexible pricing model that allows you to choose between free access and a pro membership depending on what you need.

Another great feature of Deep.ai is its user-friendly interface. The platform is easy to navigate, which allows you to generate images quickly and easily. 

DeepAI provides certain services and tools for free. The specific features and limitations of the free tier may vary depending on the service.  The Pro version comes with additional features and benefits. 

The Pro membership comes with a monthly recurring payment of $4.99/month and offers a host of benefits, including:

• 500 AI generator calls per month ($5 for 500 additional calls).
• 1,750 AI chat messages per month ($5 for 1,750 additional messages).
• 60 genius mode messages per month ($5 for 60 additional messages).
• Access to the complete styles library.
• API access.
• Ad-free experience.
• Pay-as-you-go credits

DeepAI also offers a pay-as-you-go model, which includes 100 AI generator calls and 350 AI chat messages. The pricing of credits starts at $5 and can go up to $1000, depending on your needs. So, depending on how you look at it, it’s affordable and can also be quite expensive at the same time.

8. Runway AI

Runway AI can easily be touted as your ticket to a world of creative possibilities. If you’re a freelancer, content creator, designer, or artist looking to dive into the world of real-time, adaptive art, Runway AI is your secret weapon.

Why Runway AI though? 

• It brings together different AI art techniques to give you endless creative results.

• You can play with real-time live video and image synthesis, making your creations interactive.

• It’s not just a tool; it’s a whole creative environment with a user-friendly interface.

However, it may be a bit challenging to use for beginners at first due to the varied and advanced features. Aside from that, to ensure optimal performance, you might need a powerful computing device.

Each time you turn text into an image, it costs you 5 credits. You can buy credits in packs, starting at $10 for 1000 credits. But if you want those high-quality images, you might need a Standard or Pro account. 

So you have the free version with features such as:

• 125 credits = 25 image generations.
• Can’t buy more credits 
• Limited image export options and many other features

There’s the Standard account for $12 per user per month (billed annually as $144), which comes with more perks such as:

• max. 5 users per workspace
• 625 credits/month 
• Video editor exports in 4K & Green Screen alpha matte 
• 2K image exports full 3D texture options and much more

The Pro account comes to $28per user per month (billed annually at around $336) with perks such as: 

• 10 users per workspace
• 2250 credits/month 
• Unlimited video editor projects 

• All video editor exports from Standard, plus PNG & ProRes for video editor compositions 
• All image exports from Standard, plus PNG & ProRes and much more!!!

9. Bing Image Creator

Microsoft’s Bing Image Creator is an AI model built on Dall-E technology that allows you to generate realistic images from descriptions. You don’t need additional app downloads, as you can access this tool right from your sidebar.

You’ll love the Bing Image Creator because:

• You can change any image into cool abstract art.
• Excellent for creating instant website graphics, social media, or digital art presentations.
• No costs are involved, making it a great platform for experimentation and learning.

You should, however, know that the style on the Bing Image Creator seems to be specific and non-variable, which tends to reduce the range of creative purposes. You can’t fine-tune or get super detailed with it. Also, maybe because it’s a free tool, customer support is lacking.

All you need to use it is a free Microsoft account, and then you can get started with it. However, Bing Image Creator utilizes a credit system. Instead of determining if you can use the program at all, these “boost” credits simply guarantee that your image will be generated quickly. Once you run out of boosts, it can take several minutes for Bing Image Creator to generate an image for you, but it will still do so.

You get started with 25 boosts, which replenish weekly. You can earn additional boosts each time you spend 500 Microsoft Reward Points, which are acquired for free by engaging with Microsoft’s ecosystem. 

10. DreamStudio by Stability AI

DreamStudio AI mechanics allow for detailed layers of enhancements and corrections, resulting in lifelike immersion and greater visual impact.

Here’s the cool part: You get to choose from different styles and even tell the AI what not to include in your images. Talk about an innovative platform to create interactive scenes with ease and DreamStudio always comes up!!

It’s perfect for realistic presentations, concept drafts, and simulations and most importantly, you can let your creativity run wild and craft interactive visuals that work beautifully on different platforms.

However, it must be said that creating high-res images might take a bit more time and power. 

Dreamstudio offers an affordable pricing model. It operates on a credit system: each credit is valued at approximately $0.01, and you can purchase a minimum of 1000 credits for $10. However, the number of credits consumed per image generation depends on your chosen settings. Pricing

Dreamstudio also provides new users with 25 free credits. With these free credits, you can generate up to 30 images using default settings or up to 50 images using the API’s default settings.

You can choose from a variety of styles for your images. These include cinematic, anime, photographic, origami, and comic book styles, among others. Dreamstudio also allows you to create new images by modifying existing ones plus a user-friendly interface.

How to choose the perfect  AI Image Generator

Choosing the perfect AI generator for your needs involves considering several key factors. Here are some factors to keep in mind when making your decision:

Determine your specific use case. Are you looking to generate art, write text, solve complex problems, or perform another task? Different AI generators excel in different domains, so knowing your use case is crucial.

Consider your technical proficiency. Some AI generators are user-friendly and require no coding, while others may require programming knowledge. Choose one that matches your skill level.

Think about how much control and customization you need. Some AI generators allow for fine-tuning and customization of output, while others provide more automated results.

Assess the quality and realism of the content generated by the AI. Different models produce varying levels of quality and authenticity in their output.

Consider the pricing structure. Some AI generators are free, while others operate on subscription or pay-as-you-go models. Ensure that the cost aligns with your budget.

Understand the licensing terms for the AI generator. Some models may have restrictions on the use of generated content, particularly for commercial purposes.

Evaluate the speed of the AI generator. Some models produce results quickly, while others may take more time, which can be important depending on your use case.

Consider whether the AI generator can scale with your needs. Some models may be suitable for small-scale tasks but not for larger or more complex projects.

Take time to check the available community support, documentation, and customer service for the AI generator. This can be crucial for troubleshooting and learning.

Check if the AI generator can be easily integrated into your existing workflows or applications, especially if you plan to use it in a professional or commercial context.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the world of AI image generators offers a remarkable array of tools that cater to a wide range of needs and preferences, whether you’re looking for a free solution or are willing to invest in a paid one. These AI image generators have revolutionized the way we create visual content, making it more accessible and efficient than ever before.

Whether it’s free options like Bing Image Creator or Craiyon, affordable pricing options like RunwayAI or Dream Studio, or even the paid versions of AI image generators such as NightCafe, Craiyon, and Jasper Art, are all to help you push the boundaries of your visual content. Ultimately, the best AI image generator for you will depend on your unique requirements, whether you’re a seasoned artist, a marketer, or simply someone curious to explore the world of AI-generated art. The future of visual content creation is here, and it’s filled with endless possibilities!!!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are AI image generators actually AI?

AI image generators are indeed based on artificial intelligence technologies. They utilize deep learning models, particularly those related to generative adversarial networks (GANs) and deep neural networks, to generate images from textual or other input.

These AI models have been trained on vast datasets containing images and text to learn patterns, styles, and relationships between the two. When given a text prompt, the AI image generator leverages this knowledge to create images that align with the textual description.

While these AI models are powerful and can produce remarkably realistic or creative images, it’s important to note that they are still limited by their training data and algorithms. They do not possess consciousness or true understanding but rather simulate human-like image generation based on patterns and data they’ve learned during training.

So, AI image generators are considered AI in the sense that they use advanced machine learning techniques to generate images, but they do not exhibit true intelligence or creativity as humans do.

Can AI-generated Art be sold as NFT?

Yes, AI-generated art can be sold as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). NFTs are digital tokens that represent ownership of a unique digital or physical item, and they have been used to sell a wide range of digital creations, including art generated by AI.

Here’s how it typically works:

• An AI generates a piece of art, which can be an image, a video, or any other form of digital art.

• The AI-generated art is linked to an NFT, which is minted on a blockchain. This NFT becomes a digital certificate of ownership for the art piece.

• The NFT includes information about the artwork, its creator (in this case, the AI model), and a unique identifier. It also records the ownership history of the art.

• The NFT can be listed on NFT marketplaces, and buyers can bid on or purchase it. The ownership of the NFT is transferred to the buyer upon purchase.

• When someone buys an AI-generated art NFT, they typically gain the right to display, sell, or license the art, even though the AI created it. 

It’s important to note that the acceptance and value of AI-generated art NFTs can vary widely in the art and blockchain communities. Some digital art collectors are enthusiastic about AI-generated art, while others are more interested in human-created works. Nevertheless, AI-generated NFT art has gained attention in the art world, and it can be sold and collected as a form of digital art ownership.

Can AI generate PNG images?

Yes, AI can generate PNG images just like any other type of digital image format. AI models, particularly those designed for image generation and manipulation, can produce PNG images based on textual prompts or other input data.

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a common image file format known for its lossless compression and support for transparent backgrounds. AI image generators, such as DALL-E or similar models, can be trained to create images in various formats, including PNG.

Users can specify their preferences, such as image dimensions, content, style, and more, and the AI model will generate PNG images accordingly. These images can be used for various purposes, including art, design, illustrations, or any application that requires digital images in PNG format.