The best AI image generators of 2024: Tested and reviewed

Image Creator from Microsoft Designer is powered by DALL-E 3, OpenAI’s most advanced image-generating model. As a result, it produces the same quality results as DALL-E while remaining free to use as opposed to the $20 per month ChatGPT Plus subscription to use DALL-E.  

To access the image generator, visit the Image Creator website and sign in with a Microsoft account. 

Another major perk about this AI generator is that you can also access it in the same place where you can access Microsoft’s AI chatbot, Copilot (formerly Bing Chat). 

This capability means that in addition to visiting Image Creator on its standalone site, you can ask it to generate images for you in Copilot. To render an image, all you have to do is conversationally ask Copilot to draw you any image you’d like. 

Also: How to use Image Creator from Microsoft Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator)

This feature is convenient because you can satisfy all your image-generating and AI-chatting needs in the same place for free. This combination facilitates tasks that could benefit from image and text generation, such as party planning, as you can ask the chatbot to generate themes for your party and then create images that follow the theme.

Image Creator from Microsoft Designer features: Powered by: DALL-E 3 | Access via: Copilot, browser, mobile | Output: 4 images per prompt | Price: Free 

OpenAI, the AI research company behind ChatGPT, launched DALL-E 2 in November 2022. The tool quickly became the most popular AI image generator on the market. However, after launching its most advanced image generator, DALL-E 3, OpenAI discontinued DALL-E 2. 

DALL-E 3 is even more capable than the original model, but this ability comes at a cost. To access DALL-E 3, you must be a ChatGPT Plus subscriber, and the membership costs $20 per month per user. Once subscribed, you can access DALL-E 3 via ChatGPT or the ChatGPT app.

Using DALL-E 3 is very intuitive. Type in whatever prompt you’d like, specifying as much detail as necessary to bring your vision to life, and DALL-E 3 will generate one to two images that match your prompt. As you can see in the image at the top of the article, the renditions are high-quality and very realistic.

OpenAI even recently added new ways to edit an image generated by the chatbot, including easy conversational text prompts and the ability to click on parts of the image you want to edit. 

Also: DALL-E adds new ways to edit and create AI-generated images. Learn how to use it

Like with Copilot, you can chat and render your images on the same platform, making it convenient to work on projects that depend on image and text generation. If you don’t want to shell out the money, Image Creator by Designer is a great alternative since it’s free, uses DALL-E 3, and can be accessed via Copilot. 

DALL-E 3 features: Powered by: DALL-E 3 by OpenAI | Access via: ChatGPT website and app | Output: One image per prompt | Price: ChatGPT Plus subscription, $20 per month

Since Google launched Gemini (at the time Bard), it has undergone several upgrades, one of which granted the chatbot the ability to generate photos. Using Imagen 2, the image generator can produce high-quality, realistic outputs, even of objects that are difficult to render, such as hands. 

Like ChatGPT and Copilot, you can access it while chatting with Gemini, which is useful to avoid context-switching between different platforms for your text and image generation needs. However, unlike DALL-E, it generates four images simultaneously, helping you get the most out of a single prompt. 

If you are a Google user, you will probably enjoy Gemini’s user interface because it keeps the same look and feel you experience in Search. It has attributes such as a Google icon that you can click on to double-check the validity of the response by searching Google and clickable links that take you to Google. 

Imagen 2 in Gemini: Powered by: Imagen 2 | Access via: Website or app | Output: 4 images | Price: free 

Stability AI created the massively popular, open-sourced, text-to-image generator, Stable Diffusion. Users can download the tool and use it at no cost. However, using this tool typically requires technical skill. 

Also: How to use Stable Diffusion AI to create amazing images

To make the technology readily accessible to everyone (regardless of skill level), Stability AI created DreamStudio, which incorporates Stable Diffusion in a UI that is easy to understand and use. 

One of the platform’s standout features is that it includes many different entries for customization, including a “negative prompt” where you can delineate the specifics of what you’d like to avoid in the final image. You can also easily change the image ratio–that’s a key feature, as most AI image generators automatically deliver 1:1. 

DreamStudio features: Powered by: SDXL 1.0 by Stability AI | Access via: Website | Output: 1 image per 2 credits | Price: $1 per 100 credits | Credits: 25 free credits when you open an account; buy purchase once you run out

This app took the first-place spot for the best overall app in Google Play’s 2022 awards, and it has 4.8 stars on Apple’s App Store with 142.8K ratings. With the app, you can create art and images with the simple input of a quick prompt. 

An added plus is this AI image generator allows you to pick different design styles such as realistic, expressionist, comic, abstract, fanatical, ink, and more. 

Also: How to use Dream by WOMBO to generate artwork in any style

In addition to the app, the tool has a free desktop mobile version that is simple to use. If you want to take your use of the app to the next level, you can pay $90 per year or $10 per month.

Dream by WOMBO features: Powered by: WOMBO AI’s machine-learning algorithm | Access via: Mobile and desktop versions | Output: 1 image with a free version, 4 with a paid plan | Price: Free limited access

Despite originally being named DALL-E mini, this AI image generator is NOT affiliated with OpenAI or DALL-E 2. Rather, it is an open-source alternative. However, the name DALL-E 2 mini is somewhat fitting as the tool does everything DALL-E 2 does, just with less precise renditions. 

Also: How to use Craiyon AI (formerly known as DALL-E mini)

Unlike DALL-E 2, the outputs from Craiyon lack quality and take longer to render (approximately a minute). However, because you have unlimited prompts, you can continue to tweak the prompt until you get your exact vision. 

You can also include “negative words”, which help you describe what you don’t want to see, ensuring you get the best result. The site is simple and perfect for experimenting with AI image generators. It also generates six images, more than any other chatbot listed. 

Craiyon features: Powered by: Their model | Access via: Craiyon website | Output: 6 images per prompt | Price: Free, unlimited prompts 

I often play around with AI image generators because they make it fun and easy to create digital artwork. Despite all my experiences with different AI generators, nothing could have prepared me for Midjourney — in the best way. 

The output of the image was so crystal clear that I had a hard time believing it wasn’t an actual photo that someone had taken. This software is so good that it has produced award-winning art.

However, I think Midjourney isn’t user-friendly and it confuses me. If you also need extra direction, check out our step-by-step how-to here: How to use Midjourney to generate amazing images and art.

Another problem with the tool is that you may not access it for free. When I tried to render images, I got this error message: “Due to extreme demand, we can’t provide a free trial right now. Please subscribe to create images with Midjourney.” However, due to the realistic quality of the photos, if that’s what you are looking for, I would say it is worth the investment. 

To show you the quality of renditions, I’ve included a close-up below from a previous time I tested the generator. The prompt was: “A baby Yorkie sitting on a comfy couch in front of the NYC skyline.” 

Midjourney features: Powered by: Midjourney; utilizes Discord | Access via: Discord | Output: 4 images per prompt | Price: Starts at $10/month

Adobe has been a leader in developing creative tools for creative and working professionals for decades. As a result, it’s no surprise that its image generator is impressive. Accessing the generator is easy. Just visit the website and type the prompt of the image you’d like generated. 

Also: This new AI tool from Adobe makes generating the images you need even simpler

As you can see above, the images rendered of the Yorkies are high-quality, realistic, and detailed. Additionally, the biggest standout features of this chatbot are its Structure Reference and Style Reference features. 

Structure Reference lets users input an image they want the AI model to use as a template. The model then uses this structure to create a new image with the same layout and composition. Style Reference uses an image as a reference to generate a new image in the same style. 

These features are useful if you have an image you’d like the new, generated image to resemble, for example, a quick sketch you drew or even a business logo or style you’d like to keep consistent. 

Another perk is that Adobe Firefly was trained on Adobe Stock images, openly licensed content, and public domain content, making all the images generated safe for commercial use and addressing the ethics issue of image generators. 

Adobe Firefly features: Powered by: Firefly Image 2 | Access via: Website | Output: 4 images per prompt | Price: Free 

One of the biggest issues with AI image generators is that they typically train their generators on content from the entirety of the internet, which means the generators use aspects of creators’ art without compensation. This approach also puts businesses that use generators at risk of copyright infringement. 

Generative AI by Getty Images tackles that issue by generating images with content solely from Getty Images’ vast creative library with full indemnification for commercial use. The generated images will have Getty Images’ standard royalty-free license, assuring customers that their content is fair to use without fearing legal repercussions.

Another pro is that contributors whose content was used to train the models will be compensated for their inclusion in the training set. This is a great solution for businesses that want stock photos that match their creative vision but do not want to deal with copyright-related issues. 

Generative AI by Getty Images features: Powered by: NVIDIA Picasso | Access via: Website | Output: 4 images per prompt | Price: Paid (price undisclosed, have to contact the team)