In just two years, the technological landscape has changed drastically with the advent of AI technologies. AI tools and utilities have altered the way we do things, whether it is generating text content, searching for information online, or even generating images.
The last one, in particular, has managed to grab public attention like nothing else, since creating images from scratch has always been quite challenging for most people. And now with the help of AI tools, it is possible to generate high-quality images just by typing in some prompts. You can create an image of almost any subject by providing the AI with a description of what you want to create.
While originally there were just a few AI image generators like Midjourney and Dall-E, now there are lots of options to choose from. And to make it easy for you to choose the right one, we've decided to share the best ones here. So, check out this guide now!
Dall-E 3
Dall-E 3
One of the earliest AI image generators, Dall-E 3 generates high-quality, realistic images and is incredibly easy to use
Pros: Generates good-quality images, is easy to use, and you can chat with the AI while generating images
Cons: You can only use it for free through Microsoft's Copilot
Despite being one of the earliest AI image generators available, Dall-E still manages to hold the top spot when it comes to the quality of images generated. It can produce good-quality, realistic images consistently and quickly. Another reason why we consider Dall-E 3 to be an excellent option is that it is incredibly easy to use.
You can access Dall-E 3 through Microsoft's Copilot AI or ChatGPT (only for Enterprise and Plus users, though). Once you've opened Dall-E, just enter a prompt and provide the AI with as much detail as you want. It will generate four variations of the image you requested and you can even edit the generated images.
Sakshi Garg
Dall-E 3's conversational capabilities let you chat with the AI chatbot and generate images simultaneously. As mentioned before, it requires a ChatGPT Plus subscription and will cost you $20 per month. However, if you are a Microsoft Copilot user, you can use it for free. You can also use the older Dall-E 2 version for $15 per month and the API is also available, starting at $0.016 per image.
Midjourney
Midjourney
An extremely popular AI image generator, Midjourney can be accessed through Discord and allows you to use generated images commercially.
Pros: Creates more realistic images than the competition, occasionally offers free trials, and allows commercial use of images
Cons: Can only be used through Discord initially with Midjourney Alpha website not open to everyone
When AI image generators started becoming popular, Midjourney was right there at the start with Dall-E. It uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to read and understand prompts entered by users and generate images based on those. Like other AI image generators, it also provides four variations of the image you request.
What makes Midjourney stand out from other AI image generators is that the objects and people it generates appear to be more lifelike than with most other similar tools. In fact, the latest 5.2 version can even create hands more accurately, which is something most AI image generators struggle with. Midjourney is also the first AI tool to win an art competition and has a huge community of users.
You can initially access Midjourney only through Discord, where you can use the prompt /imagine [description of your image]. Once it generates the four variations, you can edit, upscale, and download them as you like. Midjourney also has a web-based interface, Midjourney Alpha, but it is only available for users who have generated a set amount of images (currently 100) using the tool. Also, images generated using Midjourney are public by default and can be viewed by anyone.
Midjourney occasionally offers free trials and its Basic Plan costs $10 per month, which offers around 200 images or 3.3 hours of GPU time per month. You can use your images commercially and purchase additional GPU time.
ImageFX By Google
ImageFX
Google's ImageFX can highlight sections of your prompt and offer suggestions to generate and refine images using AI
Pros: Suggestions can help you easily generate multiple variations of the image and you can use various styles like drawings and sketches
Cons: Not available in all regions currently
Developed by Google, ImageFX is an AI image generator that utilizes the Imagen 2 text-to-image processing technology and is available for public testing, though you will need a Google account for that. This tool can also generate high-quality images that are lifelike and lets you refine generated images.
ImageFX can highlight certain sections of your prompt and suggest changes to refine the image with the help of expressive chips. Once you provide it with a prompt, it selects specific keywords and changes them into dropdown menus, each one offering a few alternatives you can use.
It can also suggest different styles, helping you generate images styled as handmade drawings, sketches, photorealistic images 35mm film, etc. ImageFX also generates four images and the best part is that it is completely free to use currently through its website.
However, right now the AI image generator can only generate square images, just like Google's Gemini AI, and is not available in all regions. While this puts it at a disadvantage compared to many other options, the quality of the images generated and the ability to do so for free make it a highly recommended option.
DreamStudio
DreamStudio
Offering options like 'negative prompts', DreamStudio from Stability AI is an image generator with several customization options
Pros: Easy to use, can generate images in different aspect ratios, and generates images quickly
Cons: You need credits to use this AI image generator
DreamStudio is an AI image generator from Stability AI, best known for its Stable Diffusion open-source text-to-image generator. DreamStudio has been designed to ensure that everyone can access such technologies without requiring any technical skill. This is possible since the Stable Diffusion interface is integrated into DreamStudio making it simple and easy to use.
The tool offers several customization options, such as a negative prompt which lets you exclude elements from the generated image. DreamStudio also lets you change the ratio of the generated image, unlike most competing options which only generate images in a 1:1 ratio.
To generate an image using DreamStudio, you need credits, and one image can be generated for every two credits. Users can get 100 credits for $1, which makes this tool almost free, and new members get 25 credits for free. While DreamStudio is a great option if you want to generate images quickly, it might not be the best choice for complex images with a lot of details.
DreamStudio can generate between one and ten images, depending on your preferences. You can click on the one you like to get more variations, and this tool is the best if you want to create illustrations and digital art.
Adobe Firefly
Adobe Firefly
With Firefly, you can not only generate images using AI but also import and edit them in Adobe applications like Photoshop
Pros: Currently free to use, lets you use Styles and References, and allows importing images in other Adobe applications
Cons: Image quality is not on par with Dall-E and Midjourney
Adobe, known for its digital illustration and photo editing software applications also entered the AI image generation game with Firefly. This AI image generator lets you create stylized, detailed images which you can then refine and edit in applications like Photoshop.
In addition to this, it lets you integrate AI-generated images into photos easily. Besides being able to use prompts to generate images, Adobe Firefly offers Structure and Style References. This means you can provide the tool with an image to use as a reference when generating images. The AI model was trained on Adobe Stock images and can generate images suitable for commercial use.
You can access Adobe Firefly through its website and it is free to use for 25 credits right now. If you want to buy a subscription, it will cost you $4.99 per month which comes with 100 credits per month. Firefly is also accessible through the latest version of Photoshop and through Adobe Express.
Apart from images, Adobe Firefly can create text images from written prompts, add AI-generated elements to existing images, and even recolor vector images. Its Generative Fill feature, which works in Photoshop, lets you select an area of an image, click a button, and enter a prompt to replace it with something else by understanding the context.
Dream by WOMBO
Dream by WOMBO
An award-winning AI image generator, Dream by WOMBO is available on mobile and desktop devices and lets you generate images in different styles
Pros: Easy to use, offers both free and paid versions, and you can generate images in various styles like abstract and realistic
Cons: Misses out on a few advanced features present in other AI image generators
Dream is another award-winning AI image generator on our list, getting critical acclaim by taking first place among AI image generators in Google Play's 2022 awards. It also has five stars on Apple's App Store and is among the few AI image generators for mobile devices that can create good-quality images from prompts.
With Dream, you can generate images in different styles, such as comic, abstract, realistic, etc. Besides the app, an easy-to-use desktop version is also available that you can use for free. If you want to access the advanced features, you will need a subscription, which costs $10 per month or $90 per year.
The AI tool is powered by WOMBO AI's machine-learning algorithm, and you can generate one image with the free version and four with the paid one.
Craiyon
Craiyon
Relying on the Dall-E Mini technology, Craiyon lets you generate and refine images indefinitely and is completely open-source and free
Pros: Allows refining images without any limits, generates six images per prompt, and offers an affordable subscription plan
Cons: Image generation is not the fastest
Earlier known as Dall-E Mini since it uses the Dall-E Mini technology to generate images, Craiyon is another noteworthy AI image generator. Despite its name, the tool is not associated with Dall-E or OpenAI and is in fact, completely open-source and free.
Craiyon provides unlimited free prompts you can use to generate images, but is a bit slower, especially compared to Dall-E 3 and Midjourney. The good thing about the unlimited prompts, however, is that the tool lets you continue making tweaks and adjustments until you are satisfied with the generated image.
Users can generate six images with a single prompt, which is more than what other AI image generators offer. If you want, you can opt for a subscription plan that costs just $5 per month. While Craiyon can produce decent-quality images, keep in mind that the quality is not the same as that offered by more popular platforms.
You can access Craiyon through its website and the interface is quite simple but there are a lot of ads on the page, which can be a little distracting. Still, it is a great option if you just want to generate images quickly for fun and post them on social media.
Generative AI Getty Images
Generative AI Getty Images
Generative AI from Getty Images focuses on allowing you to generate images for commercial purposes since it is trained on the stock library of Getty Images
Pros: All images can be used for commercial purposes, the tool is easy to use, and can generate images in a specific style
Cons: Due to limited training data, the AI's image generation capabilities are a bit limited
If you're looking for the best AI image generator for business purposes, then Generative AI Getty Images might be the ideal choice. This is because, unlike countless other alternatives, this tool is only trained on Getty Images' huge image library. So, any images you generate using it are suitable for commercial use.
All images generated using Getty AI Images come with a royalty-free license, so you can use them without any legal concerns. What's more, if you are a content creator whose content has been used to train the AI, the company will offer compensation for the same. This makes the tool perfect for businesses who need stock photos in a specific style but do not want to face copyright issues.
Getty Images is powered by Nvidia Picasso and can be accessed through its iStock website. You can generate four images per prompt and costs $14.99 for 100 AI generations. Generative AI will also not create images that use a trademark, contain real people, or elements that violate intellectual property laws.
Due to the limited training data and restrictions on what it can generate, Generative AI by Getty Images is a bit limited in what it can do. That said, it can help you avoid a lot of legal headaches if you want to use AI-generated images.
AI image generators are changing how we create, edit, and use images for personal and commercial purposes. While there are lots of options to choose from, we've shared the eight top ones you can try out now. Many of these let you try out the tool for free, but some may require a paid subscription.
While the debate is still going on about how AI image generators are adversely affecting artists and other creatives, there is no doubt that they have made it easy for everyone to create high-quality images without needing any artistic skills or talent.
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