Best AI tools for image generation
Creating and editing images, graphics and illustrations from a text prompt. 9 tools ranked by how many of these features they have, then by free plan and starting price, with prices last checked on November 7, 2026. No vendor pays to be listed.
The ranking
Canva
Online design platform for social posts, presentations, videos and brand assets with AI tools.
Watch out: Pro price covers up to 5 people; extra members are billed per month
Adobe Firefly
Adobe's AI app for generating and editing images, video and audio, including partner models.
Watch out: Generation is credit-based; free plan has limited daily generations
Google Gemini
Google's Gemini assistant with image, video and music generation, Deep Research and Google app integration.
Watch out: Free plan uses the Flash-Lite model
ChatGPT
OpenAI's AI assistant for chat, writing, image creation, deep research and everyday tasks.
Watch out: Free plan has limited image creation and deep research
Ideogram
AI image generator known for rendering readable text inside images.
Watch out: Free accounts get weekly slow credits
Runway
AI creative platform for generating and editing video, images and audio.
Watch out: Free plan: 125 one-time credits
Perplexity
AI answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources.
Watch out: Free plan: 3 Pro Searches/day and 1 Research query/month
Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft's AI assistant, available as a standalone app and inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Watch out: Office-app Copilot features require a Microsoft 365 subscription
Midjourney
AI image (and short video) generator known for high-quality artistic output.
Watch out: No free plan
Compared at a glance
| Tool | Starting price | Free plan | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canva | $18/month | Yes | Beginner-friendly |
| Adobe Firefly | $9.99/month | Yes | Beginner-friendly |
| Google Gemini | $4.99/month | Yes | Beginner-friendly |
| ChatGPT | $8/month | Yes | Beginner-friendly |
| Ideogram | $15/month | Yes | Beginner-friendly |
| Runway | $15/month | Yes | Some learning curve |
| Perplexity | $20/month | Yes | Beginner-friendly |
| Microsoft Copilot | $9.99/month | No | Beginner-friendly |
| Midjourney | $10/month | No | Some learning curve |
Prices come from each vendor’s official pricing page. Yearly plans are shown as the monthly equivalent.
Workflows that use these tools
- Writing · Beginner Write a search-friendly blog post Research a topic, outline it around what readers search for, draft, polish and add a featured image. Perplexity · ChatGPT · Grammarly · Canva Free to start
- Marketing · Beginner Plan a month of social media posts Turn one theme into 30 days of captions and matching graphics, organized in a simple content calendar. ChatGPT · Canva · Notion Free to start
- Marketing · Beginner Write a weekly email newsletter Research what's new in your niche, draft the issue, add a header image and proofread — every week in under an hour. Perplexity · Claude · Canva · Grammarly Free to start
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI tool for image generation?
By FloPilot’s ranking, Canva covers the most of what image generation needs (image generation, image editing, design templates). The best pick for you still depends on your budget and the tools you already use.
Are there free AI tools for image generation?
Yes. Canva, Adobe Firefly, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Ideogram, Runway, Perplexity have a free plan.
What is the cheapest paid AI tool for image generation?
Google Gemini has the lowest starting paid plan in this list: Google AI Plus at $4.99/month.
Which AI tools for image generation are easiest for beginners?
Canva, Adobe Firefly, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Ideogram, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot are rated beginner-friendly in the FloPilot database.
Best AI tools for other jobs
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