AI art generators help businesses and creators produce images, illustrations, and designs from simple text prompts. These tools are widely used for marketing, social media, product visuals, and creative projects, making it easier to create high-quality content in less time.
What is the best AI art generator? To find out, I evaluated the most popular tools available today based on image quality, core features, ease of use, customization options, and overall value.
Here are my top picks:
Side-by-side glance at the top AI generators
AI art generators enable users to experiment with different styles, techniques, and aesthetics, pushing the boundaries of traditional artistic expression. Below is a comparison of some of the best AI art generators on the market.
| Software | Free software version | Key features | Best for | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DALL·E 3 | Yes | Natural language prompts, image editing and inpainting, extensive style variations, integration with ChatGPT | Ease of use | $20 a month as part of ChatGPT Plus |
| Midjourney | No | Photorealistic image generation, image upscaling, Zoom Out feature, and Discord community | Photorealistic art | Starting at $10 per month |
| Craiyon | Yes | Basic text-to-image generation, simple interface, style customization, and image upscaling | Free access | Paid plans starting at $10 per month |
| Jasper Art | No | Marketing-focused image generation, multiple styles, fast output, royalty-free commercial use | Professional use | Starting at $39 per month |
| NightCafe | Yes | Multiple AI models, style customization, image editing, community features, cross-platform access | Seasoned AI artists | Starting at $6 per month |
| DeepAI | Yes | Text-to-image generation, API access, style customization, image colorization, and multiple generation tools | Customization | Paid plans starting at $4.99 per month |
| Runway | Yes | Text-to-image and video generation, AI video editing, image upscaling, and custom model training | Video editing | Paid plans starting at $12 per user per month |
DALL·E 3: Best for user-friendliness
Why I chose DALL·E 3
It seems like everybody is talking about DALL·E 3, and it’s no wonder why. This web-based tool is handy for generating high-quality, copyright-free AI graphics from text cues. What people enjoy about this AI model is its user-friendliness, making it accessible for anyone to use, even beginners.
DALL·E 3 was developed by OpenAI and is the third generation of its original image-generating model, DALL·E. You may be familiar with OpenAI’s other popular AI product, ChatGPT. Like ChatGPT, the DALL·E 3 interface is simplistic and self-explanatory, providing a foolproof resource for people looking to create AI images.
So, whether you’re looking to create a photo-realistic image or transform an existing image into a specific style, just describe your wishes in natural language and let DALL·E 3 do the rest.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Generates art from text descriptions written in natural language for easy use. | ❌ The simplistic nature of the model makes it unable to provide as many customization options as other AI image generators |
| ✅ Best used for generating art quickly and simply, thanks to its user-friendly interface | ❌ No image expansion/outpainting feature, like there is for DALL·E 2 |
DALL·E 3 pricing
- Free version: Available via ChatGPT and other third-party platforms
- ChatGPT Plus: $20/month
- API: Starts at $0.040 per image
Standout features
- Clean and easy-to-use interface
- Ability to combine attributes, styles, and concepts
- Image editing/inpainting
- Integration with ChatGPT
Midjourney: Best for generating photo realistic art
Why I chose Midjourney
Midjourney is among the best resources out there for creating photorealistic AI art, making it ideal for image upscaling. However, the factor that sets the tool apart the most is definitely its Discord-based interface. Users must access the image generations by requesting them from a Discord bot via a Mac, Windows, Linux (deb, tar.gz), iOS, or Android device.
For anyone out there who is unfamiliar, Discord is a social messaging platform and the only way to utilize Midjourney. But once you make a Discord account and begin requesting images from the robot using specialized commands, you’ll get the hang of the process.
From there, Midjourney allows users to request image generations and learn tips and tricks from other program users within their Discord public channels. This solution makes it easy to create stunningly realistic generations and integrate yourself among a community of other AI digital artists.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ The platform makes it easy to join a supportive community of other Midjourney users and AI artists | ❌ Midjourney no longer offers a free version of the tool |
| ✅ Makes it easy to create stunningly realistic generations | ❌ Interface relies on Discord, which may cause a learning curve |
Midjourney pricing
- Basic Plan: $10 billed monthly or $8 per month, billed yearly
- Standard Plan: $30 billed monthly or $24 per month, billed yearly
- Pro Plan: $60 billed monthly or $48 per month, billed yearly
- Mega Plan: $120 billed monthly or $96 per month, billed yearly
Standout features
- Ability to upscale and edit imported images
- Graphic generation based on text description
- Stylize function to improve artistic quality and realism
- Zoom-Out, a tool to expand on original images
Craiyon: Best for free access
Why I chose Craiyon
As its name would suggest, Craiyon is a web-based tool that can be used to create art images, and the developer even offers a free version of the platform. Formerly known as DALL·E Mini, the service can generate photos from written descriptions and features an easy-to-use interface.
Craiyon LLC provides its service for free to all website visitors who feel like giving it a spin. The simplistic model is ideal for any AI artist newbies who may be curious about learning the ins and outs of AI graphic generation but aren’t ready to purchase a subscription plan just yet.
To provide the free server, the model relies on ads. If you’re not a fan of the ads and want to support the developer, you have the option to purchase the service through one of the paid subscription plans. The paid plans provide access to speedier generations, watermark-free artwork, an ad-free experience, and more affordable perks.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Create free, basic designs without a membership | ❌ Free users will encounter ads and may experience long generation wait times |
| ✅ Introductory tool into the world of AI digital art creation | ❌ Model can produce results that contain harmful stereotypes |
Craiyon pricing
- Free plan: Access to basic features
- Supporter: $12 billed monthly or $10 per month, billed annually
- Professional: $24 billed monthly or $20 per month, billed annually
- Ultra: $84 billed monthly or $70 per month, billed annually
Standout features
- Free access to basic AI art generation
- Ability to enhance generated art in higher resolutions
- Extensive customization options
- Digital printing services via the Craiyon community
Jasper: Best for professional use
Why I chose Jasper
Through Jasper Art, marketing teams, content creators, business owners, and non-professionals alike can generate unique, high-quality AI images. While anyone can set up an account to access the web-based service, several features make it ideal for business use.
The model can generate custom art, images, illustrations, and even 3D animations for business marketing and other royalty-free commercial uses. Although it may be pricier than some of the other AI art generators out there, it does save time and money when compared to sourcing art through other means.
Marketing teams and professionals can also use it alongside the Jasper AI writing generator if they use the service. The multiple content creation tools offered by Jasper make it easy to create visual art and professional writing for all of your business needs.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Generations are watermark-free and royalty-free for commercial use | ❌ Does not allow users to upload images for reference |
| ✅ Fast generation times, with most prompts taking less than 10 seconds | ❌ Some issues with generating realistic faces and extremities |
Jasper pricing
- Pro: $69 per seat, billed monthly or $59 per seat, per month, billed annually
- Business: Custom pricing
Standout features
- Unlimited text-to-picture image generations
- High-resolution 2K pixel images
- Royalty-free commercial use
- Marketing-focused image generation
NightCafe: Best for seasoned AI artists
Why I chose NightCafe
NightCafe is a popular web- and mobile-based AI art generator developed by NightCafe Studio that stands apart for its creative features and artistic options, which make it a perfect tool for AI artists.
The model’s expansive features and deep customization tools are ideal for skilled AI artists looking to create distinctive images. Users can select from a wide range of styles and features to generate a visually impressive image. Alternatively, they can input their own photos to generate an all-new creation!
While the text-to-image AI model does allow for easy art generation, this tool is anything but basic. Its features enable users to create in multiple AI art models, including Stable Diffusion, DALL·E 2, CLIP-Guided Diffusion, VQGAN-CLIP, and even Neural Style Transfer. It offers plans for free users, beginners, hobbyists, enthusiasts, and artists, but we believe the software is best for serious AI artists, as its creative capabilities are endless.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Intuitive user interface makes it accessible for all users | ❌ Beginners may experience a learning curve with advanced features |
| ✅ Users can participate in art challenges and share creations | ❌ Many features are limited to paid plans |
NightCafe pricing
- Free plan: Five free credits daily
- AI Hobbyist: $12.49 billed monthly, or $7.49 per month, billed annually
- AI Enthusiast: $24.99 billed monthly, or $14.99 per month, billed annually
- AI Creator: $39.99 billed monthly, or $23.99 per month, billed annually
Standout features
- Code-free image generation
- Multiple style options and art models
- Access to the AI art community
- Chat rooms and other collaboration features
DeepAI: Best for customization
DeepAI’s customization capabilities enable users to generate tailor-made images that are fine-tuned for their needs. The open-source web-based solution is an AI text-to-image generator that can produce captivating artwork from a single-word text prompt.
DeepAI is a great model for users who want to quickly create a resolution-independent vector image. While the free version of the software produces art based on text prompts, DeepAI’s paid plans provide extensive options for creating and customizing AI images, including many stylistic options for adjusting textures, colors, and other details, making it a top AI art generator.
While DeepAI does a great job at generating impressively realistic images, its highly customizable nature lets users bring their ideas to life. The tool also ensures that its users can create unlimited unique works of art, as no two generations are the same.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ API developers can connect DeepAI to another software using the text-to-picture AP | ❌ Some users have reported slow processing time |
| ✅ DeepAI’s Nudity Detector tool can filter out images containing nudity and rate images on whether they should be considered not safe for work | ❌ Many features are limited to paid subscription plans |
DeepAI pricing
- Free plan: Access to basic features
- Pro: $9.99 billed monthly, or $7.49 per month, billed annually
Standout features
- Resolution-independent vector image generation
- Fantasy World Generator to create fantasy-style artwork
- BigGAN for headshot creation.
- CartoonGAN to create cartoon-style animations
Runway: Best for video editing
Why I chose Runway
Runway offers a suite of AI tools for generating and editing images, videos, 3D media, and audio. Runway AI’s use of ML models in Runway allows for an expansive list of features and capabilities that go beyond those of your standard art generator.
The web-based platform provides various art-generation tools, from text-to-image to AI animations and video edits. Users can even transform images into animated videos or simply use text prompts.
Video editing and generation aside, this is a robust resource that can allow artists to harness the creative powers of AI. The generator is ideal for serious occupational use, as developers can even utilize the solution to train their own custom models and AI image generators.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Provides video editing features like background removal without a green screen | ❌ Free and lower-cost plans provide limited generation capabilities |
| ✅ Allows users to train custom models and AI image generators | ❌ Free version comes with limited credits |
Runway pricing
- Free version: 125 credits upon signing up
- Standard: $15 per user billed monthly or $12 per user per month, billed annually
- Pro: $35 per user billed monthly or $28 per user per month, billed annually
- Unlimited: $95 per user billed monthly, or $76 per user per month, billed annually
- Enterprise: Custom quote
Standout features
- AI text-to-video and video-to-video generation
- Generation of images and 3D textures from text prompts
- Image resolution upscaling
- Custom model training
Review methodology
This is a technical review using compiled literature researched from relevant databases. The information provided in this article is gathered from vendor websites and an aggregate of user feedback to ensure a high-quality review.
Where possible, I reviewed product interfaces, available demos, and documentation to better understand how each AI art generator performs in real-world use. I also analyzed features, usability, and user feedback to evaluate how these tools support different creative and business needs.
How I chose the best AI art generators
Working with AI art generators opens new avenues for artistic exploration, facilitates collaboration, and allows users to create visuals in new and innovative ways. However, not all tools provide the same capabilities or benefits.
To identify the best options, I focused on the key factors users should consider when choosing an AI art generator:
- Core features: I evaluated generators that offer various artistic styles, adjustable parameters, and advanced rendering techniques. I also considered how well each tool supports different creative goals and provides the resources needed to bring ideas to life.
- Ease of use: I considered each platform’s interface and usability. A user-friendly interface with intuitive controls and clear instructions can help users reach their creative goals more quickly.
- User feedback: I reviewed user feedback and testimonials to better understand each tool’s reliability, performance, and overall ease of use.
By evaluating these factors, I identified AI art generators that best suit different creative needs, preferences, and use cases.
Why you can trust us
TechRepublic’s editorial team regularly reviews and updates buyer’s guides across a wide range of AI and business software categories. For this guide, I evaluated leading AI art generators based on their core features, ease of use, and user feedback.
This review is based on compiled information from vendor websites, product documentation, and aggregated user feedback. Where possible, I reviewed product interfaces and available demos to better understand how these tools perform in real-world use.
Our goal is to provide accurate, up-to-date, and practical recommendations so you can confidently choose the AI art generator that best fits your needs.
FAQs
What are the key features of AI art generators?
- Generative algorithms: AI art generators make use of advanced generative AI algorithms that learn from existing art styles and patterns and are able to transform input data into visually captivating pieces.
- Style transfer: AI art generators often come equipped with the capability to transfer styles, allowing users to apply the characteristics and aesthetics of well-known artworks or specific designs to their own generated creations.
- Creative exploration: AI art generators offer users an extensive range of options and possibilities. Through adjustable parameters and settings, artists can modify the generated art, enabling them to experiment with their artistic outcomes.
- Realistic rendering: Sophisticated rendering techniques can lead to visually convincing artwork that closely resembles traditional artistic media or even photographic images.
- Interactive and inclusive interfaces: AI art generators often offer intuitive and user-friendly interfaces, enabling artists to engage with the generated art in real time. They also allow individuals with differing levels of artistic skills to participate in creative expression.
Benefits of working with AI art generators
- AI art generators provide a limitless source of inspiration, allowing users to explore and experiment with various artistic styles and parameters so that they may push the boundaries of their creativity.
- These tools offer accessibility, allowing individuals to produce stunning artwork regardless of their artistic skills or training.
- AI art generators with collaborative features can foster a sense of community and support among users.
- AI art generators save users time and effort by automating certain aspects of the artistic process, such as generating or editing images.
- The time and effort-saving aspects of these solutions can enable businesses to reduce overhead costs when designing their professional content.
Which AI art generator is best for beginners?
Of the AI art generators TechRepublic has reviewed, the most appropriate one for beginners is DALL·E 3. It is free to try out, so there is no financial loss if it is not what you are looking for. It is very user-friendly, understanding natural language prompts so users can describe what they want without needing technical phrasing. It also has built-in safety filters and lets users refine images through consecutive follow-up instructions.
