# Best AI image generators

Source: https://freeaicourses.com/tools/image-generation
Last checked: 2026-10-02 (free plans and prices on each maker's own pricing page)

## Short answer

Of the 4 AI image generators we rank, Midjourney is our top pick at 8.7 out of 10. If you are new to this, start with Adobe Firefly. If you are experienced, try Stable Diffusion. Midjourney: No free plan is listed.

## Sections

### Midjourney (8.7 out of 10)

Still the one to beat for striking, stylish images. If the look matters more than precise control, start here.

Concept art, mood boards and eye-catching illustrations.

Getting exactly what you pictured takes practice, and you'll learn a lot of prompt vocabulary.

No free plan is listed.

Basic is US$10 a month, or US$8 a month billed yearly.

### Adobe Firefly (8.2 out of 10)

Friendly to start with and tied into Adobe's apps. A good pick if you want images for work and already use Photoshop or Express.

Generating images, extending photos and swapping out backgrounds.

Adobe says images from Firefly's own models are safe for commercial use. Images from partner models, such as Google's or OpenAI's, are your responsibility.

Free daily generations, no plan needed.

Firefly Standard is £9.98 a month including VAT, with 2,000 generative credits.

### Stable Diffusion (8.0 out of 10)

Open image models you can run and customise yourself. It takes more setup, but you get control the hosted tools can't match.

Custom styles, running image generation locally and building it into your own apps.

Setup and a decent GPU are part of the deal. Businesses earning over US$1 million a year need a paid Enterprise licence.

Free under the Stability AI Community License for individuals and businesses with under US$1 million a year in revenue.

Above US$1 million in revenue you need an Enterprise licence.

### Ideogram (7.8 out of 10)

Known for being better than most at putting readable words into images, which makes it handy for posters and social graphics.

Posters, thumbnails and graphics that need a short line of text.

Longer text still goes wrong. Keep the wording short and check every letter.

Free plan available.

Plus is US$20 a month, or US$15 a month billed yearly.

## Best courses

- Generative AI for Everyone
- Practical Deep Learning for Coders
- Hugging Face LLM Course

## Questions people ask

### What are the best AI image generators in 2026?

Our top pick is Midjourney (8.7/10), followed by Adobe Firefly and Stable Diffusion. Still the one to beat for striking, stylish images. If the look matters more than precise control, start here.

### Which AI image generators are best for beginners?

Start with Adobe Firefly, then try Ideogram. Friendly to start with and tied into Adobe's apps. A good pick if you want images for work and already use Photoshop or Express.

### Which AI image generators are best for experts?

Stable Diffusion is our pick for experienced users, with Midjourney close behind. Open image models you can run and customise yourself. It takes more setup, but you get control the hosted tools can't match.

### What's the catch with Midjourney?

Getting exactly what you pictured takes practice, and you'll learn a lot of prompt vocabulary.

### Are there free courses that teach AI image generators?

Yes. We recommend Generative AI for Everyone (DeepLearning.AI), Practical Deep Learning for Coders (fast.ai) and Hugging Face LLM Course (Hugging Face). Each one is free and reviewed on FreeAICourses.com.

### Which AI image generators have a free plan?

Adobe Firefly, Stable Diffusion and Ideogram have a free plan or free version. Midjourney has no free plan.

## Related pages

- [Generative AI for Everyone](https://freeaicourses.com/courses/generative-ai-for-everyone)
- [Practical Deep Learning for Coders](https://freeaicourses.com/courses/practical-deep-learning-for-coders)
- [Hugging Face LLM Course](https://freeaicourses.com/courses/hugging-face-llm-course)
- [Best AI video editing tools](https://freeaicourses.com/tools/video-editing)
- [Best AI audio and voice tools](https://freeaicourses.com/tools/audio-voice)
- [Best AI design and presentation tools](https://freeaicourses.com/tools/design-presentations)
- [How to make a faceless video with AI](https://freeaicourses.com/workflows/faceless-explainer-video)
- [How to make an AI avatar video](https://freeaicourses.com/workflows/ai-avatar-video)
- [AI tool rankings](https://freeaicourses.com/tools)