Best AI Image Generators (2026): Top Picks Compared
Quick Take
We compared 5 AI image generators on quality, ease of use, pricing, and commercial licensing. Midjourney leads on artistic quality while DALL-E wins on accessibility.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
| # | Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midjourney | Image quality | $10/mo | 7.2/10 |
| 2 | DALL-E | Ease of use | $0/mo | 8.1/10 |
| 3 | Leonardo.ai | Game assets | $0/mo | 8.8/10 |
| 4 | Adobe Firefly | Commercial safety | $0/mo | 8.4/10 |
| 5 | NightCafe | Experimentation | $0/mo | 8.1/10 |
1. Midjourney | Image quality
AI image generator accessed via Discord or web app. Produces the most artistic output of any current model. Strong community and granular style control.
Our take: Highest fidelity output with fine-grained style control. Discord-only is the main drawback.
Midjourney Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $10 | — |
| Standard | $30 | — |
| Pro | $60 | — |
| Mega | $120 | — |
2. DALL-E | Ease of use
OpenAI's image generation model integrated into ChatGPT and API. Strong at following detailed text prompts with high accuracy.
Our take: Built into ChatGPT. type what you want, get an image. Lowest barrier to entry.
DALL-E Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Free (ChatGPT) | $0 | — |
| API | $0 | — |
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 | — |
3. Leonardo.ai | Game assets
AI image generation platform focused on game assets and creative production. Fine-tuning, real-time canvas, and style consistency.
Our take: Fine-tuning and real-time canvas built for game devs and creative production.
Leonardo.ai Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | — |
| Apprentice | $12 | $10/mo |
| Artisan | $30 | $24/mo |
| Maestro | $60 | $48/mo |
4. Adobe Firefly | Commercial safety
Adobe's generative AI built into Creative Cloud. Commercially safe. trained on Adobe Stock and licensed content.
Our take: Trained only on licensed content. Zero copyright risk for client work.
Adobe Firefly Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | — |
| Premium | $10 | — |
| Creative Cloud | $55 | — |
5. NightCafe | Experimentation
AI art generator with multiple algorithms (Stable Diffusion, DALL-E). Credit-based pricing with active community challenges.
Our take: Multiple algorithms in one place. Credit system lets you try everything cheap.
NightCafe Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | — |
| AI Hobbyist | $6 | — |
| AI Enthusiast | $10 | — |
| AI Artist | $30 | — |
How We Ranked These Tools
Scoring based on image quality assessment, feature depth, pricing accessibility, and commercial safety. User review data from G2 and Capterra.
Read our full scoring methodology for details.