Close your eyes for a moment and imagine this:
You describe an image with simple words…
And within seconds, a perfect picture appears—sharp, stunning, and exactly what you had in mind.
This isn’t magic.
This is the world of AI image generators.
In 2025 alone, more than 130 million people used AI image tools for design, branding, advertising, and digital content. Designers who once needed hours to create artwork now do it in minutes. Businesses that once needed photographers can now generate high-quality product photos instantly.
Whether you’re a beginner, a professional designer, or a creator building your online brand, this guide will show you the best AI image generators, including Stable Diffusion, Midjourney alternatives, and powerful tools you may not know yet.
This isn’t a technical review.
This is a simple, humane, beginner-friendly guide written so even a 10-year-old can understand everything clearly.
Let’s dive in.
Before we explore the top tools, let’s understand why AI-powered visuals are becoming the new standard.
According to Adobe’s 2024 Creativity Survey:
62% of creators now use AI for at least one part of their design workflow.
Why?
Because AI image generators allow you to:
• Create professional designs without hiring a designer
• Make product photos without photography equipment
• Build branding faster
• Generate ideas in seconds
• Experiment endlessly without extra cost
• Save hours of work every week
AI doesn’t replace creativity—it multiplies it.
Now, let’s look at the best tools available today.
If there were an award for “Most Artistic AI Tool,” Midjourney would win it every time.
Midjourney is famous for producing:
• Hyper-realistic portraits
• Artistic illustrations
• Cinematic images
• Product mockups
• Concept art
Designers love Midjourney because its style feels more “human” and more expressive than most tools.
• Extremely detailed artwork
• High-quality texture and lighting
• Fast generation
• Endless style options
• Perfect for branding, ads, and visuals
Starts at $10/month
Advanced plans go up to $120/month
Creators who want premium-quality visuals without needing design experience.
Stable Diffusion is one of the most powerful AI image models in the world.
It is also open-source, which means developers and creators can customize it freely.
It’s perfect for:
• Product photos
• Digital art
• Anime design
• Marketing images
• Backgrounds
• Social media content
Thousands of designers use Stable Diffusion because it allows complete control over the output.
• Free to get started
• Huge community of custom models
• Extremely realistic results
• Strong image editing capabilities
• Works offline
Free for basic users
Paid options for cloud versions vary
People who want flexibility, control, and high-quality images without monthly fees.
If you want a tool that works like magic even with simple instructions, DALL·E 3 is your best friend.
DALL·E 3 creates images that match your prompt very accurately.
Even beginners can produce stunning visuals.
• Very easy to use
• Great for logos, posters, icons
• Understands long and detailed prompts
• Integrates with ChatGPT for fast image creation
Available through ChatGPT Plus
Plans start at around $20/month
Beginners who want fast, simple, high-quality images without learning design skills.
Adobe Firefly is built for designers who want to enhance their workflow with AI—not replace it.
Firefly is integrated with Adobe tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Express, making it extremely powerful.
• Generative fill
• AI-powered object removal
• Text-to-image
• Design template generation
• Professional-grade editing
Adobe reports that users save an average of 30–60 minutes per project with Firefly.
Included with Adobe Creative Cloud plans
Graphic designers, brand designers, photographers, and content creators.
Leonardo AI is one of the fastest-growing design tools and a powerful competitor to Midjourney.
It offers:
• High creativity
• Style presets
• AI character consistency
• Product mockups
• Graphic design templates
Leonardo is especially loved by creators building content packs or digital products.
Free plan available
Pro plans start around $10/month
Creators who want Midjourney-quality results at a lower cost.
If you’ve ever tried writing text inside AI images, you know how badly most tools mess it up.
Ideogram solves that.
It can generate:
• Posters
• T-shirt designs
• Logos
• Stickers
• Typography-focused graphics
Its text accuracy is better than almost any other AI generator in its category.
Free plan available
Paid plans coming soon
Creators who need clear text inside their images.
Canva AI is the easiest tool for beginners and social media creators who want fast visuals for daily content.
With Canva AI, you can:
• Generate images
• Create product mockups
• Use AI background remover
• Design social media templates
• Edit with Magic Studio features
Over 135 million people use Canva monthly, making it one of the most accessible AI tools worldwide.
Free plan
Pro plan $12–$15/month
Influencers, business owners, students, marketers, and absolute beginners.
| AI Tool | Best For | Difficulty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midjourney | Artistic visuals | Medium | $10–$120 |
| Stable Diffusion | Custom models | Medium | Free |
| DALL·E 3 | Beginners | Easy | $20 (ChatGPT Plus) |
| Adobe Firefly | Professionals | Medium | Creative Cloud |
| Leonardo AI | Midjourney alternative | Easy | From $10 |
| Ideogram | Text images | Easy | Free |
| Canva AI | Social media designs | Very Easy | Free / $12 |
Here’s a simple way to decide:
Choose Midjourney.
Choose Stable Diffusion.
Choose DALL·E 3 or Canva AI.
Choose Adobe Firefly.
Choose Leonardo AI.
Choose Ideogram.
According to Etsy marketplace data, digital art sales increased by 46% in 2024—mostly due to AI-assisted artwork.
Creators are using AI image generators to earn money by:
• Selling digital prints
• Selling product mockups
• Creating posters
• Designing T-shirts
• Selling templates
• Creating children’s books
• Designing book covers
• Working as freelance designers
• Creating ad visuals for businesses
A designer using Midjourney + Canva can make 30–50 designs a day—something that was impossible just a few years ago.
This is why AI image tools are one of the most profitable AI business ideas today.
Whether you’re a creator, designer, business owner, or someone exploring AI for the first time, there’s something powerful happening right now:
Creativity is no longer limited by skill.
It is only limited by imagination.
AI image generators give you the freedom to visualize anything you dream of—instantly, affordably, and without waiting for years of experience.
As the famous artist Chuck Close once said:
“Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work.”
AI makes that work easier, faster, and more fun than ever before.
So explore.
Experiment.
Play.
Create something extraordinary.
Because the future of design is not about who draws the best.
It’s about who thinks the best—and uses AI to bring those ideas to life.
If you want, I can also write:
• A comparison guide for Midjourney vs Stable Diffusion
• A list of the best AI tools for product photos
• A beginner-friendly tutorial for generating your first AI image
Which one should I create next?
All rights reserved to @AbirStoreItaly
