5 best AI image generators in 2024

Best AI image generation tools
Top AI image generation tools (Image via Google Imagen)

The best AI image generators use text prompts to produce desirable images within seconds. These tools can help you with content creation, social media posts, business cards, logos, and more. Moreover, using them is so simple and easy. If you don’t have any professional work, you can use them to unleash your creativity and have fun.

Many attempts were made earlier to create an image-generation tool. This includes AARON, DeepDream, and others. However, with the release of OpenAI’s DALL-E, these tools have gained a lot of attention. And now, there are dozens of options available on the market.

This article will discuss the five best AI image generators in 2024 that you can try to explore your creativity.

NOTE: This article is subjective, reflects the writer’s opinion, and is not ranked in any manner.


Best AI image generators to try in 2024

1) Google Imagen

Google Imagen is amongst the best AI image generators with some minor drawbacks. (Image via Google Imagen)
Google Imagen is amongst the best AI image generators with some minor drawbacks. (Image via Google Imagen)

Google Imagen, with the current version being Imagen 2, is known for its ability to create both artistic and photorealistic images. It is a text-to-image diffusion model. That means it is trained on a huge dataset of images. To create an image, it starts with a random noise image and gradually makes the changes to deliver results similar to the prompt provided by the user.

It supports inpainting and outpainting, which means you can add more details to a generated image. What makes Imagen one of the best AI image generators is its ability to use a reference image when creating an output.

With that said, it is not easy to access this generator. Currently, it is available for developers and enterprises. Individuals can access it using Vertex AI Vision on a Google Cloud account. However, you need to fill out a request form for the same.

I have taken some demo images to check how it works.

Prompt: A robot couple fine dining with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

Imagen: Test case 1 (Image via Google Imagen)
Imagen: Test case 1 (Image via Google Imagen)

If you look closely, the image isn't properly crafted and has a lot of complexities. The hands of the robots are not inclined properly. The legs of the chairs and table don't look natural. The tower looks on the table rather than in the background.

Prompt: Three spheres made of glass falling into the ocean. The water is splashing. The sun is setting.

Imagen: Test case 2 (Image via Google Imagen)
Imagen: Test case 2 (Image via Google Imagen)

The image looks good with some minor issues. All these glass spheres are not crafted properly, and it looks like they are floating. The color of the sun is pretty accurate. Overall, it's a fine image.


2) DALL-E 3

DALL-E 3 comes with great improvement over its previous version. (Image via Google Play)
DALL-E 3 comes with great improvement over its previous version. (Image via Google Play)

DALL-E 3 is the latest AI art tool from OpenAI. Like the Imagen, it also uses the diffusion model to generate images. The biggest difference between the DALL-E 3 and other generators is the way humans and machines interact. It utilizes the power of ChatGPT to excel at understanding the nuances of human language and the relationships between words. This functionality positions it among the best AI image generators.

Though it is more capable than its predecessor, this ability comes at a cost. To leverage its abilities, you must be a ChatGPT Plus subscriber. This will cost you around $20 per month per user. Don’t worry if you don’t have the ChatGPT Plus membership. You can try it for free with Microsoft’s Copilot.

I tested DALL-E 3 using Copilot.

Prompt: A close-up portrait of a red panda wearing a tiny, intricately detailed Parisian beret.

DALL-E 3: Test case 1 (Image via Copilot)
DALL-E 3: Test case 1 (Image via Copilot)

I am impressed with the result it produced. It generates four images on a single prompt. Each image is unique and looks pretty well crafted. However, the unnatural appearance of the ears detracts from the overall realism and quality of the image.

Prompt: A whimsical illustration of a group of diverse children exploring a hidden underwater world.

DALL-E 3: Test case 2 (Image via Microsoft Copilot)
DALL-E 3: Test case 2 (Image via Microsoft Copilot)

The images look decent. There is nothing much odd to point out.


3) Midjourney

Arguably one of the best AI image generators. (Image via Wikipedia)
Arguably one of the best AI image generators. (Image via Wikipedia)

Midjourney is one of the best AI image generators currently available. It is very popular for producing images with unsurpassed realism. It uses deep learning with a diffusion model to generate images from text. The actual working model of Midjouney is closed-source and proprietary, so it is not clear how it exactly works.

The interesting thing about Midjourney is the way to access it. It operates through a messaging bot on Discord. Moreover, it is not free to use. You have to purchase a monthly subscription, with the basic plan starting from $10/month and going up to $120/month for the mega plan.

Here are the demo images generated by Midjourney.

Prompt: A sensual photo, Nikon D850 105mm, a close-up centered shot of a smiling 35-year old muscular man in a fitted Italian suit talking to a friend, summer and sunny, people in the background.

Midjourney is one of the best AI image generators: Demo image 1 (Image via Midjourney)
Midjourney is one of the best AI image generators: Demo image 1 (Image via Midjourney)

Truly speaking, I am stunned by the image. It looks super realistic. I don't think anyone would be able to guess it is an AI-generated image.

Prompt: Cinematic, still life photo of a mockup with a vertical blank frame of 16:11 ratio, hung on a wall, the room is in the style of an ethnic and colorful apartment, uhd image, ARRIFLEX 35 BL Camera, Canon K35 Prime Lenses, photorealistic.

Midjourney: Demo image 2 (Image via Midjourney)
Midjourney: Demo image 2 (Image via Midjourney)

The image looks detailed. If you look closely, you can even see the shadows on the wall, which makes the image look more real. The white curtain seems unkempt, but besides that, there is nothing to complain about.

Easily the top among the best AI image generators.


4) Stable Diffusion

Highly capable generative AI tool, making it one of the best AI image generators. (Image via Stability AI)
Highly capable generative AI tool, making it one of the best AI image generators. (Image via Stability AI)

Stable Diffusion is a massively popular, open-sourced text-to-image generator created by Stability AI. It comes with a variety of styles and filters that you can use while generating an image. Besides that, you get various adjustment options, including the number of pictures to generate simultaneously, aspect ratio, and guidance scale.

The standout feature of Stable Diffusion is "negative prompt." You can type in the specifics that you'd like to avoid in the final output. This solidifies its position among other best AI image generators.

Talking about its work, it uses diffusion techniques to create high-quality images. Thankfully, you can try it for free. Paid plans with additional features start at $10/month.

Let's check how well it works.

Prompt: A futuristic robot bartender in a sleek, modern bar serving a variety of colorful drinks.

Stable Diffusion: Test case 1 (Image via Stable Diffusion)
Stable Diffusion: Test case 1 (Image via Stable Diffusion)

The image looks refined. Though there are some unclear/blurry visuals in the background, overall, it is a good image.

Prompt: A minimalist logo design for a coffee shop, featuring a single, elegant coffee bean symbol.

Stable Diffusion: Test case 2 (Image via Stable Diffusion)
Stable Diffusion: Test case 2 (Image via Stable Diffusion)

The logo looks exactly the same as the prompt. It also added some text to it, which made it look more appealing.


5) Adobe Firefly

One of the best AI image generators (Image via Adobe Firefly)
One of the best AI image generators (Image via Adobe Firefly)

Adobe has been known for developing top-notch creative tools. Its image generator upholds its reputation.

Adobe Firefly is one of the best AI image generators available on the market. It produces some realistic and detailed images. The best part about the Firefly is that it allows you to customize the artistic style of the generated images. You can fine-tune color, tone, lighting, camera angles, and much more.

Adobe also offers tons of generative AI features. This includes vector generation and generative fill. Moreover, you get a feature called Structure Reference. It lets you create a template that can be used to generate images with the same layout and composition.

Like other tools, it also uses a diffusion model to generate images. You can try it for free on the Adobe Firefly webpage.

Let's test it.

Prompt: A haunted Victorian mansion on a hill during a foggy night, with eerie lights in the windows.

Adobe Firefly test case 1 (Image via Adobe Firefly)
Adobe Firefly test case 1 (Image via Adobe Firefly)

It gives us four options. The mansion comes out great. The colors are pretty accurate. However, the moon feels inconsistent throughout.

Prompt: A vintage photograph of a hot air balloon floating over the pyramids of Giza, with a slightly faded and grainy texture.

Adobe Firefly: Test case 2 (Image via Adobe Firefly)
Adobe Firefly: Test case 2 (Image via Adobe Firefly)

The output is similar to the prompt, which is quite impressive. The color variations are also decent. Each image looks natural.


Generative AI, particularly in image generation, has seen a massive boom in recent years. The Internet is flooded with various AI image-generation tools, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. We have tried to mention the best AI image generators you can try now.


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Edited by Jito Tenson
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