Best Free AI Image Generators

Brenda Moder // What's New In AI

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March 28  

winter tree cabin

Looking for the Best Free AI image generator can be a daunting task in today's fast-paced technological landscape.

Are you tired of spending hours creating visually appealing graphics for your projects or social media posts?

Do you want to elevate your design game without breaking the bank? Look no further than the world of AI image generators!

With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one.

Fear not because, in this article, we are on a mission to discover the best free AI image generators with the most innovative and efficient features to bring your designs to the next level.

We will review each AI image generator and rate it based on a 5-star rating system.

Get ready to unleash your creativity and watch these generators transform your ideas into stunning visuals, all at the click of a button.

Let's dive in and explore the exciting world of AI image generators!

How I Rated Each AI Image Generator

Step 1 - I entered the same prompt into each generator with the default settings to have a controlled study. The prompt was straightforward, with no fancy request.

Prompt Used -A fairy village tucked away deep under the canopy of a forest, fairies flying around, fairies gathering food, fairies weaving baskets, some bugs present, sunbeams shining through the top of trees, colorful and highly detailed

Step 2 – For my second attempt, I left the same prompt but adjusted some of the settings. The setting varies depending on the generator.

Things I take into consideration while rating:

  1. User-friendliness (navigation of the site, speed, FAQs, helpful tips)
  2. How many free images do you get, do they refresh or is it a one-time offer only
  3. Cost (memberships, tokens, cancellations, free start-up)
  4. How well it generated what I asked for. (all the elements are present according to the parameters)
  5. Flexibility (eg. Can you do image to image, lots of different settings, other AI tools available)

*All free offers or prices shown here are subject to change over time

NightCafe

NightCafe

AI Art Generator

Pros
  • Once your Artwork has been created and delivered to you, all Intellectual Property Rights subsisting in that specific Artwork is transferred to you. You may use your Artwork for personal or commercial purposes.
  • Free generation if you generate one image at a time
  • Five free credits/use one credit per generation but one credit generates 4 images at a time.
  • You can use the site without an account or Membership
  • You can earn free credits
  • Offers a variety of settings and features
Cons
  • It generated only one image at a time with free use.
  • It took 5 attempts to get something I was somewhat happy with
  • You only get Five free credits
  • The credits that you can earn are minimal but they are available.

My first attempt with default settings

My fifth attempt with adjusting settings

Prices may vary over time. These were the prices at the time when the study was done and published.

Conclusion:

My overall experience with NightCafe was good. It was user-friendly, and I was able to generate free images.


The free credits replenish, giving you opportunities to earn more.


Someone with more experience with the settings could create a better first attempt. I used just the default settings for my first attempt.

DALLE-2

DALLE-2

DALLĀ·E 2 is an AI system that can create realistic images and art from a description in natural language.

Pros
  • Fast generation
  • You can use Content for any purpose, including commercial purposes such as sale or publication
  • 50 free credits your first month and 15 credits every month after
  • DALLE-2 has an OpenAI Discord Server where you can talk with other developers and enthusiasts and make new friends.
  • No membership is needed but you do need to create an account
  • Pay as you go. 115 credits for $15
  • Generated 4 images at a time
Cons
  • Limited Credits
  • Not many controls or features to adjust your image
  • The generator was overloaded a few times and could not generate my image.

First and only image set I generated from my prompt

Conclusion:

For general use, DALLE-2 was sufficient. It did generate my image relatively fast except at peak times of the day.


I would suggest if you need to use it in your profession as a graphic designer or something similar, you may want to find a generator that you can have more control over with the settings. However, remember that this is all relatively new technology, and it is constantly improving.


Overall, it was a pleasant experience and very user-friendly. It would be a sound generator for a beginner.

DeepDream

DeepDream

DeepAI offers a suite of tools that use AI to enhance your creativity

Pros
  • 20 free credits for newbies and recharges every 3 hours
  • A bonus of 50 free credits was added
  • Many different energy packs to choose from, ranging from a $19 monthly subscription with 120 energy points and recharging every 12 hours to a $79 one-time energy pack of 5000
  • I didn’t see much difference when I upscaled however, when I adjusted more of the available settings, I got beautiful results.
Cons
  • First generation used 5 credits
  • It took 20 credits to up scale
  • It may take time to experiment and trial and error before reaching your image's desired look because there are many settings to play with.

First attempt using default settings

Fourth attempt after adjusting settings

Conclusion:

I enjoyed DeepDream. I like that they give you free credits to get started, and they offer several options plans for buying credits.

I feel that this would be an excellent generator to check out for both beginners and someone who has more advanced skills with using AI image generators.

Overall, I was happy with the image that it produced in the end for me. It was beautiful and very detailed. I will go back and use DeepDream again.

Stablecog

Stablecog

Text to Image Generator

Pros
  • 100 free credits
  • I used only 1 credit to upscale the image
  • Gave me several images to choose from with my initial prompt.
  • Plans are affordable and provides you with a lot of images. Also offers you credit packs to buy if you need more.
  • Excellent output
Cons
  • Free images are solely for your personal, non-commercial use
  • Used 4 credits for my initial generation
  • Terms and conditions seemed difficult to understand.

Initial generation with default settings

2nd generation upscaled

2nd generation upscaled

Conclusion:

Stablecog was easy to use and had many tools to use and adjust. I got a decent output by using my prompt and the default settings.


After I adjusted some settings, I was amazed at the result.


I found reading their terms and conditions a little complicated. I was almost too scared to do a review on it.

I would say that Stablecog would be an excellent AI image generator for a beginner or a pro.

Overall, I had a great experience with Stablecog. I even subscribed myself.

DeepAI

Image generator and Editor

Pros
  • Was easy to use
  • Plans are affordable. Also offering a pay as go.
  • Free credits did refresh
  • Commercial use is allowed
Cons
  • Resolution of the image was poor.  
  • Unsure how many free credits I had. 
  • I was able to only generate one image and upscale one image and then it wouldn't let me generate any more.
  • Many tools locked for free users
  • There were lots of pop ups that were distracting
  • The terms and conditions was hard to read due to the layout

First generation using default settings

2nd generation was an upscale of the first

Conclusion:

DeepAI was easy to use, and the plans were affordable, but I was not impressed with the quality of the image generation or the upscale.

The pop-ups were distracting, and the locked tools were frustrating. I also couldn't find where it tells you how many free credits you have. I could only create one image and upscale one image and then it wouldn't let me genrate anymore.


My free credits did refresh later because I was able to generate another image but it didn’t end well.


Overall, their gallery is beautiful. Maybe as a paid subscriber, I would have had a better experience.

StarryAI

StarryAI

Art and Photo Generator

Pros
  • Free credits do refresh
  • 1 credit per generation but could take more according to options and upscaling
  • Easy to use
  • Generated 4 images at a time for 1 credit
Cons
  • Started with only 5 free credits
  • Couldn't find terms and conditions or any policy

First image with default settings

2nd image after evolving it

Conclusion:

StaryAI was easy to use and had many different tools and options. I did like the image that I generated. I played around with more settings, and I did get some other style villages.

I couldn’t find any terms and conditions or policy. StarryAI did have a lovely gallery. I believe this generator can produce nice images.

StarryAI provides many different plans that you can pay for. Three for a yearly subscription, three for a monthly subscription, and then offer five other credit packages.

As a free generator, I don’t think it would be something that you can use often but the subscription is affordable.

Fotor

Online Photo Editing and Image Generator

Pros
  • Free 3 day trial
  • Offering an awesome annual price
  • Has so much to offer such as templates, marketing tools, AI tools, editors, etc.
  • Awesome Image quality
  • Fast
Cons
  • I couldn't find a terms and condition or policy anywhere
  • Only a 3 day free trial

Generated both of these beautiful scene with my prompt and the default settings

Conclusion:

Fotor is my favorite so far. It offers many other tools, such as templates, social media tools, and marketing tools.

There is a free 3-day trial which is nice but you then have to buy a subscription. The subscription was very reasonable for what it offers.

The Fotor image generator produced two charming fairy villages for me. They were so beautiful that I didn’t even feel the need to upscale them. Fotor’s gallery is also magnificent.

Fotor is excellent for beginners and the pro. It was so easy to use and navigate and offered so much.

RunwayML

RunwayML

The next generation of story telling

Pros
  • 125 Free credits that will get you 25 generations
  • Basic free plan/Credits refresh
  • Easy to use
  • Has many applications
Cons
  • Limited number of settings to adjust

Initial generation with default settings

Second generation with adjustment of settings

Conclusion:

I had a pleasant experience with Runway. You can use many other applications, such as Image to Image, green screen, remove backgrounds and even train your generator.

It took a little time to navigate the website, but once I clicked around and got familiar with it, I could find what I was looking for and quickly created my images.

The quality of my images could have been better, and I could have achieved that if I had made some other adjustments.

Overall, Runway is a solid AI generator I could see using again. I think that it was easy to use and would be a sound generator for beginners and pros.

WOMBO Dream

WOMBO Dream

Create Artwork and Edit Images

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Free but with limited use 
  • Did not generate accurately to my prompt but did generate a nice image
  • Wombo offers a life time subscription
Cons
  • Need a subscription for unlimited use
  • Did not generate accurately to my prompt.
  • I couldn't paste my prompt into the prompt box. I had to type it out.
  •  I could only generate 1 image at a time

First generation with default settings

Second genertion with some adjustments of settings

Conclusion:

Dream by Wombo was easy to use and was free but Wombo limits the settings and will only allow you to generate one image at a time.

My first generation was messy and confusing. It looks somewhat like a fairy village but is not very enchanting.

The second image that I generated, where I adjusted some of the settings, did turn out very nice but it did not give me everything I asked for. I don’t see a fairy village at all. However, I did get a lovely fairy and some butterflies.

Overall, my experience was ok. It was free and I was able to generate a nice image. Most likely, if you paid for a subscription, you would get much better results.

Midjourney

Midjourney

Midjourny is a Discord to the Imagination

Pros
  • Trial users have roughly 25 free jobs
  • The 25 free trial jobs do not expire
  • Best quality of AI Images around
  • Very good at what it does
  • Offers 4 images at a time
  • Able to upscale or ask for more versions of any single image
  • Paid members own their creations. Please read all the terms of service.
Cons
  • The free trial jobs do not renew
  • There is a learning curve to this discord
  • Must sign up for a Monthly or Yearly subscription to continue after your 25 jobs are completed.
  • I couldn't see or figure out how many jobs I had left.
  • The newbie channels can be confusing.

Initial four images that generated

My 2nd attempt I upscaled one

Conclusion:

This one is for the Pros. It produces excellent images and they are very creative. You can continue to upscale as much as you want and ask for variations.

As a beginner, it is confusing but if you read up on the start-up page on how to get started, it will make it easier.

Midjourney has done an excellent job at training its AI Image Generator.

If you want to work for free, this is not the place to be. Outside of a few free images at the beginning, you need to pay.

You do not own the assets you create if you are not a paid member. Please read the terms of service before selling your creations.

Craiyon

Craiyon

Free online AI image generator from text

Pros
  • Completely Free
  • Offers subscriptions for extra perks but not necessary. 
  • Easy to use
  • Generated nine initial images
Cons
  • Low quality images
  • No extra settings or upscaling
  • Did not generate what I asked for
  • Images looked warpped and unrealistic

Initial nine images that generated

Could not upscale but I did enlarge one

Conclusion:

Craiyon, formerly DALLĀ·E mini, is an AI model that can draw images from any text prompt!

It was fun to play with and completely free. They offer a subscription with a few extra perks if you want to support them.

I found my images were not what I asked for, and they seemed low quality but from what I read, they are continuing to work on the functionality of their image generator. So, it should improve over time.

You can use the images for personal, academic, and commercial use if you respect the terms of use.

Overall, I had a pleasant experience with Craiyon. It would be a good generator for an amateur to play around on and work on improving their prompts.

BlueWillow

BlueWillow

Totally Free AI Image Generator

Pros
  • Totally Free to use
  • Very similar to Midjourney's discord
  • Excellent images
  • Generated 4 images at a time
  • They do offer subscriptions and other perks if you are interested but not necessary.
Cons
  • Because it is similar to Midjourney there is a bit of a learning curve.
  • Very busy discord so it can get confusing.

Initial first generation

2nd image upscaled

Conclusion:

I loved Blue Willow. It is free to use and rivals Midjourney. Their discord looks and works almost the same as Midjourney.

With my first attempt with my base prompts, I received four very lovely images. My second attempt did not disappoint either.

There is a bit of a learning curve to using this one but well worth it. They do offer a subscription also for extra features and perks.

I feel that this would be the perfect AI Image generator for a beginner, someone on a budget, or a pro. Definitely a 5-star rating!

Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that I am doing this for beginners to give them a sense of which generator would work best for what they want to do.

These are only my opinions, and you may disagree because you have more experience with one generator than another. I am basing this on my experience only through this study.

Always read the terms and conditions for each AI Generator for yourself. I am only providing very little of each.

All pricing shown here is subject to change.

I am not a lawyer and do not take any responsibility for how you use your input or output images.

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About the Author

Hi, my name is Brenda Moder. I built this site so I can share my love of art and knowledge about Artificial Intelligence Image Generation.

I am a Graphic Designer and Artist who loves to teach and share my passion with others.

So join me and let's build a good community around the topic of AI. It's the way of the future!

Brenda Moder