Are you stuck in the eleventh hour before a big marketing campaign launch, still waiting for visuals?

Take a deep breath 🧘

In the next few minutes, you’ll discover how AI image generators can be your creative lifesaver. They’re not just quick—they’re brilliant, churning out custom visuals that look like they took hours to design.

Don’t worry about the quality!

In this blog post, we’ve curated a list of the best 14 AI image generators, with details on their AI models and standout features.

Keep reading to find the perfect AI image generator for your business!

How does an AI image generator work?

An AI image generator uses algorithms to create new images from text prompts based on the data it has been trained on, similar to how an AI image translator converts visual content across languages using AI. The system uses a large dataset of image-text pairs to learn from. These algorithms are mostly based on Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), a neural network. The system uses a large dataset of image-text pairs to learn from. These algorithms are mostly based on Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), a neural network.

GAN consists of two main components:

The generator initially produces low-quality images, but as it receives feedback from the discriminator, it improves.

Image generated using AI with the prompt – ‘A diverse group working together during a serene sunset’

Image generated using AI with the prompt – ‘A diverse group working together during a serene sunset’

The AI technology is getting to a point where the generated images are of such high quality that they can be used for various business applications. While it cannot replace your professional photoshoots yet, but it can definitely replace stock photos for social media, emails, and blogs.

Best AI Image Generators at a Glance

AI Models usedPricing
PhotosonicDALL.E and Stable Diffusion$16.67/ month
DALL.E 3DALL.E$20/ month
MidjourneyMidjourney$10/ month
Dream StudioStable Diffusion$10 for 1000 credits
Canva AIStable Diffusion$14.99 / month
Adobe Photoshop – FireflyFirefly$4.99/ month
Shutterstock AIDALL·E 2$19 for single download
Bing AI Image CreatorDALL·E 2Free with limited options
Veed.ioNot disclosed$24/ month
Deep AICustom models$4.99/ month
FotorNot disclosed$3.33/ month
FreepikMidjourney, DALL.E and Stable Diffusion$12/ month
PicsartNot disclosed$5/ month
Craiyon or Dall-E miniDALL·E$5/ month

14 Best AI Image Generators

1. Photosonic

Best for: Ease of use

AI models used: DALL.E and Stable Diffusion

Photosonic

Writesonic’s Photosonic is a cutting-edge AI image generator designed to convert your imagination to realistic images. With just a few clicks, you can generate unique art and images tailored to your needs.

AI image generated by Photosonic with the text prompt – product shot of a pair of sports shoes, with soft vibrant colors, blue background, physically based rendering, centered

0:00

/1×Enhancing prompts for AI image generation

And here is the AI-generated image of the enhanced prompt.

Queen Elizabeth image generated by Photosonic

Pricing: As photosonic is a part of Writesonic, you can get on the ‘Free’ plan, where you get 25 credits. You can also upgrade to a paid plan for $16/month with unlimited generations for standard templates, including Photosonic and 50 credits for advanced templates.

2. Dall-E 3

Best for: Content creators and enterprises needing precise text-to-image conversions.

AI models used: DALL-E 2 and ChatGPT

Dall-E 3

DALL-E 3 changes the way we think about image generation. It’s designed to meticulously adhere to the text prompts you provide, creating impressively accurate images.

AI image generated with Dall-E 3

Pricing: Dall-E 3 is part of the ChatGPT Plus subscription ($20/ month) as of now. It is also available to enterprise customers.

A side-by-side comparison of Dall-E 3 vs Midjourney.

3. Midjourney

Best for: Artists and businesses looking for precise and style-adaptable images.

AI models used: Midjourney

Midjourney

Midjourney stands out for its versatility in art styles and user responsiveness. It’s a high-quality image generator that heavily depends on prompts to generate a detailed image.

AI image generated with Midjourney

Designing product packaging on Midjourney

Pricing: The free trial gives you 25 image generations. When you’re ready to commit, plans start at $10/month and scale up to $60/month for more extensive features.

Check out this detailed guide on how to use midjourney.

4. Dream studio

Best for: Graphic designers, businesses, and creatives who want affordable AI-images.

AI models used: Stable Diffusion text-to-image and natural language processing.

DreamStudio

DreamStudio is a web app loaded with generative design tools to whip up AI-generated images. It’s a user-friendly, affordable alternative to more costly platforms and is packed with customizable features.

Pricing: New users get 25 free credits. Credits can be purchased starting at 1000 for $10. No monthly subscription is available.

5. Canva AI

Best for: Teams and individuals who need custom images fast, without complex software.

AI models used: Stable Diffusion

Canva AI 

Canva AI Image Generator, also known as Magic Media, not only brings your creative ideas to life but simplifies the design process in ways you’ve never imagined. Here’s what sets it apart:

Pricing:

Free to use with up to 50 image generations. For more features, Canva Pro starts at $119.99/year, and Canva for Teams starts at $29.99/month for up to 5 people.

6.  Adobe Photoshop – Firefly

Best for: Designers and creatives needing custom visuals and text effects quickly

AI models used: Generative AI models integrated with Adobe’s Creative Cloud (Firefly)

Adobe Firefly

Adobe Firefly is your go-to generative AI software, especially if you’re already in the Adobe ecosystem. From photorealistic images to snazzy text styles, this tool makes your design process a breeze.

Pricing: Adobe Firefly offers a Free Plan with 25 generative credits. Paid plans start at $4.99 per month and go up to $60 per month for full Creative Cloud access.

7. Shutterstock AI

Best for: Designers, marketers, and business owners

AI models used: DALL·E 2

Shutterstock AI

Shutterstock AI Image Generator is a user-friendly platform that turns text descriptions into AI-generated photos. It’s unique in compensating contributors for their role in the AI process. The tool is part of Shutterstock’s broader offering, designed to fit seamlessly into creative and business workflows.

Pricing: You can create up to 10 images for free upon sign-up. Paid plans start at $19 for a single download, with various subscription and bulk options available.

8. Bing AI Image Creator

Best for: Creative minds using Bing chat or Microsoft Edge, and those looking for a quick way to generate images from text.

AI models used: Advanced version of OpenAI’s DALL-E

Bing AI image creator

Bing AI Image Creator lets users conjure up images from text prompts. It’s integrated into Bing chat and available on Microsoft Edge. This tool has guidelines to ensure the generated content is appropriate.

Pricing: Free to use, with a “boost” system to quicken the process. No paid plans are currently available for this specific tool.

9. Veed.io

Best for: Content creators, graphic designers, and marketers looking for a quick way to turn text into images.

AI models used: Not disclosed

Veed AI image generator

VEED.IO’s AI Image Generator is a no-fuss tool that transforms your text prompts into images. It operates straight from your browser and is part of VEED.IO’s comprehensive video editing software.

Pricing: The AI Image Generator itself is free. VEED.IO‘s video editing software, which includes this feature, offers a Pro Plan for $24/month (annual billing) and a Business Plan for $300/year.

10. Deep AI

Best for: Designers, content creators, and businesses looking for a customizable AI-powered image generator.

AI models used: Deep learning algorithms and neural networks.

Deep AI

Deep AI’s image generator is a robust tool that turns your text prompts into images. With a vast style library and attribute customization, it offers endless possibilities for unique image creation.

Pricing: Free version with limited features available. The pro version costs $4.99/month, offering a range of added features like a complete styles library and API access.

11. Fotor AI

Best for: Content creators, designers, and anyone interested in hassle-free image generation with various styles.

AI models used: Not disclosed

Fotor AI

Fotor AI Image Generator is your go-to online tool for creating an array of image styles effortlessly. Whether it’s text-based prompts or editing an existing image, this tool is versatile and user-friendly.

Pricing: Fotor Basic is free. Paid plans include Fotor Pro at $3.33/month and Fotor Pro+ at $7.49/month, both billed annually.

12. Freepik

Best for: Designers, content creators, and individuals who need quick, custom-made images.

AI models used: Midjourney, DALL.E, and Stable Diffusion

Freepik

Freepik AI Image Generator is a user-friendly online tool that turns your words into images, and it’s as versatile as it is powerful. Whether you’re starting from scratch or tweaking a provided prompt, creating your ideal image is just a few clicks away.

Pricing: The free version allows up to 10 AI images with 4 twists each. Premium version at $12/month billed annually for up to 40 images per day and extra features.

13. Picsart

Best for: Mobile creators and designers who want quick image generation from text prompts.

AI models used: Not disclosed

Picsart

The Picsart AI Image Generator is a quick and intuitive feature within the Picsart mobile app. It turns any text—words, phrases, or sentences—into unique images, and you can edit them right there in the app.

Pricing: The AI Image Generator is free. Picsart offers Plus and Pro plans at $5 and $7 per month respectively, with a 7-day free trial for Pro.

14. Craiyon or Dall-E mini

Best for: Casual and enterprise users looking for quick, text-to-image AI solutions.

AI models used: DALL·E

Craiyon

Craiyon is an AI image generator that takes your text and turns it into visual content. It’s got a user-friendly website and offers both free and paid plans. It’s a favorite for those who appreciate pop culture references in their AI-generated images.

Pricing: Free version with ads and limitations, Supporter Plan at $5/month, Professional Plan at $20/month, and a customizable Enterprise Plan.

How to use an AI image generator?

Not all AI image generators are easy to use. If you look at tools like Midjourney, the learning curve is steep. It includes a long and complex process where you set various parameters like zoom out, make square, variation mode, and more to generate the perfect AI image.

There are also AI image generators like Photosonic that are user-friendly and generate the best images at the same time.

You can use Photosonic – AI image generator, with just 4 simple steps.

Step 1: Log in to your writesonic account. If you do not have one, create one for free here. You can claim your free 10,000 words (~500 images) if you are a first-time user.

Photosonic 

Step 2: After logging in or setting up an account, look for Photosonic in the navigation menu on the left side of the interface. Photosonic is Writesonic’s dedicated tool for generating images, and it can be accessed through the app for an all-in-one text and image solution.

Photosonic

Step 3: Once you click on Photosonic, you’ll land on its main page within Writesonic. Here’s where you input the prompt. Whether you’re thinking of faces, landscapes, surreal art, or objects, type it in. You can also peek at some recent pieces for a jolt of inspiration.

Enhancing prompt on Photosonic

You can also click on ‘try an example’ to get inspiration for writing prompts. And also use ‘Enhance prompt’ to improve the prompt for better AI image generation.

Enhancing prompt on Photosonic

💡
Tips to write better prompts:
Be Specific – Use detailed descriptions to help the AI visualize exactly what you want in the image.
Use Descriptive Adjectives and Context – Layer your prompts with adjectives and setting to guide the AI’s creativity.
Test and Tweak – Don’t settle for the first result; experiment with different phrasing to get the ideal image.

Learn how to write perfect ChatGPT prompts.

Step 4: When you’re ready, press the ‘Generate’ button.

Photosonic image generation 

Choose the best AI image generator for your business

We have covered the ins and outs of AI image generators, focusing on the 14 best options out there. While every tool is unique, Photosonic stands out for its advanced features and versatility. It is perfect for businesses looking to create high-quality and customizable images at the click of a button. And the user-friendly interface makes the whole process a breeze.

FAQs

1. What is an AI image generator?

An AI image generator uses AI algorithms to create visual content based on text prompts or other inputs. Instead of needing a human artist to create images, you just type in a description, and the tool generates a corresponding image. These can range from simple drawings and photos to more complex pieces like fantasy art.

AI image generators have diverse applications, from content creation and marketing to research and development. They offer a quick, often cost-effective, way to generate visuals but come with their own set of legal and ethical considerations.

2. What is the best AI image generator?

If you’re looking to strike a balance between advanced features and user-friendliness, Photosonic is your best bet. It’s versatile, easy to use, and offers both free and paid plans to cater to different needs. With Photosonic, you’re not just getting an image generator; you’re getting a complete package of AI content creation tools for your business, like AI Article Writer 5.0AudioSonicChatSonic, and more.

3. Is DALL-E 3 free to use?

No, DALL-E isn’t free to use. It is available only to ChatGPT Plus users and enterprise customers. The ChatGPT Plus subscription costs $20/ month.

4. How to train an AI image generator?

Training an AI image generator requires some technical knowledge. First, gather a dataset with images and their corresponding text labels. Then, use a machine learning framework like TensorFlow or PyTorch to create the model architecture. Once that’s set, configure the parameters and train the model on your dataset. Be prepared for a heavy computational load. The end result is a customized AI image generator tailored for your business needs.

The use of AI-generated images brings up legal and ethical challenges. Issues range from copyright concerns, as these images often source from the internet without proper attribution, to murky ownership rights due to a lack of human involvement.

The fairness of entering AI-generated art in competitions also poses questions, as does the potential for generating stereotypical or sexualized portrayals. These matters underscore the need for responsible and ethical use of AI-generated images.

6. Can I use an AI-generated image for commercial purposes?

Whether you can use an AI-generated image for commercial purposes largely depends on the terms of service of the tool you’re using. Some platforms offer commercial licenses as part of their paid plans, enabling unrestricted use for business endeavors. Always consult the terms and conditions of the specific AI image generator you’re using before proceeding with commercial usage.

While Shutterstock is a popular platform to source generic images, pictures, or other media content, its high cost may force you to look at other alternatives. You can find several options quite similar to Shutterstock with premium quality images and videos.

But instead of digging them throughout the internet yourself, you can use our list of the best Shutterstock alternatives to download your choice of images. The Shutterstock alternatives covered here are a mix of AI image generators and stock photo sites.

#1. Photosonic by Writesonic

Photosonic – AI Image Generator

The popularity of AI image generators has exploded in recent months and the AI art generator Photosonic by Writesonic has generated 9,60,000 images from short text prompts.

Now you may wonder, why are AI image generators gaining popularity as Shutterstock alternatives?

Let’s start by covering the limitations of stock images. More brands today are looking to offer customized products. For such brands, choosing the image, race, ethnicity, gender, and age are important aspects to consider.

Furthermore, what happens when the right stock image is not available? In such scenarios, the company may end up using a picture that doesn’t fit its brand image. Surely, not an ideal situation.

That’s where an AI art generator like Photosonic by Writesonic lets anyone create technically flawless images and paintings that are computer generated from textual descriptions.

This Shutterstock alternative is a web-based tool that uses a state-of-art text-to-image AI model. Widely used by motion artists, marketers, and graphic designers, Photosonic allows you to control the quality, diversity, and style of the images generated.

To speed up the process, you can check out 50+ AI midjourney prompts.

Key features

How Photosonic wins over Shutterstock

Here’s a Shutterstock image compared to Photosonic generation

Shutterstock image

We picked the description and keywords from the shutterstock image above and used it in the Photosonic generator

Photosonic in action

And look at the mind blowing unique generations for free where you also save $349.

Photosonic AI generated image

Pricing

Photosonic by Writesonic offers free 15 credits for image generations that get credited every day.

Photosonic pricing

Some other images generated using Photosonic AI image generator –

AI images generated using Photosonic

#2. Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock offers designers and businesses access to a large volume of high-quality images, videos, illustrations, vector graphics, 3D assets, and templates. You can choose from a host of royalty-free watermarked images, and, once licensed, a high-resolution version is automatically replaced.

The most prominent feature of Shutterstock alternative Adobe Stock is that it is completely integrated into the Adobe Creative Cloud platform, providing you with direct access to a pool of images within your Adobe. You can find a required asset, edit it, and use it in your creative projects.

Important Features

Pricing

Adobe Stocks offers a one-month free trial. Users are upgraded to the paid plan automatically once the free trial expires. Adobe Stock offers several subscription plans to choose from and starts at USD 49.99 to USD 249.99 per month.

#3. Fotor

Fotor is an online, easy-to-use photo designing tool, for editing and putting life to your projects. Fotor’s one-tap enhance tool can improve the quality of a most common image into a lively creation within the shortest period. This Shutterstock alternative has multiple templates that can be customized according to the needs of a particular project.

Although this stock image website does not only offer standard photo editing tools like adjusting colors, cropping, background remover, and photo enhancer but offers a variety of full and partial filters allowing you to bring light to the specific parts of a picture. The software allows collage creation with customizable borders, stickers, effects, text, and auto resizing and positioning.

Important Features

Pricing

If you want to unlock all advanced photo-editing tools, you have to pay the Fotor Pro subscription fee.

You can choose from monthly or yearly plans. The monthly plan starts from USD 8.99 per month per feature, and if you choose to pay annually, you have to pay USD 39.99, which is equal to just USD 3.33 per month.

#4. iStock by Getty images

Previously known as iStockphoto, it is one of the oldest platforms hosting over 400 million elements from over 330,000 world’s best creators. iStock is a popular Shutterstock alternative as it offers an extensive catalog including a huge collection of images, and in addition, provides access to a huge collection of stock videos and audio libraries.

With iStock, you can find most speaking images, curated with the highest quality standards. This stock photo site adds over half a million new photos, illustrations, videos, and audio files every month, thus updating its library.

Important Features

Pricing

iStock offers flexible pricing options for individuals, small and large businesses, and corporations. Moreover, standard and premium images are differentiated to help you choose from higher image quality and lower price range.

iStock is free for one month and can be canceled anytime, and you are even allowed to keep images with you. iStock premium plan starts at USD 70 for 10 images.

#5. Depositephotos

Another royalty-free image marketplace Depositphotos was once considered one of the fastest-growing photobanks in the world. It has a collection of over 224 million files of high-quality photos, vectors, videos, and illustrations and is the most popular platform for bloggers and small businesses, especially for those requiring several images per month.

Depositphotos is one of the best Shutterstock alternatives in the market and sells images on demand with various credit packs. You can discover a photo of your choice by just entering your desired topic and clicking on the search button to bring up the results on your said topic.

Important Features

Pricing

You can choose from various plans with Depositphotos, depending on the volume of images you need. For example, you can choose a plan for USD 9.99 per month with 10 images to download (USD 1.0 per image) or can subscribe for USD 199 per month for 750 images (USD 0.27 per image).

#6. Pond5

Pond5 offers over 49 million images but specializes in licensing stock videos with over 31 million files in its database. With Pond5 you can bring your stories to life with royalty-free stock footage, music, SFX, images, and much more.

Pond5 originally focused on selling video clips but subsequently expanded into other media types including photos, sound effects, 3D models, and Adobe after-effects templates. Pond5 does not own the content, but sells content created by contributors, and earns 50% of the revenue generated.

Important Features

Pricing

You have the choice to pay per item, purchase a prepaid credit pack, or avail a membership. Prices are mostly set by the contributing artists and vary by media type. For example, video clips start at USD 25, while for a music track, the starting price is USD 5.

#7. Unsplash

Unsplash stands among the most popular photography community, where a user can find an array of artistic and commercial style shots. Unsplash also offers licensing terms for commercial use, so that you can utilize photos for marketing purposes.

Shutterstock alternative Shutterstock has been quoted as one of the world’s leading photography websites as it allows downloaders the right to copy, modify, distribute, and use the photo for free. However, Unsplash terms of service prohibit selling unaltered copies as prints or printed on physical goods.

Important Features

Pricing

Shutterstock alternative Unsplash is free to use for commercial, personal, and editorial use.

#8. Pixabay

What makes Pixabay one of the best Shutterstock alternatives is that you can find all sorts of images on this platform that has nearly 1.7 million images.

All images on Pixabay are royalty-free and come with a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license which allows you to use images both personally and commercially. You can also find royalty-free vectors, illustrations, and videos that are of high-quality.

Important Features

Pricing

Pixabay is a royalty-free stock photo site.

#9. Pexels

Although a new entrant in the stock photo industry, Pexels is a free high-resolution photo marketplace and its photo and video library host more than a million royalty-free images.

Similar to Pixabay, all Pexel images fall under CC0 licensing.

What makes Pexels an interesting Shutterstock alternative is that it has more outdoor images such as landscapes, buildings, and beaches, among others. Also, a large number of people-centric photos are available on Pexels.

Important Features

Pricing

Pexels images is free to use.

#10. Photocase

If you are wondering why we included Photocase in our list, the reason is simple. It has high-end stock photography that is unique, artistic, and unique: a collection you are not likely to find elsewhere.

Although this Shutterstock alternative has a relatively small collection of images, it is a great choice for abstract, fine-art, and premium designs with uses in blogs and merchandising.

Important Features

Pricing

The packages start from $15 and are upto $45.

Conclusion

Visual content which used to be the exclusive domain of professional photographers is now the need of the hour. If you’re looking for a Shutterstock alternative that lets you create amazing images from your imagination within seconds, try Photosonic by Writesonic for free.

The best part, you can use Photosonic images the way you like, distribute them, and even create derivative works based on the images without any royalty or attribution.

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