The 10 Best AI Art Generators of All Time: Unleash Your Creativity!
by
Mako Young

The 10 Best AI Art Generators of All Time: Unleash Your Creativity!

AI
Video Editing

There’s no denying that the AI craze is spreading around the world, due to the endless potential of technology. With little effort and in no time at all, you can create wonderful AI generated photos and images. The best part? You don’t have to be tech-savvy to use these tools!

The best AI picture generators are easily accessible to turn your dreams into reality. In a world where AI doesn't just complement the human touch, but elevates it to new peaks of aesthetic excellence, we've got the ultimate round-up for you. Dive into our curated selection of the best art generators of 2023 that turn code into color, and algorithms into awe-inspiring masterpieces.

Jump to a specific tool:

  1. DALL-E 2
  2. VEED AI Image Generator
  3. Deep Dream Generator
  4. Midjourney
  5. Runway
  6. NightCafe
  7. Promethean AI
  8. Artbreeder
  9. Freepik Pikaso AI Art Generator
  10. Illustration Generator

The Best AI Art Generators (and What Makes Them Special)

Image AI generators are definitely on the rise. We dug deep and tested out these tools in order to draw fair comparisons between each of them so you won’t have to. 

[#TOC1]1. DALL-E 2[#TOC1]

Best AI art generator in terms of user-friendliness
Price $15 for 115 credits (1 text prompt is equal to 1 credit, and generates 4 images)
Platform Browser-based
Developers OpenArt
Where to Try it? Try here

We all know the famous ChatGPT, right? Meet its younger and more creative brother: the DALL-E Image Generator. It is a simple text to image AI generator that you can use with just a few clicks. 

What makes DALL-E 2 — the second iteration of the tool — one of the most hyped AI art generators available is that it interprets and transforms texts into images even better than its predecessor. It’s able to produce higher quality images thanks to its improved language understanding.

The tool utilizes CLIP, which is short for Contrastive Language-Image Pre-training. It basically acts as a bridge that helps convert text into an image by utilizing a vast and diverse collection of image-text pairs. 

Want a quick AI art generator from text? You could also check the DALL-E Mini by Craiyon. Quickly enter your prompt and save the generated image for free.

DALL-E 2 Pros DALL-E 2 Cons
Generate high-quality outputs in a few seconds. Precise and descriptive text prompts are required to produce the
desired image.
You are provided with up to four variant images from a single prompt. Each of these is unique yet
conforms to the prompt.
It struggles with image composition, resulting in wonky shapes, lines, and color.
Editing is made easier by simply typing in the changes rather than manually doing so in Photoshop. Struggles to understand a few prompts and sometimes can never give you what you want.
Refuses to generate the faces of real people to avoid deep fake incidences.

[#TOC2]2. VEED AI Image Generator[#TOC2]

Best for creating realistic AI art on-the-go
Price Free (paid plan required to remove watermark)
Platform Browser-based
Developers Veed Limited
Where to Try it? Try here

If you’re looking for a free no muss, no-fuss AI art generator that lets you create amazing content with ease, look no further than VEED’s AI Image Generator. 

The tool’s simplicity makes it accessible even to beginners. Literally, all you have to do is head to the page, type a prompt, and wait for the free image to be generated. You can even choose from three resolution options: 256x256, 512x512, or 1024x1024 pixels.

After generating your desired images, you can hook them up immediately with VEED’s built-in video editor to bring those images to life. It’s super convenient, easy, and reliable to use right on your browser. Having the free AI Image Generator of VEED paired with its video editing tools is best for people who are looking to create the perfect video for both work and recreational use.

Here are some of the many notable features you can do with VEED:

  1. You can create your very own AI Avatar to narrate your videos.
  2. Correct your eye contact in video presentations that involve the use of webcams.
  3. Erase all the uhms and ahs in your video in one click through Magic Cut.
VEED Pros VEED Cons
Free AI tool that lets you generate as many images as you like. While it is free to generate images, there will be a watermark. Subscribe to the Basic or Pro
Edition for $5 and $7 a month, respectively to remove watermark.
Extremely simple interface, perfect for novice and expert creators alike. Limited capabilities and image styles compared to other art generators on this list.
Able to produce high-quality artistic effects on par with the best AI image generators
out there.
A simple and seamless workflow from prompt to generation, and to video editing.

[#TOC3]3. Deep Dream Generator[#TOC3]

Best for generating other-worldly, fantasy AI drawings
Price Free
$19/month for Advanced Plan
$39/month for Professional
$99/month for Ultra
Platform Browser-based
Developers Aifnet Ltd.
Where to Try it? Try here

Deep Dream Generator is another AI art generator that’s free to use. This unique AI image generator has three different AI generator modes: Text 2 Dream, Deep Style, and Deep Dream.

  • Text 2 Dream is the typical text prompt to image generation that we all know and love. 
  • Deep Style is an AI art generator from photo, which basically creates an image from a base image that you upload.
  • Deep Dream generates abstract and psychedelic art. All of these can be done by typing into a prompt, setting a template, and a simple click.

In the Deep Dream Generator app, you use what is called “energy” to create images. You start with a certain amount of energy, and it is used up each time you create an image. If you run out of energy, you can either wait for it to recharge over time or purchase more energy. Here’s how that looks in their pricing plan.

Advanced 120 starting energy 12 energy per hour
Professional 250 starting energy 18 energy per hour
Ultra 750 starting energy 60 energy per hour

The images you generate are called “dreams” and you can publish these on their website for likes. When you receive a certain number of likes, you can upgrade your account and receive even more energy, and generate even more dreams.

Deep Dream Generator Pros Deep Dream Generator Cons
New accounts start out with 100 energy points that you can use to produce good-quality images
for 5 points each.
It takes an hour to recharge 1 energy point, or 5 hours to generate one image, and an entire day
to refill your energy completely.
Comes with advanced control features that can help fine-tune your images. Subscriptions are needed to generate high-quality images.
Free storage up to 10 GB. For additional storage space up to 200 GB, you need to subscribe.
It is a social media site where you can establish a profile, showcase your artwork,
and follow fellow creators.
After using up the initial 100 energy points, you can only recharge a maximum of 20 energy
points as a free user.
Publishing and receiving likes on your content can help you permanently boost your
energy recharge time.

[#TOC4]4. Midjourney[#TOC4]

Best for experienced AI artists who want to generate photorealistic art
Price $10/month for the Basic Plan
$30/month for Standard Plan
$60 for Pro Plan
$120 for Mega Plan
Platform Discord
Developers Midjourney
Where to Try it? Try here

Midjourney is one of the most famous AI image generators that came out during the early days of the AI boom. It utilizes Discord as a platform and uses “/imagine <prompt>” as a command to generate unique images.

Once you have inputted the prompt, the bot will provide four unique image options for you to choose from. The process utilizes your computer’s GPU (or Graphics Processing Unit) to measure how many images you can generate in seconds, which is also limited depending on your subscription plan. The higher your subscription tier, the faster you can generate multiple images since you will be given priority over other users.

The AI features of Midjourney are best for more experienced creators. On this AI image creator, you are provided with a multitude of tools that could help tweak and improve your generated images to turn them into high-quality images. Commands such as blend, upscale, aspect, chaos, seed, and a lot more help add the little details that turn your inputs into photorealistic images.

It might be hard, but you will be rewarded with higher-resolution images and better outputs, if you subscribe to any of their paid plans.

Midjourney Pros Midjourney Cons
Lots of potential in creating high-quality and extremely detailed images with the
right expertise.
Although free trials are available, a subscription plan
is required to use the bot's full potential.
Provides a wide range of images from a single prompt to help you find
what you are looking for.
Technical knowledge and skill are needed to create better images.
It can mimic certain art styles that you desire. Your work is easily accessible to everyone using Midjourney. A Pro plan is needed to work incognito.
It is a social media site where you can establish a profile,
showcase your artwork, and follow fellow creators.
Controversies have risen from images looking eerily similar to actual work
from artists online, which could lead to copyright issues.
Your images won’t be deleted if your subscription is canceled. You can resubscribe
anytime to regain access to them.

[#TOC5]5. Runway[#TOC5]

Best for larger teams who need a suite of AI art generators
Price Free
$12/month allows up to 5 users in a workspace
$28/month for 10 users
$76/month for 10 users and unlimited usage
Platform Browser
iOS app available
Developers Runway
Where to Try it? Try here

Runway is a multi-faceted company that provides not only text-to-image generation but a lot — and I mean a lot — more. The company intends to “shift the storytelling paradigm” and break into the industry with their amazing AI tools. These tools can be used for video generation, video to video conversion, and even allow you to train your own AI Generator.

With a vast array of tools to use, Runway is perfect for creative teams that are looking for a one-stop shop to unleash their creativity on. What’s great about it is its plans are suited for multiple users in a workspace rather than individual subscriptions. It has a free trial to provide potential clients with a quick experience to see what it's like to use it.

Here are the other available tools in Runway:

  1. AI Training: You can train your own AI image generator by uploading 15 to 25 images to create a dataset, ultimately creating the style for your AI to use.
  2. Frame Interpolation: Generates smooth transitions between uploaded images.
  3. Inpainting: Removes any object or detail in a video.
  4. Infinite Image: Expand images through context-aware elements and text prompts.

Runway aims to take AI generated art to the next level, to utilize them to tell a story through the collaboration of the multiple tools available on the platform.

Runway Pros Runway Cons
Its payment plans are a good deal for creative teams to look into. Not recommended for individuals as they might find
the subscription plans too expensive.
It is able to generate realistic clothing and accessories, as well
as other fashion details.
The free trial or basic plan can only generate 25 images and 3 video projects
that cannot recharge.
The tool is also able to generate 3D building interiors for
perspective imagination.
The mobile app is not available on Android devices.
It is a social media site where you can establish a profile, showcase
your artwork, and follow fellow creators.
The software is easily accessible and is a Swiss army knife of AI tools.
It also has a mobile app available on iOS.

[#TOC6]6. NightCafe[#TOC6]

Best for AI artists looking for a diverse set of algorithms in one tool
Price $4.79/month for 100 credits a month
$7.99/month for 200 credits a month
$15.99/month for 500 credits a month
$39.99/month for 1400 credits a month
Platform Browser-based
Developers NightCafe Studio Pty Ltd
Where to Try it? Try here

NightCafe is an AI image generator that provides a wide array of possibilities in a single tool. It can generate what you want exactly through its diverse range of algorithms.

You can customize them further through their Evolve feature, allowing you to enter more prompts using the previous AI-generated image as a base. With NightCafe, you can set presets, choose between different styles, and select AI models you want to use for your prompts. You can even change the styles from vibrant images to anime drawings.

With NightCafe, you can select the type of AI to use for your searches, which is a unique feature for their website. It affects how images turn out. There are many AI models to choose from, including Stable Diffusion 2.1, SDXL 1.0, and even DALL-E 2. 

For those who don’t know, Stable Diffusion is an open-source artificial intelligence model that is designed to generate images from natural text, which is the whole point of how these AI art generators work. Various models alongside Stable Diffusion are structured differently but share the same goal.

NightCafe Pros NightCafe Cons
The ability to choose an AI model can help you find the exact image you want. You can only do so much as a free user as features are extremely limited.
You can further enhance a previously generated image by evolving it
through additional prompts and edits.
Subscribing to a plan doesn't guarantee unlimited image generation as you
could run out of free credits, which take a month to refresh.
It has a user-friendly interface that ensures both new and experienced
users equally enjoy using the tool.
The mobile app is not available on Android devices.

[#TOC7]7. Promethean AI[#TOC7]

Best AI art generator app for generating 3D/game art
Price Free
$5/month for Indie Plan
$50/month for Professional Plan
Enterprise Plan price is subject to discussion
Platform Desktop Application (ChromeOS, Mac, Windows, and Linux)
Developers Promethean AI
Where to Try it? Try here

Are you a gaming enthusiast who loves making game art for fun? Or are you a creator and want to build a world for a new game idea you’ve been mulling over? If yes, the Promethean AI art app is the best tool for you, as it supports generating 3D game art on the go.

It utilizes machine learning algorithms to generate 3D virtual environments that are realistic, lifelike, and immersive for the ultimate gaming experience. The best part is that these worlds and art are all customizable. 

You can spawn landscapes, waterways, landforms, and even weather elements. The AI is supported by Unreal Engine, which powers many visually appealing games like Final Fantasy VII and ARK.

Simply put, it’s sort of like a world-building game or tool but boosted by the knowledge and input of AI, making things easier, faster, and more realistic. 

Promethean AI Pros Promethean AI Cons
Generates realistic and hyper-detailed 3D game environments that
not a lot of AIs can do.
You can use the basics of world-building in free mode but require an
enterprise subscription to use AI to build worlds.
Easily adjustable elements such as weather, landscaping, and furniture
can assist in world-building.
Requires storage space and GPU usage for the Promethean application.
Low prices are available for indie developers to avail and assist in
their game development.
Costs a significant amount of money to subscribe to use the full functions of the AI.
Developers come from notable companies such as Sony Interactive and Microsoft.

[#TOC8]8. Artbreeder[#TOC8]

Best for blending existing images to create new art
Price Free
$8.99/month for Starter Plan
$18.99/month for Advanced Plan
$38.99/month for Champion Plan
Platform Browser-based
Developers Artbreeder
Where to Try it? Try here

If you’re not good with words, there are also AI models that use existing photos to stitch together or recreate whole images. With Artbreeder, you can mix up a number of existing photos and turn them into one single masterpiece. Artbreeder is the best tool to help you with just that because you can plug in various images — no matter how different they are — and mix them together along with a few text prompts.

You could also use AI-generated photos and mix them up with other AI- or non-AI-generated photos. It’s totally up to you. Keep mixing and matching until you are satisfied with the output.

Artbreeder is an AI photo generator that provides multiple tools, each offering a unique function depending on your AI needs:

  1. Mixer allows the combining of various photos into one AI-generated artwork.
  2. Collager generates an image out of shapes, images, and text.
  3. Splicer creates AI-generated face portraits, landscapes, and more with sliders to edit the details.
  4. Outpainter expands existing Artbreeder images.

The platform holds contests within its community to provide challenges for creators.

Artbreeder Pros Artbreeder Cons
Allows improvement of existing photos by matching them up with
other photos and text prompts.
You are only given 10 credits per month on the free version. The cheapest plan
goes for $8.99 a month.
Ability to create NPC portraits for indie games through Splicer.
Simple and easy-to-use interface that is great for beginners and experts alike.

[#TOC9]9. Freepik Pikaso AI Art Generator[#TOC9]

Best for generating AI art with a few sketches
Price Free, or premium membership (can cancel at any point)
Platform Browser-based
Developer HuggingFace
Where to try it Try here

We are all aware of incredible sketch-to-image AI art generators sprouting out of the woodwork. However, Freepik Pikaso AI Art Generator feature puts an interesting pin on the idea of AI art generation altogether. 

Instead of using text prompts to create detailed hyper-realistic visuals, Pikaso opens up a world of creative input, allowing its visitors to use artistic expression to prompt its AI into creating stunning visuals in real-time. 

Using basic digital art brushes and a clear canvas, you can start to sketch out your creative project. Accompanied by the imagination slider (a parameter that increases detail) and the option to add icons from the Freepik asset library, you can really get a sense of artistic satisfaction as you develop your visuals. 

The fun doesn't stop there. In addition to using art brushes and icons, you can turn on your personal camera to play around with AI-generated selfies, creating out-of-this-world avatars that genuinely look like another you from another universe.

Pikaso is a dynamic AI drawing tool that clearly has a fun element to it. However, you can see the benefits go much further than that. Sketching ideas in real-time can help generate complex ideas that go a step further into reality, boosting creativity in a personal or professional setting.

Pikaso Pros Pikaso Cons
Create detailed artwork in your own time Limited artistic tools
Intuitive interface that doesn't confuse or hide features
A text box to prompt any further detailing or styles
The feature is free to use

[#TOC10]10. Illustration Generator by Icons8[#TOC10]

Best to generate sets of consistent illustrations


Price Free for experimenting with drafts. Enhanced illustrations are available from $19/month.
Platform Browser-based
Developers Icons8
Where to Try it? Try here

Generate a series of consistent illustrations in unique art styles with Illustration Generator by Icons8, the first and only AI image generator made by professional artists. Simply upload an image or type a prompt, select a style, and generate your 2D or 3D graphics within a click.

If you're stuck on words, easily upload reference images, photos, or sketches to guide the process. Their AI is trained exclusively on visuals created by Icons8 illustrators, so there is no stealing from artists.

It also offers time-saving features, like access to your history of generated images, background options, different aspect ratios for generated art, and negative prompts to specify what you don't want in your illustrations.

Moreover, Icons8 used proprietary data for training, and didn't scrape the internet for images. That means you won't have to worry about likeness rights or copyright issues.

Illustration Generator Pros Illustration Generator Cons
Avoids ethical issues related to the unauthorized using artists' work Learning curve for crafting effective prompts
High-quality and consistent outputs Restricted to predefined styles
Time-saving features, like history, background options, and different aspect ratios

A Quick Comparison of the Best AI Art Generators 

AI Art Generator Free Plan? Price Platform Ease of Use
DALL-E 2 No $15 for 115 credits Browser-based Easy
VEED AI Image Generator Yes Starts at $12 (to remove watermark) Browser-based Easy
Deep Dream Generator Yes Free
$19/month for Advanced Plan
$39/month for Professional
$99/month for Ultra
Browser-based Easy
Midjourney No $10/month for the Basic Plan
$30/month for Standard Plan
$60 for Pro Plan
$120 for Mega Plan
Discord Hard
Runway Yes Free
$12/month allows up to 5 users in a workspace
$28/month for 10 users
$76/month for 10 users and unlimited usage
Browser-based
iOS app available
Intermediate
NightCafe No $4.79/month for 100 credits/month
$7.99/month for 200 credits/month
$15.99/month for 500 credits/month
$39.99/month for 1400 credits/month
Browser-based Intermediate
Promethean AI Yes Free
$5/month for Indie Plan
$50/month for Professional Plan
Enterprise Plan price is subject to discussion
Desktop Application
(ChromeOS, Mac, Windows, and Linux)
Intermediate
Artbreeder Yes Free
$8.99/month for Starter Plan
$18.99/month for Advanced Plan
$38.99/month for Champion Plan
Browser-based Easy

Final Verdict: What is the Best AI Art Generator?

In the end, it always comes down to personal preference. Every AI Art Generator is good for their own specific niche. But we do have a top three of the best AI Art Generators overall.

  • DALL-E: An extremely reliable AI art maker thanks to its improved algorithm and model. It generates high-quality images and provides exactly what you are looking for as stated in your prompts.
  • VEED: One of the best image generator AIs, especially for beginner creatives looking to use their AI images in videos and GIFs. Not only is VEED super easy to use, but it’s also free!
  • NightCafe: An underrated AI photo generator that does not limit you to a single AI model but allows you to explore different models as you create your artwork. This gives it limitless possibilities and a wide range of styles.

AI algorithms are getting better and better all the time. After all, it is in AI’s nature to keep on learning. So, the list of the best AI art generators is only going to keep evolving as more time passes and more people use them. 

It is important to remember that each tool caters to a different niche, so pick the one that best suits your preference and needs. Feel free to try out the different tools available to find out which suits you best.

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Faq

Which Free AI Art Generator is Best?

We recommend VEED AI Image Generator as the best free AI art generator out there. It provides a wide array of tools to integrate with besides image generation, such as video editing. It is simple and easy-to-use, perfect for beginners and experts.

What is the Most Famous AI Drawing Generator?

DALL-E 2 is arguably the most famous AI drawing generator, with its counterpart, ChatGPT, also rising in fame.

What's the Trending AI Art Generator?

NightCafe and Midjourney are some trending AI art generators currently being used. NightCafe is famous among casual art enthusiasts and budding designers, while Midjourney is famous among experienced and skilled designers.

How to Generate AI Art Free?

To generate AI Art for free, you can head over to various free AI Image Generators such as VEED AI Image Generator and start creating. VEED is a 100 percent free AI art generator that is easy to use and provides high-quality images.

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