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"Best AI image generator" has no answer, because the category contains three different jobs. Pick by job, not by benchmark.
The three jobs
| Job | Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Beautiful, evocative images | Midjourney | Best default aesthetics in the category |
| Images containing legible text | Ideogram | Renders typography correctly |
| Brand-consistent, editable assets | Recraft | Vector export and style consistency |
Job 1: images that look good
If the picture is the deliverable — concept art, a campaign key visual, a moodboard — Midjourney still leads. Its first generation is usually usable, which matters more than any single benchmark, and it holds a style consistent across a set of images better than tools optimised for one striking frame.
The trade-offs: no free tier, GPU-hour budgeting that is hard to predict, and unresolved copyright litigation involving major studios.
Midjourney
AI Image & Design Tools
The strongest default aesthetics in AI image generation, with no free tier and no apologies.
Job 2: images that contain words
This is where most image tools fail visibly. Ask for a poster with a headline and you get plausible shapes that are not letters. Ideogram renders legible text inside the image — headlines, labels, product names — and that single capability is why it earns a subscription.
It is weaker than Midjourney on pure aesthetics, and its priority credits expire monthly.
Ideogram
AI Image & Design Tools
The AI image generator that can actually render legible text inside an image.
Job 3: assets you have to edit
Neither generator is the right answer when the output has to go into a brand system and be edited afterwards. Recraft exports SVG vectors and holds a style consistent across assets, which makes it the practical choice for design work rather than illustration. Its free tier is personal-use-only and public by default, so paid is the realistic option for client work.
The honest answer for most teams
Keep two subscriptions. One generator for images that need to impress and one for images that need to contain words, at roughly $40 a month combined, is cheaper than the time spent fighting the wrong tool.
What to check before you publish anything
- Plan terms. Commercial rights usually start at the first paid tier and differ per plan.
- Text accuracy. Zoom in. Models still drop or duplicate letters in longer strings.
- Provenance. The broader copyright position on generated imagery is unsettled. If the asset carries legal exposure, raise it before it ships, not after.