Aidar Akmaev
Disclosure: NOXI publishes this ranking. NOXI is a presentation maker, not an image generator, so it is not one of the eight scored tools; it appears only in the section for readers who need a whole deck and in the build-it flow. The rubric, weights, ratings and sources are printed so you can re-score any tool.
Quick answer: Pick Adobe Firefly (98 of 100) for a "safe for commercial use" statement, free daily generations and a $9.99 plan with video. Pick the Google Gemini app (96) for free images with invisible and visible watermarks, plus image generation in Google Slides. Pick Canva (93) when images go straight into designs and decks. Official pages, checked 24 October 2026.
For work, the best image generator is the one whose rights, labels and price you can show your manager. Vendors publish no comparable measure of image quality, so this page scores eight tools on seven facts they do publish, one printed rule each, with the arithmetic.
In short
- RankingAdobe Firefly 98, Google Gemini app 96, Canva 93, ChatGPT 84, Grok Imagine 80, Ideogram 78, Midjourney 64, Microsoft (Designer / Copilot) 63.
- Top twoFirefly leads Gemini by 2 points, and one landing-page phrase can flip them.
- MethodDocumented capability from official pages opened on 24 October 2026; not a new hands-on test, and image quality is not scored.
- Free and privateFirefly, Gemini, Canva, ChatGPT and Grok document free image generation with no statement that free outputs are public.
- Commercial useFour of eight pair user rights with an output indemnity or "safe for commercial use" statement.
- Three checksBefore a client deck: commercial use on your plan, a provenance label, and whether your tier's output is public.
Key numbers
The three volume figures measure different things; don't compare them.
The ranking: 8 AI image generators scored on 7 rules
Adobe Firefly leads with 98 of 100, the Google Gemini app follows at 96, Canva at 93 and ChatGPT at 84.
| # | Tool | Score | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adobe Firefly | 98 | Commercial safety matters most and your images go into Adobe Express presentations. |
| 2 | Google Gemini app | 96 | You want a free start, invisible and visible watermarks, and image generation inside Google Slides. |
| 3 | Canva | 93 | Your images go straight into Canva designs and decks, with text in 55 languages. |
| 4 | ChatGPT | 84 | You want the output assigned to you and C2PA plus invisible watermarking, from free to $8 a month. |
| 5 | Grok Imagine | 80 | You want a free start and typography planned "the way a designer would", from $6.67 a month on annual billing. |
| 6 | Ideogram | 78 | You make text-heavy graphics and transparent PNGs for logos and stickers. |
| 7 | Midjourney | 64 | Style control matters most and you will pay; video is on the $10 Basic plan. |
| 8 | Microsoft (Designer / Copilot) | 63 | You make images for personal projects from inside Word and PowerPoint. |
How we ranked: seven printed rules, official pages only
Each tool is rated 1 to 5 on seven criteria; points = rating ÷ 5 × weight, and the weights total 100. Every rating comes from an official vendor page opened on 24 October 2026, linked in the tool's card.
| Code | Criterion (weight) | The rule, identical for every tool |
|---|---|---|
| D1 | Free access (15) | 5 = image generation on a free plan, outputs private; 4 = free, but outputs public or personal-use only; 3 = free trial only; 1 = no free access. |
| D2 | Entry price (15) | Cheapest paid plan that includes image generation, per month (annual ÷ 12 if published). 5 = $10 or less; 4 = $10.01–15; 3 = $15.01–20; 2 = $20.01–30; 1 = over $30. Pay-as-you-go credit packs are not plans. |
| D3 | Commercial use (20) | 5 = ownership or commercial use stated for all users and an IP indemnity or "commercially safe" statement for some plan; 4 = ownership or commercial use stated for all users; 3 = commercial use with conditions (paid plan or revenue threshold); 2 = governed by terms with no explicit statement found; 1 = personal, non-commercial use only. |
| D4 | Provenance labels (10) | 5 = C2PA Content Credentials and an invisible watermark; 4 = one of the two; 3 = a visible watermark only; 1 = none documented. IPTC metadata alone is not in the rule. |
| D5 | Editing and control (20) | Count four documented in the product: edit an uploaded image; use a reference or style image; a stated text-rendering capability; transparent-background output. 5 = four; 4 = three; 3 = two; 2 = one; 1 = none. |
| D6 | Video in the same product (10) | 5 = video generation on the cheapest paid plan (or free); 3 = on a higher plan only; 1 = none documented. |
| D7 | Inside presentation and office apps (10) | 5 = the vendor documents image generation inside PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva or Adobe Express presentations; 3 = via an official connector or MCP server; 1 = none documented. |
The clarifications, applied to all eight rows
API-only features don't count, nor does a separate app sold under another name. A capability counts for a plan when a page lists it for that plan or documents it with no plan limit; a plan-specific statement beats a general one, and when two official pages differ on what a plan includes, the vendor's pricing page decides. For D1, "outputs private" means no official page says free outputs are public. For D3, "ownership stated" includes "we claim no ownership", an indemnity counts only if it covers generated output, and a plan-specific "personal, non-commercial" line beats a general one. For D4, a visible label that the vendor says generated images carry counts as a visible watermark. For D5, a caveat that text "may have spelling errors" is not a text claim, background removal counts as transparent output, and style menus are not a reference image. For D7, an add-in whose page never mentions images doesn't count, and a 3 needs the vendor's own connector or MCP server.
AI image generator comparison table: every cell and its arithmetic
Every rating, then the points. A 1 means "not documented on the pages we opened on 24 October 2026", not "can't".
| Tool | D1 Free (15) | D2 Price (15) | D3 Commercial (20) | D4 Labels (10) | D5 Editing (20) | D6 Video (10) | D7 Office apps (10) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Firefly | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 98 |
| Google Gemini app | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 96 |
| Canva | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 93 |
| ChatGPT | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 84 |
| Grok Imagine | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 80 |
| Ideogram | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 78 |
| Midjourney | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 64 |
| Microsoft (Designer / Copilot) | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 63 |
| # | Tool | Points: D1 + D2 + D3 + D4 + D5 + D6 + D7 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adobe Firefly | 15 + 15 + 20 + 8 + 20 + 10 + 10 | 98 |
| 2 | Google Gemini app | 15 + 15 + 20 + 10 + 16 + 10 + 10 | 96 |
| 3 | Canva | 15 + 12 + 20 + 6 + 20 + 10 + 10 | 93 |
| 4 | ChatGPT | 15 + 15 + 20 + 10 + 20 + 2 + 2 | 84 |
| 5 | Grok Imagine | 15 + 15 + 16 + 6 + 20 + 6 + 2 | 80 |
| 6 | Ideogram | 12 + 12 + 16 + 2 + 20 + 10 + 6 | 78 |
| 7 | Midjourney | 3 + 15 + 12 + 2 + 20 + 10 + 2 | 64 |
| 8 | Microsoft (Designer / Copilot) | 12 + 15 + 4 + 8 + 12 + 2 + 10 | 63 |
No two tools tie; a tie would be listed alphabetically.
How sensitive the order is
The readings that could move a score:
- Firefly vs Gemini can flip. Firefly's text point rests on one landing-page phrase ("more accurate text in images"). Without it Firefly = 94 and Gemini leads.
- Background removal as transparency. If transparency needed the word "transparent", Firefly = 94 and Microsoft = 59; Canva, ChatGPT, Grok, Ideogram and Midjourney say "transparent" and don't move.
- Gemini, commercial use. Read "Google won't claim ownership" strictly as not an ownership statement: D3 = 2, Gemini = 84, tied with ChatGPT (alphabetical: ChatGPT first). If the Workspace output indemnity doesn't cover the Gemini app: D3 = 4, Gemini = 92.
- Gemini, labels. C2PA is documented for Nano Banana Pro images (20 November 2025). If it doesn't cover the free model: Gemini = 94.
- ChatGPT, office apps. If OpenAI documents image generation in ChatGPT for PowerPoint: ChatGPT = 92.
- ChatGPT, free access. OpenAI's ChatGPT Work and Codex usage FAQ says "Image generation isn't available on the Free plan"; ChatGPT Images' own help says "available on all tiers", so D1 stays 5.
- Grok, free access. x.ai/pricing lists Free image generation as "Limited"; the docs FAQ mentions only "Chat and Voice". If the FAQ decided: D1 = 1, Grok = 68.
- Grok, price and video. Settled by the pricing page: images on Plus, video from Premium.
- Canva, labels. The 3 rests on Dream Lab's "visible label". If a label isn't a watermark: Canva = 89, still third. If Canva also documents C2PA or an invisible watermark: 97.
Best AI image generator for each need, from the scored criteria
The best AI image generator for a given need is the tool that scores 5 in that need's column.
| Need | Column | Who scores 5 | The documented fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free and private | D1 | Firefly, Gemini, Canva, ChatGPT, Grok | Free image generation; no page says free outputs are public. |
| $10 a month or less | D2 | Firefly, Gemini, ChatGPT, Grok, Midjourney, Microsoft | From $4.99 (Google AI Plus) to $9.99 (Firefly Standard). |
| Rights plus an indemnity | D3 | Firefly, Gemini, Canva, ChatGPT | User rights plus an output indemnity or "safe for commercial use" statement. |
| Two kinds of label | D4 | Gemini, ChatGPT | C2PA metadata and an invisible watermark. |
| Full editing kit | D5 | Firefly, Canva, ChatGPT, Ideogram, Grok, Midjourney | Upload editing, reference images, text and transparent output. |
| Video in the same product | D6 | Firefly, Gemini, Canva, Ideogram, Midjourney | Video on the cheapest paid plan or free. |
| Inside your slides | D7 | Firefly, Gemini, Canva, Microsoft | Adobe Express, Google Slides, Canva, PowerPoint. |
The best free AI image generator: free, and is the output private?
The best free AI image generators on documented capability are Adobe Firefly, the Google Gemini app, Canva, ChatGPT and Grok Imagine: each documents free image generation, and no official page says free outputs are public. Ideogram's free outputs are public, Microsoft Designer's free use is personal and non-commercial, and Midjourney has no free plan.
| Tool | What the free tier documents | Catch for work | D1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Firefly | Free daily generations, no plan needed | Partner-model outputs are your responsibility | 5 |
| Google Gemini app | Nano Banana image generation "Available for free" | Visible watermark on images | 5 |
| Canva | Up to 20 AI uses, images included | A small allowance | 5 |
| ChatGPT | "ChatGPT Images is available on all tiers" | Free limits are not stated as counts | 5 |
| Grok Imagine | "Image generation (Imagine)": "Limited" | Video starts on Premium | 5 |
| Ideogram | 30 credits a week, signed in with Google, Apple or Microsoft | Everything you generate is public | 4 |
| Microsoft Designer | "Yes, Designer is free to use" | "licensed for personal, non-commercial use" | 4 |
| Midjourney | "All Midjourney plans are subscriptions" | No free plan | 1 |
A public free tier suits a mood board, not a client's unreleased product. Before you upload a client photo to any generator, run through our checklist for confidential material in AI tools.
The 8 tools: rights, labels, editing and every rating's source
Each card gives every rating and the official page it rests on; prices are in the price table.
1. Adobe Firefly 98 / 100
Free access (5). "You don't need a plan to get free daily generations across image, video, and audio" (Firefly plans, US). Entry price (5). Firefly Standard, US$9.99 a month with 2,000 credits. Commercial use (5). "Outputs from Adobe Firefly AI models are safe for commercial use", and "Eligible enterprise customers can also receive IP indemnification for select Adobe Firefly outputs"; for partner models, "You're responsible". Labels (4). "Adobe automatically attaches Content Credentials"; no invisible watermark documented. Editing (5). Upload and edit by prompt (AI photo editor), "use as reference image" (text to image), "more accurate text in images" (landing page), "remove backgrounds". Video (5). Standard: "Generate 5-second videos", up to 20. Office apps (5). Adobe Express: "Check the Add generated images and infographics box" when generating a presentation (Adobe Help, updated 18 August 2026).
2. Google Gemini app 96 / 100
Google calls the image feature Nano Banana; its image-generation page lists Nano Banana 2 as "Free" (as listed on that page, 24 October 2026).
Free access (5). "Available for free." Entry price (5). Google AI Plus, $4.99 a month, with "2x higher usage limits" (subscriptions). Commercial use (5). "Google won't claim ownership over that content" (Terms of Service, effective 30 July 2026); the Workspace Service Specific Terms (modified 12 October 2026) extend the indemnity to "an unmodified Generated Output", and the indemnified services include "Gemini in Workspace". Labels (5). "An invisible SynthID watermark, as well as a visible watermark"; Nano Banana Pro images in the Gemini app "will have C2PA metadata embedded" (Google, 20 November 2025). Editing (4). "Upload an image to edit"; style "from any reference photo"; "clear text". No transparent output documented. Video (5). AI Plus: "access to more features like video generation". Office apps (5). "'Help me visualize' in Slides now uses Nano Banana Pro" to create images, on Google AI Pro and Ultra and Workspace Business Standard and up (Workspace Updates, 20 November 2025).
3. Canva 93 / 100
Canva's own image model, Craft, is "our first state-of-the-art image generation model", opened from Dream Lab (Canva newsroom, 22 October 2026).
Free access (5). "Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses", image generation included (pricing, US). Entry price (4). Pro, US$144 a year ÷ 12 = $12.00. Commercial use (5). Use "for any purpose, including personal or commercial projects" (AI image generator), plus an "AI output indemnity (Canva Shield)" on Enterprise (Canva Shield). Labels (3). "Generated images include a visible label showing that AI created them" (Dream Lab help); no C2PA or invisible watermark documented. Editing (5). Magic Edit edits "your image with a short written prompt"; "upload a reference photo"; Craft's "accurate text rendering" in 55 languages; "transparent PNGs" from background removal. Video (5). "Turn images into videos" on Free and Pro. Office apps (5). Images "you can use on your presentations", made "right on the page".
4. ChatGPT 84 / 100
ChatGPT Images 2.5 "is rolling out today to ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex users across all tiers" (OpenAI, 8 September 2026).
Free access (5). "ChatGPT Images is available on all tiers" (Images help). Entry price (5). Go, $8 a month, monthly only, with "Extended access to image generation" (Go). Commercial use (5). You "own the Output. We hereby assign to you all our right, title, and interest" (Terms of Use, effective 1 January 2026), plus an "Output indemnity" for Enterprise customers (Service terms, updated 16 October 2026). Labels (5). "C2PA metadata and invisible watermarking". Editing (5). "Upload an existing image and describe the changes"; "add a reference image"; "add text … or make the background transparent". Video (1). Not documented for ChatGPT on the pages opened. Office apps (1). ChatGPT for PowerPoint "lives in a sidebar", but its help page never mentions images.
5. Grok Imagine 80 / 100
Free access (5). The xAI pricing page lists "Image generation (Imagine)" as "Limited" on Free. Entry price (5). Plus, with Imagine "Included": $80 a year ÷ 12 = $6.67 (xAI pricing docs). Commercial use (4). "You retain your ownership rights to the User Content", output included (consumer terms, updated 12 October 2026, which now name the company SpaceXSI); you must "attribute your generation of the Output to the Service". The enterprise terms cover only claims that "use of the Services infringes". Labels (3). "Generated images and videos include a Grok watermark." Editing (5). A "magic wand" edits a region; "Multi-ref editing accepts up to 5 input images"; "small text comes out sharp"; background removal gives a "transparent background" (xAI, 7 August 2026). Video (3). "Video generation" is "Not included" on Plus and "Included" on Premium ($30 a month). Office apps (1). None documented.
6. Ideogram 78 / 100
Free access (4). "Free accounts get 30 credits each week", but "everything you generate is public" (plans, last verified 15 October 2026). Entry price (4). Plus, $15 a month billed yearly. Commercial use (4). "We do not claim any ownership rights in your User Input or User Output", commercial purposes included (Terms, revised 14 August 2024); no output indemnity found. Labels (1). The full docs contain no C2PA or watermark statement. Editing (5). "Edit photos you upload" (edit); "A reference image gives the model something to work from" (reference); "text almost anywhere in an image" (text); "transparent PNGs for logos, stickers" (transparency). Video (5). With "a paid plan or bought credits" (video). Office apps (3). "Yes, through the Ideogram MCP server" (FAQ).
7. Midjourney 64 / 100
Free access (1). "All Midjourney plans are subscriptions" (Comparing Midjourney Plans). Entry price (5). Basic, "$96 ($8 / month)" on annual billing. Commercial use (3). Subscribers "are free to use your images/videos in just about any way you want", but "You must purchase the Pro or Mega plan if you are a company making more than $1,000,000 USD in gross revenue per year." Labels (1). Not documented on the pages opened. Editing (5). "Make changes to an existing image using written instructions" with "up to 4 reference images" (Edit Model); words "inside double quotation marks" (Text Generation); "a transparent PNG of the areas you erased" (Editor). Video (5). Basic: "Video Resolution SD". Office apps (1). None documented. Standard and up add Relax Mode, which Midjourney describes as having no fixed cap on image generations.
8. Microsoft (Designer / Copilot) 63 / 100
Free access (4). "Yes, Designer is free to use", but it "is licensed for personal, non-commercial use" (Designer FAQ). Entry price (5). Microsoft 365 Personal, $99.99 a year ÷ 12 = $8.33, with "Higher usage than free for AI image creation in Copilot" (compare plans). Commercial use (1). Personal, non-commercial; the PowerPoint image FAQ covers commercial use of stock images only. Labels (4). "Content credentials, provenance based on the C2PA standard". Editing (3). Upload editing and background removal; no reference image (style menus only) and only a caveat on text, which "may have spelling errors". Video (1). Not documented on the pages opened. Office apps (5). "Generate images directly from the Copilot chat pane in Word and PowerPoint" (Copilot features).
Head-to-head: Gemini vs ChatGPT, Midjourney vs ChatGPT, Firefly vs Midjourney
Each head-to-head compares two rows of the same table.
Nano Banana vs ChatGPT: the Gemini app against ChatGPT Images
The Gemini app scores 96 and ChatGPT 84. Gemini gains 8 on video (included from AI Plus; none documented for ChatGPT) and 8 on office apps ("Help me visualize" in Google Slides); ChatGPT gains 4 on editing, because OpenAI documents transparent backgrounds. Net: 8 + 8 − 4 = 12. They tie on free access, price, commercial use and labels.
Midjourney vs ChatGPT
ChatGPT scores 84 and Midjourney 64. ChatGPT gains 12 on free access, 8 on commercial use (output assigned to every user, against a revenue rule) and 8 on labels; Midjourney gains 8 on video, which is on its $10 Basic plan. Net: 12 + 8 + 8 − 8 = 20.
Gemini vs Midjourney
The Gemini app scores 96 and Midjourney 64. Gemini gains 12 on free access, 8 on commercial use, 8 on labels and 8 on office apps; Midjourney gains 4 on editing. Net: 12 + 8 + 8 + 8 − 4 = 32. They tie on entry price and video.
Adobe Firefly vs Midjourney
Firefly scores 98 and Midjourney 64. Firefly gains 12 on free access, 8 on commercial use, 6 on labels (Content Credentials) and 8 on office apps: 12 + 8 + 6 + 8 = 34. They tie on entry price, editing and video.
Adobe Firefly vs ChatGPT
Firefly scores 98 and ChatGPT 84. Firefly gains 8 on video and 8 on office apps; ChatGPT gains 2 on labels, for an invisible watermark on top of C2PA. Net: 8 + 8 − 2 = 14.
Adobe Firefly vs Gemini
Firefly scores 98 and the Gemini app 96: Firefly gains 4 on editing, Gemini 2 on labels. The first sensitivity line can reverse this pair.
Ideogram vs Midjourney
Ideogram scores 78 and Midjourney 64. Ideogram gains 9 on free access (a public free tier), 4 on commercial use (no revenue condition) and 4 on office apps (an MCP server); Midjourney gains 3 on entry price ($8 against $15). Net: 9 + 4 + 4 − 3 = 14.
Canva AI image generator vs Firefly
Firefly scores 98 and Canva 93. Firefly gains 3 on entry price ($9.99 against $12.00) and 2 on labels: 3 + 2 = 5. They tie on everything else, including generation inside presentations.
Can I use AI images commercially? What each vendor's terms say
You can use AI images commercially with most of these tools, but the conditions differ by vendor and plan: Adobe, Google, Canva, OpenAI, Ideogram and xAI state ownership or commercial use for users; Midjourney requires Pro or Mega for companies above $1,000,000 in yearly revenue; Microsoft Designer is licensed for personal, non-commercial use. This section reports what the pages say; it is not legal advice.
| Tool | Ownership or use statement | Indemnity or "safe" statement | D3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Firefly | Firefly-model outputs "safe for commercial use" | Select outputs, eligible enterprise customers | 5 |
| Google Gemini app | "Google won't claim ownership over that content" | Generated Output indemnity for Gemini in Workspace | 5 |
| Canva | "For any purpose, including personal or commercial projects" | Canva Shield AI output indemnity, Enterprise | 5 |
| ChatGPT | You "own the Output"; rights assigned to you | Output indemnity, Enterprise customers | 5 |
| Ideogram | No ownership claim; commercial use allowed | None found | 4 |
| Grok Imagine | You retain ownership; attribute the generation | Covers "use of the Services" only | 4 |
| Midjourney | Subscribers may use images "in just about any way you want" | None; Pro or Mega above $1,000,000 revenue | 3 |
| Microsoft Designer | "Licensed for personal, non-commercial use" | None found | 1 |
Every indemnity here sits on an enterprise or business plan: a consumer ownership line gives you rights in the output but does not move the risk of a claim to the vendor.
The rule we use: before you put an AI image in a client deck, check three things on the vendor's own page: can you use it commercially on your plan, does it carry a label such as Content Credentials, and is your free tier's output public? If the right or the label isn't stated, or the output is public, pick another tool for that deck or ask the vendor.
How to tell if an image is AI-generated: Content Credentials, SynthID and watermarks
To tell whether an image is AI-generated, look for three kinds of label: C2PA Content Credentials (provenance metadata in the file), an invisible watermark such as Google's SynthID, or a visible watermark. Six of the eight tools document at least one; Ideogram and Midjourney document none on the pages we opened.
| Tool | C2PA Content Credentials | Invisible watermark | Visible watermark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Gemini app | Nano Banana Pro images | SynthID | Yes |
| ChatGPT | Yes | Yes | Not documented |
| Adobe Firefly | Attached automatically | Not documented | Not documented |
| Microsoft Designer | Based on the C2PA standard | Not documented | Not documented |
| Grok Imagine | Not documented | Not documented | Grok watermark |
| Canva | Not documented | Not documented | Visible label |
| Ideogram, Midjourney | Not documented | Not documented | Not documented |
To check an image Google made, upload it to the Gemini app and ask whether it was created with Google AI; Gemini then looks for SynthID. Google describes it as a way to "verify if an image was generated with or edited by Google AI", so a "no" does not mean a person made the picture (Google, 20 November 2025). Metadata such as Content Credentials can be lost when a file is screenshotted or re-saved, so treat a missing label as no evidence either way.
Best AI image generator for text in images and for logos
For text in images, seven of the eight tools make a positive text claim on an official page; Microsoft's FAQ only warns that text "may have spelling errors". No page measures text accuracy, so these are claims, not results.
| Tool | Text claim on the official page | Transparent output for logos |
|---|---|---|
| Canva | Craft: "accurate text rendering"; "can create text in 55 languages" | Background remover, "transparent PNGs" |
| Ideogram | "Ideogram can put text almost anywhere in an image" | "Make transparent PNGs for logos, stickers" |
| Grok Imagine | "Small text comes out sharp" | Background removal, transparent |
| ChatGPT | "Can follow instructions to add text" | "Make the background transparent" |
| Google Gemini app | "Clear text"; "clearer, more accurate text" | Not documented |
| Adobe Firefly | "More accurate text in images" | "Remove backgrounds" |
| Midjourney | Words "inside double quotation marks" | Editor: "a transparent PNG" |
| Microsoft Designer | Caveat only: "may have spelling errors" | Background removal |
A logo needs transparent output, text that renders and the right to use the mark. Ownership lines are not trademark advice; ask a lawyer before you register a generated logo.
How to re-weight the ranking for your team: a worked example
To re-weight the ranking, move points between criteria so the weights still total 100, then recompute each tool as rating ÷ 5 × new weight; the ratings stay the same.
| Tool | Points with Owen's weights (D3 10, D5 30) | New total | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Firefly | 15 + 15 + 10 + 8 + 30 + 10 + 10 | 98 | 0 |
| Google Gemini app | 15 + 15 + 10 + 10 + 24 + 10 + 10 | 94 | −2 |
| Canva | 15 + 12 + 10 + 6 + 30 + 10 + 10 | 93 | 0 |
| ChatGPT | 15 + 15 + 10 + 10 + 30 + 2 + 2 | 84 | 0 |
| Grok Imagine | 15 + 15 + 8 + 6 + 30 + 6 + 2 | 82 | +2 |
| Ideogram | 12 + 12 + 8 + 2 + 30 + 10 + 6 | 80 | +2 |
| Midjourney | 3 + 15 + 6 + 2 + 30 + 10 + 2 | 68 | +4 |
| Microsoft (Designer / Copilot) | 12 + 15 + 2 + 8 + 18 + 2 + 10 | 67 | +4 |
For Midjourney, D3 = 3 ÷ 5 × 10 = 6 and D5 = 5 ÷ 5 × 30 = 30. The order holds because six of eight already score 5 on editing; most gaps narrow instead. The ranking measures documentation, not taste.
What a year of images costs Owen
Because Brooks & Hale earns more than $1,000,000 a year, Midjourney requires Pro or Mega. Owen compares four options for one seat:
| Option | Arithmetic | Cost a year | What the vendor documents for this use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midjourney Pro, monthly | 12 × $60 | $720 | Commercial use for a company above $1,000,000 |
| Midjourney Pro, annual | $576 billed yearly | $576 | Same plan; $720 − $576 = $144 saved, 20% |
| Adobe Firefly Standard | 12 × $9.99 | $119.88 | "Safe for commercial use"; 2,000 × 12 = 24,000 credits; Content Credentials |
| ChatGPT Go | 12 × $8 | $96 | Output assigned to the user; C2PA and invisible watermark; indemnity is Enterprise-only |
Firefly Standard against Midjourney Pro on annual billing: $576 − $119.88 = $456.12 a year in Firefly's favour, before any preference about looks.
Here are two slides from this article's worked example, as NOXI built them, unedited.
AI image generator prices compared (US, 24 October 2026)
The cheapest paid plan with image generation ranges from $4.99 a month (Google AI Plus) to $15 a month on yearly billing (Ideogram Plus); six of eight cost $10 a month or less (US pages, logged out).
| Vendor | Plans and prices as shown | Cheapest with images, per month | D2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free / AI Plus $4.99 a month / AI Pro $19.99 / AI Ultra $99.99 (also $199.99) | $4.99 | 5 | |
| xAI | Free / Plus $8 or $80 a year / Premium $30 or $300 / Super $100 or $1,000 / Ultra $200 or $2,000 | $6.67 ($80 ÷ 12) | 5 |
| OpenAI | Free / Go $8 a month (monthly only) / Plus $20 / Pro from $100 | $8 | 5 |
| Midjourney | Basic $10 or $96 a year / Standard $30 or $288 / Pro $60 or $576 / Mega $120 or $1,152 | $8 ($96 ÷ 12) | 5 |
| Microsoft | Free account / Personal $9.99 or $99.99 a year / Family $12.99 or $129.99 / Premium $19.99 or $199.99 | $8.33 ($99.99 ÷ 12) | 5 |
| Adobe | Free daily generations / Standard US$9.99 a month / Pro US$19.99 / Pro Plus US$49.99 / Premium US$199.99 | $9.99 | 5 |
| Canva | Free / Pro US$144 a year for one person / Business US$250 a year per person | $12.00 ($144 ÷ 12) | 4 |
| Ideogram | Free / Plus $20 or $15 yearly ($180) / Pro $60 or $42 yearly ($504) / Team $30 or $20 yearly per user | $15 ($180 ÷ 12) | 4 |
Usage limits are not comparable across products: Adobe counts generative credits, Ideogram weekly credits, and Google and Microsoft describe limits in words.
What this ranking does not score: image quality, realism and leaderboards
This ranking does not score image quality, realism, aesthetics, speed or leaderboard rank, because no vendor documents them in a form that can be checked alike for eight products on one day. Leaderboards rank models, not the plans and terms you buy.
Best AI image generator for realistic photos
No official page measures photorealism, so we name no winner for it. For a real product shot, start from your own photo and edit it rather than asking a model to invent the product.
Best AI image generator on Reddit, against this ranking
Forum threads compare sample outputs; this page doesn't. Use them for taste, and these tables for what a client will ask: plan, rights, label, price.
AI images for presentations: what works inside PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva and Adobe Express
Four vendors document image generation inside a presentation app: Microsoft in PowerPoint (from the Copilot chat pane), Google in Google Slides ("Help me visualize"), Canva in Canva presentations and Adobe in Adobe Express presentations. Ideogram offers an MCP server for assistants; ChatGPT for PowerPoint exists, but its page doesn't mention images. For client slides, check the rights first: Designer is licensed for personal, non-commercial use.
Three practices make AI images work on slides. First, generate at the slide's shape (16:9 for most decks) with clear space for the title. Second, use one image style per deck; our professional presentation design guide explains why consistency reads as quality. Third, never generate a picture of a chart: an image cannot be edited and its numbers can be invented, so build charts from data with an AI chart maker.
If your deck lives in Google Slides, our Google Slides AI guide covers the built-in tools. If you design in Canva and present in PowerPoint, our Canva to PowerPoint guide shows what survives the export. To lift an existing deck rather than add pictures to it, see how to make a PowerPoint look better with AI.
Key terms
If your goal is a whole deck, not a single image
If you need a finished presentation rather than one picture, use a presentation maker: our AI presentation tools ranking scores 20 tools on export, editing and sources, and the best AI presentation makers page reports our June 2026 hands-on test.
Our pick for turning a brief into a designed deck is NOXI, a presentation maker rather than an image generator. Describe your topic and NOXI builds the full deck; you can review the outline first or generate straight away. NOXI adds images where a slide needs one. You can change one slide or the whole deck in plain language, present full-screen, share a link, and download an editable PowerPoint (.pptx) with real text boxes and embedded fonts, or a PDF. NOXI is free: no card and no watermark, with a monthly allowance of 1,000 credits per account, and a full deck uses about 25.
Build it: turn your image rules into a client-ready deck in NOXI
A team's rules for AI images become a deck in one flow: choose Create from scratch, paste a brief, review the outline, then edit, present or export.
Create a [9]-slide deck for [our sales enablement team] titled "[Our rules for AI images in client decks]". Cover three checks: commercial rights on our plan, a provenance label, private output. Add [paste your scores table], the yearly cost of [our two options] with the arithmetic, and the rule that starts on [1 December 2026].
Research [how companies label AI-generated images in 2026] and build an [8]-slide deck for [our marketing leads], with the source and year of every figure on its slide.
In my latest NOXI deck, rewrite every slide title as a full sentence that states the finding, keep the cost arithmetic on one slide, and end with the decision, the owner and the review date.
Step 1 — Choose Create from scratch
Open noxi.ai, create a free account (no card needed) and choose Create from scratch on Home.
Step 2 — Paste the brief
Paste Prompt 1 with your team, your rules, your scores and your dates. Because you start from a prompt, NOXI researches the topic on the web first, and slides with figures carry a source line linking to where each number came from.
Step 3 — Review the outline first
Review the outline before any slide is drawn: one finding per slide title, the cost arithmetic on one slide. Then generate and watch each slide being built. NOXI adds images where a slide needs one.
Step 4 — Edit by chat
Ask the AI in plain English to change one slide or the whole deck, or click any element and say what to change, such as "on slide 6, put the four yearly costs side by side with the arithmetic under each".
Step 5 — Check your own figures
Edit text right on the slide and type your checked numbers into the chart's data editor, so the cost slide matches your own quote.
Step 6 — Present or download
Present full-screen, share a view-only link, or download an editable PowerPoint (.pptx) with real text boxes and embedded fonts, or a PDF.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best AI image generator in 2026?
- On seven documented criteria checked on 24 October 2026, Adobe Firefly scores highest with 98 of 100, followed by the Google Gemini app at 96, Canva at 93 and ChatGPT at 84. The score counts free access, price, rights, labels, editing, video and office apps, not image quality.
- What is the best free AI image generator?
- Adobe Firefly, the Google Gemini app, Canva, ChatGPT and Grok Imagine each document free image generation, and no official page says their free outputs are public, so all five score 5 for free access. Ideogram's free outputs are public, Designer's free use is non-commercial, and Midjourney has no free plan.
- Is Midjourney free?
- No. Midjourney's plan page says all its plans are subscriptions. Basic costs $10 a month, or $96 a year ($8 a month), and includes SD video. A company with more than $1,000,000 in gross revenue a year must buy the Pro or Mega plan for its use.
- Can I use AI-generated images commercially?
- Usually, but it depends on the tool and the plan. Adobe, Google, Canva, OpenAI, Ideogram and xAI state ownership or commercial use for users; Midjourney adds a revenue rule; Microsoft Designer is licensed for personal, non-commercial use. Read your plan's terms before a client sees the image; this is not legal advice.
- Which AI image generator is best for text?
- Seven of the eight make a positive text claim on an official page: Firefly, Gemini, Canva, ChatGPT, Ideogram, Grok Imagine and Midjourney. Canva says its Craft model can create text in 55 languages. Microsoft's Designer FAQ only warns of spelling errors. No page measures accuracy, so test your own wording.
- Is Nano Banana better than ChatGPT?
- On this rubric, the Gemini app, where Nano Banana runs, scores 96 and ChatGPT 84. Gemini leads on video in the same product and on image generation inside Google Slides; ChatGPT leads on editing, because OpenAI documents transparent backgrounds. Both are free to start; image quality is not scored.
- What are Content Credentials?
- Content Credentials are provenance metadata built on the open C2PA standard: a record attached to a file that shows how it was made and edited. Adobe, OpenAI and Microsoft document them for generated images, and Google documents them for Nano Banana Pro images. A missing label proves nothing, because metadata can be stripped.
- Does Copilot have an image generator?
- Yes. Microsoft Designer is free to use, and Microsoft says you can generate images directly from the Copilot chat pane in Word and PowerPoint. Microsoft 365 Personal ($99.99 a year) raises the usage. Designer is licensed for personal, non-commercial use, so Microsoft scores 1 of 5 on commercial use here.
- Which AI image generator works in PowerPoint?
- Microsoft documents image generation from the Copilot chat pane in PowerPoint. OpenAI's ChatGPT for PowerPoint add-in exists, but its help page does not mention images. Google documents image generation in Google Slides, Canva in Canva presentations and Adobe in Adobe Express presentations (checked 24 October 2026).
- How do I add AI images to a presentation?
- Generate the image in a tool whose terms allow your use, at the slide's shape, usually 16:9, with clear space for the title. Keep one image style per deck, name the file with the tool and date, and build charts from data, never as generated pictures.
Sources & methodology
Every vendor page below was opened on 24 October 2026, logged out. Owen Brooks and Brooks & Hale are a fictional example.
- [1] ChatGPT Images weekly volume, C2PA and invisible watermarking, rollout to all tiers — OpenAI, Introducing ChatGPT Images 2.5 (8 September 2026); checked 24 October 2026.
- [2] Images generated with Nano Banana models — Google, Sundar Pichai's Google I/O 2026 keynote (19 May 2026); checked 24 October 2026.
- [3] Assets generated with Adobe Firefly — Adobe, Firefly product page (undated); checked 24 October 2026.
- [4] Midjourney plans, prices, commercial-use rule, video on Basic, Relax Mode — Midjourney Docs, Comparing Midjourney Plans; Edit Model; Text Generation; Editor; checked 24 October 2026.
- [5] Adobe Firefly plans, free generations, commercial use, Content Credentials, video — Adobe, Firefly plans (US); AI photo editor; Text to image; Text to image landing page; Adobe Help, Generate presentations in Adobe Express (updated 18 August 2026); checked 24 October 2026.
- [6] Ideogram plans, free credits, public free outputs and features — Ideogram Docs, Available plans (last verified 15 October 2026); Ideogram Terms of Service (last revised 14 August 2024); Ideogram full docs; Edit; Reference images; Text in images; Transparent backgrounds; Video; FAQ; checked 24 October 2026.
- [7] Google Gemini app — Gemini, image generation (US); Google AI subscriptions (US); Google Terms of Service (effective 30 July 2026); Google Workspace Service Specific Terms (modified 12 October 2026); Google, Generative AI Indemnified Services (modified 20 July 2026); Google, AI image verification in the Gemini app (20 November 2025); Google Workspace Updates (20 November 2025); checked 24 October 2026.
- [8] Canva — Canva pricing (US); Canva AI image generator; Canva Shield; Canva Help, Dream Lab; Canva newsroom, Canva Craft (22 October 2026); checked 24 October 2026.
- [9] ChatGPT — OpenAI Help, ChatGPT Images; ChatGPT pricing docs; What is ChatGPT Go; What is ChatGPT Plus; OpenAI Terms of Use (effective 1 January 2026); OpenAI Service terms (updated 16 October 2026); ChatGPT for PowerPoint; checked 24 October 2026.
- [10] Grok Imagine (xAI) — xAI pricing; xAI docs, Grok FAQ; Grok plans; xAI, Grok; xAI docs, The X Subscription pricing; xAI consumer terms (updated 12 October 2026); xAI enterprise terms; xAI, Grok Imagine image update (7 August 2026); checked 24 October 2026.
- [11] Microsoft — Microsoft Support, Designer FAQ; Microsoft 365, compare all plans; Microsoft Support, Copilot in PowerPoint image FAQ (last reviewed June 2026); Microsoft Copilot features for individuals; checked 24 October 2026.
- [12] Content Credentials and the C2PA standard — Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA); checked 24 October 2026.
Check rights, the label and privacy before an AI image reaches a client, then turn your rules into a deck: NOXI is free, builds the full presentation from a brief, and downloads an editable PowerPoint.
