Comprehensive comparison of the best AI design tools for designers, marketers and creative professionals
Last updated: February 2026
Written & tested byMax de VriesWeb Designer & UX ExpertFrontend developer and UX specialist. Tests and reviews AI tools on design, usability and technical capabilities.
AI design tools have permanently changed the creative world in 2026. Whether you're generating photorealistic images, designing complete brand identities, creating social media visuals or building prototypes — the right AI tool saves you hours of work and opens up new creative possibilities. We have extensively tested the 10 most popular tools on image quality, versatility, usability, integrations, price and commercial viability.
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Price: From $10/monthFree trial: NoneRating: ★ 4.9/5
Midjourney is the undisputed market leader in AI-generated images. The tool produces stunning, artistic visuals with an unmatched aesthetic quality that leaves other generators far behind. Whether it's photorealistic images, illustrations, concept art or abstract art — Midjourney consistently delivers results of professional quality.
What makes Midjourney unique is the combination of artistic depth with technical precision. The latest v6 engine understands complex prompts, respects style consistency and produces images with a remarkably high level of detail. The built-in style references and the ability to use existing images as inspiration make it an indispensable tool for creative professionals.
Key features
Unmatched image quality and aesthetics
Style consistency with style references
High resolution output (up to 4K upscale)
Fast generation with turbo mode
Variation and remix features
Pan, zoom and outpainting
Own web interface and Discord bot
Commercial license with paid plans
Integrations
Midjourney works via its own web platform and Discord. Integration with external tools via the API (in development), Zapier and custom workflows. Images are directly exportable to Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva and other design tools.
Canva AI is the most complete and accessible AI design tool on the market. With Magic Design you generate professional designs in seconds based on a short description — from social media posts and presentations to posters, videos and brand materials. The drag-and-drop interface makes professional design accessible to everyone, regardless of experience.
The power of Canva AI lies in the breadth of possibilities. Magic Eraser removes unwanted elements, Magic Expand intelligently enlarges images, Text to Image generates unique visuals and Magic Write helps with copywriting. The Brand Kit feature ensures all designs remain consistent with your brand identity.
Key features
Magic Design for complete designs
Text to Image image generation
Magic Eraser and Magic Expand
Magic Write AI copywriting assistant
Brand Kit for consistent branding
Video editing with AI features
10,000+ professional templates
Team collaboration and sharing
Integrations
Canva integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Slack, social media platforms, Google Slides, PowerPoint and hundreds of other apps via the Canva Apps marketplace.
Price: Free / From $4.99/monthFree plan: 25 credits/monthRating: ★ 4.7/5
Adobe Firefly is Adobe's generative AI engine, seamlessly integrated into Photoshop, Illustrator and the entire Creative Cloud suite. The major advantage of Firefly is that it is exclusively trained on licensed Adobe Stock content, open-source images and public domain material — making generated content commercially safe without copyright risks.
The Generative Fill feature in Photoshop is groundbreaking: select an area in your photo and describe what you want to add, remove or modify. Firefly generates seamless edits that blend perfectly into the original image. The Text Effects feature creates stunning typographic designs and the Generative Recolor feature instantly adjusts color schemes on vector illustrations.
Key features
Generative Fill in Photoshop
Commercially safe AI training
Text to Image with style control
Generative Expand for image extension
Text Effects for typography
Generative Recolor for vectors
Seamless Creative Cloud integration
Content Credentials for provenance proof
Integrations
Adobe Firefly is fully integrated into Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, Adobe Express and the entire Creative Cloud suite. Available via the Firefly web app and the Adobe Firefly API for developers.
DALL-E 3 from OpenAI is the most accurate image generator when it comes to following complex prompts. Integrated into ChatGPT, you can describe in natural language what you want to see, and DALL-E 3 translates this with stunning precision into visual output. The tool is particularly strong at correctly rendering text in images — something many competitors struggle with.
The integration with ChatGPT makes DALL-E 3 uniquely accessible. You can work iteratively: describe adjustments in plain language and ChatGPT adjusts the prompt for optimal results. Via the API, DALL-E 3 is also available for developers who want to integrate image generation into their own applications.
Key features
Exceptionally accurate prompt following
Text in image generation
ChatGPT integration for conversational design
Free access via Bing Image Creator
API available for developers
Inpainting and outpainting features
Multiple resolutions and formats
Safety system against misuse
Integrations
DALL-E 3 is integrated into ChatGPT, Microsoft Bing Image Creator, Microsoft Designer and available via the OpenAI API. Integration with thousands of tools via Zapier, Make and direct API connections.
Price: Free / $15/month (Professional)Free plan: Up to 3 projectsRating: ★ 4.7/5
Figma AI transforms the UI/UX design process with powerful AI features directly in the world's most popular collaborative design platform. The AI-powered features accelerate designing interfaces, building prototypes and collaborating with teams — without leaving the familiar Figma ecosystem.
The First Draft feature generates complete screen designs based on a text description. Auto Layout suggestions automatically optimize your layouts, while AI-powered component suggestions propose relevant design elements based on your current design. The integration with FigJam makes brainstorming and wireframing more efficient than ever.
Key features
First Draft: from text to screen design
AI-powered Auto Layout suggestions
Smart component suggestions
Visual Search in design assets
AI-powered prototyping
Real-time team collaboration
Design System integration
Dev Mode for developer handoff
Integrations
Figma AI integrates with Jira, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Notion, Storybook, GitHub, Zeplin and hundreds of plugins from the Figma Community. Available via the Figma API for custom integrations.
Price: From $20 one-time / $96/yearFree design: YesRating: ★ 4.4/5
Looka is the go-to AI tool for entrepreneurs and small businesses who quickly need a professional brand identity. The tool generates hundreds of unique logo designs in minutes based on your preferences for style, color, icons and industry. The result is logos that look surprisingly professional — without having to hire a designer.
After choosing your logo, Looka automatically generates a complete Brand Kit with business cards, social media profiles, letterhead, email signatures and more — all consistent with your chosen brand identity. The Brand Kit subscription gives you unlimited access to all branded materials and the ability to customize your designs.
Key features
AI logo generator with hundreds of variations
Complete Brand Kit generation
Business card and letterhead design
Social media profile templates
Color palette and typography recommendations
Vector files (SVG, EPS, PDF)
Unlimited revisions with Brand Kit
Website builder integration
Integrations
Looka integrates with Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, Shopify and other website builders. Export your logo in all formats (PNG, SVG, EPS, PDF) for use in any application.
Price: From $29/monthFree trial: Limited free versionRating: ★ 4.3/5
Designs.ai is an all-in-one AI creation platform that generates logos, videos, banners, mockups and social media content from a single interface. The tool is ideal for small businesses and marketers who need a wide range of creative assets without having to learn multiple tools.
The Logomaker generates professional logos in seconds, the Videomaker creates promo videos based on a script, the Designmaker creates banners and social media posts and the Speechmaker converts text to natural speech. Everything together in one subscription makes it a cost-effective choice for versatile content creation.
Key features
AI Logomaker with industry-specific designs
AI Videomaker with templates
Designmaker for banners and social posts
Speechmaker for text-to-speech
Mockup generator
Color matcher and font pairing
Calendar planner for social media
Stock photo and graphics library
Integrations
Designs.ai offers direct export to all common formats. Integration with social media platforms for direct publishing. API available for enterprise customers.
Khroma is a unique AI tool designed to help designers find and combine the perfect colors. The AI algorithm learns from your color preferences and generates infinite combinations that you can save, search and export. It is the smartest way to assemble color palettes for branding, web design and marketing materials.
After selecting 50 colors that appeal to you, Khroma trains a personal AI model that recommends colors based on your taste. The tool shows combinations in different contexts: as typography, as gradient, as palette and as photo overlay. The search function lets you filter by hue, color value, name and more.
Key features
Personal AI color model based on preference
Infinite color combination suggestions
Display as typography, gradient and palette
Advanced search filters (hue, value, name)
Save and organize favorites
HEX, RGB and HSL color codes
WCAG contrast check for accessibility
Export palettes as image or code
Integrations
Khroma works as a standalone web app. Color codes are directly copyable in HEX, RGB and HSL format for use in Figma, Photoshop, CSS and any other design tool.
Price: Free / $19/month (Pro)Free plan: Up to 2 projectsRating: ★ 4.4/5
Uizard is an AI-powered design tool that radically simplifies creating wireframes, mockups and prototypes. The tool is specifically designed for product managers, startup founders and non-designers who want to quickly create professional app and web designs without technical design knowledge.
The Autodesigner feature generates complete multi-screen app designs based on a text description. Upload a screenshot or hand-drawn sketch and Uizard automatically converts this into an editable digital design. The drag-and-drop editor then makes it easy to customize components, add interactions and share clickable prototypes.
Key features
Autodesigner: from text to app design
Screenshot to editable design
Hand sketch to digital design conversion
Drag-and-drop component editor
Clickable prototypes
UI component library
Team collaboration and feedback
Design System support
Integrations
Uizard integrates with Slack for design feedback, exports to Figma and Sketch formats, and offers an API for custom integrations. Prototypes are shareable via a link.
Autodraw from Google is a charming, completely free AI drawing tool that recognizes your rough sketches and automatically suggests professional illustrations. It is the perfect tool for quick visualizations, simple icons, diagrams and presentation images — without any design skills.
The AI recognizes what you're trying to draw while you sketch and shows suggestions from professional artists and illustrators at the top of the screen. With one click you replace your sketch with a polished icon or illustration. The tool is instantly usable in the browser without registration or installation.
Key features
AI recognition of hand-drawn sketches
Library of professional illustrations
Instantly usable without registration
Basic text and shape tools
Color customization of illustrations
Export as PNG
Works on all devices and browsers
Completely free, no limitations
Integrations
Autodraw works as a standalone web app without direct integrations. Designs are exported as PNG files for use in presentations, documents or other design tools.
Our editorial team tests each tool for a minimum of 4 weeks in a realistic design environment. We evaluate based on the following criteria:
Image quality & output (30%)
We test the visual quality, level of detail, color rendering and overall aesthetics of the generated designs. We compare the same prompts and assignments across all tools and evaluate the results blindly.
Versatility & functionality (20%)
What design tasks can the tool perform? We evaluate the breadth of capabilities: image generation, editing, logo design, prototyping, color palettes and more.
Usability (15%)
How quickly can a new user become productive? We measure the time to first usable output and evaluate the interface, documentation and onboarding.
Commercial viability (10%)
Are the generated designs commercially usable? We evaluate license terms, available export formats and resolutions for professional use.
Integrations (10%)
Which design tools, CMS systems and workflow tools are supported? How smoothly do the tools fit into an existing creative workflow?
Value for money (15%)
What do you get for your money? We compare the features, limits and credits per price tier and evaluate whether the investment pays off.
How to Choose the Right AI Design Tool?
The best AI design tool depends on your specific situation. Here are our recommendations per use case:
For image generation and creative content
Choose Midjourney if you want the highest image quality for marketing visuals, social media content and creative projects. For more accurate prompt following, DALL-E 3 is an excellent alternative.
For everyday marketing design
Start with Canva AI for the best all-in-one experience. Social media posts, presentations, flyers and videos can be created in minutes without design experience.
For professional designers
Choose Adobe Firefly if you already work with the Creative Cloud suite, or Figma AI if you focus on UI/UX design and prototyping with teams.
For logo and branding
Looka is the best choice if you quickly need a professional brand identity, including logo, business cards and social media templates.
For a limited budget
Canva AI (free plan), Autodraw (free) and Khroma (free) offer good starting options without financial barriers. DALL-E 3 is free via Bing Image Creator.
Trends in AI Design (2026)
The AI design market is evolving rapidly. These are the most important trends we see in 2026:
Real-time image generation — Tools generate images in seconds instead of minutes, making live iteration possible
Video and 3D generation — AI tools are expanding from static images to video, animation and 3D models
Consistent brand style — AI models remember your brand style and automatically apply it to all designs
Design-to-code — AI converts designs directly to production-ready code for web and mobile apps
Multimodal input — Design with combinations of text, sketch, photo and voice as input
Ethical AI and transparency — Content Credentials and provenance proof are becoming the standard for AI-generated imagery
Frequently Asked Questions
Midjourney is the best AI design tool of 2026 for image generation thanks to its unmatched visual quality and artistic output. For everyday design work, Canva AI is the most accessible and versatile option. Adobe Firefly is the best choice if commercial safety is a priority and you already work with the Creative Cloud suite.
Yes, multiple tools offer free options. Canva AI has a free plan with basic features. DALL-E 3 is available for free via Bing Image Creator. Autodraw from Google and Khroma are completely free to use. Figma AI offers a free plan for up to 3 projects and Adobe Firefly provides 25 free credits per month.
Yes, most AI design tools allow commercial use with paid plans. Adobe Firefly is specifically trained on licensed content and offers the strongest commercial guarantees. Midjourney allows commercial use with paid subscriptions. Canva Pro users may use generated content commercially. Always check the specific license terms of each tool.
Canva AI is the best choice for beginners thanks to the intuitive drag-and-drop interface, thousands of templates and extensive tutorial library. Autodraw is also very accessible for quick sketches without any learning curve. For logo design, Looka is ideal: you answer a few questions and the AI generates hundreds of professional designs.
Prices vary significantly. Free options are available with Autodraw, Khroma and Canva (basic plan). Budget options start at $10-$15/month (Midjourney Basic, Figma Starter). Mid-range tools cost $20-$30/month (Canva Pro, DALL-E 3 via ChatGPT Plus). Premium solutions like Adobe Creative Cloud start from $54.99/month. Most tools offer discounts with annual billing.
No, AI design tools are powerful aids that make designers more productive. They enormously accelerate the creative process — help with brainstorming, initial concepts and variations — but human creativity, strategic thinking, brand knowledge and client understanding remain essential for professional design. The best results come from the combination of AI speed and human expertise.
Midjourney
Canva AI
Adobe Firefly
Figma AI
Looka
Designs.ai
Khroma
Uizard
