Best AI Image Generators of 2026

AI image generators are the most searched AI tools in the UK. The differences that matter are image quality, how much you get free, and whether you can use the results commercially.

By Robert · Prices checked against each vendor's pricing page

Ad disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we make money.

Testing status: hands-on reviews of these 3 tools are in progress. Until each one is published, details here come from the vendor's own pricing and feature pages.

Images tools at a glance

Prices are shown in the currency each vendor lists. UK customers may see VAT added at checkout.

Comparison of AI images tools
ToolBest forFree optionStarting price
Adobe FireflyBusiness-safe imagesFree daily generations£9.98/mo
MidjourneyArtistic and concept images—$10/mo
Leonardo.aiEveryday images on a budgetFree plan (daily tokens)$12/mo

The tools in detail

What each tool does, the strongest reasons to use it, and the honest drawbacks.

01

Adobe Firefly

Best for commercially safe images

Firefly is Adobe's image generator, built into Photoshop and Express as well as its own app. Adobe positions it for commercial work, and its UK plans are priced in pounds.

Why choose it

  • Priced in pounds for UK buyers
  • Works inside Photoshop and Express
  • Free daily generations

Drawbacks

  • Credits limit heavy use
  • Best features sit in higher tiers
Image generationCommercial useAdobe
Free · Standard £9.98/mo2,000 credits a month · incl. VAT
See Firefly plans →
02

Midjourney

Best for striking, artistic images

Midjourney produces some of the most striking AI images available, especially for illustration, concept art and mood boards. It now runs in a web app as well as on Discord.

Why choose it

  • Outstanding image quality and style
  • Cheaper billed annually
  • Large, active community

Drawbacks

  • No free trial
  • Less suited to precise product shots
Image generationArtIllustration
Basic $10/mo$8/mo billed annually · 3.3 fast GPU hours
See Midjourney plans →
03

Leonardo.ai

Best free plan for regular use

Leonardo gives free users 150 fast tokens every day and allows commercial use of what they create. Paid plans add more tokens and private generation, which suits marketers producing lots of images.

Why choose it

  • Daily free allowance
  • Commercial use on the free plan
  • Many styles and models

Drawbacks

  • Free images are public by default
  • Token system takes time to learn
Image generationFree planMarketing
Free · Essential $12/moUp to 20% off billed yearly
See Leonardo plans →

How to choose

01

Commercial use first

If images go on your website or products, check the licence. Adobe built Firefly to be commercially safe; others vary by plan.

02

Try the free tier

Firefly and Leonardo both have free daily allowances. Midjourney has no free trial, so test the others first.

03

Match the style

Midjourney leans artistic, Firefly towards clean commercial images. Run the same prompt through two tools and compare.

More AI tools by task

AI tools forEmail marketing AI tools forVideo AI tools forVoice & text to speech AI tools forWriting & SEO AI tools forPresentations