🎨 Best AI image generators: Midjourney, Firefly, Ideogram, Canva and more

What is an image generator?

An image generator is an AI tool where you type what kind of picture you want, and it creates the image from scratch. You might ask for “a watercolour of a lakeside cottage beach at sunset” or “a cheerful invitation for a 60th birthday party”. A good description covers the subject, style, colours and mood. There are two main types: image features built into general assistants, and standalone image services. See also our guide to creating images with AI.

The options in brief

How to choose the right tool

You just want to try it or make a fun picture

Start with the assistant you already use. ChatGPT and Gemini understand descriptions in Finnish, and you can keep chatting: “make the sky bluer” or “add a dog”. This is by far the easiest way for beginners, and there's nothing to install.

You make social posts, flyers or invitations

Canva is the best choice, because the AI image goes straight into a ready-made template where you can add text, a logo and contact details. The free version is enough to start, and Pro adds more AI features and the stock library.

You need text in the picture

Most image generators garble letters. Ideogram is known for writing headlines and names into images much more cleanly than others. Finnish letters like ä and ö don't always come out right, so check the result or add the text afterwards in Canva.

Quality and style matter most

Many people feel Midjourney makes the most beautiful and artistic images. It's paid, and descriptions work best in English. On the cheapest plans, your images appear publicly in the service's gallery.

You use images in your business marketing

According to Adobe, Firefly is trained on licensed content, which is why many businesses consider it safer for commercial use. If you already use Photoshop, Firefly's features are built in.

What does an image generator cost?

You don't need to spend anything to try. ChatGPT, Gemini, Canva and Ideogram let you make a limited number of images for free, and Adobe Firefly gives a few free generations a month. Paid plans typically cost around €10–20 a month, and Midjourney is effectively always paid. Prices and free quotas change often, so check the service's own site before subscribing. If you only make images now and then for parties or club newsletters, the free versions are plenty.

What can you do with AI images?

You can usually use AI-generated images for your own purposes, but each service's terms differ. Some restrict commercial use on the free plan. An image made purely by AI is generally not considered protected by copyright, so you may not be able to stop others using the same image. Don't ask for images that imitate a famous artist, a brand or an identifiable person. Read more in our guide to AI and the law.

Spotting an AI image

AI images are very realistic these days, but mistakes still appear: odd hands and fingers, blurry background text, overly smooth skin or illogical shadows. Many services add an invisible watermark, but you can't see it with the naked eye. If it matters whether an image is real, look for the same picture from a reliable news source. The EU AI Act also increasingly requires AI-generated content to be labelled.