Best Image, video & design generation

Last updated

Ranked

Midjourney is the best AI image generator for aesthetic quality (from $10/mo, no free plan). Runway is the best all-round AI video suite (free 125 one-time credits; Standard $15/mo). Nano Banana 2.1 via the Gemini API is best for programmatic image editing (about $0.034 per 1K image). Ideogram is best for legible text in images.

#1 · Top pick

Midjourney

Still the aesthetic benchmark for stills.

Best for
Brand art, hero images
Free tier
No free plan
Pricing
Basic $10/mo ($8 annual); Standard $30; Pro $60; Mega $120

Official site ↗ · Pricing source · checked 2026-10-14

#2

Runway

Most complete AI video suite for creators.

Best for
Video generation and editing
Free tier
Free: 125 one-time credits
Pricing
Standard $15/mo ($12 annual); Pro $35 ($28 annual); Max $95 ($76 annual)

Official site ↗ · Pricing source · checked 2026-10-14

#3

Nano Banana 2.1 (Gemini API)

Google's fast image generation/editing model; strong text rendering and character consistency.

Best for
Programmatic image editing at scale
Free tier
Not on the Gemini API free tier (available in the Gemini app)
Pricing
$1.50/M input; $30/M image output ≈ $0.034 per 1K image, $0.113 per 4K image

Official site ↗ · Pricing source · checked 2026-10-14

#4

Pika

Cheap, playful short-form video generation.

Best for
Social clips
Free tier
Free plan available
Pricing
Starter $10/mo; Creator $35/mo; Fancy $95+/mo (20% off annually)

Official site ↗ · Pricing source · checked 2026-10-14

#5

Ideogram

Best at legible text inside images.

Best for
Logos, posters, thumbnails
Free tier
Free: weekly slow credits for eligible accounts
Pricing
Plus $20/mo ($15 annual); Pro $60/mo ($42 annual); Team $30/user/mo

Official site ↗ · Pricing source · checked 2026-10-14

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