The Best AI Image Generators for 2026

In this article, we will take a look at the top AI Image Generators for 2026.

It’s no surprise that there are a lot of AI image generators out there. From well-funded startups to huge corporations, just about every major AI company has launched their own AI image generator. But which one is best?

In this article, we will take a look at the best AI image generators for creative professionals and weigh the pros and cons of each tool.

In this article, we share our findings after running the top AI image generators through 29 different tests and comparing the results. We rated the outputs in 3 categories: prompt adherence, visual fidelity, and style & realism.

We are super excited to share our findings with you and hope this is helpful on your creative journey. Below is the list of best AI Image generators and their ratings, with more in-depth analysis and explanation further down in the article.

The Top 14 AI Image Generators of 2025:

1. Nano Banana Pro — 9.50

2. Flux 2 — 8.78

3. Nano Banana — 8.77

4. Midjourney — 8.62

5. Chat GPT 1.5 - 8.55

6. Ideogram — 8.51

7. Imagen 4 — 8.49

8. Recraft — 8.45

9. Higgsfield Soul — 8.25

10. Reve — 8.29

11. Kling — 8.28

12. Lucid Origin — 8.20

13. Frames — 7.96

14. Luma — 7.80

Best AI Image Generators of 2025

Below are our ratings for The Top AI Image Generators of 2025.

AI Image Generator #1: Nano Banana Pro — 9.50/10

Nano Banana Pro is the most important AI image generator to every be released. And it just so happens that it is also the best AI image generator in terms of quality, intelligence, and all-around usefulness.

Nano Banana Pro thrives in a few key categories including prompt adherence (accurately creating what you ask), data synthesis (understanding what it is creating), and realism. It is one of the only AI image generators that actually knows what it is creating and can therefore reverse engineer images to create new angles, styles, compositions, and more.

It doesn’t get any smarter than Nano Banana Pro.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Nano Banana Pro’s Biggest Strengths:

• Prompt Adherence

• Output Resolution

• Text Replication

• Intelligent Image Generation

• Genius-Level Image Editing

Nano Banana Pro’s Biggest Weaknesses:

• Images Can Look Editorial

• Slower Processing Speeds than Predecessor

Whether you need to change a camera angle, create a graphic design mockup, or create a realistic photo this is by-far the best image generator on the market.

AI Image Generator #2: Flux 2 — 8.78/10

Whenever Flux first hit the scene, it was one of Midjourney’s biggest competitors. As other models have hit the scene, Flux has not always been the best at keeping up with the pace.

With the recent launch of Flux 2, Flux has re-entered the conversation as one of the top AI image generators available.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Flux 2’s Biggest Strength: Prompt Adherence

Flux 2’s Biggest Weakness: Over-sharpening Images

The step up in both realism and prompt adherence of this new model is a massive jump from the previous one. The biggest thing keeping Flux 2 from scoring better is that there is a pretty bad over-sharpening of many of the generated images.

Even though it ranks higher than a model such as Midjourney, it would probably still be chosen after due to its lower ratings in cinematic style and realism.

AI Image Generator #3: Nano Banana — 8.77/10

Nano Banana definitely surprised us in this test.

This is our favorite AI image editor, but one of its strongest features was its prompt adherence, which truly helped it to stand out against the other top tools (like Midjourney).

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Nano Banana’s Biggest Strength: Prompt adherence and consistency are unmatched

Nano Banana’s Biggest Weakness: Poor output resolution

The issues that keep it from having an even higher rating are its struggle to generate more stylized, cinematic images.

Nano Banana can replicate styles extremely well when given reference images, but whenever we are trying to get a more stylised starting point, we often prefer to start with Midjourney.

AI Image Generator #4: Midjourney — 8.62/10

To no one’s surprise, Midjourney is right near the top.

This AI image generator is probably still our preferred tool, primarily because its ability to generate incredibly cinematic and realistic images still seems to be unmatched.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Midjourney’s Biggest Strength: Cinematic style and flair is unmatched

Midjourney’s Biggest Weakness: Text & Compositing Text

As Midjourney’s ability to generate incredibly stylized and cinematic images has grown, an area it has struggled with has been text.

Its accuracy has gotten better over time, but it still has little to no ability to make progress in the ability to composite text in a way that looks realistic.

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AI Image Generator #5: Chat GPT 1.5 — 8.55/10

Chat GPT 1.5 recently hit the scene and has made a massive improvement from it’s previous model.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Chat GPT 1.5’s Biggest Strength: Prompt Adherence

Chat GPT 1.5’s Biggest Weakness: Realism

Chat GPT 1.5’s strength lies in it’s prompt adherence abilities, as to be expected. The same issues remain true, being a lot of the images still do not turn out realistic.

AI Image Generator #6: Ideogram — 8.51/10

Ideogram is an AI Image generator that was originially created to help in creating social content.

It has seemed to expand to more of a broader AI image tool, offering features like character consistency in their platform.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Ideogram’s Biggest Strength: Prompt Adherence

Ideogram’s Biggest Weakness: Output is less realistic and more artificial

From the origin of this tool, text has been something that the model has done well with. The thing that keeps this model from doing better is its struggle with creating realistic and cinematic result consistently.

There are often times that the model will generate realistic images, but they end up looking like more stock images than cinematic stills from a film.

AI Image Generator #7: Imagen 4 — 8.49/10

Imagen 4 is incredibly reliable, scoring near-perfect 10s for prompt adherence and delivering clean, photorealistic images with very few artifacts.

It excels at technical accuracy, especially with text, hands, and product-style shots—making it one of the most consistent models for professional workflows.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Imagen 4’s Biggest Strength: Prompt Adherence

Imagen 4’s Biggest Weakness: Has the notorious ‘AI’ look to lots of generations

The model’s biggest weaknesses are that its outputs tend to be less stylized or cinematic than those from models like Midjourney, often feeling flatter or more literal.

Its results feel less creative for storytelling or highly aesthetic projects.

AI Image Generator #8: Recraft — 8.46/10

Recraft surprised us with its performance. We honestly haven’t played with this model too much before running these tests, but we were incredibly pleased with its results.

Recraft does a great job generating images that are cinematic, realistic, and aesthetic.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Recraft’s Biggest Strength: Incredibly Realistic

Recraft’s Biggest Weakness: Visual fidelity struggles often

The biggest struggle for this model is its consistency. When the model does well, it does very well (obviously), but it was not uncommon for the outputs to be pretty inaccurate from the prompt, while other models performed well.

We hope this model gets better over time, because it has so much potential.

AI Image Generator #9: Reve — 8.29/10

Reve is similar to Recraft for us; we haven’t played with it too much, but we were pleasantly surprised by its performance.

Whenever they first launched their model, the outputs appeared to be incredibly aesthetic and stylized. This model definitely has potential for creating that type of content, but it’s not as easy as you might hope.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Reve’s Biggest Strength: Realism

Reve’s Biggest Weakness: Its best generations are average at best

Reve excels in following directions and adhering to the prompt. The area that this model struggles with is the results struggle to look realistic and cinematic.

The results often lacked depth and style.

AI Image Generator #10: Kling — 8.28/10

Kling’s AI Image generator falls right in the middle of the pack, which is honestly the perfect representation of the tool.

Kling’s AI image generator is the most middle-of-the-road tool on this list. It’s reliable and consistent, but even its best images don’t seem to compete with the ones at the top of the list.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Kling’s Biggest Strength: Prompt Adherence

Kling’s Biggest Weakness: Looks more Editorial and less cinematic

If you have to use this image generator, you don't need to be disappointed, but if you have a choice, we would recommend a different option.

AI Image Generator #11: Higgsfield Soul — 8.25/10

Higgsfield has definitely been positioning itself as an aggregator, and with all the API they are now offering, it’s super easy to forget they have their own video and image models.

Higgsfield’s image generator can create some incredibly impressive results, but the weakness is in it’s consistency.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Higgsfield Soul’s Biggest Strength: Prompt Adherence

Higgsfield Soul’s Biggest Weakness: Over Contrasting Images

Not only that, but often the output comes out over contrasted, giving it more of a Y2K look (and not in a trendy way).

AI Image Generator #12: Lucid Origin — 8.21/10

At first glance, Lucid Origin is pretty impressive. It comes off as somewhat unpolished in a way that makes it appear more realistic.

The lighting and skin texture do better than most in appearing realistic, natural, and not too platic-y.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Lucid Origin’s Biggest Strength: Realism

Lucid Origin’s Biggest Weakness: Prompt Adherence

The problem comes whenever you really analyze the outputs; you see that the model struggles a bit in both prompt adherence and visual fidelity. There are small things that remain consistent throughout the tests.

Shadows fall incorrectly, people in conversations do not look at each other directly, and things along those lines.

AI Image Generator #13: Frames — 7.96/10

Frames seems to be similar to Reve. Whenever this new AI Image generator launched, the output examples were amazing. As per usual, Runway can produce some pretty impressive content.

The downside is, creating beautiful content is not a easy as it seems.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Runway Frame’s Biggest Strength: Realism

Runway Frame’s Biggest Weakness: Visual Fidelity

Frames struggled with prompt adherence, as well as realism. That notorious ‘AI’ look? Yeah, it’s pretty common when using frames, unfortunately.

The potential is there, but it’s not super high on our list.

AI Image Generator # 14: Luma AI’s Photon — 7.80/10

We were incredibly surprised (not necessarily in a good way) with Luma AI image generator’s performance. If we had a rating for how ‘AI-y’ a model looked, this model would have scored an 8/10.

It definitely had some solid generations; for the most part, the generations were typically pretty big misses.

A high-resolution, photorealistic studio portrait, captured with a shallow depth of field, focusing sharply on the upper torso and head of a young person. The subject is wearing a perfectly fitted, crew-neck, short-sleeved t-shirt in a vibrant, slightly desaturated turquoise or teal color. Prominently displayed across the chest of the t-shirt, in a clean, sans-serif font, are the words 'I'm melting' in pure white text. The lettering is crisp and evenly spaced.The background is a solid, seamless expanse of a warm, bright coral pink or salmon color, creating a striking contrast with the t-shirt. There are no shadows or textures visible in the background, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.The subject has long, straight, light-to-medium brown hair, parted somewhere near the center, falling over their shoulders and partially obscuring the sides of the t-shirt. Only the lower half of the subject's face is visible – from just above the bridge of the nose, showing the nostrils, philtrum, and closed lips. The skin tone is fair, with natural texture. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a professional studio setup, with no harsh shadows on the subject or the t-shirt, highlighting the fabric's texture subtly. The overall mood is simple, direct, and slightly understated.

A close-up, medium shot of a handshake between two individuals with dark skin tones. One person wears a long-sleeved, light blue striped dress shirt with the cuff visible, while the other wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Their hands are clasped firmly in the center of the frame, showing texture and detail on their skin. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), revealing an indoor office or professional setting with indistinct furniture, light fixtures, and a framed piece of art on a distant wall, suggesting depth and a business context.

A classic, street-level wide shot looking down a bustling urban street lined with towering skyscrapers. The perspective is centered on the street, which stretches into the distance. Multiple yellow taxi cabs are driving both towards and away from the viewer. On both sides of the street, tall buildings with numerous windows and varied architectural details create an imposing canyon effect. Pedestrians are visible on the sidewalks on both sides, and traffic lights hang overhead at intersections. The sky above is bright but partially obscured by the height of the buildings, suggesting a clear day in a major metropolitan city like New York.

A cozy, atmospheric outdoor photograph of a group of approximately seven young adults gathered around a small, glowing campfire in a rustic setting. They are sitting on sandy or muddy ground, some on foldable canvas chairs (deck chairs), others directly on the ground. A round metal fire pit in the center holds a burning fire, casting warm orange light on their faces and surroundings. The group appears relaxed and engaged in conversation, with some holding drinks. In the background, there's a small, simple white building with a dark roof and a sliding door, possibly a beach hut or cabin, and overgrown grassy dunes behind it, suggesting a cooler evening or night setting.

A surreal and intimate indoor portrait of a young woman with a long bob and bangs, seen both in a mirror and from a side angle. The woman looks directly into the camera from her reflection in a vintage-style, ornate gold-framed mirror mounted on a light green tiled wall. A matching wall sconce with a globe light is on either side of the mirror, casting a warm, almost sickly green glow on the scene. The woman's actual face, in profile, is visible on the right side of the frame, as if she is looking into the mirror. A porcelain bathroom sink with two ornate faucets is in the foreground, and a small bouquet of light pink roses sits next to it.

Luma AI’s Biggest Strength: Prompt Adherence

Luma AI’s Biggest Weakness: Visual fidelity and Consistency

The skin typically resembles that of a doll more than an actual person.

We would like to highlight that in some tests, it outperformed the top models, but the results were too inconsistent and not worth the time.

Which AI Image Generator Should You Choose?

Here’s the thing: there are so many variables, from budget to workflows, and even UI preference. It’s hard to tell you exactly which AI Image Generator you should use.

We would recommend trying to stay in the top 5 if possible, but in all honesty, most of these options are pretty reliable.

Our favorite is to use a combination of both Midjourney and Nano Banana.

Flux

Runway Frames

Imagen 4

ChatGPT

Higgsfield Sould

Ideogram

Kling AI

Lucid Origin

Luma AI

Midjourney

Recraft

Reve

Lucid Origin

Prompt: A warm, soft-focus close-up shot of a person's hands resting on an open book, likely a field guide or encyclopedia. The person's left hand is adorned with a delicate, rectangular-faced watch with a brown leather strap and a thin gold ring with a green stone on their ring finger. Their nails are painted a light, muted sage green. The open book features an illustrated page with images of small brown birds and text. A blurry background of a brown and white checkered picnic blanket or piece of clothing is visible. The lighting is natural and gentle, creating a cozy, relaxed mood.

There are a lot of common areas where AI image generators struggle, for instance, all of the models on this list did not do well generating crowds or groups of people.

Nearly every model struggled with visual fidelity when generating the wide shot of the busy urban street.

We are at a point where you shouldn’t need to sacrifice realism and prompt adherence for the model you are using. If those things are struggling with the model you are using, the chances are that there is another model for about the same price that is better.

Learn AI Image Workflows

If you haven’t already, check out our AI filmmaking course, where we teach some of our favorite workflows for getting the most realistic AI images. You can join the waitlist for the course by filling out the course below.

Thanks for reading! If you want to check out some more of our tools tests, you can see them over on our AI tools page here.