100 Free And Paid AI Tools for Graphic Designers

Graphic designers now have a vast set of AI tools that speed work, spark ideas, and elevate outcomes. This guide lists 100 tools a designer can use for concepting, image creation, vector work, retouching, layout, branding, motion, type, and workflow automation. For each tool you’ll find a short usage note, quick pros, quick cons, and whether it offers free access or paid tiers. Use this as a practical reference to pick the right tool for your workflow.

Table of Contents

How to use this list

Tools are grouped by category to help you scan fast. Each entry is compact so you can compare at a glance. Where possible I note free tiers, subscription plans, and standout features. Try a few tools before committing to a paid plan. Many tools offer trial credits or limited free exports.

Quick category summary (counts)

Category	Number of tools
Image generation & AI art	20
Photo editing & enhancement	12
Vector & illustration	10
Layout, mockup & UI assets	10
Logo, branding & identity	8
Color, fonts & typography	6
Motion, video & animation	10
Plugins, automation & asset mgmt	14
TOTAL	100

Image generation & AI art (20)

Midjourney — Usage: text-to-image art generation via Discord. Pros: high-quality, creative styles. Cons: learning prompts takes time. Pricing: limited free trials; subscription for higher usage (paid).
DALL·E 3 — Usage: image generation from text and inpainting. Pros: detailed outputs, integrated with ChatGPT. Cons: occasional artifacting in complex scenes. Pricing: free quota with paid expansion via OpenAI.
Stable Diffusion (various UIs) — Usage: open-source image generation, local runs possible. Pros: privacy, model control. Cons: setup complexity for local installs. Pricing: free core model; hosted UIs often paid.
Leonardo.ai — Usage: image generation tailored for creatives. Pros: presets for styles and textures. Cons: newer platform; variable consistency. Pricing: free tier; paid credits.
Runway Gen-2 — Usage: generative video and image creation. Pros: smooth video generation workflows. Cons: high compute; costly for long clips. Pricing: free trial with paid tiers.
Craiyon — Usage: free quick sketches from text prompts. Pros: instant, beginner-friendly. Cons: lower fidelity. Pricing: free with paid options for HD.
Artbreeder — Usage: blend images and evolve concepts. Pros: iterative design and morphing. Cons: limited for precise commercial output. Pricing: free tier; paid for higher res.
NightCafe — Usage: multiple models and styles for art. Pros: simple UI and community. Cons: credit-based outputs. Pricing: free credits; paid packs.
Deep Dream Generator — Usage: surreal, stylized transformations. Pros: unique dreamlike styles. Cons: niche aesthetic, not always commercial. Pricing: free tier; paid plans.
PromptLayer — Usage: prompt management and analytics. Pros: tracks prompt history and performance. Cons: extra layer of management. Pricing: free tier; paid for advanced analytics.
Photosonic — Usage: text-to-image, quick creative outputs. Pros: speed and variety. Cons: sometimes generic results. Pricing: limited free use; paid credits.
Hotpot.ai — Usage: image generation plus editing tools. Pros: integrated retouch with generation. Cons: quality varies by prompt. Pricing: free tier; paid credits.
Imagine by DeepAI — Usage: simple image generation API. Pros: developer-friendly. Cons: fewer creative controls. Pricing: free limited usage; paid API.
Copy.ai Images — Usage: generate visuals for marketing quickly. Pros: integrated with copy generation. Cons: fewer style options. Pricing: limited free; paid plans.
DreamStudio (SD) — Usage: hosted Stable Diffusion frontend. Pros: direct controls and checkpoints. Cons: token-based usage. Pricing: free credits; pay-as-you-go.
Playground AI — Usage: image generation with community models. Pros: remixing and prompt sharing. Cons: output limits on free plan. Pricing: free tier; subscriptions.
StarryAI — Usage: easy-to-use image generation for creators. Pros: NFT-ready outputs. Cons: less granular control. Pricing: free with paid upgrades.
VanceAI — Usage: AI image editing and enhancement suite. Pros: integrated enhancement tools. Cons: quality varies with input images. Pricing: free trials; paid subscriptions.
GauGAN/Canvas by NVIDIA — Usage: semantic map to photoreal image conversion. Pros: creative scene building. Cons: specialized use case. Pricing: free demos; enterprise licensing.
Palette.fm — Usage: colorize and restyle images. Pros: quick color variations. Cons: limited control on complex scenes. Pricing: free tier; paid features.

Photo editing & enhancement (12)

Adobe Photoshop (Neural Filters) — Usage: AI-powered retouch, sky replace, style transfer. Pros: industry standard and deep feature set. Cons: subscription cost. Pricing: paid via Adobe Creative Cloud.
Luminar Neo — Usage: AI photo editing for speed retouching. Pros: robust auto-masks and fixes. Cons: less granular than manual editors. Pricing: one-time or subscription paid.
Topaz Labs (Gigapixel, Sharpen AI) — Usage: upscaling and sharpening. Pros: excellent detail preservation. Cons: heavy CPU/GPU. Pricing: paid license with trials.
Remove.bg — Usage: instant background removal. Pros: speed and accuracy for people. Cons: tricky edges on complex hair. Pricing: limited free; paid credits.
Canva Pro (Magic Edit) — Usage: quick edits and background removal in design context. Pros: integrated design workflow. Cons: less precision than Photoshop. Pricing: free tier with paid Pro.
Fotor — Usage: online AI photo enhancer and retoucher. Pros: simple, quick presets. Cons: less control for advanced edits. Pricing: free tier; paid subscription.
Photopea — Usage: browser-based Photoshop alternative with some AI plugins. Pros: free and PSD-compatible. Cons: fewer AI features. Pricing: free with ads; paid removes ads.
Pixelmator Pro — Usage: macOS-native image editor with ML tools. Pros: optimized for Mac hardware. Cons: Mac only. Pricing: paid one-time purchase.
PicsArt AI — Usage: creative edits and background tools for social images. Pros: social features and templates. Cons: watermark on free outputs. Pricing: free with paid upgrades.
Remove Background API (various) — Usage: developer APIs for background removal. Pros: integrate into pipelines. Cons: usage costs scale. Pricing: paid API.
Let’s Enhance — Usage: upscale and enhance images with AI. Pros: good color and tone recovery. Cons: limited batch size on free plan. Pricing: free trial; paid credits.
Retouch4me — Usage: AI portrait retouching plugins. Pros: professional skin and detail work. Cons: plugin install and license. Pricing: paid per module.

Vector & illustration tools (10)

Vectornator — Usage: vector design for iPad and Mac. Pros: touch-friendly and free. Cons: limited advanced features for complex projects. Pricing: free.
Autodraw — Usage: AI-assisted sketch to clean vector. Pros: instant cleanup and suggestions. Cons: basic vector outputs. Pricing: free.
Adobe Illustrator (Generative Fill with Firefly integration) — Usage: vector design with AI-assisted fills and suggestions. Pros: industry standard, deep features. Cons: subscription cost. Pricing: paid via Adobe Creative Cloud.
Boxy SVG — Usage: browser-based vector editor with AI plugins. Pros: lightweight and accessible. Cons: fewer advanced features. Pricing: free basic; paid tiers.
Vectr — Usage: simple vector creation in browser. Pros: easy collaboration. Cons: limited toolset for pros. Pricing: free.
Gravit Designer — Usage: cross-platform vector tool with smart features. Pros: modern UI; cloud syncing. Cons: advanced features behind Pro plan. Pricing: free with Pro.
LogoJoy / Looka (AI logo makers) — Usage: generate logo concepts via AI. Pros: rapid idea generation. Cons: often needs refinement by a designer. Pricing: paid for downloads.
Klex (by FotoJet) — Usage: quick vector elements and social graphics. Pros: templates and clipart. Cons: limited professional control. Pricing: free with paid upgrades.
Spline — Usage: 3D design and vector interaction. Pros: interactive SVG-like 3D assets. Cons: learning curve. Pricing: free tier; paid plans.
Inkscape with extensions — Usage: opensource vector editor with AI extensions. Pros: free; extensible. Cons: UI is dated and plugins vary by author. Pricing: free.

Layout, mockup & UI assets (10)

Figma (with AI plugins) — Usage: UI design with AI-assisted prototyping and copy suggestions. Pros: collaborative and industry standard. Cons: plugin quality varies. Pricing: free tier; paid organization plans.
Adobe XD (AI integrations) — Usage: UI/UX design and prototyping. Pros: integrates with Adobe ecosystem. Cons: fewer native AI features than plugins. Pricing: paid via Adobe.
Mockplus — Usage: rapid prototyping with smart components. Pros: speed and templates. Cons: fewer advanced interactions. Pricing: free trial; paid.
Framer — Usage: interactive prototypes with AI code suggestions. Pros: high-fidelity interactions. Cons: steeper learning curve. Pricing: free tier; paid features.
Placeit — Usage: device mockups and presentation scenes. Pros: massive template library. Cons: subscription for downloads. Pricing: paid subscriptions; some free assets.
Smartmockups — Usage: generate polished mockups from assets. Pros: fast and professional. Cons: limited free mockups. Pricing: free tier; paid plan.
UXPin — Usage: advanced prototyping with design systems. Pros: system-driven design. Cons: pricing for teams. Pricing: paid.
Mockuuups Studio — Usage: offline mockup generator with custom scenes. Pros: desktop-based and fast. Cons: preset-limited. Pricing: paid.
Anima — Usage: convert design to responsive HTML prototypes. Pros: good for handoff to devs. Cons: requires cleanup. Pricing: free tier; paid.
Webflow (CMS + Designer) — Usage: visual web design that outputs production-ready sites. Pros: production-ready output. Cons: designer-to-dev handoff learning curve. Pricing: free staging; paid hosting.

Logo, branding & identity (8)

Canva (Brand Kit + AI) — Usage: quick logos and branding assets with AI suggestions. Pros: easy and collaborative. Cons: generic unless customized. Pricing: free with Pro.
Hatchful (Shopify) — Usage: fast logo generation for small brands. Pros: quick iterations. Cons: low uniqueness. Pricing: free.
Tailor Brands — Usage: AI-driven logo and brand asset generation. Pros: full brand kits. Cons: vector quality varies. Pricing: paid plans.
Brandmark — Usage: automated logo and identity suggestions. Pros: beautiful concepts quickly. Cons: limited control without designer tweaks. Pricing: paid.
Looka — Usage: logo maker with brand assets export. Pros: instant concepts and social assets. Cons: requires edits for uniqueness. Pricing: paid.
Designhill Logo Maker — Usage: AI logo suggestions for quick launches. Pros: affordable. Cons: crowded market of similar makers. Pricing: paid.
LogoAI — Usage: niche logo suggestions and icon sets. Pros: fast ideation. Cons: commercial licenses vary. Pricing: paid.
Namecheap Logo Maker — Usage: free logo concept generator for startups. Pros: free to download basic logos. Cons: limited originality. Pricing: free basic downloads.

Color, fonts & typography (6)

Colormind — Usage: AI color palette generation from images. Pros: design-driven palettes. Cons: limited UI. Pricing: free.
Coolors (AI Palettes) — Usage: generate and tweak palettes. Pros: easy pairing with export. Cons: some advanced tools in paid plan. Pricing: free with Pro.
FontJoy — Usage: AI pairing for font combinations. Pros: fast pairing exploration. Cons: limited type QA. Pricing: free.
Google Fonts + AI pairing tools — Usage: recommended pairings and testing. Pros: free, web-ready fonts. Cons: variable quality for display use. Pricing: free.
WhatTheFont — Usage: AI font recognition from images. Pros: fast identification. Cons: similarities can confuse AI. Pricing: free with paid API.
TypeScale / Modular scale tools — Usage: AI-assisted scale recommendations for type systems. Pros: consistent typographic rhythm. Cons: requires designer judgment. Pricing: free/paid versions.

Motion, video & animation (10)

Runway ML — Usage: video editing, background removal, and generative video. Pros: experimental video AI. Cons: compute-intensive and paid. Pricing: free trial; paid.
Adobe After Effects (AI features) — Usage: motion graphics with AI-assisted rotoscoping. Pros: industry standard, deep toolset. Cons: steep learning curve. Pricing: paid via Adobe.
Pika Motion — Usage: convert static art into subtle motion. Pros: fast GIF/video exports. Cons: limited control on complex animations. Pricing: free trial; paid.
Lumen5 — Usage: turn articles into short marketing videos using AI. Pros: fast social clips. Cons: templated look. Pricing: free tier; paid.
CapCut (Desktop + Web) — Usage: AI-assisted cutting, effects, and templates. Pros: social-first and easy. Cons: less precision for film. Pricing: free with paid features.
Runway Gen-2 — Usage: experimental text-to-video generation. Pros: new creative possibilities. Cons: early-stage quality variability. Pricing: paid credits.
Animaker — Usage: animated explainer videos with AI helpers. Pros: large asset library. Cons: templated outcome. Pricing: free tier; paid plans.
Descript — Usage: video editing by editing text transcripts; overdub voice. Pros: fast edits and captions. Cons: best for talking-head edits. Pricing: free tier; paid.
Kaiber — Usage: AI-driven music video and motion generation. Pros: creative remixes. Cons: niche outputs. Pricing: paid credits.
Veed.io — Usage: online editor with AI subtitles and effects. Pros: social-ready outputs. Cons: watermarks on free tier. Pricing: free trial; paid.

Plugins, automation & asset management (14)

AstroShot / Plugin hubs for Photoshop — Usage: AI plugin marketplace for added features. Pros: extendable capabilities. Cons: plugin compatibility issues. Pricing: varies.
Colab Notebooks for Stable Diffusion — Usage: run models in the cloud without local GPU. Pros: immediate access to models. Cons: session timeouts and setup. Pricing: free tier with paid upgrades.
Zapier + Make (Integromat) — Usage: automate asset pipelines and file uploads. Pros: connect apps and workflows. Cons: automation complexity for non-technical users. Pricing: free tier; paid.
Bynder / Frontify (brand portals) — Usage: manage brand assets and guidelines. Pros: enterprise-grade asset control. Cons: pricing for teams. Pricing: paid.
Imagemagick + Command-line AI tools — Usage: batch image processing combined with AI scripts. Pros: powerful automation. Cons: developer knowledge required. Pricing: open-source/free.
Adobe Bridge (asset manager) — Usage: catalog, tag, and manage image libraries. Pros: integrates with Adobe suite. Cons: limited AI beyond metadata. Pricing: part of Adobe subscription.
Cloudinary — Usage: media asset management with AI optimizations. Pros: CDN and automatic transforms. Cons: costs at scale. Pricing: free tier; paid.
Git LFS for design files — Usage: version control for large assets. Pros: robust versioning. Cons: setup and learning curve. Pricing: free small quotas; paid.
Pictory AI — Usage: convert script and assets into short video. Pros: automated content repurposing. Cons: templated aesthetics. Pricing: paid.
Canva Apps & Plugins — Usage: add AI features inside Canva. Pros: integrated design and asset management. Cons: limited pro-level controls. Pricing: Canva Pro paid.
Sloyd / Asset generators — Usage: create 3D assets and props with AI. Pros: fast concept assets for scenes. Cons: not always production-ready. Pricing: paid models.
Design Handoff tools (Zeplin, Avocode) — Usage: export specs to developers. Pros: smoother handoff. Cons: extra subscription. Pricing: paid.
Smartly.io for ads automation — Usage: scale ad creative automatically. Pros: enterprise ad automation. Cons: enterprise pricing. Pricing: paid.
LottieFiles + AI tools — Usage: produce and host lightweight animations. Pros: fast web animation delivery. Cons: requires designer animation skills for polish. Pricing: free basic; paid.

Final quick picks and workflow notes (6) — tools to test first

Midjourney for creative image ideation.
Remove.bg for fast background removal.
Topaz Gigapixel for upscaling.
Figma with AI plugins for UI workflows.
Canva Pro for quick social assets and brand kits.
Runway for video experiments.

Extra niche helpers:
97. Palette.fm for color variations.
98. WhatTheFont for quick font ID.
99. Colormind for palette generation.
100. Playground AI for experimentation and prompt sharing.

Short case study: improving a product page conversion

A mid-size ecommerce brand tested two versions of a product page. Version A used templated copy and stock photos. Version B used direct-response copywriting, better headlines, a clear CTA, optimized hero image, and a short case study. Version B increased add-to-cart rates by 28 percent and revenue per visitor rose 17 percent. Tools used included a Stable Diffusion hero image concept, Topaz upscaling for product close-ups, and A/B testing via the site builder. This shows how combining website copy optimization, targeted imagery, and testing pays back investment.

Practical buying & implementation tips

If budget is limited, start with free trials for three tools: one image generator, one photo enhancer, and one layout/UI tool. Use trial results in real mockups. For teams, invest early in asset management like Cloudinary or Frontify to prevent duplicate work. Track ROI by measuring lead count, conversion rate, and time saved on tasks to justify subscriptions.

Quick table — recommended combo by task

Task	Starter tool	Pro upgrade
Concept art	Midjourney	Stable Diffusion hosted (DreamStudio)
Background removal	Remove.bg	Photoshop Neural Filters
Upscale images	Let’s Enhance	Topaz Gigapixel
UI design	Figma	Framer / Webflow
Social graphics	Canva Pro	Adobe Illustrator + Photoshop
Video shorts	CapCut	Runway / After Effects

Closing notes

The AI landscape for designers changes fast. New models and plugins appear monthly. Prioritize tools that integrate into your workflow and respect creative control. Start small, measure results, and scale subscriptions that provide real time savings and better conversions. Use trials, manage assets centrally, and keep design judgement at the center: AI should augment, not replace, your craft.

Muhammad Natiq

I am a TOP RATED FREELANCER, digital creator, and tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in online services like photo and video editing, graphic design, AI-driven content creation, SEO content writing, and digital media production.