Short on time? Here’s the whole article in four lines.
- You can make images just by describing them. ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Designer, Canva, and Adobe Firefly all have free versions.
- Describe the picture like you’re briefing a photographer: what’s in it, the style, the mood, and the shape.
- Look closely before you post. Garbled words, extra fingers, and odd details are common.
- Never use AI images as proof: no fake product photos, before-and-afters, or “real” people.
You don’t need a design background for any of these. All have free versions.
| Tool | Good for | Free version | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | All-round images, and the best at readable words inside a picture | A few images a day | Tight daily limit on the free plan |
| Gemini | Realistic photo-style images, and editing a photo you upload | About 20 images a day | Adds a hidden digital watermark |
| Microsoft Designer (also called Bing Image Creator) | Quick, simple images | 15 fast images a day | Free use is for personal, non-business use only |
| Canva AI | Making an image and dropping it straight into a flyer or post | A daily allowance | Weaker with words inside images |
| Adobe Firefly | Business use, since it’s trained on licensed images | A small starter amount | Paid plans from about $10/month |
A note on Claude: I can’t create pictures. I can look at images you upload, and I’m handy for writing a detailed description you can paste into one of the tools above.
The more specific you are, the better the result. A simple formula:
| Ingredient | Example |
|---|---|
| What’s in it | “A ceramic coffee mug on a wooden table, next to a small potted plant” |
| Style | “Bright, natural-light photo” or “flat, simple illustration” |
| Mood and colors | “Calm and cozy, soft blues and warm whites” |
| Shape | “Square, for Instagram” or “wide, for a website banner” |
Put it together: “A bright, natural-light photo of a ceramic coffee mug on a wooden table next to a small potted plant. Calm and cozy, soft blues and warm whites. Square, for Instagram.”
Not quite right? Just ask for changes, like “make the background simpler” or “warmer light.”
| Watch for | What to do |
|---|---|
| Garbled words | AI often misspells text in images. Add your words afterward in Canva instead. |
| Odd details | Check hands, faces, and backgrounds for extra fingers or strange shapes. |
| Stereotypes | Describe the people you want, such as age and background, instead of leaving it to defaults. |
| Free-plan fine print | Some free plans don’t allow business use, and some make your images public. Check before you use one for your business. |
| Real people, logos, and artists | Don’t recreate real people, brand logos, or a living artist’s signature style. |
| Fake proof | Never use AI images as product photos, before-and-afters, or results. Label realistic AI images. |
| Private photos | Think twice before uploading photos of clients, kids, or anything personal. |
Jada runs a small candle business. She needed a seasonal banner for her website but didn’t have time for a photo shoot.
She asked a chat assistant to help her write a description, then pasted it into an image tool: “A wide, cozy photo of three amber candles on a windowsill with autumn leaves outside. Warm, golden light. No text.”
She tried four versions, picked her favorite, and added her sale wording in Canva so it was spelled right. For her product listings, she still uses real photos of her actual candles.
Free limits checked October 19, 2026. They change often, so confirm on each tool’s own site.
