Benchmarks are abstract. So I wrote one detailed prompt — a specific scene with particular lighting and composition — and ran it through six popular AI image generators, then compared the results on the things that actually matter for real work.
The prompt
A precise brief: subject, environment, time of day, lens, colour palette and mood. Specificity matters because vague prompts flatter every tool equally.
What I judged
- Following the brief accurately
- Realism and lighting quality
- Hands, faces and small details
- Text rendering
- Speed and cost per image
- How many attempts a usable result needed
The ranking
1. Best overall image quality
Most striking results and the best understanding of art direction — lighting, film stocks, lenses and illustration styles. Needs the most iterations to hit an exact scene, but when it works it looks intentional rather than generated.
2. Best for following instructions
Most literal interpretation of the prompt, which makes it the most reliable for product mockups, diagrams and anything with specific requirements. Slightly less artistic flair.
3. Best for realism and text
Strongest at rendering readable text and photorealistic scenes — the practical choice for anything containing signage, labels or product names.
4. Best free option
Quality slightly behind the leaders, but generous free credits and fast generation. Ideal for social posts and quick concepts on no budget.
5. Best for editing existing images
Weaker at generating from scratch, excellent at changing a photo you already have — removing objects, extending backgrounds, restyling.
6. Best for open-source control
Lower quality out of the box, but runs locally and is infinitely customisable. Worth it only if you need control or privacy.
Where they all still fail
- Hands — extra or fused fingers remain common; always zoom in
- Text — improving, but never trust more than a few words
- Small details — jewellery, straps, logos and reflections are frequently wrong
- Consistency — keeping the same character across images needs reference features
Cost reality
Generating a usable image often takes ten to twenty attempts. Budget by usable images, not by generation count — a cheap tool needing thirty tries costs more than an expensive one needing five.
Practical advice
Pick based on your main use case: art direction, instruction-following, or text accuracy. Keep one subscription and use free tiers for occasional jobs. Always generate at the largest size you need and check details at 100% before publishing.
