Ideogram

Ideogram is an AI image generator best known for putting readable text inside images. That makes it a popular choice for posters, logos, social graphics, book covers and mockups, where many image tools still produce garbled lettering. It also handles a wide range of styles, from illustration to photorealism, and offers a free tier.

Quick facts

• Made by: Ideogram, a Canadian company founded in 2022
• Free plan: Yes, with about 10 slow credits a week. Free images are public.
• Paid plans: Plus, Pro and Team, plus custom Enterprise and a pay-per-image API
• Works on: Web, with an API for developers
• Pricing last checked: October 2026, using several recent published sources. Plan names and credit allowances changed over the past year, so confirm on Ideogram’s official pricing page.

What Ideogram is best at

• Text in images: logos, posters, signs, packaging and social graphics with legible lettering. Always check the spelling.
• Following detailed prompts: layouts, colours and compositions described in plain language.
• Design-style output: typography-led graphics, mockups and branded visuals.
• Describe: turn an existing image into a text description you can reuse as a prompt.
• Volume work on higher plans: batch generation from a spreadsheet on Pro.

Plans and pricing

Priority credits skip the queue, and extra credits can be bought, reportedly around $4 for 150 on Plus or 250 on Pro. Credits are not equal: higher-quality settings and newer models can cost several credits per image, so the same allowance gives very different numbers of images. Older sources also list a cheaper Basic plan at about $7 to $8 a month, which may no longer be offered. Check the commercial-use terms for your plan before using images in client or business work, and confirm all figures on Ideogram’s official page.

Best for

• Designers and marketers who need images with accurate, readable text.
• Small businesses making posters, logos and social graphics quickly.
• Anyone who wants a good free tier to try before paying.

Less suited to

• People who need editable vector files or layered design files, because it produces images.
• Free-tier users who need privacy, since free images are public.
• Users who want a single fixed monthly price, because credit cost per image varies.

How to get started

1. Sign up for the free plan and try a prompt that includes a short phrase you want rendered exactly.
2. Put the text in quotation marks in your prompt, and keep it short for the best results.
3. Check the spelling and spacing of every word in the result before you use the image.
4. Note how many credits each setting spends so you can plan a month’s work.
5. Upgrade when you need private images, faster generation or higher volume, and read the commercial terms first.

Prompt ideas to copy

A minimalist poster for a jazz night with the words "Late Night Jazz" in bold cream lettering at the top, a saxophone silhouette in deep blue, warm film-grain texture, A3 portrait.

A café logo with the exact text "Maple & Bean" in friendly rounded lettering, a small coffee-bean icon, flat design on a plain background.

A social media graphic announcing a sale, with the headline "Weekend Sale: 20% Off" in large readable type, a bright but uncluttered layout, square format.

A book cover for a mystery novel titled "The Quiet Harbour", with fog over a small fishing port, moody lighting and the title in elegant serif lettering at the top.

Limitations and things to watch

• Text accuracy is much better than average but not perfect, so always proofread.
• Free creations are public, and commercial-use rules differ by plan.
• Credit use per image varies by model and quality setting.
• Plans, allowances and model names change often.

Alternatives

Compare Midjourney for stylised art, Leonardo AI for a multi-model platform, and ChatGPT or Gemini for images made inside a general assistant.