surveyed
Best AI stack for designers: create every visual in one workspace
Compare image generation, editing and upscaling plans side by side, then check which subscriptions you use often enough to keep.
The usual stack
Public US list prices in USD, checked November 10, 2026. Annual totals use the vendor's annual price when shown.
Swipe or scroll horizontally to compare every column.
| Tool | What it is for | Monthly | Annual equivalent | Annual total | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midjourney Standard Official source | Image generation with Relax mode | $30/mo | $24/mo | $288/yr | November 10, 2026 |
| Ideogram Plus Official source | Private image generation and editing | $20/mo | $15/mo | $180/yr | November 10, 2026 |
| Krea Basic Official source | Image, selected video and upscale tools | $9/mo | $5.40/mo | $64.80/yr | November 10, 2026 |
| Leonardo AI Essential Official source | Private image generations and token bank | $12/mo | $10/mo | $120/yr | November 10, 2026 |
| Topaz Photo Personal Official source | Photo enhancement and image upscaling | $39/mo | $16.58/mo | $199/yr | November 10, 2026 |
- Krea Basic: Annual equivalent calculated from the published 40% discount.
- Topaz Photo Personal: Annual prepay is $199. An annual commitment billed monthly is also offered.
Prices may vary by region, tax and account. A public monthly price without an annual offer is annualized at the monthly rate, not discounted.
What our customers actually use
11 of 22 paid for 2+ tools before Krater
average subscriptions before Krater
monthly median among 14 paying customers
of credits went to chat, among 14 paying customers
of credits went to video, among 14 paying customers
Source: Krater purchase survey of paying customers (Sep 9 to Nov 10, 2026) and credit usage in the 30 days to Nov 10, 2026.
These results describe Krater customers in the stated periods.
500+ AI models and creative tools in one workspace
Krater brings chat, research and hosted image, video, voice and music creation together. Keep a specialist service when its workflow is essential.
Replace your stack
Select the subscriptions you pay for. Totals include public prices and exclude items marked keep this.
Monthly total: $110
12-month total: $851.80
Median usage fits: Krater Pro, $20/mo, 1,500 credits
Annual totals use the published annual price; otherwise the monthly rate is multiplied by 12.
What Krater credits buy
The median design customer used 582 credits in 30 days, 39% of Pro's monthly credits.
34 median credits per task
49 median credits per task
2.57 median credits per task
150 median credits per task
Median credits per task across all Krater usage, 60 days to Nov 10, 2026. Costs vary by model and settings.
Pro includes enough monthly credits for the median usage shown.
$20/mo, 1,500 monthly credits.
Choose tools by the asset you need
A design workflow may include exploration, type-led concepts, image editing, client review and final-size exports. Midjourney Standard, Ideogram Plus, Krea Basic and Leonardo Essential cover different kinds of image work. Topaz Photo is included as the upscaler because it publishes a clear price and includes image upscaling in its product features.
These plans are not interchangeable. Check privacy settings, usage limits, commercial terms and export controls on each vendor’s source page. Choose the features your deliverable needs, then compare the listed monthly price and annual terms.
Plan for the full visual workflow
Visual work can combine still-image creation, editing, upscaling, planning and motion. Keep the tools that handle a necessary output, then compare the rest against your regular workload.
Use the credit cards to estimate edits and upscales at their median task costs. Test them with the models and settings you plan to use.
Keep a specialist when the workflow needs it
Use the calculator to compare the subscriptions you pay for today. If you mostly need one specialist feature, keep that vendor and compare the rest. If briefs, image concepts and editing requests regularly move between separate products, a shared workspace can reduce the number of tabs and bills involved.
Image edits and upscales have different task costs. The cards use whole-number estimates at the median cost. Compare the examples with your own workflow.
How to switch without disrupting the work
- 1. List recurring work. Write down the tasks, output formats and subscriptions used in the past month.
- 2. Test a real task. Compare one recurring deliverable, including review steps and controls.
- 3. Change one bill at a time. Cancel only the subscription you have actually replaced.
Questions about this AI stack
Which image tools are compared here?
The page compares Midjourney Standard, Ideogram Plus, Krea Basic, Leonardo Essential and Topaz Photo Personal. The linked vendor pages describe each plan’s image or editing features and price terms.
Why is Topaz Photo included?
Topaz Photo publishes a monthly and annual price and lists image upscaling among its tools. The page uses the current Topaz Photo subscription, not the discontinued Topaz Photo AI app.
What did design customers use in Krater?
The design survey included 22 paying customers. Eleven had paid for two or more AI tools before Krater. The median usage was 582 credits among 14 paying customers.
Which Krater plan fits the design median?
The 582-credit median fits Pro, with 1,500 monthly credits. Task costs depend on the model and settings you choose.
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