AI thumbnails and social images
Thumbnails need striking images and legible text, and most image models struggle with the text. Here's the stack that handles both.
Not hands-on tested yet. The picks below are based on vendor documentation and pricing we verified on 19 Oct 2026. Test results will appear here once we've run our standard task. We don't publish made-up test results.
Ideogram
Known for rendering text inside images, which is exactly what thumbnails and covers need. Paid plans allow private generations, and images can be used commercially under its terms.
source, checked 19 Oct 2026
Midjourney (Basic)
The cheapest paid entry point for high-quality, stylised imagery. Use it for the background or hero image and add text in a design tool. Note that Stealth Mode (private images) is only on Pro and Mega, and companies with more than $1M a year in gross revenue must be on Pro or Mega.
source, checked 19 Oct 2026
Ideogram's free tier for unreleased or client work
Images on Ideogram are published to the community by default. Only Plus and Pro subscribers can generate unpublished images or unpublish them. Don't preview a secret launch on a free account.
The full stack
- Concept: Midjourney or Ideogram
Generate the hero image or background. - Text: Ideogram
Generate the title treatment, or the whole thumbnail, with legible text. - Layout and brand: Your design tool (e.g. Canva or Figma)
Combine, crop to 1280×720 and apply brand fonts and colours.
Test notes
Pending hands-on test
Pending hands-on test. Planned standard task: generate a YouTube thumbnail for '5 AI tools I actually pay for' with the exact title text, then score text accuracy across 4 generations, visual punch at small size, and the cost per usable image.
How to choose
- The text has to be right: Ideogram.
- You want the most striking art for the least money: Midjourney Basic, then add text yourself.