Recraft vs Ideogram
Recraft and Ideogram side by side: what each one is, what it costs to start, and whether you can try it free. Everything below comes from the vendors' own sites and other public sources, not from hands-on testing.
At a glance
| Recraft | Ideogram | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Image Generation | Image Generation |
| Starting price | Free; paid plans from $10/mo (checked October 2026) | Free; paid plans from $15/mo (checked October 2026) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Profile | Read profile | Read profile |
Prices are in US dollars unless shown otherwise. Confirm the current price on the vendor's site before you buy.
Key differences
Both list a free tier, so you can try each before paying.
Recraft has the lower starting price ($10/mo against $15/mo for Ideogram). The cheapest plan rarely has the same limits or features, so compare plans before choosing on price.
Both are in our Image Generation category.
About each tool
Recraft
AI image tool for vector art, icons, logos and mockups, with SVG export, custom styles and an API. Basic is $10 a month billed annually ($12 monthly); Free plan images are public.
Who it is for
Designers, marketers and teams who need vector graphics, icons, logos, mockups or images in a consistent style. Developers can reach the same models through a pay-as-you-go API.
Strengths
- Recraft lists vector generation and the Vector Editor on every plan, including Free
- Vector images export as SVG, and PNG, JPG, TIFF and PDF are also listed export formats
- Custom styles can be built from one to ten reference images, and Teams plans share custom styles
- Paid plans include private images and commercial rights while subscribed, and Recraft says images stay private after cancellation
- The API is billed as prepaid pay-as-you-go units ($1 buys 1,000), separate from subscription credits, and Recraft says API inputs and outputs are never used for model training
Limitations
- Free plan images are public, may appear in the community gallery, remain Recraft's property and are not licensed for commercial use
- Subscription credits do not roll over. They reset daily on Free and monthly on paid plans
- Credit cost depends on the model and action. Recraft's docs list examples such as 2 credits for a raster image, 4 for a vector image and 10 for Enhance
- Recraft says training on your content is on by default for Free with no opt-out, on by default for Pro with an opt-out, and off for Teams
Ideogram
Image and video generation platform with its own models, editing apps and an API. Free plan of 30 credits a week; Plus is $15 a month billed annually ($20 monthly).
Who it is for
The vendor names creative teams, agencies, developers and businesses as its audience. It offers individual, team and enterprise plans, plus an API for adding generation and editing to other products.
Strengths
- Free accounts that sign in with Google, Apple or Microsoft get 30 credits each week
- Plus, Pro and Team add private generation, and new images stay unpublished until you publish them
- On Plus, Pro and Team, generating with Ideogram models continues in a slower queue after credits run out, with no limit stated
- The standalone apps listed include Background Remover, Object Remover, Ad Resizer, Colorways and Material Swap
- The API offers image and video models through one endpoint, and the vendor lists MCP support for clients such as Claude and Cursor
Limitations
- On the Free plan, and on the legacy Basic plan, generated images are public
- Accounts created with email and password get no free credits and must buy credits or subscribe
- Unused monthly credits do not roll over, and yearly plans still receive credits monthly, not upfront
- Even on paid plans, custom models, partner models, reference-image generations, image edits and upscales still use credits after the allowance runs out
- Upscale sizes need a paid plan, and batch generation is listed for Pro and above
- Basic is no longer sold. Existing subscribers keep it with a slower queue up to a daily limit. Team requires at least 2 users
