AI Design Tool Comparison 2026: Canva, Figma, Adobe Express, Microsoft Designer and 6 More (Pricing & Free Plans)

You may be considering adopting an AI design tool, but with many services available, such as Canva AI and Figma AI, it can be difficult to decide which one fits your business. In particular, differences in monthly pricing, the scope of features available on free plans, and Japanese support are critical factors that directly impact post-adoption satisfaction.

This article compares ten major tools, including Canva AI, Figma AI, and Adobe Express AI, based on data listed on AIpedia (as of November 2026). We outline each tool's pricing, free plan availability, Japanese support, and platforms, along with specific strengths and weaknesses.

We also explain recommendations by goal, such as creating marketing materials, UI design, and internal team diagrams, as well as how to choose the right tool. Use this guide as a reference when selecting the optimal AI design tool for your business workflows.

What Are AI Design Tools? What They Can Do and What to Know Before Choosing

AI design tools are a group of tools that assist with image generation and layout creation through simple operations such as text input or image uploads. Representative examples include text-to-image generation features found in Canva AI and Adobe Express AI, and automatic UI design generation features seen in Figma AI and Google Stitch.

Specific use cases vary widely. First, you can automatically generate images for posters or social media posts by entering a text prompt. Next, editing tasks include removing backgrounds from existing photos or erasing unwanted objects. Additionally, it is possible to automatically create diagrams such as flowcharts and mind maps by reading the content of text or documents.

• Automatic generation of AI images and videos via text instructions
• Automation of editing tasks, such as removing photo backgrounds or erasing unwanted parts
• Automatic creation of infographics and diagrams from text or URLs
• Generation of UI design and wireframe prototypes
• Categorization and summarization of sticky notes, and visual search of design assets

When choosing a tool, it is important to note the differences in what is available for free. For example, Canva AI allows you to use basic features on its free plan but with usage limits, while Miro AI’s AI features are available only on the Business plan ($20/user/month) or higher. Also, some tools have limits on the number of generations, such as Adobe Express AI (free tier includes 25 generation credits per month) and Freepik AI (free tier allows 3 times per day). Check these limits based on your intended usage frequency.

The level of Japanese support is also a key point. Canva AI and Figma AI support Japanese, while Napkin AI, Google Stitch, and Motiff are considered to have only partial support. In some cases, such as Whimsical AI, the UI may be in English, but entering and displaying Japanese text is still possible. Additionally, whether the tool works entirely in a browser or requires desktop apps for Windows or macOS changes the available environments. Please verify compatibility with your company’s IT environment.

Comparison of 10 Key Tools (Pricing, Japanese Support, Platforms)

Tool	AIpedia rating	Main plans	Japanese support	Platforms
Canva AI	4.3	free plan (basic AI features) / Canva Pro ¥1,500/month (all AI features) / Canva for Teams ¥1,800/user/month	Supported	Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, and others
Figma AI	4.5	Starter free (up to 2 projects) / Professional $15/user/month / Organization $45/user/month	Supported	Web, Windows, macOS
Adobe Express AI	4.2	free plan (basic features, 25 generation credits/month) / Premium $9.99/month (annual billing), $12.99/month (unlimited generation credits, Adobe Fonts, 200,000 templates)	Supported	Web, iOS, Android
Microsoft Designer	4.1	free plan (15 AI image generations/day) / Microsoft 365 subscription ($6.99/month and up) increases to 100/day	Supported	Web, Windows, iOS, Android
Napkin AI	4.4	free plan available / Pro $18/month	Partial support	Web
Miro AI	4.2	free plan (up to 3 boards) / Starter $10/user/month / Business $20/user/month	Supported	Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, and others
Google Stitch	4.1	free (beta) / pricing for the official version is undetermined	Partial support	Web
Motiff	4.2	free plan / Pro $9/month / Team $15/user/month	Partial support	Web, macOS, Windows
Whimsical AI	4.1	free plan (limited) / Pro $12/user/month / Organization $20/user/month	Partial support	Web
Freepik AI	4	free plan (3 AI generations/day) / Premium $9/month (annual billing, 100/day) / Teams $10.99/user/month	Partial support	Web

Ratings are based on a 5-point scale by the AIpedia editorial team. Pricing and plans may change. Please check the official website of each tool for the latest information before signing up.

Features, Pricing, and Best For: 10 Tools

1. Canva AI

Canva AI is the collective term for the AI features integrated into the design platform Canva, known as "Magic Studio." It streamlines every step of the design process, including image generation from text prompts, background removal, and Japanese support for text creation. Its key feature is enabling efficient output creation without specialized knowledge.

• Strengths: Combines over 1 million templates with AI features for fast production speeds. Magic Design automatically suggests design options suited to your use case, while Magic Resize allows you to batch-resize content into multiple sizes.
• Strengths: Background Remover and Magic Eraser remove photo backgrounds or unwanted objects in seconds. Magic Write, based on GPT-4o, can automatically generate Japanese text.
• Strengths: Offers a rich selection of Japanese fonts, including those from Morisawa, and Japanese templates. Available on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android.
• Things to note: AI image generation quality is inferior to dedicated tools like Midjourney or DALL-E 3. The free plan has strict limits on AI feature usage; Magic Media is limited to 50 uses per month.
• Things to note: Professional features such as layer manipulation and vector editing do not match Photoshop or Illustrator. It cannot be used offline.

Pricing: Free plan (basic AI features) / Canva Pro ¥1,500/month (all AI features) / Canva for Teams ¥1,800/user/month / Enterprise (contact sales)

Best for: Marketing professionals and entrepreneurs who do not specialize in design but need high-quality outputs. Also suitable for teams that want to produce content efficiently while maintaining brand consistency.

View detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for Canva AI

2. Figma AI

Figma AI is the set of AI features natively integrated into Figma, the industry-standard tool for product design. It supports workflow efficiency through features like "Make Designs," which generates editable UI designs from text prompts, automatic layer renaming, and visual asset search. Since outputs are objects with Figma's layer structure rather than images, you can fine-tune them immediately after generation and take them into production.

• Strengths: Because generated content consists of editable native objects, you can use AI features without interrupting your existing Figma workflow. Outputs are formatted to support components and auto layout, making adjustments before production deployment smooth.
• Strengths: Integration with Dev Mode improves the accuracy of code snippet generation for CSS or React from designs. It also enables automatic extraction of design tokens, reducing communication costs between designers and engineers.
• Strengths: The Visual Search feature allows you to search for components within large-scale design systems based on visual similarity. This promotes the discovery and reuse of existing assets, contributing to improved productivity across the team.
• Things to note: Some AI features are still in beta, which may result in stability issues. Additionally, fully utilizing advanced AI features requires upgrading to a paid plan.
• Things to note: Generated UI designs are only a "starting point". They rarely serve as final designs as-is; detailed fine-tuning by a designer is assumed.

Pricing: The Starter plan is free (up to 2 projects) and allows you to try some AI features. For full use, the Professional plan ($15/user/month) or higher is required. The Organization plan is $45/user/month, and the Enterprise plan is $75/user/month.

Best for: Professionals specializing in UI/UX design or product design, and teams involved in building and maintaining design systems. It is also suitable for engineers who want to tighten the link between design and development, and business professionals seeking efficiency through real-time collaboration environments. If creating marketing materials is your main goal, we recommend comparing it with other tools.

See detailed features, pricing, and FAQ for Figma AI

3. Adobe Express AI

Adobe Express AI is an AI design platform provided by Adobe. Powered by the Firefly AI engine, it enables image generation from text, template editing, and video creation. You can quickly create diverse content such as social media posts and flyers.

• Strengths: AI generation via Adobe Firefly considers commercial use and includes IP indemnity. Please check the official website for eligible plans and conditions.
• Strengths: It offers thousands of professional templates, with high accuracy in background removal and image correction. It also supports video editing and animation creation.
• Strengths: Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud allows you to further refine created assets in Photoshop or Illustrator.
• Things to note: The free plan offers limited generation credits (25 per month). Team features are slightly weaker compared to Canva, and some advanced editing requires Photoshop.

Pricing: Free plan (basic features, 25 generation credits/month) / Premium $9.99/month (annual billing) or $12.99/month (unlimited generation credits, Adobe Fonts, 200,000 templates)

Best for: Users who leverage Adobe products and prioritize commercial safety. Please check the official website for the latest pricing and features.

4. Microsoft Designer

Microsoft Designer is an AI-powered design tool provided by Microsoft. It generates images from text instructions and automatically creates graphic designs such as social media posts and posters. It utilizes DALL-E 3 technology and supports template-based editing.

• Strengths: It is free to use with a Microsoft account. A key feature is its integration with Microsoft 365 apps like Word and PowerPoint, allowing you to create designs directly within them.
• Strengths: It includes AI features such as background removal/replacement and style changes. It has abundant templates and is easy for design beginners to use.
• Things to note: Compared to Canva, the variety of templates is still on the lower side. Detailed image editing, such as advanced layer manipulation, is limited. The free plan allows up to 15 AI image generations per day.

Pricing: Free plan (15 AI image generations/day) / Microsoft 365 subscription (from $6.99/month) increases this to 100/day

Best for: Users who regularly use Microsoft 365, or those who want to easily leverage AI images to create documents and social media posts.

5. Napkin AI

Napkin AI is a tool that automatically generates diagrams and infographics from text input. It visually converts information that is hard to convey with text alone, such as blog posts or presentation materials. Even without design expertise, you can easily create high-quality visuals by changing colors and fonts with one click.

• Strengths: A variety of templates are available, including flowcharts, comparison tables, and timelines. It also integrates with existing tools like Notion and Google Docs, making it easy to incorporate into your workflow.
• Strengths: Supports export in SVG, PNG, and PDF formats, allowing you to use the created diagrams directly in presentations or on social media.
• Things to note: Support for complex data visualization and custom chart creation is limited. Additionally, fine-tuning detailed designs may require manual adjustments.
• Things to note: The accuracy of diagram generation from Japanese text may be slightly lower than that of English. Be aware that you may need to manually correct or adjust the output after generation.

Pricing: Free plan available / Pro $18/month

Best for: Individuals who want to visualize key points in blog posts or reports, and business professionals who lack confidence in their design skills but want to create visually clear materials.

View Napkin AI features, pricing, and FAQ in detail

6. Miro AI

Miro AI is a suite of AI features integrated into the online whiteboard Miro. It supports team visual collaboration through automatic sticky note classification and summarization, as well as mind map generation. It also includes Miro Assist, which allows you to control boards using natural language.

• Strengths: Automatic classification and summarization of sticky notes streamline the organization process after brainstorming sessions.
• Strengths: Supports automatic generation of mind maps and flowcharts.
• Strengths: Integrates with over 200 apps, including Jira and Slack, making it easy to incorporate into business workflows.
• Things to note: A Business plan or higher is required to use AI features.
• Things to note: It cannot be used offline, and performance may slow down on large boards.

Pricing: Free plan (up to 3 boards) / Starter $10/user/month / Business $20/user/month / Enterprise (contact sales) / AI features available on Business plan or higher

Best for: Teams that want to leverage real-time collaborative editing in remote settings, or those who want to streamline design workflows by integrating with existing project management tools.

7. Google Stitch

Google Stitch is an AI-powered design canvas provided by Google. Simply describe your UI design requirements in natural language to automatically generate design proposals for mobile apps or websites. Unlike traditional tools like Figma or Sketch, it supports both direct generation from text prompts and manual editing.

• Strengths: Its key feature is the ability to automatically generate UI designs from natural language. The generated designs adhere to Material Design guidelines, ensuring consistent use of UI components.
• Strengths: It excels at accelerating prototyping. You can instantly generate a UI from descriptions like "an e-commerce product detail page," shortening the trial-and-error process in early stages. It is highly rated by non-designer product managers and engineers for its ability to quickly turn concrete UI ideas into reality.
• Things to note: As it is currently in beta, features are limited. Note that it is not a complete replacement for professional design tools like Figma, and support for custom design systems is restricted.

Pricing: Free (beta) / Pricing for the official version is TBD

Best for: Ideal for those who want to quickly generate UI designs using natural language, prioritize creating prototypes compliant with Material Design, or want non-designers to shape professional-quality UI concepts. However, offline use is not supported; a web environment is required.

8. Motiff

Motiff is an AI-powered UI design tool developed by Wondershare. It features an interface similar to Figma and includes the ability to automatically generate UI components and layouts from text prompts. Generated designs can be freely edited within the tool, enabling a workflow where you customize based on AI output.

• Strengths: You can instantly generate UI designs for mobile apps or web pages using only text instructions. It also features an "AI Magic" function that provides style suggestions, optimizes color palettes, and automatically adjusts responsive layouts for selected elements.
• Strengths: Supports importing Figma files (.fig), allowing migration of existing projects. Basic UI operations are similar to Figma, making it easy for Figma users to learn quickly.
• Strengths: Includes an Inspect feature for developers that supports automatic code generation for CSS, SwiftUI, and more. It also comes standard with real-time collaborative editing, version control, and design system management, making it suitable for team work.
• Things to note: Compared to Figma, the ecosystem of available plugins may be limited. Additionally, performance issues may arise in large-scale projects, so verification is needed before adoption.
• Things to note: While a Japanese UI is provided, some translations may be incomplete. Also, there are parts that are not fully compatible when migrating from Figma.

Pricing: Offers a free plan, Pro plan ($9/month), Team plan ($15/user/month), and Enterprise plan (custom). Compared to Figma Professional, it offers affordable pricing.

Best for: Ideal for those who want to adopt a workflow where AI rapidly generates rough designs in the early stages of prototyping, which are then refined. It is also suitable for individuals or teams who want to leverage AI features while keeping costs down without heavily relying on the Figma ecosystem.

9. Whimsical AI

Whimsical AI is a design collaboration tool that automatically generates flowcharts, wireframes, and mind maps using AI. It can instantly create structured visuals from text instructions or documents. It features clean, minimal design and is attractive for its intuitive ease of use.

• Strengths: You can automatically generate drafts of flowcharts or wireframes using only text instructions. It also allows conversion from documents or PRDs to visuals, improving efficiency in the planning stage.
• Strengths: Integrates with tools like Notion, GitHub, and Jira, and supports real-time collaborative editing for teams. It is designed to be easily integrated into product team design workflows.
• Things to note: It does not include advanced UI design features like Figma. AI-generated results may require fine-tuning, and the variety of templates tends to be somewhat limited.

Pricing: Free plan (limited) / Pro $12/user/month / Organization $20/user/month

Best for: Ideal for those who want to quickly create flowcharts or wireframes in the early stages of planning and design. Recommended for business professionals who want to efficiently visualize ideas while collaborating with their team, without dealing with complex operations.

10. Freepik AI

Freepik AI is a suite of AI design tools provided by Freepik, one of the world's largest asset sites. It offers a variety of features for designers, including image generation from text prompts, background removal, and mockup creation. Since it runs entirely in the browser, no software installation is required.

• Strengths: Seamlessly integrates with Freepik's asset library, which contains hundreds of millions of items. Its versatility is a key appeal, supporting not only image generation but also background removal, mockup generation, and video generation. The free plan allows 3 AI generations per day, making it easy to try out.
• Things to note: Be aware that the free plan limits you to 3 generations per day. Also, Japanese prompt accuracy can be low; entering prompts in English tends to yield more accurate results.
• Things to note: The quality of AI image generation is slightly inferior to Midjourney or DALL-E 3, and advanced design editing features are less robust than those in Adobe tools.

Pricing: Free plan (3 AI generations/day) / Premium $9/month (billed annually, 100/day) / Teams $10.99/user/month / Enterprise (contact sales)

Best for: Ideal for those who want to streamline image generation and editing while leveraging an existing asset library. Also suitable for individuals or teams who want to start immediately via a web browser without installation. While it offers commercial-use licensing, please check the official website for specific terms based on your usage.

Recommendations by Goal

Goal	Recommended tool	Reason
Try it for free first	Canva AI	A free plan is available that includes basic AI features.
Designs involving Japanese text creation	Canva AI	The Magic Write feature supports automatic generation of Japanese text content.
Team-based UI design development	Figma AI	It provides workflows that integrate real-time collaboration with AI features.
Automatically create diagrams from text	Napkin AI	You can automatically generate infographics and diagrams by entering text alone.
Organizing and summarizing after brainstorming	Miro AI	Automatic sticky note classification and summarization features streamline idea organization.
Rapid prototype creation	Google Stitch	It generates UI designs from natural language, reducing prototyping time.
Creating flowcharts or wireframes	Whimsical AI	You can instantly create structured visuals using text instructions.
Use alongside Word or PowerPoint	Microsoft Designer	You can call it from Microsoft 365 apps to create visuals, and start for free with a Microsoft account.
Commercially usable assets and AI generation	Freepik AI	You can use a variety of AI features under a licensing system that permits commercial use.

The above are general recommendations by use case based on data. Please check the official website of each tool for the latest information on specific feature ranges and pricing before implementation.

How to Choose Without Regrets

Check the type of AI features that fit your purpose

Canva AI and Adobe Express AI excel at general design tasks such as image generation and background removal. In contrast, Figma AI and Google Stitch specialize in UI design generation and code integration, making them tools for development teams. Also, Napkin AI and Whimsical AI are well-suited for automatically creating diagrams and flowcharts.

Compare the limitations of free plans and the pricing structure of paid plans

You can use Canva AI’s features for free, but there is a usage limit. Figma AI offers advanced features only in paid plans, while Microsoft Designer allows up to 15 free uses per day. Note that Miro AI requires a Business plan or higher to access its AI features.

Check the accuracy of Japanese support and available platforms

Canva AI and Figma AI support Japanese, but Napkin AI and Google Stitch offer only partial support. Whimsical AI has an English-only interface, so you need time to get used to operating it. Also, supported platforms vary by tool, with some offering web-only access or being limited to Windows and macOS.

Consider the scale of individual versus team use

Canva AI and Freepik AI are easy for individuals to start using, but Miro AI and Whimsical AI charge per user. Figma AI prioritizes team collaboration and offers robust features for organizations. Compare the total cost as the number of users increases.

Evaluate integration possibilities with existing tools

Adobe Express AI integrates with Creative Cloud, and Microsoft Designer is integrated with Office apps. Whimsical AI connects with Notion and Jira, while Motiff supports importing Figma files. Whether it fits easily into your existing workflow is also an important point.

FAQ

Q. Which AI design tools are free to use?

All 10 tools—Canva AI, Figma AI, Adobe Express AI, Microsoft Designer, Napkin AI, Miro AI, Google Stitch, Motiff, Whimsical AI, and Freepik AI—offer a free plan. However, many limit the number of AI feature uses or projects. For instance, Miro AI’s AI features are only available on the Business plan or higher. Canva AI limits Magic Media to 50 uses per month, while Microsoft Designer allows up to 15 uses per day. It is common to test the free tier first before considering a paid plan.

Q. How well can these tools be used in Japanese?

Canva AI, Figma AI, Adobe Express AI, Microsoft Designer, and Miro AI support Japanese. In contrast, Napkin AI, Google Stitch, Motiff, Whimsical AI, and Freepik AI offer partial support. Specifically, Japanese prompts may be less accurate than English ones in Freepik AI and Napkin AI. Even when the UI is in English, many tools still allow entering and displaying Japanese text.

Q. What is the most affordable paid plan for individual use?

In USD, Motiff Pro ($9/month) and Freepik AI Premium ($9/month with annual billing) are the cheapest, followed by Adobe Express AI Premium ($9.99/month with annual billing). In JPY, Canva Pro costs ¥1,500/month. Please check each official website for the latest pricing.

Q. Are there tools suitable for team collaboration?

Figma AI, Miro AI, and Whimsical AI feature real-time collaborative editing. Figma AI allows team use on the Professional plan or higher, though some AI features are still in beta. Miro AI provides access to AI features on the Business plan or higher and offers extensive integrations with Jira and Slack. Canva AI also offers a Teams plan (¥1,800/user/month), which is well-suited for managing team assets.

Q. Are there tools specialized for specific design purposes?

Figma AI and Google Stitch are suitable for UI/UX design. Google Stitch generates UI designs from natural language and produces output compliant with Material Design. Napkin AI is ideal for creating diagrams and infographics; it automatically generates flowcharts and comparison tables from text input. Microsoft Designer is convenient for graphic design tasks like social media posts and posters. Choosing the right tool for your specific needs improves workflow efficiency.

Q. Can I use designs created with AI for commercial purposes?

Conditions vary by tool and usage. Adobe Express AI generates content with commercial use in mind via Adobe Firefly and includes IP indemnity. Freepik AI also operates under a licensing structure that permits commercial use. For all other tools, review each tool’s terms of service regarding commercial use. If you are unsure, consult a professional such as a lawyer.

Summary

This article compared 10 tools, from Canva AI to Freepik AI. Each tool excels in different areas, such as image generation, UI design, or diagram creation. Note that free plan limitations and the scope of AI features vary by tool.

• Easy design creation: Canva AI (intuitive operation and abundant templates make it suitable for beginners)
• UI/UX design: Figma AI (AI integrated into a professional standard tool, ideal for team development)
• Diagrams and infographics: Napkin AI (automatically generates diagrams from text, making visualization easy)

View all AI design tools (10 items)