Our Leonardo AI review
Leonardo AI earns its place in the AI image generation shortlist for game assets, provided credit system confusing is not a dealbreaker.
We score Leonardo AI 4.3 out of 5 — solid ease of use, solid performance and strong value for money.
What Leonardo AI is
Leonardo AI is Leonardo (Canva)'s AI image generation product, launched in 2022. Creative image suite with fine-tuned models, custom model training and game-asset workflows.
It is aimed at intermediate users — the learning curve is moderate. Day one you would use it for game assets, product mockups and illustration. It runs on Web, iOS and Android, including a mobile app, and there is an API if you want it inside your own systems.
Where it shines
In testing against the rest of the category, two things stand out: generous free tier and great for game art. The feature set behind that is custom model training, canvas editor, asset pipelines and API.
We rate performance 4.3/5 and answer accuracy around 86% for the tasks in this category, which is why it holds up for game assets and product mockups.
Where it falls short
Where it frustrated us: credit system confusing.
Expect a real ramp-up — we rate the learning curve moderate. Budget time for it before judging the tool.
Pricing and value for money
Pricing is Free credits · Apprentice $12/mo. At $12 a month that is $144 a year per person, in line with the rest of the category (the category median is about $10). A free tier exists, so you can test it properly before paying.
If budget is the constraint, Midjourney at $10/mo does much of the same work. Our cost calculator will show what adding Leonardo AI does to your monthly stack before you commit.
Who should use Leonardo AI
Leonardo AI is the right call for game assets, product mockups and illustration. Skip it if credit system confusing is a bigger problem for you than generous free tier is a benefit.
The alternatives worth comparing are Midjourney ($10/mo) and Adobe Firefly ($10/mo). Put them side by side before you buy.
Worth a trial: Leonardo AI at $12/mo is best used for game assets and product mockups, and it earns 4.3/5 from us.