AI to create images for free: Gemini, ChatGPT and Copilot (2026)
What Gemini (Nano Banana 2), ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot offer for free to generate images, with age requirements, official limits and prompts that work.
What each offers for free (October 2026)
| Tool | Free, according to the official website | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini | Generates with Nano Banana 2. Downloads at 1K without a plan (2K with a paid plan). | Generate: 13+. Edit: 18+. Nano Banana Pro only on paid plans. |
| ChatGPT | Limited image creation on the Free plan. | More usage on paid plans. |
| Microsoft Copilot | Limited image generation with the free account. | Generated images carry C2PA content credentials. |
Exact limits (how many images a day) aren’t always published and change frequently.
How to write the prompt
Google’s help recommends starting with “create” or “generate” and describing the style and details. It works the same in all three. Think in five layers:
- Subject: “an old bicycle leaning against a wall”.
- Place: “on a cobbled street in a whitewashed village”.
- Style: “realistic photo” or “flat illustration in soft colours”.
- Light: “sunset, warm light”.
- Framing and format: “wide shot, landscape 16:9”.
Then fix one thing at a time: “the same, but without people”, “make the wall blue”. Asking for many changes at once usually makes it worse.
What goes wrong (and how to fix it)
- Illegible text inside the image. Ask for “no text” and add text afterwards in an editor.
- Strange hands or faces. Ask for a wider shot or switch to an illustration style.
- Generic result. Add concrete details and drop empty adjectives like “beautiful” or “amazing”.
Responsible use
- Real people: don’t generate images of someone without their permission, and never of minors.
- Deepfakes: the EU AI Act (Article 50) requires disclosing that content is artificial when it imitates real people, places or events and could appear authentic.
- Rights and commercial use: check each service’s terms. This is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the best AI for making images for free?
All three big ones offer something free with limits: Gemini generates with Nano Banana 2 and downloads at 1K resolution without a paid plan; ChatGPT Free includes limited image creation; Microsoft’s free account includes limited image generation. Try the same prompt in several.
Is there a minimum age to create images with Gemini?
According to Google’s help, you must be at least 13 to generate images in Gemini and 18 to edit them.
Can I use generated images in my business?
It depends on each service’s terms and on what the image shows. Read the tool’s terms of use; this is not legal advice.
Do I have to say an image was made with AI?
The EU AI Act requires disclosing that content is artificial when it’s a deepfake, i.e. when it imitates real people, places or events in a way that could appear authentic.
Keep reading
Sources
- Generar y editar imágenes con Gemini — Google (Ayuda de Gemini)
- ChatGPT Pricing — OpenAI
- Comparar todos los productos de Microsoft 365 — Microsoft España
- Reglamento (UE) 2024/1689 de Inteligencia Artificial, art. 50 — EUR-Lex (Unión Europea)
Change log
- : First published with the free terms checked that day.
Educational content, prepared with the help of AI tools, with sources cited. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Tools change fast: if you spot something out of date, write to us at contacto@cognenza.com. How we work.