5 AI Tools That Finally Get Text in Images Right

AI used to ruin every word it touched. Ask for a poster that said "Grand Opening" and you'd get something that looked like a word from a distance and nonsense up close. Not anymore.

From the STS Design Kitchen pantry, here are five tools for type in images. Each one does something a little different, so we've grouped them by the job you're trying to get done.

The five tools

1. Ideogram (ideogram.ai): an image model built for clean, readable text.
2. ChatGPT Images (chatgpt.com): follows long prompts and renders text accurately.
3. Nano Banana (gemini.google): edits words inside an existing image.
4. Adobe Firefly (firefly.adobe.com): text effects that fill letters with any texture.
5. Recraft (recraft.ai): generates graphics with clean, styled type.

Making a new image with words in it

If you're starting from nothing and the words are the point, look at Ideogram first. It's built for clean, readable text, which is exactly what most people want when they're making a quick promo graphic, a sign mockup or a social post with a headline baked in.

ChatGPT Images is the one to reach for when your prompt is long. If you're describing a full scene, a layout and the exact wording you want, it follows long prompts and renders text accurately. That makes it handy when the image has a lot going on and the text still needs to come out right.

Fixing words in an image you already have

This is a different job, and it's the one people struggle with most. You have an image you like, but the wording is wrong, out of date or needs to change for a new promotion.

Nano Banana edits words inside an existing image. Instead of starting over and hoping the new version looks as good, you work with what you already have and change the words.

Type as the design itself

Sometimes the lettering isn't just carrying a message. It is the visual.

Adobe Firefly offers text effects that fill letters with any texture. Think of a word made of wood grain, flowers, smoke or brushed metal. It's a fun way to make a single word or short phrase into the main graphic.

Recraft generates graphics with clean, styled type. If you want something that looks more like a designed graphic than a photo, with type that matches the style, it's worth a look.

Not sure where to start? Try Ideogram.

If you only try one tool from this list, make it Ideogram. It's the most direct route from "I need a graphic with these words on it" to something readable. Once you've got a feel for it, the others are easier to place.

Before you use it in print

These tools have come a long way, but a few habits still matter:

• Proofread every word. "Accurate" doesn't mean "always right." Read the image letter by letter, especially names, prices, dates and web addresses.
• Keep important details out of the image when you can. Phone numbers and fine print are easier to set as real type in a design tool, where you can edit them later.
• Check the size. An image that looks sharp on your phone may not hold up on a flyer or a banner. Make sure it's large enough for where it's going.

If you send it to us for printing, every print order gets a free artwork review before it prints. It's a second set of eyes on exactly these kinds of problems.

When you'd rather not do it yourself

AI tools are great for ideas, drafts and quick social graphics. For pieces that represent your business for months, like a flyer, a menu or a sign, it often pays to have a designer finish the job.

Our One Sided Digital Flyer Design is $50, and our Two Sided Print Design is $99 for pieces with a front and back. Bring your AI drafts along. They make a great starting point for a brief.

Save this list. And if you want help choosing the right tool or turning a draft into something print-ready, get in touch and we'll point you at the right one.

— Alan