What Is Leonardo AI?
Leonardo AI is a user-friendly platform that offers powerful AI image generation even with its free plan. Unlike Midjourney, it doesn't require Discord, works with a modern web-based interface, and creates an ideal entry point for beginners with its daily free credit system. We at the tasarim.ai team particularly recommend Leonardo AI to users looking for free alternatives and who prefer a web interface.
Features that set Leonardo AI apart from other tools include the ability to train custom models, instant visual editing with Realtime Canvas, and an extensive community model library. When we tested it, we can say we got particularly strong results for game assets, character design, and concept art.
Account Creation and First Steps
Registration Process 1. Go to [app.leonardo.ai](https://app.leonardo.ai) 2. Sign up with Google account, Apple account, or email 3. Fill out a short survey (your interests) 4. You'll be directed to the dashboard
Credit System Leonardo AI's credit system can be confusing at first, but it's actually quite simple:
- Free plan: 150 tokens daily (approximately 30-50 images)
- Apprentice plan ($12/month): 8,500 tokens/month, fast generation
- Artisan plan ($30/month): 25,000 tokens/month, priority queue
- Maestro plan ($60/month): 60,000 tokens/month, all features
The token cost of each image generation varies based on the model you select, resolution, and quality settings. Quick experiments at low resolution cost 2-4 tokens, while high-quality large images cost 10-20 tokens.
Our recommendation: Start with the free plan. 150 daily tokens are more than enough for experimentation and learning. To use your tokens efficiently, first try at low resolution, then produce at high quality once you've found the prompt you like.
Model Selection: Which Model Does What?
One of Leonardo AI's strongest aspects is offering multiple models. Each model has its own unique characteristics:
Leonardo Phoenix (Default) Leonardo's newest and most advanced model. The best choice for general purpose use. High prompt understanding capacity, balanced between photorealism and artistic styles.
Leonardo Diffusion XL A high-quality general purpose model based on Stable Diffusion XL. Produces consistent results across a wide style range. When we tested it, we found it particularly successful in landscape and architectural visuals.
DreamShaper A community-favorite fine-tuned model. Excellent for fantastic scenes, character designs, and digital art. Particularly successful at producing dreamlike, surreal visuals.
PhotoReal A model optimized for photorealistic images. Should be your first choice when you want to produce product photos, portraits, and realistic scenes. Results are incredible when used with the Alchemy feature.
Anime / Anime Pastel Dream Models specifically trained for anime and manga style visuals. Very successful in character design, illustration, and stylized images.
Our recommendation: Start experimenting with Leonardo Phoenix initially. Switch to specialized models as your needs become clearer. Discover which model suits your style by trying the same prompt with different models.
Realtime Canvas: Instant Visual Editing
Realtime Canvas is Leonardo AI's most innovative feature and was one of the tools that impressed us the most when we tested it. With this feature:
Basic Usage 1. Click "Realtime Canvas" from the left menu 2. A blank canvas will open 3. Draw a simple sketch (even a stick figure works!) 4. Write your style and prompt in the right panel 5. Your sketch will transform into AI images in real-time
Strengths - **Instant feedback:** Every line you draw is immediately interpreted by AI - **Color guidance:** You can control the AI's color palette by painting in specific colors - **Composition control:** You can determine where objects will be placed through your sketch - **Iterative design:** Results update instantly as you modify the sketch
When we tested it, we'd like to note that we found it particularly useful during the concept art phase and client presentations. You can start with a rough sketch and create a professional-looking concept in just a few minutes.
Image Generation: Standard Image Production
The main image generation screen is Leonardo AI's core workspace:
Prompt Area Type your prompt in the text box at the top. English prompts yield better results.
Negative Prompt Write unwanted elements in the "Negative Prompt" field: ``` blurry, low quality, deformed hands, extra fingers, watermark, text, ugly ``` This significantly improves result quality.
Settings Panel - **Number of Images:** How many images to generate (1-8) - **Image Dimensions:** Size selection (preset or custom) - **Guidance Scale:** Prompt fidelity level (7-9 is generally best) - **Tiling:** For seamless texture generation
Alchemy and PhotoReal: Pro Features
Leonardo AI's premium features Alchemy and PhotoReal take image quality to the next level:
Alchemy When Alchemy is active, images become much more detailed and higher quality. Specifically: - Sharper details and textures - More accurate color transitions - More realistic light and shadow - Fewer artifacts and distortions
However, it consumes more tokens. Our advice: turn on Alchemy for final images, keep it off during experimentation.
PhotoReal PhotoReal mode is a specialized pipeline optimized for photorealistic results: - Depth of Field control - RAW Mode for more natural results - Automatic prompt enhancement
When we tested it, we found that the PhotoReal + Alchemy combination produced near-professional studio quality results for product photography and portrait work.
Leonardo Motion: AI Video Generation
Leonardo AI goes beyond image generation to offer short video production:
- First generate or upload an image
- Click the "Motion" button below the image
- Adjust motion intensity (1-10)
- Click "Generate"
- A 3-4 second video will be created
The Motion feature is particularly useful for social media content, cinemagraph effects, and presentation animations. It's not at the Runway or Pika level yet, but offers a quick and practical solution.
Texture Generation: 3D Texture Production
Leonardo AI's texture generation feature is quite valuable for game developers and 3D artists:
- Generates PBR (Physically Based Rendering) compatible textures
- Supports tileable (seamless) textures
- Can automatically generate normal maps and roughness maps
- Possible to produce both stylized and realistic textures
Free vs Pro: Which Is Right for You?
| Feature | Free | Apprentice ($12) | Artisan ($30) | Maestro ($60) | |---------|------|-------------------|---------------|---------------| | Daily tokens | 150 | ~280/day | ~830/day | ~2000/day | | Fast generation | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Alchemy | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | | PhotoReal | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Custom model training | No | Limited | Yes | Yes | | Priority queue | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Our recommendation: The free plan is sufficient for hobby purposes or experimentation. If you'll be producing content regularly, the Apprentice plan offers the best price/performance ratio. For professional use and high-volume production, Artisan or Maestro may be preferred.
Conclusion: The Best Strategy for Getting Started with Leonardo AI
Leonardo AI is an extremely capable AI image generation platform even with its free plan. Here's our recommended starting strategy:
- Create a free account and explore the interface
- Try 10-15 different prompts with Leonardo Phoenix
- Make sure to try Realtime Canvas — it's incredibly fun and creative
- Learn to use negative prompts — it drastically improves quality
- Test different models based on your needs
- Use your tokens efficiently: low quality first, then final production
If you're intimidated by Stable Diffusion's technical complexity or don't want Midjourney's Discord requirement, Leonardo AI offers an excellent middle ground. You can start with the free plan, get to know the platform, and then upgrade based on your needs.