Leonardo AI vs Krea AI (2026): the model library or the live canvas?
Leonardo AI is the image-and-video platform built around its own Phoenix and Lucid models plus dozens of third-party models, with model training, a canvas and presets, from a free plan with 150 tokens a day and Essential at $12 a month. Krea AI is the real-time creative platform: images, video and editing on a live canvas where you see changes as you draw, from a free plan with 100 compute units a day and Basic at $9 a month.
| Leonardo AI | Krea AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Free plan: 150 tokens a day, reset every 24 hours, Auto model only, creations are public and owned by Leonardo until you upgrade | Free plan: 100 compute units a day, no card required, selected models, personal use only |
| Paid tier | Essential $12 a month ($10 billed annually) for 8,500 fast tokens a month and a 25,500-token bank, private creations, 10 personal models; Premium $30; Ultimate $60 | Basic $9 a month ($5.25 billed annually) for 5,000 units a month; Pro $35 ($21 annual) for 20,000 units; Max $105 ($63 annual) for 60,000 units |
| Best for | Creators who want many models, presets and the ability to train a personal model on their own pictures | Creators who want to see the image change live as they draw, paint and prompt — the fastest feedback loop in the category |
| Standout strength | The deepest model library with training built in — train a personal model on your character or style — plus Realtime Canvas and video models, now owned by Canva | Real-time generation on a live canvas, with Krea 3 image generation and editing, upscaling to 2K, and video models including Seedance on paid plans |
| Watch out for | Free generations are public and Leonardo owns them until you pay, and the token system means expensive models burn the daily allowance fast | The free plan's 100 units a day is tight — one Seedance video needs a paid plan — and the annual prices assume a 40% discount that may not always run |
Leonardo wins when the model is the choice: a creator who wants to pick from dozens of models, train a personal model on their own pictures, and work with presets for consistent styles. Its Essential plan at $12 a month ($10 billed annually) is the cheaper fix for the free plan's two real limits — public creations and Auto-only model access — and its 8,500 fast tokens a month go a long way for still images. Krea wins when the process is the point: a creator who wants to draw, paint and prompt at the same time, watching the image update live instead of waiting for a render queue.
The price gap is small but the philosophy gap is wide. Leonardo sells a library: many models, many presets, training, and a token bank that rolls over. Krea sells a canvas: real-time feedback, live drawing, and a workflow that feels like painting with an AI brush. Both have genuine free plans, so the honest test is free — spend a week on each with your real work. If you need many models and your own trained style, Leonardo is the better buy. If you want the fastest creative loop and you draw as much as you prompt, Krea earns its $9 a month.
Sources: official pricing pages and 2026 comparison coverage. Leonardo AI listing · Krea AI listing