# Microsoft Designer vs Ideogram AI

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Microsoft Designer at 77% against Ideogram AI's 52%. Ideogram AI's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (2.6K vs 552). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Designer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Ideogram AI sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ideogram AI holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 552 and 2.6K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Microsoft Designer's written reviews are positive against 52% of Ideogram AI's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Microsoft Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, Ideogram AI monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Designer | Ideogram AI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (552 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ideogram-ai-image-generator/id6476790495/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 552 | **2.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 51.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #137 | **#115** |
| Size | 75 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Ideogram](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727783183) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247)

**Currently charting:** #137 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

Visually create and edit anything imaginable with AI. Generate unique images from text, design personalized cards and wallpapers, and enhance photos by removing distractions or backgrounds.

**Highlights:** AI image generation, Custom sticker creation, Generative erase tool, Background removal, Custom wallpaper design, Greeting card creation, Photo restyling

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Basic Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Microsoft Copilot Pro | $20.00 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Family Yearly | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with Microsoft 365
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Powerful AI-powered design capabilities
- 💡 Versatile and creative features
- 🎉 Fun and enjoyable to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Strict content guidelines
- 💰 Subscription-based model with limited free usage
- 📱 Limited functionality on iPad devices

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent performance and loading issues
- Inability to view or manage past designs on mobile
- Unexpected content restrictions and rejections

**Requested features**

- AI-powered video editing capabilities
- More advanced image editing tools
- Improved handling of diverse character designs
- Better organization and navigation of past projects


### Ideogram AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ideogram-ai-image-generator/id6476790495)

**Currently charting:** #115 Top Grossing · Graphics & Design, #141 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

Transform text prompts into realistic images, artwork, and sophisticated layouts. Refine your creations with an AI editor to adjust details, extend scenes, or remove backgrounds. Generate custom logos, polished headshots, and face swaps with ease.

**Highlights:** AI image generation from text prompts, AI image editing tools, Custom logo creation, AI-generated headshots, AI face swap functionality, Curated style presets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Plus Monthly | $28.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly | $85.99 | per month |
| Basic Annual | $119.99 | per year |
| Plus Annual | $274.99 | per year |
| Pro Annual | $829.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Transforms ideas into stunning visuals
- 👍 User-friendly interface for all skill levels
- 💡 Variety of styles to choose from
- 👍 Frequent updates with new features
- 👍 Ability to edit and refine images

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Paid version not working as expected
- 🔒 Difficulty deleting account
- 🔒 Paid account not accessible through app
- 🐛 Pasting functionality no longer working
- 💰 Expensive subscription cost

**Reported bugs**

- Not working on iPhones
- Unable to access page or app
- Paid desktop account not accessible through app

**Requested features**

- Pinch-to-zoom on generated images
- Ability to copy and paste from other sources
- Restore previous 25 credits per day


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Designer free?

Microsoft Designer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Ideogram AI free?

Ideogram AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft Designer or Ideogram AI?

Ideogram AI is rated higher. Microsoft Designer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 552 ratings, while Ideogram AI averages 4.8 from 2.6K ratings.

### Do Microsoft Designer or Ideogram AI have ads?

Neither Microsoft Designer nor Ideogram AI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Designer or Ideogram AI?

Microsoft Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Ideogram AI monthly. Most recently, Microsoft Designer was updated on September 26, 2026 and Ideogram AI on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Microsoft Designer or Ideogram AI?

Microsoft Designer currently peaks at #137 in the App Store charts, and Ideogram AI at #115. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*