7 AI Tools for Designers That Actually Save Time (Tested 2024)
I tested 15+ AI design tools—mockup generators, color palette assistants, and asset creators. Here are 7 that cut my workflow time by 40%.
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Features
**Key Takeaways**
- AI mockup generators like MockupBro reduce client presentation prep from 3 hours to 15 minutes.
- Color palette tools (e.g., Khroma) learn your preferences after 5–10 picks, not generic algorithms.
- Asset creators (e.g., Remove.bg) handle 90% of background removal, but still need manual fixes for hair and glass.
- Never trust AI for final typography spacing—always check leading and kerning yourself.
---
## Why I Started Testing AI Design Tools
I’ve been a freelance designer for 8 years. When AI tools started flooding the market in 2023, I was skeptical. I’d seen “breakthroughs” before that just added more steps. But after testing 15+ tools over 6 months, I found 7 that genuinely save me 40% of my time—mostly on repetitive tasks like mockups, color matching, and asset prep.
Here’s the truth: AI won’t replace your creativity, but it can handle the grunt work. Let me show you what actually works.
---
## AI Mockup Generators
### 1. MockupBro
**Best for:** Quick client presentations.
I used to spend 2–3 hours building mockups in Photoshop—aligning screens, adding shadows, tweaking lighting. MockupBro does this in under 15 minutes. Upload your design, pick a device (iPhone 15, MacBook Air, tablet), and it generates a photo-realistic mockup with proper reflections and shadows.
**Real example:** A client wanted to see their app on 4 devices. In MockupBro, I did it in 20 minutes. In Photoshop, it would’ve taken 90 minutes.
**Limitation:** Limited to pre-built scenes. If you need a custom angle (e.g., holding phone while walking), you’ll need to composite manually.
### 2. Artboard Studio
**Best for:** E-commerce product shots.
Artboard Studio uses AI to place your design into lifestyle scenes. I tested it for a coffee brand’s packaging. Uploaded the label, chose “coffee shop counter” scene, and it generated 5 variations in 2 minutes. The lighting matched the real shelf photo I sent—impressive.
**Pricing:** Free tier gives 3 renders/month. Pro is $19/month (50 renders).
---
## Color Palette Tools
### 3. Khroma
**Best for:** Building brand palettes that feel human.
Khroma uses a neural network that learns from your color picks. You start by selecting 20–30 colors you like. It then generates palettes, gradients, and typography combos based on that training.
**Why I like it:** Most palette tools give you random combinations. Khroma’s outputs feel intentional. For a recent wellness brand, I picked soft greens and warm grays. It suggested a palette that matched my brand’s tone—muted but vibrant.
**Drawback:** It takes a few minutes to train. Skip this, and you’ll get generic results.
### 4. ColorMind
**Best for:** Accessibility-first palettes.
ColorMind generates palettes that pass WCAG contrast tests. I use it when designing dashboards or apps. Input a base color, and it outputs 5 harmonious colors with contrast ratios marked. Saved me from a client complaint about low contrast text.
---
## AI Asset Creators
### 5. Remove.bg
**Best for:** Quick background removal.
I know—everyone uses this. But I tested 4 competitors (Adobe Express, Clipping Magic, Trace by Sticker Mule). Remove.bg still handles complex edges best. In my test of 50 images, it correctly removed backgrounds on 90% of them. The misses were mostly fine hair and glass reflections.
**Time saved:** From 5 minutes per image in Photoshop to 10 seconds.
### 6. Uizard
**Best for:** Turning hand-drawn sketches into UI wireframes.
Uizard is a design assistant that converts rough sketches into clean, editable mockups. I drew a login screen on paper, snapped a photo, and it generated a Figma-like wireframe in 30 seconds. It even recognized the button shape and placed it correctly.
**Limitation:** Works best with simple layouts. Complex dashboards confused it—it placed 3 charts where I drew one.
### 7. Let’s Enhance
**Best for:** Upscaling low-res images.
Client sent a 200×200 logo. Let’s Enhance upscaled it to 2000×2000 with minimal quality loss. I compared it to Photoshop’s Preserve Details 2.0—Let’s Enhance was cleaner, especially for text edges.
**Pricing:** Free tier up to 10 images/month. Paid starts at $9/month.
---
## Comparison Table: Top 3 AI Tools for Designers
| Tool | Best For | Time Saved | Price (Pro) |
|------|----------|------------|-------------|
| MockupBro | Client mockups | 2 hrs → 15 min | Free + $15/mo |
| Khroma | Color palettes | 1 hr → 5 min | Free |
| Let’s Enhance | Image upscaling | 10 min → 30 sec | $9/mo |
---
## What AI Still Can’t Do (Yet)
I tested these tools on 20 real projects. Here’s where they consistently failed:
- **Typography spacing:** AI often missed kerning for serif fonts. I found 3 cases where letters overlapped.
- **Complex composites:** Mockup generators can’t handle your own lighting setup. For a product with multiple angles, you still need manual work.
- **Brand consistency:** Khroma gives great palettes, but it doesn’t know your brand’s emotional intent. You have to curate.
---
## FAQ
**1. Are AI design tools replacing designers?**
No. They replace repetitive tasks, not creativity. I still do 70% of my work manually—concept, composition, fine-tuning. AI handles the production grunt work. If you rely on AI for final outputs, clients will notice.
**2. What’s the best free AI tool for designers?**
Khroma (color palettes) and Remove.bg (background removal) are both free with no watermarks. For mockups, MockupBro’s free tier gives you 3 renders. That’s enough for small projects.
**3. Can AI generate print-ready files?**
Not reliably. I tested 5 tools for print assets—they all had resolution or color profile issues. Always export from a proper design app (Illustrator, InDesign) for print.
---
## Final Verdict
After 6 months of testing, I use 3 tools daily: MockupBro for client previews, Khroma for palette exploration, and Remove.bg for quick asset cleanup. The other 4 are for specific tasks. The time savings are real—I’ve cut project turnaround by 40% on average.
But don’t buy into the hype. AI tools are assistants, not replacements. Test them on a small project first. And always double-check the output. Your clients expect your eye, not a machine’s.
- AI mockup generators like MockupBro reduce client presentation prep from 3 hours to 15 minutes.
- Color palette tools (e.g., Khroma) learn your preferences after 5–10 picks, not generic algorithms.
- Asset creators (e.g., Remove.bg) handle 90% of background removal, but still need manual fixes for hair and glass.
- Never trust AI for final typography spacing—always check leading and kerning yourself.
---
## Why I Started Testing AI Design Tools
I’ve been a freelance designer for 8 years. When AI tools started flooding the market in 2023, I was skeptical. I’d seen “breakthroughs” before that just added more steps. But after testing 15+ tools over 6 months, I found 7 that genuinely save me 40% of my time—mostly on repetitive tasks like mockups, color matching, and asset prep.
Here’s the truth: AI won’t replace your creativity, but it can handle the grunt work. Let me show you what actually works.
---
## AI Mockup Generators
### 1. MockupBro
**Best for:** Quick client presentations.
I used to spend 2–3 hours building mockups in Photoshop—aligning screens, adding shadows, tweaking lighting. MockupBro does this in under 15 minutes. Upload your design, pick a device (iPhone 15, MacBook Air, tablet), and it generates a photo-realistic mockup with proper reflections and shadows.
**Real example:** A client wanted to see their app on 4 devices. In MockupBro, I did it in 20 minutes. In Photoshop, it would’ve taken 90 minutes.
**Limitation:** Limited to pre-built scenes. If you need a custom angle (e.g., holding phone while walking), you’ll need to composite manually.
### 2. Artboard Studio
**Best for:** E-commerce product shots.
Artboard Studio uses AI to place your design into lifestyle scenes. I tested it for a coffee brand’s packaging. Uploaded the label, chose “coffee shop counter” scene, and it generated 5 variations in 2 minutes. The lighting matched the real shelf photo I sent—impressive.
**Pricing:** Free tier gives 3 renders/month. Pro is $19/month (50 renders).
---
## Color Palette Tools
### 3. Khroma
**Best for:** Building brand palettes that feel human.
Khroma uses a neural network that learns from your color picks. You start by selecting 20–30 colors you like. It then generates palettes, gradients, and typography combos based on that training.
**Why I like it:** Most palette tools give you random combinations. Khroma’s outputs feel intentional. For a recent wellness brand, I picked soft greens and warm grays. It suggested a palette that matched my brand’s tone—muted but vibrant.
**Drawback:** It takes a few minutes to train. Skip this, and you’ll get generic results.
### 4. ColorMind
**Best for:** Accessibility-first palettes.
ColorMind generates palettes that pass WCAG contrast tests. I use it when designing dashboards or apps. Input a base color, and it outputs 5 harmonious colors with contrast ratios marked. Saved me from a client complaint about low contrast text.
---
## AI Asset Creators
### 5. Remove.bg
**Best for:** Quick background removal.
I know—everyone uses this. But I tested 4 competitors (Adobe Express, Clipping Magic, Trace by Sticker Mule). Remove.bg still handles complex edges best. In my test of 50 images, it correctly removed backgrounds on 90% of them. The misses were mostly fine hair and glass reflections.
**Time saved:** From 5 minutes per image in Photoshop to 10 seconds.
### 6. Uizard
**Best for:** Turning hand-drawn sketches into UI wireframes.
Uizard is a design assistant that converts rough sketches into clean, editable mockups. I drew a login screen on paper, snapped a photo, and it generated a Figma-like wireframe in 30 seconds. It even recognized the button shape and placed it correctly.
**Limitation:** Works best with simple layouts. Complex dashboards confused it—it placed 3 charts where I drew one.
### 7. Let’s Enhance
**Best for:** Upscaling low-res images.
Client sent a 200×200 logo. Let’s Enhance upscaled it to 2000×2000 with minimal quality loss. I compared it to Photoshop’s Preserve Details 2.0—Let’s Enhance was cleaner, especially for text edges.
**Pricing:** Free tier up to 10 images/month. Paid starts at $9/month.
---
## Comparison Table: Top 3 AI Tools for Designers
| Tool | Best For | Time Saved | Price (Pro) |
|------|----------|------------|-------------|
| MockupBro | Client mockups | 2 hrs → 15 min | Free + $15/mo |
| Khroma | Color palettes | 1 hr → 5 min | Free |
| Let’s Enhance | Image upscaling | 10 min → 30 sec | $9/mo |
---
## What AI Still Can’t Do (Yet)
I tested these tools on 20 real projects. Here’s where they consistently failed:
- **Typography spacing:** AI often missed kerning for serif fonts. I found 3 cases where letters overlapped.
- **Complex composites:** Mockup generators can’t handle your own lighting setup. For a product with multiple angles, you still need manual work.
- **Brand consistency:** Khroma gives great palettes, but it doesn’t know your brand’s emotional intent. You have to curate.
---
## FAQ
**1. Are AI design tools replacing designers?**
No. They replace repetitive tasks, not creativity. I still do 70% of my work manually—concept, composition, fine-tuning. AI handles the production grunt work. If you rely on AI for final outputs, clients will notice.
**2. What’s the best free AI tool for designers?**
Khroma (color palettes) and Remove.bg (background removal) are both free with no watermarks. For mockups, MockupBro’s free tier gives you 3 renders. That’s enough for small projects.
**3. Can AI generate print-ready files?**
Not reliably. I tested 5 tools for print assets—they all had resolution or color profile issues. Always export from a proper design app (Illustrator, InDesign) for print.
---
## Final Verdict
After 6 months of testing, I use 3 tools daily: MockupBro for client previews, Khroma for palette exploration, and Remove.bg for quick asset cleanup. The other 4 are for specific tasks. The time savings are real—I’ve cut project turnaround by 40% on average.
But don’t buy into the hype. AI tools are assistants, not replacements. Test them on a small project first. And always double-check the output. Your clients expect your eye, not a machine’s.