AI Ad Generator: Compare Icon, AdGen & AdCreative ['25]

Creating high-converting digital ads remains a challenge for businesses aiming to reach diverse audiences across platforms like Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

AI ad generators offer a solution by automating ad creation, enabling faster production, broader customization, and data-driven content optimization.

To evaluate their real-world effectiveness, we tested the top 4 leading AI ad generators across 10 criteria, including clarity, relevance, creativity, platform fit, and UI/UX, using consistent prompts for multiple ad formats and industries.

AI ad generator benchmark results

Check out the methodology on how we compared these AI ad generators.

Top 4 AI ad generators

Icon

Figure 1: Creator templates for video ads from the Icon AI ad generator.

Icon focuses on user-generated content (UGC) ad creation. It allows users to pick a creator, auto-generate scripts, and add voiceovers.

While flexible, the number of steps and customization options can be hard to manage, especially for beginners or small teams.

AdGen AI

Figure 2: Brand and audience information dashboard from AdGen AI.

AdGen AI generates ads based on user-defined inputs like brand name, product, audience, and format. In testing, ads were created using a profile previously generated with ChatGPT. See the test procedure for the details.

AdCreative.ai

AdCreative.ai supports multiple ad formats, including text, image, video, and voice, and produces several ad options at once. Each version is given an engagement score to help users evaluate which might perform better, though these scores are estimates and may require further testing.

Predis

Figure 3: Predis ad design dashboard.

Predis offers tools for organizing and creating marketing content. It includes a content calendar for scheduling and a feature for analyzing competitors by connecting social accounts. It can also generate ad campaigns using an AI assistant, which helps automate basic creative tasks.

Benchmark findings from AI ad generators

Icon

Figure 4: Icon ad campaign for Google Ads.

The overall score: 46/50

This ad scores well across most categories due to its clear messaging, strong brand alignment, and effective use of visual context. High marks in Relevance, Clarity, Grammar, Customization, and Brand tone indicate that it communicates the product’s purpose, which is quick ad creation, clearly and consistently.

The visual showing users interacting with the tool supports its Persuasiveness and adds a practical dimension to the message. Creativity is strong with the integration of real users with a mock product interface.

Slightly lower scores in Platform-specific and UI/UX suggest minor improvements could be made to optimize the layout for specific ad formats and enhance the readability of the interface.

AdGen

Figure 5: LinkedIn ad created with AdGen.

The overall score: 44/50

This ad received a high score due to its clear messaging, strong visual layout, and alignment with platform standards. The text effectively communicates the product’s core function of exporting campaigns to multiple platforms, using direct and grammatically correct language.

Some areas for improvement include expanding on user benefits to make the message more persuasive, incorporating more creative elements, and addressing additional features mentioned in the prompt, such as collaboration and task management.

AdCreative

Figure 6: AdCreative landscape ad for LinkedIn ads.

The overall score: 38/50

This ad is clear and grammatically correct, with a clean layout and consistent branding, which contributed to strong scores in Clarity, Grammar, UI/UX, and Brand tone.

However, the lower scores in Persuasiveness and Creativity suggest that the message lacks impact. Phrases like “Turbocharge Your Ads Today” are broad and do not provide specific value or differentiation.

For an ad, especially one promoting a productivity or ad creation tool, it is essential to communicate the benefits and outcomes for the user. The content could be more targeted, showing how the product solves a problem or improves workflow.

Additionally, while the ad is somewhat relevant to the prompt, it does not fully reflect platform-specific behavior or showcase features that would increase user engagement.

Predis

Figure 7: Predis ad campaign for Facebook carousel.

The prompt we used: Generate a Facebook carousel ad for a new AI-powered productivity app for remote teams. Focus on features like real-time collaboration, calendar syncing, and automated task management. Tone should be modern, energetic, and professional with an emphasis on boosting team efficiency.

The overall score: 24/50

The ad received a low overall score of 24/50 primarily due to weaknesses in key content and communication aspects. While it performed well in Grammar and Multilingual capabilities (both scoring 5), it lacked strength in the most critical areas for an effective ad: Relevance, Clarity, and Persuasiveness (scoring only 2, 1, and 1, respectively).

These low scores suggest the ad failed to clearly communicate its message, connect with the target audience, or effectively promote the app’s value.

Additionally, Creativity and Platform-specific optimization were minimal (both 1), indicating a lack of engaging content tailored to the intended format. The moderate scores in Customization, UI/UX, and Brand tone indicate some effort to align with brand needs, although this effort is insufficient to compensate for the significant shortcomings.

Overall, the rating reflects an ad that is technically sound but weak in impact and strategic alignment.

Methodology

Objective

The objective is to compare the performance, usability, and feature sets of selected AI ad generators using a standardized evaluation framework. The goal is to identify tools best suited for generating ad copy across different platforms and use cases.

Tool selection criteria

Tools were selected based on the following criteria:

• Ad generation capability: Must support creation of platform-specific ad content.
• Free trial access: Tools must offer free trials or freemium versions for hands-on testing.
• Platform coverage: Ability to generate content for platforms such as Google, Meta, and LinkedIn.
• User control: Support for customization options like tone, length, and audience.
• Market presence: Tools with visible market usage, reviews, or industry relevance were prioritized.

Test procedure

One tool was tested using identical input prompts across product categories, including eCommerce, SaaS, and services. Ad formats evaluated included traditional ads, Facebook ads, and LinkedIn sponsored content. For each tool, multiple outputs were generated and reviewed.

The prompts we used for the vendor are:

• “Create a high-converting ad for a sustainable fashion brand targeting eco-conscious millennial women aged 25-35. Highlight free shipping, limited-time discounts, and eco-friendly materials. Use persuasive language and include a strong CTA to shop now.”
• “Generate a Facebook carousel ad for a new AI-powered productivity app for remote teams. Focus on features like real-time collaboration, calendar syncing, and automated task management. Tone should be modern, energetic, and professional with an emphasis on boosting team efficiency.”
• “Create a LinkedIn Sponsored Content ad for a B2B fintech platform offering automated expense management and real-time financial analytics for mid-sized companies. Highlight ROI, time saved on reconciliation, and integration with tools like QuickBooks and NetSuite. Tone should be authoritative, data-driven, and tailored to CFOs and finance leads. Include a strong CTA like ‘Schedule a Free Demo.”

For the other three vendors, we created a profile for a hypothetical company, including its product image and brand logo, with ChatGPT based on the following characteristics:

AdCraft AI: Company overview

AdCraft AI is a marketing automation platform that uses artificial intelligence to streamline the creation of digital ad campaigns. Its core product, AdSet Genie, enables businesses to build and launch ads quickly by automating brand setup, audience targeting, and creative generation.

Product

• Name: AdSet Genie.
• Function: AI assistant for rapid ad creation.
• Key features:
  • Auto-detection of brand assets (logo, color, font).
  • Smart audience segmentation based on behavioral data.
  • AI-generated ad creatives tailored for platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
  • One-click export to major ad platforms.

Brand identity

• Brand name: AdCraft AI.
• Product name: AdSet Genie.
• Primary color: #0052FF (Electric Blue).
  • Secondary Color: #1C1C1E (Charcoal).
  • Accent Color: #F2F4F8 (Light Gray).
• Font: Inter (Modern, sans-serif, web-friendly).
• Logo style: Abstract “A” icon with geometric styling, clean and tech-oriented.

Target audience

• Professionals: Marketing managers, digital agencies, small business owners.
• Demographics: Ages 25–44.
• Regions: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia.
• Psychographics:
  • Interested in marketing efficiency and automation.
  • Regular users of ad platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads.
  • Engaged with content on AI, growth marketing, and e-commerce.

Creative format

• Preferred format: Instagram and Facebook carousels.
• Tone: Direct, efficient, and benefit-focused.
• Example call-to-action: “Create your next campaign in 60 seconds”.
• Visual style: Bold typography, high contrast, minimalistic layout with brand-aligned colors.

Evaluation criteria (each criterion should be rated on a 1 to 5 scale)

1. Relevance to input prompt

Assesses how well the ad output aligns with the original input prompt, product description, and intended marketing goal. High scores indicate a precise understanding of brand, context, and value proposition.

2. Clarity and readability

Evaluates the linguistic simplicity and accessibility of the generated ad copy. A clear, well-structured, and jargon-free output merits a higher score. 

3. Persuasiveness

Measures the ad’s potential to engage and influence the target audience. Strong call-to-actions, benefits-driven messaging, and psychological appeal (e.g., urgency, social proof) contribute positively.

4. Creativity and originality

Examines the uniqueness, inventiveness, and attention-grabbing nature of the ad content. Higher scores reflect a distinct voice and avoidance of templated or generic phrasing.

5. Grammar and linguistic fluency

Assesses grammatical accuracy, sentence fluidity, and natural tone. Output should read as if crafted by a proficient human copywriter.

6. Platform-specific appropriateness

Determines whether the ad conforms to the standards, formats, and expectations of its intended platform (e.g., Google Search, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok). This includes character limits, tone, and structural conventions.

7. Customization and fine-tuning options

Measures the degree of control over tone, audience targeting, format, language, and voice. Practical customization tools should enhance specificity without adding complexity.

8. User interface and experience (UI/UX)

Examines the intuitiveness of the interface, ease of navigation, prompt input methods, labeling of features, and error handling. Good design should facilitate a rapid and frictionless workflow.

9. Brand tone adaptability

Tests whether the tool can accurately replicate or simulate specific brand tones (e.g., formal, playful, authoritative). Tools with pre-trained tone presets or brand memory features are preferred.

10. Multilingual support

Assesses the availability and quality of ad generation in multiple languages.

What is an AI ad?

AI ads are generated based on algorithms that analyze audience preferences, performance data, and design principles to produce content that resonates with specific target audiences. Rather than relying solely on manual design and copywriting, the ad creation process becomes automated and data-driven.

AI tools used in this context assist in designing visuals, generating ad copy, selecting formats, and even publishing across social media platforms.

This approach accelerates production and also enhances the likelihood of creating high-converting ads, particularly when the goal is to target diverse audiences across multiple languages or platforms. AI also supports the ability to test and iterate on ad variations rapidly.

Key features of AI ad generators

Automated ad generation

Users can create ads by transforming text prompts, product descriptions, or URLs into complete ad creatives. This includes visual layouts, video ads, and written elements such as ad copy, ad headlines, and calls to action.

Users can also generate multiple ad variations in different ad formats for a single product or message with minimal manual input.

Customizable ad templates

Many AI tools offer a library of ad templates tailored to various goals and industries. These templates are customizable, enabling marketers to maintain brand consistency while still allowing for creative freedom.

Templates can be adjusted to include brand logos, specific colors, or messaging styles, making them useful for both new campaigns and recurring formats.

Multilingual and multiformat support

AI platforms typically support content generation in multiple languages, enabling brands to reach global audiences.

Additionally, AI supports various ad formats, including square, vertical, and landscape, for platforms such as Google, Meta, and others. This ensures each creative fits the platform’s requirements without manual resizing.

Visual content creation

Visual assets, including product image ads, virtual mockups, and user-generated content (UGC) ads, can be created using built-in AI image generators.

This eliminates the need for traditional photoshoots and manual graphic design. AI-generated visuals can be optimized for engagement, and some tools simulate virtual photoshoots based on basic product details.

Performance prediction and optimization

Some platforms evaluate key metrics, such as expected click-through rate or engagement, to provide insights on which ad variations are more likely to perform well. This helps marketers fine-tune their ad strategies by identifying the most effective creatives before launching a campaign.

Publishing and workflow integration

Many tools integrate with advertising platforms, enabling users to publish ads directly without needing to switch between interfaces.

This process supports the management of ad accounts, setting up ad campaigns, and automating repetitive tasks, such as resizing or exporting. Some tools also support bulk creation, making it easier to generate ads for multiple products at once.

Common use cases across industries

AI-generated ads are used in a variety of industries for various purposes:

• Retail and eCommerce: Brands use AI tools to generate product ads, including multiple ad variations for A/B testing. These ads are tailored to platforms such as Google Ads or social media.
• Small businesses: AI platforms typically offer a user-friendly interface that enables business owners to quickly create professionally designed ads with just a few clicks. This is especially helpful for businesses without dedicated design teams.
• Marketing teams and agencies: These users benefit from ad generators that can handle a large volume of campaigns, allowing teams to test different ad strategies and monitor performance based on key metrics.
• Content creators and influencers: Individuals looking to increase visibility on social media platforms use AI to create ads, schedule posts, and maintain a consistent brand voice.
• Education, healthcare, and real estate: These sectors use AI ads for lead generation, awareness campaigns, and promoting services. The ability to create ads in different languages helps reach diverse audiences efficiently.