Top AI Tools for Packaging Design: 2025 Edition

Last year we published an article highlighting the top AI tools for packaging design, exploring how Canva, Fotor AI, Midjourney, Adobe Express, DALL-E 3, and Packify.ai responded to the prompt innovative orange juice packaging. Due to the article’s success and the fact that AI tools seem to be evolving weekly, we decided to revisit these tools with the same prompt to see how they have improved since last year.

AI can spark different emotions, as designers all the way to consumers figure out its place in the packaging industry. But it is part of the equation at this point, and understanding how it can be used to help your process is worth exploring.

Let’s dive into how these AI tools have changed since last year and how they can be implemented into your packaging design efforts.

Canva Magic Studio

To start, let's look at Canva’s Magic Studio. Canva’s Magic Studio has a number of AI tools that make it great for folks new to using generative AI, from text-to-video and text-to-image software to copy and photo editing tools.

Since our last AI blog, Canva has added a number of new tools to Magic Studio—including Dream Lab, Magic Expand, and more. For the sake of this blog we will look at Magic Media (Text-to-Image) and Dream Lab, both available with multiple subscription levels within Canva.

To gauge the progress on the tools year over year, we will use the same prompt we used in the last blog: innovative orange juice packaging.

Here’s one of the outputs from when we used this prompt on Canva’s Text-to-Image tool last year:

Not terrible, but the text is a little funky and not legible. And here’s one of the outputs when testing the same prompt in March of 2025:

I have to say, I’m impressed with the output this time around. The bottle shape and texture is certainly innovative—almost a tear drop shape with texture to mimic an orange. The copy on the graphic also had major improvements from last year, spelling orange juice correctly and only stumbling on the word innovation and bustling.

The other three graphics generated are not as innovative, mainly the typical orange juice cartons, but with textual improvements as orange juice is spelled correctly on all the mockups.

We also decided to take a look at Dream Lab, a new component of Magic Studio that Canva describes as a way to create “stunning, production-quality visuals. Dream Lab brings your vision to life with unmatched precision, from photorealistic images to illustrations, sketches, 3D renders, and more.”

We tested the same prompt, innovative orange juice packaging, and got four new mockups. This is my favorite of the bunch:

The use of a paperboard-like carton is an interesting addition and the spelling is pretty much on point. It looks like the AI even tried to make a USDA Organic logo in the bottom right hand corner, which I’ve never seen before on a generative AI tool.

Overall, I am impressed with the updates to Canva’s AI tools, and it serves as a fun way to help brainstorm design concepts in the early stages of your packaging design workflow.

You can access some of Canva’s Magic Studio tools with a free Canva account, but get premier access to 20+ tools through a Canva Pro subscription. You can read more about pricing options for Canva’s generative AI tools here.

Fotor AI

Fotor is an online platform with an array of generative AI image, video, and editing tools. Notable AI tools include AI image generator for products, AI headshot tools, art effects and filters, and more.

Similar to last year, we decided to test the same prompt on the same AI Image Generator tool. Here’s one of the outputs when we tested the tool last year:

This is one of my favorite images we created last year when writing the initial blog. I love how both packages have sleek components and an innovative flair. One in a glass bottle with an eye-catching design paying homage to orange trees through leaf illustrations and the other in what seems to be a paper-based carton with a unique design. The text certainly has room for improvement, as the package on the left has a word that I don’t even think I could type if I tried.

Here’s my favorite of the bunch when we ran the same prompt, innovative orange juice packaging, this time around (March 2025):

I have to say, the photos generated this time around look more realistic and less like illustrations (like the one above from 2024)—certainly an improvement. I also love the “Chobani-like” illustrations of oranges on the package; it would definitely catch my eye on crowded store shelves.

Although Fotor’s output improved in some ways, the text still leaves a lot to be desired. There are multiple words misspelled or simply unreadable, unlike Canva’s more legible outputs. For example, the orange square towards the bottom of the package reads “Orange Armce Orance.” 🤷

As we covered in last year’s blog, Fotor is free to try and uses a credit-based system. There are options to buy credits to generate more designs, including 100 credits a month for $3.33 USD a month (Fotor Pro) or 300 credits a month for $7.49 USD a month (Fotor Pro+). You can read more on pricing and credits here.

Midjourney

Midjourney is one of the most powerful text-to-image AI tools available, but also one of the most difficult to access and navigate. To access the tool, you have to sign up with a Discord account or email address and choose a subscription option—starting at $10 USD a month.

Sadly, no free trial currently exists for Midjourney, meaning you have to choose a subscription plan to even test the tool.

When we tested the tool last year, we had to use specialized prompts like /imagine to generate images. Here’s one of the standout results:

Using Midjourney this time around was more simple. All you have to do is navigate to the chat section on the sidebar, go to newbies, and type in a prompt—innovative orange juice packaging for us. Midjourney quickly generates four images—here’s one of my favorites:

This mockup contains numerous packaging designs with orange leaf and pulp-inspired artwork on what appears to be paper-based cartons. It definitely stands out, but the tallest package looks a bit incomplete. I have to admit, I’m slightly more impressed with the outputs generated last April, as they were more creative and complete renderings.

Some of the other mockups were eye-catching but had spelling issues, creating words that aren’t even legible. However, Midjourney is still worth a try in our opinion—you can learn more about subscription plans here.

Adobe Express

Like Canva, Adobe Express also has numerous AI tools for graphic designers and packaging professionals alike.

We took a look at Adobe’s text-to-image tool, which is powered by Firefly Image 3. This tool operates similarly to Canva’s tool, but allows for more stylistic changes and the ability to upload reference images for style and composition—a new feature since our last time using the tool in April 2024.

As we covered last year, Adobe’s text to image tool allows you to choose different “Materials” in the “Styles” section—allowing you to generate mockups with your desired packaging material, from metal to layered paper and everything in between.

Here’s one of the more innovative results generated with the tool last April:

There’s no denying that this is innovative, whether it's practical or not, however, is up for debate. The design feels futuristic and unlike anything I’ve seen before for orange juice packaging.

Here’s one of my favorite results from the four images generated when we ran the same prompt, on the same tool, in March of 2025:

The mockup has an interesting texture, made of a material that is hard to pinpoint. Similar to the outputs from last year, the designs are funky, futuristic, and definitely help get the creative juices flowing.

We also found that three of the four images generated by the prompt were in a similar carton-like format that shields consumers from seeing the juice within. The only design that didn’t was a pair of glass bottles with different colored caps.

Similar to Canva, Adobe makes it easy to introduce folks to the world of generative AI, as it offers a user-friendly interface hosted on a platform that many designers and packaging professionals are already comfortable with. Access to Adobe’s tools are available through the same subscription to Adobe Express—read more on pricing and subscriptions here.

ChatGPT (DALL-E 3)

Moving on to one of the most widely used AI tools, ChatGPT (DALL-E 3) allows users to enter text prompts to generate images. ChatGPT is made by OpenAI, an organization founded in 2015 that is leading the charge on AI research and development in the United States.

When we tested this tool last year with the prompt innovative orange juice packaging, we found this to be one of the more memorable results:

The output is otherworldly, looking like it’s been taken straight out of a sci-fi movie. The package also includes a QR code and a version of a nutrition label, which other tools failed to include.

In the theme of this article, we tested the same prompt on ChatGPT (DALL-E 3) a year later to see how things had progressed—here’s my favorite output:

Along with the image generation, ChatGPT stated:
“Here is a standalone image of the reusable glass bottle with a peel-inspired textured grip. Let me know if you’d like any modifications.”

I really enjoy the orange-inspired texture of the bottle on the left, tapping into emerging sensory marketing and tactile packaging trends. This bottle is sure to stand out on store shelves and grab consumers by tapping into senses beyond sight—similar to Coca-Cola’s strategy to use a contoured bottle to stand out in ice boxes and other retail environments.

It’s also notable that ChatGPT associates “innovation” with reusable packaging systems—a major trend in the packaging industry, especially CPG applications.

I’m impressed with ChatGPT and see noticeable improvements, including a more realistic design, yet still innovative and with better spelling compared to last year's outputs. ChatGPT is also, in my opinion, the most user-friendly AI tool on the market that I’ve tried.

ChatGPT’s DALL-E 3 is free to use, although your access may be limited if you use it a lot. You can read more on pricing models here.

Packify.ai by Pacdora

In our piece last year, we added a section for our friends at Pacdora—looking into their Packify.ai tool—a generative AI tool designed specifically for packaging.

As you can see from the screengrab above, Packify.ai requires more input and customization before generating designs. You simply can’t type innovative orange juice packaging and get results like the other softwares—you have to walk through the process. You can see that process on our initial blog here.

For the sake of this blog, we’ll compare the outputs from last year and this year to see how / if the tool improved in any way. Here’s one of the standout designs from last year:

One of my favorite things about using Packify.ai is the ability to add your brand name and choose your ideal packaging format (bottles, pouches, cans and jars, etc.) and color. The output from 2024’s attempt is completely innovative.

Here’s one of the standout images from using the same tool and similar prompt in March 2025:

I love the illustrated oranges and the colors Packify.ai chose, a look bound to make an impression on crowded store shelves. I would say the outputs this time around were a good deal more realistic and practical, more akin to something you'd actually see from an orange juice brand (unlike 2024’s output).

Packify.ai also has a tool to create packaging photo shoots using AI, allowing you to upload designs from the AI Packaging Design tool to the photo shoot tool to develop marketing collateral for packaging or redesigns with ease. You can learn more about this feature in our blog on the topic here.