Leonardo AI
Bought by Canva, then left alone to keep growing — now a full aggregator running its own models alongside GPT, Flux and Nano Banana under one token balance.
What is Leonardo AI?
Leonardo AI launched out of Sydney in December 2022, built its reputation on the Phoenix model, and by July 2024 had grown enough to catch the attention of Canva, which acquired the whole company — around 120 employees — in a cash-and-stock deal that closed in May 2025. What makes that acquisition unusual is what Canva chose not to do with it: rather than absorb Leonardo into its own Magic Studio branding, the company kept running independently, with its own token-metered plans, even as its Phoenix architecture also went on to power Canva's own native Dream Lab image generator.
What Leonardo actually is today has quietly changed. It's no longer really "the Phoenix generator" most older reviews still describe — it's become a full aggregator, running its own Lucid Origin, Lucid Realism and Phoenix models alongside a rotating shelf of third-party models like Nano Banana Pro, Flux.2 Pro, Seedream 4.5, and OpenAI's GPT image models, all metered through one shared token balance so you can switch models per generation without leaving the app. Its most distinctive feature remains Realtime Canvas, which turns a live sketch into a rendered image as you draw, updating roughly every couple of seconds per new stroke — and unlike Midjourney, it also lets you train a custom LoRA model on your own reference images for genuinely brand-consistent output.
Figures are Leonardo's own published stats as of 2026. The Canva acquisition detail (independent operation post-purchase) is drawn from Canva's own newsroom and industry coverage through mid-2026.
Key features
Realtime Canvas
Turns a live sketch into a fully rendered AI image as you draw, updating every couple of seconds.
Custom model training
Train a LoRA on your own reference images for consistent, on-brand output — not offered natively by Midjourney.
Multi-model aggregator
Access first-party and third-party models like Flux, Nano Banana Pro and GPT image models from one interface.
Motion video generation
Generate short video clips through Leonardo's own Motion models or integrated third-party ones like Veo 3.
Image upscaling
Enlarge and enhance existing images without losing the details that made them work.
Blueprints workflows
Pre-built, repeatable generation pipelines for common tasks rather than starting from a blank prompt each time.
Pricing
Free
- Enough to evaluate the platform's model range
- Non-commercial use only
- No credit card required
Premium
- Unlimited Relaxed generation on first-party models
- 75,000-token rollover bank & custom model training
- Commercial usage rights included
Ultimate
- Highest individual token allowance
- Built for heavy, daily professional use
- Team plans available separately for shared workspaces
A cheaper Essential tier ($12/month, 8,500 tokens) sits below Premium, and is bundled at no extra cost for existing Canva Business subscribers. Tokens are spent differently per model — a third-party model like Veo 3 or Kling burns through an allowance far faster than Leonardo's own first-party models. Prices reflect Leonardo's published pricing as of July 2026 and may change.
Available models
Integrations & platforms
Pros, cons & best for
Pros
- Genuine multi-model access without juggling separate subscriptions
- Custom LoRA training for real brand-consistent visual output
- Realtime Canvas is a genuinely distinctive way to iterate on an idea
Cons
- Token system takes real effort to learn, with costs varying sharply by model
- Less suited to loose, exploratory prompting than Midjourney's aesthetic-first style
- Long-term roadmap carries some uncertainty as part of a larger acquirer
Best for
- E-commerce teams and game studios needing consistent, on-brand assets
- Creators who want to compare several models without multiple subscriptions
- Existing Canva Business subscribers, who get Essential included
Take a look inside
Alternatives
For a more purely aesthetic-first, single-model experience instead:
Our verdict
Leonardo has handled a corporate acquisition about as gracefully as a product like this can — it kept its own identity, its team stayed largely intact, and its evolution into a genuine multi-model aggregator has made it more useful, not less, even as its architecture quietly powers a sibling product inside Canva itself. The token system asks more of new users than a flat subscription would, and it's not the tool for someone who wants to type a vague prompt and get something beautifully unexpected back — that's still Midjourney's strength. But for creators and teams who want real control, custom-trained brand consistency, and access to a rotating shelf of the best available models without separate subscriptions for each, Leonardo remains one of the strongest picks in the category.
FAQ
Is Leonardo AI owned by Canva?
Yes, Canva acquired Leonardo in a cash-and-stock deal announced in July 2024, finalized in May 2025. Leonardo has continued operating as an independent product with its own pricing, while its Phoenix architecture also powers Canva's native Dream Lab image generator.
Is Leonardo AI free?
Yes, the free tier gives 150 tokens a day, enough to evaluate the platform, though output isn't licensed for commercial use. Commercial rights require a paid plan.
What is Realtime Canvas?
A feature that renders a fully finished AI image live as you sketch, updating roughly every couple of seconds per new stroke, rather than waiting for a full prompt-to-image generation.
Can I train a custom model on Leonardo?
Yes, you can fine-tune a LoRA model on your own reference images for consistent, brand-specific output — a capability Midjourney doesn't offer natively.
What models does Leonardo support?
Its own first-party models (Lucid Origin, Lucid Realism, Phoenix) plus a rotating set of third-party models including Flux.2 Pro, Nano Banana Pro, Seedream 4.5, and OpenAI's GPT image models, all through one shared token balance.
Is Leonardo Essential really included with Canva Business?
Yes, existing Canva Business subscribers get the Essential plan bundled at no additional cost, which is one of the clearer signals of how the two companies' roadmaps are staying connected post-acquisition.