Kive vs Photoroom (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Kive and Photoroom share a 2.2 GPA, and only Kive has a free plan.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Kive grades higher on the free plan. Photoroom grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Kive
AI product photography and ad visuals for consumer brands
Photoroom
AI product photo editor for e-commerce sellers
Which one is for you
Pick Kive if
- Fits if you sell consumer products and need a steady stream of ad images
- Works for a small brand team of up to 2 people sharing a workspace
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you're a solo seller: $30 a month for about 10 finished ads
- Watch out: credits aren't refunded for results you dislike, and rollover stops at 2 times the monthly amount
- Not for you if you need 1080p video or advanced brand training, as neither is on Basic
- Tight on Basic at 2 users and 10,000 library items
- Skip it if you want an app, since it's web only
Pick Photoroom if
- Fits if you sell products online and need clean cut-outs
- Works for stores that batch-process catalogs
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as the page shows none
- Tight if you need video, which isn't in Pro
- Watch out: the trial's length isn't stated
- Watch out: adjustable AI shadows are Enterprise only and the API is priced separately
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAKiveFair | 2.2GPAPhotoroomFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DBasic is $30 a month billed yearly ($40 monthly), above the $25 line for the dearest tenth of AI image tools, for roughly 10 finished ads. | CPro is $12.99 a month for 8,000 AI credits, inside the category's middle band. |
| Free plan and trial | C40 credits after you verify an email, 5 boards, and one free image every 30 minutes once credits run out. | DNo free plan: only a free trial on Pro and Max whose length isn't stated. |
| Features | BProduct shots, ads, brand training, video and a shared workspace. The listing names no gap in the core job. | BBackground removal, product scenes and models, video, batch and catalog tools, plus an API. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Training a brand look and setting up boards is work. | CA web tool with credits and catalogs to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but with an agent, an MCP connection and 2 integrations. | BWeb, with an API and a Claude connector for it. |
| Best for | AI product shots and ads for consumer brands | product photos for online sellers |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Kive and Photoroom. How we grade
Price against what you get
Kive starts at $30 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Photoroom starts at $12.99 a month and scores 2.7.
They score the same, and Photoroom starts $17.01 a month lower. Of the other AI image and video generators on the chart, 17 score higher than Kive for less, and 12 score higher than Photoroom for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Kive also covers ad creative.
- Photoroom also covers templates.
At a glance
| Kive | Photoroom | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $30 per month, billed yearly at $360 ($40 billed monthly) | $12.99 per month for 8,000 AI credits, billed monthly |
| Free plan | 40 credits after email verification, up to 5 boards, and one free image every 30 minutes when out of credits. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial on Pro and Max; the page does not state its length |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Kive | Photoroom |
| Price read from | kive.ai | photoroom.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Kive
- Cost follows credits: about 10 credits an image, 100 for a 5-second video and 200 for a finished ad.
- Credits are not refunded for results you dislike; failed and filtered generations are refunded.
- Unused credits roll over only up to 2 times the monthly allowance.
- Maximum video quality, 1080p, and advanced brand training are not on Basic.
Photoroom
- Plans are measured in AI credits and monthly exports; the page shows no free plan.
- Video is not in Pro, and adjustable AI shadows are Enterprise only.
- Yearly billing is offered, up to 88% off by the page's own label, but its prices did not appear in the page text we read.
- The API is priced separately from these plans.
Key features
Kive
- Product shots and ads
- Generates product images, edits and finished ads from uploaded products, with one-click style presets by industry.
- Brand training
- Pro adds advanced brand training and unlimited products and brands, so visuals follow a consistent look.
- Video
- Makes 5-second videos at draft, premium and max quality; maximum video quality needs the Pro plan.
- Kive agent and MCP
- A guided creation agent is on every plan, and an MCP connection lets Claude and ChatGPT use the account.
- Shared workspace
- Boards, link sharing, a private workspace and team invitations, with 2 users on Basic and 10 on Pro.
Photoroom
- Background remover and core tools
- Cutouts, retouching, AI fill, expand and resize, an image enhancer and an AI product fixer are unlimited on every paid plan.
- AI product scenes and models
- Generate product backgrounds and lifestyle staging, dress AI fashion models and try garments on virtually.
- Video from product photos
- Make video ads and product videos; video starts at the Max plan, and 4K images and HD video need Ultra.
- Batch processing and catalog
- Edit thousands of images at once and manage a product catalog, aimed at larger sellers.
- API and Claude connector
- A developer API with a playground, plus a Photoroom MCP connector for Claude, on a separate API pricing page.
Plans
Kive
Free$0
40 credits once you verify your email, browsing for inspiration and up to 5 boards.
Basic$30
per month, billed yearly at $360 ($40 billed monthly)
2,000 credits a month, up to 2 users and 10,000 library items; roughly 10 finished ads.
Pro$75
per month, billed yearly at $900 ($100 billed monthly)
5,000 credits a month and up to 10 users; first-year price $67 a month until Dec 1, 2026.
EnterpriseCustom
Upwards of 150,000 credits a month, SSO, trademark and IP checks, onboarding and custom limits.
Photoroom
Pro$12.99
per month for 8,000 AI credits, billed monthly
1,000 exports a month, unlimited core tools, AI Backgrounds and AI Fashion Models; no video.
Max$34.99
per month for 25,000 AI credits, billed monthly
3,000 exports a month and everything in Pro, plus video for ads and product pages.
Ultra$99.00
per month for 75,000 AI credits, billed monthly
10,000 exports a month, more video ads for heavy use, 4K images and HD video.
EnterpriseCustom
Everything in Ultra plus Visual Agents, SSO, SOC 2 Type 2 security, an SLA and adjustable AI shadows.
Ways to pay less
Kive
- Other savings
Black Friday: Pro first year $800
Paying yearly for Pro gives 4 months free in the first year, $800 instead of $900, through December 1, 2026 UTC; renewal returns to the standard yearly price.
Photoroom
- Annual discount
Yearly billing discount
The pricing page has a Monthly/Yearly toggle labeled 'Save up to 88%'; page data lists yearly prices of $89.99 (Pro), $250 (Max) and $990 (Ultra).
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Kive or Photoroom?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Photoroom is cheaper to start with: $12.99 a month, against $30 a month for Kive. Kive starts at $30 per month, billed yearly at $360 ($40 billed monthly), and Photoroom starts at $12.99 per month for 8,000 AI credits, billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, Kive or Photoroom?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Kive has a free plan. Photoroom does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.