How to Choose an AI Ad Creatives Tool: A Scorecard

The plan for this post was a ranked list of the best AI ad creatives tools. That would mean claiming a test was run, and it was not. Tools also change features and pricing often, so any ranking goes stale fast. What lasts is a way to choose. This post gives you a scorecard and a fair test you can run on any tool in an afternoon.

If you would rather skip the tool hunt and learn a process that works with whatever you pick, Lesson 4.5 covers that: Make ad creatives in minutes.

Give every tool the same brief, score the same five things, and pick the one that fits how you actually work.

Three kinds of place to make ad creatives

Rather than list brands, think about where the making happens.

1. Tools inside the ad platform. Both big ad platforms now offer generative features in their own interfaces. Meta's help pages describe features such as Background Generation, Image Generation and Add Animation in Ads Manager. Google's help pages describe generated images inside Google Ads. These are convenient because the creative goes straight into the campaign. Check what each offers on its own help pages, as features vary by account and region.

2. General AI image and video tools. Separate apps or websites where you describe what you want and download the result. More freedom of style, and an extra step to upload.

3. Design apps with AI features. The place many people already make social posts, now with generation or editing built in. Good for adding exact text and logos on top of generated images.

Many small businesses end up using one from each group: a generator for raw material, a design app for finishing, and the ad platform for upload.

The scorecard

Score each tool from 1 to 5 on these seven questions. Add them up at the end.

Cost matters too, but it changes, so check it on the tool's page and weigh it yourself after the scores. A tool that scores well and costs a little more usually beats a cheap one that wastes your time.

Run the same test in every tool

A scorecard is only fair if every tool gets the same job. Here is the test:

1. Write one briefUse your style note and a single offer sentence. Paste the same text in every tool.
2. Ask for the same ten ideasProduct close up, in use, result, problem scene and a plain background, two of each.
3. Time itNote how long until you have three images you would actually use.
4. Check accuracyLook for wrong product details, garbled text and warped objects.
5. Make the tall versionsAsk for 4:5 and 9:16, or crop them, and see what survives.
6. Try one videoUse the same photo in each video tool and watch for odd motion.
7. Score and recordFill the scorecard straight away, while you remember.

Meta's aspect ratio guidance recommends 4:5 vertical for single image ads in Facebook Feed and lists 9:16 for Stories and Reels placements (source), so the shape test is worth including.

Scoring tips

• Score the third image, not the first. The first result is often a lucky one. See if it can repeat.
• Penalise fixing time. If you spent twenty minutes repairing one image, that is a low time score.
• Use your own product. Generic prompts flatter every tool. Your real product shows the weak spots.
• Do not test ten tools. Test two or three. Beyond that you spend more time testing than making.

Questions to ask before you commit

Some points will not show up in a first test. Ask them anyway.

• Who owns the output? Read the terms about commercial use. Do not guess.
• Does it keep your style? Can you save a style note or set of references so batch two matches batch one?
• How does it treat your uploads? If you upload product photos, read how the tool uses and stores them.
• What labels might be added? Meta says it automatically labels ad content created or edited with some of its generative AI tools and some third party tools with an "AI info" label (Meta Business Help). Google's help pages say certain regions require disclosures on some AI generated assets and offer an AI label setting (Google Ads Help). Know what to expect.

A worked scorecard (illustrative)

This is an invented example to show how to fill in the card. The tools are called Tool A and Tool B and the scores are made up. They are not the result of a real test.

On the numbers these look equal. The scorecard still helps, because it shows the trade: Tool A is faster and better at shapes, Tool B is steadier and easier to steer. If your biggest pain is inconsistent branding, Tool B fits better despite the total. Weight the rows that matter most to you before you choose.

Make the choice and move on

Pick a tool, commit for a month, and judge it on the ads it helps you test, not on its feature list. A mediocre tool used in a good process beats a brilliant tool used with a vague brief. That process is the thing to invest in: a style note, ten different ideas, five headlines each, and a clean test. A repeatable framework for AI ad creatives sets it out, and the mistakes post shows what to avoid.

Lesson 4.5 teaches the process step by step: Make ad creatives in minutes.

Questions people ask

Which AI ad creatives tool is best?

There is no single best one. It depends on your product, your skills and the platforms you advertise on. Use the scorecard to find the best fit for you.

Should I use the tools built into ad platforms?

They are convenient because the creative goes straight into the campaign. Check what they offer on the platform's help pages and compare them with a separate tool using the same brief.

Do I need to pay for a tool?

Not necessarily to start. Many tools have free options, but terms and limits change, so check each tool's own page.

How long should I spend choosing?

One afternoon. Test two or three tools with the same brief, score them, and move on.