- Meme generators at a glance
- Ten meme generators to consider
- Which meme generator suits your post
- Parody is an exception, not a free pass
- Template site, design editor or AI meme tool?
- Six questions before you post a meme
- Signs your meme won't travel
- My plain advice on memes that get shared
- Frequently asked questions
A meme generator adds your text to an image, GIF or short video, often using a popular template, so you can make a meme in seconds. Some are classic template sites, some are design and video editors and some use AI to write the joke for you. Ten options follow in no particular order.
Memes are the shortest content format on the internet and one of the hardest to get right. When a brand nails one, it gets shared far beyond its own followers. When it misses, it looks like an advert pretending to be a joke.
The ten tools below cover casual meme makers, creators and social media managers. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. My guide to memes and viral graphics in marketing covers when a brand should join in.
Meme generators at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site says the tool, or a plan or version of it, is free or open source. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Express | Online design tool with a meme generator | Branded memes for marketing | Yes |
| Canva | Online design tool with a meme maker | Memes from editable templates | Yes |
| Clideo | Online video editor with a meme maker | Turning a video clip into a meme | Yes |
| Imgflip | Online meme generator | Classic image macros and GIF memes | Yes |
| Kapwing | Online video editor with a meme generator | Memes from images, video or text | Yes |
| Make a Meme | Caption tool with uploads and templates | Uploading your own photo to caption | Not stated |
| Mematic | Meme maker app for phones | Making memes on a phone | Not stated |
| Meme Creator | Free meme generator community | A huge template library | Yes |
| memed.io | Video meme template tools | Video memes beyond top and bottom text | Yes |
| Supermeme.ai | Meme generator powered by AI | Turning an idea into memes with AI | Yes |
Ten meme generators to consider
Adobe Express
Best for: Small brands who want memes made in the same tool as their other social graphics, with brand fonts and colours.
Canva
Best for: Social media managers who want to make funny, shareable memes from templates in a drag-and-drop editor.
Clideo
Best for: Creators who want to add captions to a video clip and make a meme in the browser, next to other quick video tools.
Imgflip
Best for: Meme regulars who want popular templates, custom resizable text and drawing tools, plus GIF and short video memes.
Kapwing
Best for: Teams who want to make memes from images, videos, text or templates inside an editor that also handles subtitles.
Make a Meme
Best for: Casual users who want to upload their own image or pick a template and style the text with plenty of font choices.
Mematic
Best for: People who make memes on the go and want to turn photos into memes, collages and custom designs in a few taps.
Meme Creator
Best for: Meme fans who want a free generator with thousands of templates and the option to upload an image, GIF or video.
memed.io
Best for: Creators who want video meme makers that go beyond classic top and bottom text, like adding moveable text to any video.
Supermeme.ai
Best for: Marketers who want to describe a campaign idea or inside joke and let AI suggest several memes to choose from.
Which meme generator suits your post
- Branded memes for a business: Adobe Express or Canva.
- Video memes: Clideo, Kapwing or memed.io.
- Classic templates and GIFs: Imgflip or Meme Creator.
- Captioning your own photo: Make a Meme.
- Memes on a phone: Mematic.
- Letting AI suggest the joke: Supermeme.ai.
Parody is an exception, not a free pass
The Intellectual Property Office guidance on GOV.UK lists parody, caricature and pastiche among the specific situations where a copyright work may be used without the owner's permission, but only to the extent that the use is fair dealing.
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Brands often read that as permission to use any film still or photo in a promotional meme. It isn't. The exception covers a fair, limited use for the purpose of parody, and a meme that sells a product is a much harder case to make. For business posts, use templates you're licensed to use, your own photos or images you've created, and keep the famous film stills for personal accounts.
Template site, design editor or AI meme tool?
Template sites are the classic route. You pick a famous image, add top and bottom text and download it in seconds.
Design and video editors give you more control. You can use your own footage, add brand fonts and resize the meme for each platform.
AI meme tools suggest several memes from a short description of your idea. They're a quick way to get past a blank screen, and you'll still pick the one that sounds like you.
Six questions before you post a meme
- Will your audience recognise the format?
- Do you have the right to use the image?
- Is the joke about your audience's world?
- Does it read in under three seconds?
- Is the text big enough on a phone?
- Would you be happy to see it screenshotted?
Signs your meme won't travel
- It needs explaining. Simplify the joke.
- The logo is huge. Shrink or drop it.
- The format is years old. Pick a current one.
- Nobody tags a friend. Make it more relatable.
Do you make a meme generator? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on memes that get shared
Make the meme about your audience, not about your product. The memes that travel describe a feeling your customers know, the Monday inbox, the client who wants it yesterday, and the brand is barely visible. Post one that makes people tag a colleague and you've done more than a sales post would.
If you're short on ideas, my funny writing prompts for ChatGPT give you starting points to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
What is a meme generator?
It's a tool that adds your text to an image, GIF or video, often from a popular template, so you can make a meme quickly.
Are meme generators free?
Most have a free version. Check the free plan column above, then confirm on each vendor's site.
Can businesses use meme templates?
Be careful. Many templates are copyright images, and the UK parody exception only covers fair dealing, so brands should use licensed or original images.
Can AI make memes?
Yes. Some tools suggest several memes from a short description of your idea or campaign.
Can I make a video meme?
Yes. Several tools let you add text to a video clip or GIF as well as a still image.
What makes a meme shareable?
A format people recognise, a joke about their world and text that reads in a couple of seconds on a phone.
