Looking for a Looka alternative that goes beyond logos?
Most brand tools (including Looka) generate logos and basic color palettes. But if you're building a product, website, or multi-channel brand, you need more than assets—you need a complete identity system.
This article compares Looka and Aurora Identity to help you decide which tool fits your needs.
TL;DR:
- Looka = Fast logo generation, basic brand kit ($20-96)
- Aurora = Complete brand with tokens and AI prompts ($14)
What Looka Provides
Looka offers fast, template-driven visuals. You enter a name, select styles, and the tool outputs logos and a basic brand kit.
Strengths:
- Simple, fast generation
- Low barrier to entry
- Clean logo suggestions
- Social media templates included
- Good for micro-brands and quick projects
Limitations:
- No emotional profiling system
- No design token exports
- Limited typography guidance
- No AI prompt templates
- No production-ready code exports
Bottom line: Looka generates visual assets quickly. It's perfect if you need a logo today and don't need a complete brand.
What Aurora Identity Provides
Aurora starts with a different premise: Emotion in, system out.
You complete an 8-question adaptive interview. Aurora interprets your emotional signature and outputs a complete, production-ready brand.
What you get:
🎨 Complete Design System:
- WCAG-compliant color palettes with mathematical contrast ratios
- Typography hierarchy with web-safe fallbacks
- Spacing and layout rules
- Logo system guidelines (grid, exclusion zones, minimum sizes)
💻 Production-Ready Exports:
- Figma design tokens (copy-paste into Figma)
- CSS variables (ready for web development)
- Tailwind config (for Tailwind CSS users)
- JSON brand profile (complete system data)
- PDF brand guidelines (for clients/teams)
🤖 AI Prompt Templates:
- Tone of voice guidelines for ChatGPT and Claude
- Visual direction keywords for Midjourney and DALL-E
- Structured prompts that keep AI outputs on-brand
📊 Emotional Foundation:
- 5-dimensional emotional vector (patent-pending)
- Structured reasoning for every design decision
- Consistent feel across all brand touchpoints
Aurora outputs decisions that hold up in production—not just pretty pictures.
Feature Comparison: Looka vs Aurora
| Feature | Looka | Aurora Identity |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $20-96 | $14 (one-time) |
| What you get | Logo + basic brand kit | Complete brand system |
| Logo design | ✓ Multiple variations | — (use Looka or hire a designer) |
| Color system | Basic palette | WCAG-compliant with contrast ratios |
| Typography | Font suggestions | Complete hierarchy + web fallbacks |
| Design tokens | — | ✓ Figma, CSS, Tailwind |
| Tone of voice | — | ✓ Structured guidelines |
| AI prompts | — | ✓ ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney templates |
| Emotional profiling | — | ✓ 5D vector (patent-pending) |
| Production exports | Images only | JSON, CSS vars, PDF, Figma tokens |
| Commercial license | ✓ | ✓ |
| Best for | Quick logos | Complete brand systems |
The Core Difference: Assets vs Systems
The fundamental difference isn't about features—it's about philosophy.
Looka is asset-driven. It generates visual variations quickly. You pick what looks good, download files, and you're done. This works great for simple needs.
Aurora is system-driven. It builds an emotional foundation first, then generates a coherent identity system where every decision connects back to that foundation. This works when you need consistency across platforms, teams, and time.
| Looka | Aurora |
|---|---|
| Aesthetic-driven | Structure-driven |
| Creates variations | Creates unified identity |
| You choose what looks good | System explains why it's good |
| Assets for today | System for tomorrow |
When to Use Looka vs Aurora
Use Looka when:
✓ You only need a logo
✓ You have no design experience
✓ You want quick social media graphics
✓ You're testing a brand idea
✓ Budget: $20-96
Perfect for: Solopreneurs, side projects, quick rebrands
Use Aurora when:
✓ You need a complete brand system
✓ You're building a product or website
✓ You use AI for content (ChatGPT, Midjourney, etc.)
✓ You need production-ready tokens (Figma, CSS)
✓ You want WCAG-compliant colors
✓ You're a designer/developer who needs foundation
✓ You work with a team that needs consistency
✓ Budget: $14 one-time
Perfect for: Startups, agencies, developers, designers, teams using AI
Real-World Example: Who Uses What
Scenario 1: Coffee shop owner needs a logo
→ Use Looka. Quick, simple, gets the job done.
Scenario 2: SaaS startup building a web app
→ Use Aurora. You need design tokens for your codebase, tone guidelines for marketing copy, and consistent colors across the entire product.
Scenario 3: Agency pitching 3 brand concepts to a client
→ Use Aurora. Generate 3 complete brand systems in 30 minutes, let the client choose, then refine the winner.
Scenario 4: Freelance designer who needs a starting point
→ Use Aurora. Get a solid foundation, then customize and refine in Figma.
Scenario 5: Content creator using ChatGPT and Midjourney
→ Use Aurora. Get AI prompt templates so all your content stays on-brand.
Looka Alternative FAQ
Is Aurora cheaper than Looka?
Yes. Aurora is $14 one-time payment versus Looka's $20-96 subscription or one-time fee. Both include commercial licenses.
Does Aurora create logos like Looka?
No. Aurora focuses on complete brand colors, typography, tone, and design tokens. For logo design, use Looka or hire a designer, then use Aurora to build the rest of your brand around it.
Can I use Aurora with Figma?
Yes. Aurora exports design tokens that you can copy-paste directly into Figma as color styles, text styles, and spacing tokens. No manual setup required.
What's the difference between a logo and a brand system?
A logo is a visual mark—one piece of your brand.
A brand system includes:
- Color palettes (with usage rules)
- Typography hierarchy
- Tone of voice guidelines
- Spacing and layout rules
- Visual direction for photography/design
- Token exports for implementation
Aurora generates the system. Looka generates the logo.
Does Aurora include AI prompts?
Yes. Every Aurora brand profile includes tone-of-voice templates optimized for ChatGPT, Claude, and Midjourney. This means your AI-generated content (copy, images, etc.) stays coherent with your brand identity.
Can I generate multiple brands for free?
Yes. Aurora has a freemium model—you can generate unlimited brand identities for free. You only pay $14 when you want to unlock exports (tokens, PDF, AI prompts) for a brand you love.
What if I don't like the result?
Generate as many brands as you want for free. Only pay for the one you want to use professionally. No credit card required to start.
Do I need design experience to use Aurora?
No. Aurora guides you through 8 simple questions about your brand's personality. The system handles all the technical design decisions (color theory, typography pairing, WCAG compliance, etc.).
Can I use Aurora commercially?
Yes. When you unlock a brand for $14, you get a full commercial license. Use it for your business, client work, or any commercial project.
How is Aurora different from other AI brand tools?
Most AI tools generate random combinations or use templates. Aurora uses emotional profiling—a patent-pending 5-dimensional vector system that translates brand personality into coherent design decisions. Every color, font choice, and tone guideline connects back to your brand's emotional foundation.
Try Aurora Identity Free
Generate unlimited brand identities for free. Only pay $14 when you want to export tokens and AI prompts.
Generate Your Brand Identity →
✓ No credit card required
✓ Full commercial license included with unlock
✓ Lifetime access to your brand profile
✓ Export to Figma, CSS, Tailwind, PDF
Final Verdict
If your goal is surface, Looka is enough.
If your goal is identity, Aurora is the correct tool.
Both tools serve different needs. Looka excels at quick logo generation. Aurora excels at building complete brand systems with production-ready exports and AI coherence.
Choose based on what you're building:
- Need a logo? → Looka
- Need a system? → Aurora
- Need both? → Use Looka for the logo, Aurora for everything else
Clarity, structured.
Related Reading
- Why Your Brand Needs a Complete Identity for AI To Understand It
- What Are Brand Identity Design Services? Explained Simply
Last updated: December 2024
AuroraEmotionProfile is patent-pending technology (SE 2430666-3)