FaceApp made age swaps and gender filters viral, then tied most of the good filters to a yearly Pro plan and asked people to upload selfies to a server before processing. Both decisions still bother users. Privacy reviewers note that photos travel through cloud servers, the aging filter that drove the original wave is now Pro-only, and the free tier feels increasingly thin once you turn off the daily ad watch.
If you are looking for FaceApp alternatives that handle filters, age effects, AI portraits, or makeup with less friction, the field is broader than FaceApp’s marketing suggests. We tested seven and ranked them by the job they actually do best.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snapchat | Live AR filters and Lenses | Yes | Snapchat+ $3.99/mo | Android, iOS |
| Reface | Face-swap GIFs and clips | Yes, with watermark | $7.99/mo Pro | Android, iOS |
| B612 | Daily selfie filters | Yes | $5.99/mo VIP | Android, iOS |
| YouCam Makeup | Virtual makeup tryon | Yes | $7.99/mo Premium | Android, iOS |
| Voila AI Artist | Cartoon and Renaissance portraits | Yes, with watermark | $4.99/mo | Android, iOS |
| ToonMe | One-tap cartoon avatars | Yes | $4.99/mo | Android, iOS |
| Photo Lab | Montages and creative face effects | Yes, with watermark | $5.99/mo | Android, iOS |
Why people leave FaceApp
Cloud upload of every selfie. FaceApp processes photos on its servers, not on the device. Users uneasy about a photo of their face leaving the phone tend to look for on-device alternatives.
The Pro paywall on the headline filters. The aging filter that put FaceApp on the map is part of Pro. So is gender swap, hair colour, and most of the impression filters. Free users effectively get a demo.
Pricing creep. FaceApp Pro is among the more expensive single-purpose filter apps, and the lifetime option is regularly pulled from regions before quietly returning.
App size and battery use. Each release adds models. Older Androids report visible slowdown when applying multiple filters in sequence, and longer-than-expected processing times even on fast networks.
The best FaceApp alternatives
Snapchat, best for live AR filters and Lenses
Snapchat has the largest catalogue of face-tracking effects on mobile, almost all of them free. The Lens Studio community ships dozens of new effects daily, including age, gender, cartoon, and beauty looks that match or beat FaceApp’s headline filters. Effects run live on the device, so there is no cloud upload step and no waiting on a render.
If your FaceApp use was the viral filter chase, Snapchat covers that without a subscription.
Where it falls short: No editing surface for existing photos beyond a quick import to a Lens. The chat and stories shell can feel like overkill if you only want filters.
Pricing:
- Free: Full Lens catalogue, camera filters, basic editing
- Snapchat+: $3.99 a month for premium Lenses, AI features, and storage perks
- vs FaceApp: Far cheaper for a much wider effect library
Migrating from FaceApp: Bring your selfies into Snapchat’s camera or import from camera roll. The matching Lens for almost any FaceApp effect exists in the discovery feed.
Bottom line: The default FaceApp alternative for free filters and live AR effects.
Reface, best for face-swap GIFs and clips
Reface does the one thing FaceApp never quite nailed: clean face swaps onto videos and GIFs. The library of source clips is large, the swap quality is the best on mobile, and the clip output works as a standalone share without watermarks for paid users.
If you used FaceApp for fun face swaps rather than serious selfie edits, Reface vs FaceApp is a clear win for Reface on output quality.
Where it falls short: Free exports include a small Reface watermark and a daily processing cap. Photo editing tools beyond face swap are minimal.
Pricing:
- Free: Limited daily swaps with watermark
- Pro: $7.99 a month or $39.99 a year for unlimited swaps, no watermark, faster processing
- vs FaceApp: Cheaper annually with stronger video swap output
Migrating from FaceApp: Drop a selfie into the Reface camera and pick a target clip. No project transfer needed.
Bottom line: The cleanest face-swap output on mobile and the best fit for video edits.
B612, best for daily selfie filters
B612 is Snow Corp’s selfie camera, sister app to LINE Camera and SNOW. The makeup, beauty, and stylistic filters are tuned for daily wear rather than viral effects, with subtler results than Snapchat’s catalogue. Stickers, AR backgrounds, and short video tools round out the kit.
For users who used FaceApp’s beauty and makeup filters more than the age and gender swaps, B612 produces more flattering output and respects the original photo more faithfully.
Where it falls short: No headline gender or aging filters. The premium VIP tier is needed for the polished filter packs.
Pricing:
- Free: Wide filter and sticker library
- VIP: $5.99 a month or about $35 a year for premium filters and ad-free
- vs FaceApp: Cheaper monthly with a friendlier daily filter range
Migrating from FaceApp: Open the camera and pick a filter, or import an existing photo. The output style differs but most users find a flattering match within minutes.
Bottom line: Pick B612 for daily selfie polish without aggressive face reshaping.
YouCam Makeup, best for virtual makeup tryon
YouCam Makeup runs deeper makeup simulation than any general filter app. Lip colour, eyeliner, blush, foundation, and full looks render with surprising accuracy on a live camera, and the brand catalogue includes products from major makeup houses for direct purchase.
If FaceApp’s appeal was the makeup row of filters, YouCam Makeup gives you proper sliders for shade, finish, and intensity instead of a fixed preset.
Where it falls short: Heavy ad load on the free tier. Many advanced looks and tutorials need Premium. The interface leans hard on shopping prompts.
Pricing:
- Free: Live makeup with ads
- Premium: $7.99 a month or about $39 a year for ad-free, full looks, and HD export
- vs FaceApp: Comparable Premium price with deeper makeup-specific tools
Migrating from FaceApp: Apply makeup to a saved selfie or live camera. The two apps don’t share assets, but the output is closer to professional retouch.
Bottom line: The best FaceApp alternative for serious makeup tryon and beauty edits.
Voila AI Artist, best for cartoon and Renaissance portraits
Voila AI Artist turned the Pixar-style cartoon filter into a sustained product after the original viral wave. Renaissance, 3D cartoon, anime, and caricature presets all render in seconds and produce cleaner output than FaceApp’s similar AI styles.
For users who used FaceApp mainly for the stylised AI looks, Voila is a tighter, cheaper, single-purpose alternative.
Where it falls short: Not a general selfie editor. Watermarks on free exports. The catalogue rotates and some viral styles disappear after a season.
Pricing:
- Free: Daily renders with watermark
- Pro: $4.99 a month or about $29 a year for unlimited renders without watermark
- vs FaceApp: Cheaper across the board with stronger cartoon and stylised output
Migrating from FaceApp: Re-upload selfies and pick a style. Output usually feels less uncanny than FaceApp’s cartoon row.
Bottom line: The cleanest cartoon and Renaissance portrait output among FaceApp alternatives.
ToonMe, best for one-tap cartoon avatars
ToonMe is the closest match to the cartoon style that drove FaceApp’s TikTok wave. Vector-style avatars, Disney-inspired looks, and pop-art portraits all generate from a single tap, and the output is usually share-ready without further edits.
It is narrower than Voila but the toon catalogue is deeper. ToonMe vs FaceApp on stylised avatars usually goes ToonMe’s way.
Where it falls short: Not a serious selfie editor. Limited beyond cartoon styles. Premium is required for the most popular looks.
Pricing:
- Free: Daily renders with limits
- Pro: $4.99 a month or about $29 a year for unlimited toons and exclusive styles
- vs FaceApp: Cheaper monthly with more cartoon-specific styles
Migrating from FaceApp: Upload a selfie and pick a toon. No project transfer needed.
Bottom line: A pocket cartoon engine that reliably produces social-ready avatars.
Photo Lab, best for creative face montages
Photo Lab is broader than FaceApp’s filter row. Face montages, Renaissance backgrounds, double exposures, and full neural style transfers all run in a single app, and most renders take seconds. For users who used FaceApp as a creative photo toy more than as a beauty editor, Photo Lab is the natural step up in variety.
The output style ranges from quirky to genuinely artistic depending on the chosen effect, and exports work in normal photo viewers without needing a Photo Lab account.
Where it falls short: Watermarks on free exports, ad pacing is heavier than FaceApp’s, and serious selfie retouching tools are absent.
Pricing:
- Free: Hundreds of effects with watermark and ads
- Pro: $5.99 a month or about $35 a year to remove watermarks and ads
- vs FaceApp: Cheaper monthly with a far larger creative effect catalogue
Migrating from FaceApp: Upload selfies and pick an effect. Output style is more creative and less polished than FaceApp’s beauty pass.
Bottom line: The best FaceApp alternative for variety and creative one-tap effects.
How to choose
Pick Snapchat for free live filters with the deepest catalogue, no subscription, and on-device processing.
Pick Reface if your FaceApp use was face swaps onto videos and GIFs.
Pick B612 for daily flattering selfie filters that don’t reshape your face beyond recognition.
Pick YouCam Makeup if makeup tryon is the actual job.
Pick Voila AI Artist for cartoon, Renaissance, and stylised portraits.
Pick ToonMe for fast one-tap cartoon avatars on social.
Pick Photo Lab for the widest creative montage and effect catalogue at a low monthly cost.
Stay on FaceApp if the polished beauty retouching pipeline is what you actually use, and the cloud upload doesn’t worry you.
FAQ
Is FaceApp safe to use in 2026? FaceApp processes photos on cloud servers and stores some uploads. Privacy researchers have flagged this since 2019. If on-device processing matters to you, Snapchat, B612, and YouCam Makeup all run locally on Android and iOS.
Is there a free FaceApp alternative for the aging filter? Snapchat ships several free aging Lenses that match FaceApp’s Old filter, with no subscription. Voila AI Artist also includes age-shift renders on its free tier with watermarks.
Which FaceApp alternative is best for face swaps? Reface. The video face-swap engine produces cleaner output than FaceApp on the same selfie, and Pro removes the watermark for $7.99 a month.
Can I import FaceApp Pro filters into another app? No. FaceApp’s filters are proprietary and don’t export. You re-upload the same selfies in the alternative app and pick a comparable filter.
What do people use instead of FaceApp? The most common moves are Snapchat for free filters, Reface for face swaps, Voila or ToonMe for cartoon styles, and YouCam Makeup for serious beauty work. Most users find one or two of these covers their FaceApp routine without a subscription.
