FaceApp vs Lensa (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Lensa grades higher than FaceApp: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Lensa grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Lensa
Phone photo editor with AI effects, retouching and an eraser
Which one is for you
Pick FaceApp if
- Fits if you want quick face filters on your phone
- Works for people who do not mind a paid tier for the rest of the filters
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: PRO prices are shown without a billing period
- Watch out: store reviews mention charges after the 3-day trial
- Skip it if you want a web or desktop version, as it is phones only
- Tight if you stay free, as which filters remain free is not stated
Pick Lensa if
- Fits if you edit photos on your phone and like one-tap effects
- Works for people who want an eraser and an enhancer in the same app
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to work on a computer, since Lensa is phone-only
- Watch out: billing periods are mostly missing on the store listing
- Watch out: Magic Avatars are extra, at $3.99 to $11.99 a pack
- Watch out: some App Store reviews complain about charges or avatar sets that never arrived
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAFaceAppFair | 2.4GPALensaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe App Store lists FaceApp PRO at $10, $20, $60 and $100 without naming the periods, so there is no price to grade against the category. That sits at C. | CA $2.99 one-week pass or $29.99 and $35.99 plans whose billing periods aren't shown, so what you pay per month is unclear. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree to download, with some filters free, though the pages do not say which stay free. A developer reply says an ad-supported unlock is being tested. | CFree to download, but the listing doesn't say which features work without paying. |
| Features | CHair, makeup and face filters with before and after compare. It does that one job fully and it is a smaller job than most of the category. | CEffects, beauty and hair tools, an eraser, an enhancer and avatar packs. Avatars are bought separately at $3.99 to $11.99. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record. You install the app and start using it, with nothing to set up. | A4.7 from about 418,000 App Store ratings. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiPhone, iPad and Android. There is no web or desktop version listed. | CiPhone and Android only. No desktop app or web editor. |
| Best for | face filters on a phone | phone photo effects and retouching from Prisma Labs |
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: FaceApp and Lensa. How we grade
Where they differ
At a glance
| FaceApp | Lensa | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $10.00 (in-app purchase, billing period not shown) | $2.99 for Unlimited Access (1 Week), per the App Store listing |
| Free plan | Free to download; the App Store lists in-app purchases, and the pages read do not say which filters stay free. | The app is free to download; the store listing does not say which features work without paying. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FaceApp Technology Limited | Prisma Labs, Inc. |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FaceApp
- The app runs on iPhone, iPad and Android; there is no web or desktop version listed.
- The App Store lists FaceApp PRO at $10, $20, $60 and $100 without saying which is monthly, yearly or one-time.
- A Google Play developer reply says an ad-supported way to unlock some filters is being tested and that many filters are free in the Showcase folder.
- Store reviews mention charges after a 3-day trial.
Lensa
- Billing periods are mostly not shown on the store listing, so what each in-app purchase costs per month is unclear before opening the app.
- The app is phone-only; the vendor's site links to the App Store and Google Play and offers no desktop app.
- Several reviews on the App Store listing complain about charges or avatar sets that did not arrive; the average rating there is about 4.7 across 418,000 ratings.
Key features
FaceApp
- Hair and makeup filters
- Change hairstyle and hair color, add volume, or try full makeup looks.
- Face adjustments
- Add a beard or mustache, remove blemishes, smooth wrinkles or resize facial features.
- Before and after compare
- A compare tool shows the original against the edit at each step.
- Color and light controls
- Temperature, saturation and creative light effects can be adjusted.
- Sharing
- Edits can be shared to social media directly from the app.
Lensa
- AI effects and presets
- One-tap looks and color presets that grade a photo for a consistent feed.
- Beauty and hair tools
- Retouching, makeup and hair adjustments, plus a hair try-on that restyles a selfie into different cuts.
- Object eraser
- Brush over a person or object and the app fills in the background.
- Enhancer
- Upscales cropped or low-resolution photos and brightens dark ones.
- Avatars
- The store listing describes artistic avatar creation, sold as separate Magic Avatars packs.
Plans
FaceApp
FaceApp PRO$10
in-app purchase, billing period not shown
Unlocks the paid filters and tools; the listing shows $10, $20, $60 and $100 options without naming their periods.
Lensa
Free download$0
The app costs nothing to install; the listing shows in-app purchases from $2.99 to $49.99.
Unlimited Access (1 Week)$2.99
for 1 week
Shortest access pass in the US App Store list.
Unlimited Access$29.99
billing period not shown on the listing
Amounts of $4.99, $29.99, $39.99 and $49.99 are all listed as Unlimited Access with no period. The store description separately gives a weekly plan range of $6.99 to $19.99.
Membership$35.99
billing period not shown on the listing
In-app purchase named Membership.
Magic Avatars packs$3.99
one-time packs, $3.99 to $11.99
Avatar packs sold separately, listed as Pack 1 ($3.99), Pack 2 ($5.99), Pack 10 ($7.99) and Pack 11 ($11.99).
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FaceApp or Lensa?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FaceApp starts at $10.00 (in-app purchase, billing period not shown), and Lensa starts at $2.99 for Unlimited Access (1 Week), per the App Store listing.
Which has a free plan, FaceApp or Lensa?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both FaceApp and Lensa have a free plan.
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.