# Photo Retouch vs PaintUp

The clearest difference is ads: PaintUp at none against Photo Retouch's shown. PaintUp also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 19 months). Photo Retouch's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photo Retouch sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and PaintUp sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Photo Retouch against 5.0 for PaintUp. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Photo Retouch ships an update every 19 months, PaintUp every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photo Retouch | PaintUp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-retouch-cutout-editor/id1623971939/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintup-remove-objects/id6468915481/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 103 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Deepak Jalwa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1809904290) | [Karolis Raiselis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1442359782) |

## What reviewers say

### Photo Retouch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-retouch-cutout-editor/id1623971939)

This app offers a suite of photo editing tools, including templates for social media stories, photo blending for double exposure effects, and background removal for creative compositions. Enhance your images with filters, color adjustments, and various artistic brushes.

**Highlights:** Insta Story Templates, Double Exposure/Photo Blending, Photo Background Removal, Filters and Color Adjustments, Magic Brush and Stickers, Square Crop and Blurring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cutout Editor (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Cutout Editor (Yearly) | $4.49 | per year |
| Cutout Editor (Lifetime) | $7.99 | one-time |


### PaintUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintup-remove-objects/id6468915481)

Effortlessly remove unwanted objects, blemishes, and distractions from your photos to achieve stunning, picture-perfect results. This user-friendly tool offers professional-quality editing for everyone, from photographers to casual users. Enhance your memories and share flawless images with ease.

**Highlights:** Object removal, Blemish correction, User-friendly interface, High-quality results, Save and share functionality, Regular updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PaintUp Premium | $0.99 | one-time |
| PaintUp Premium | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photo Retouch free?

Photo Retouch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PaintUp free?

PaintUp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Photo Retouch or PaintUp?

Photo Retouch and PaintUp are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Photo Retouch or PaintUp have ads?

Photo Retouch shows ads; PaintUp does not.

### Which is updated more often, Photo Retouch or PaintUp?

Photo Retouch ships an update every 19 months, and PaintUp every 3 months. Most recently, Photo Retouch was updated on November 3, 2026 and PaintUp on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*