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Photography · head to head

Facetune vs GIMP

Facetune logo

Facetune

Photography

Selfie and portrait retouching app from Lightricks, sold on a subscription with a short free trial

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GIMP logo

GIMP

Publishing

Free and open-source image editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Facetune the free trial is short, commonly around 3 days, and automatically converts into a paid annual subscription unless the user proactively cancels beforehand, a pattern that has generated a consistent volume of complaints about unexpected charges.; GIMP gPLv3 licence requires derivative works to be open-source and freely distributed
  • They diverge on capability: Facetune covers Skin and blemish retouching, GIMP covers Photo editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Facetune and GIMP actually diverge.

Attributes where Facetune and GIMP differ
AttributeFacetuneGIMP
Pricing modelFree download with a short free trial, most tools require a Facetune Pro subscription that auto-renews annuallyopen-source
PlatformsiOS, AndroidGNU/Linux, macOS, Windows
CategoryPhotographyPublishing
FoundedUnknown1995

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Facetune

  • Skin and blemish retouching
  • Facial reshaping
  • Body contouring
  • Teeth whitening and eye enhancement
  • Background blur and replacement
  • One-tap auto-enhance

Only in GIMP

  • Photo editing
  • Digital painting
  • Image processing
  • Batch editing
  • Filters
  • Color correction
  • Layer support
  • Script-fu automation

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Facetune

  • Someone wanting quick, targeted retouching of a single selfie or portrait before posting to social medianot GIMP
  • A user comfortable cancelling a free trial through their phone app store settings before it converts to a paid annual chargenot GIMP
  • Someone who has decided to pay for the annual subscription and wants a broad set of face and body retouching tools in one appnot GIMP
  • A user who has used Photoleap or Videoleap from the same publisher and wants a consistent editing tool stylenot GIMP

GIMP

  • Photo editing and retouching with professional colour managementnot Facetune
  • Digital art creation with power and flexibility for image transformationnot Facetune
  • Icon and UI element design for application developmentnot Facetune
  • Batch image processing through Python, C, C++, and Scheme scriptingnot Facetune

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Facetune

  • The free trial is short, commonly around 3 days, and automatically converts into a paid annual subscription unless the user proactively cancels beforehand, a pattern that has generated a consistent volume of complaints about unexpected charges.
  • Cancellation must be done through the phone Apple App Store or Google Play subscription management screens rather than a clear button inside the app itself, adding friction specifically at the point users most want to stop paying.
  • Nearly all meaningful retouching functionality is locked behind the paid tier, so the free download is not a genuinely usable product on its own, only a gateway to the trial.
  • Heavy reliance on face and body reshaping tools has drawn broader criticism, common to this whole app category, over promoting unrealistic beauty standards, particularly among younger users.
  • Published subscription pricing has varied by region and promotional period, so the price a new user is quoted is not necessarily stable or consistent across markets.

GIMP

  • GPLv3 licence requires derivative works to be open-source and freely distributed
  • Community-driven development with no commercial support tier
  • No native CMYK support for professional print workflows
  • Ecosystem depends on community plugins and scripts for advanced features

Pricing, plan by plan

Facetune

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Very limited basic editing tools
    • Most retouching features locked
    • Trial access to Pro tools for a short period, commonly around 3 days
  • Facetune Pro$47.99/year
    • Full access to retouching, reshaping and enhancement tools
    • Auto-renews annually unless cancelled before trial or renewal date
    • Cancellation handled through Apple App Store or Google Play subscription settings, not inside the app

GIMP

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the GIMP review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Facetune if

  • You need skin and blemish retouching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want facial reshaping.
Facetune review

Choose GIMP if

  • You need photo editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want digital painting.
GIMP review

Questions people ask

Is Facetune or GIMP better?
Neither clearly leads. Facetune starts at Free and GIMP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Facetune or GIMP?
Facetune starts at Free and GIMP at Free.
Does Facetune or GIMP run on more platforms?
Facetune runs on iOS, Android. GIMP runs on GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Facetune for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Facetune best used for?
Facetune is most often used for someone wanting quick, targeted retouching of a single selfie or portrait before posting to social media, a user comfortable cancelling a free trial through their phone app store settings before it converts to a paid annual charge, someone who has decided to pay for the annual subscription and wants a broad set of face and body retouching tools in one app, a user who has used photoleap or videoleap from the same publisher and wants a consistent editing tool style. Of those, someone wanting quick, targeted retouching of a single selfie or portrait before posting to social media and a user comfortable cancelling a free trial through their phone app store settings before it converts to a paid annual charge are not what GIMP is typically brought in for.
What can Facetune do that GIMP cannot?
Facetune covers Skin and blemish retouching, Facial reshaping, Body contouring, Teeth whitening and eye enhancement. GIMP covers Photo editing, Digital painting, Image processing, Batch editing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Facetune: Does Facetune have a free trial?

Yes, typically around 3 days, after which it automatically converts to a paid annual subscription unless cancelled beforehand.

GIMP: How much does GIMP cost?

GIMP is completely free to use and distribute. The software is released under the GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3), an open-source license that guarantees freedom to use, modify, and distribute.

Source
Facetune: How do I cancel a Facetune subscription?

Cancellation is done through the Apple App Store or Google Play subscription settings on your phone, not through a button inside the Facetune app itself.

GIMP: Can I modify and distribute GIMP?

Yes, GIMP's source code is available for modification and redistribution according to the terms of the GPLv3 license.

Source
Facetune: Can I use Facetune without paying?

The free download offers very limited functionality; nearly all retouching tools require the paid Facetune Pro subscription after the trial ends.

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