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Photography · head to head

Facetune vs Luminar Neo

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
Luminar Neo logo

Luminar Neo

Photography

AI-powered photo editor with generative tools and one-time or subscription licensing

From
$129/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Facetune has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Luminar Neo perpetual license only guarantees 1 year of AI tool access, after which continued AI features require renewing Luminar Prime.
  • They diverge on capability: Facetune covers Skin and blemish retouching, Luminar Neo covers GenErase and GenSwap.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Facetune and Luminar Neo actually diverge.

Attributes where Facetune and Luminar Neo differ
AttributeFacetuneLuminar Neo
Starting priceFree$129/month
Pricing modelFree download with a short free trial, most tools require a Facetune Pro subscription that auto-renews annuallyone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Androidwindows, mac, ios, android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Photography).

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 Luminar Neo

  • GenErase and GenSwap
  • GenExpand
  • AI Assistant
  • Cross-device syncing
  • Preset and asset library

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

Luminar Neo

  • Removing unwanted objects from photos using generative AInot Facetune
  • Expanding a photo's canvas with AI-generated contentnot Facetune
  • Editing photos across desktop and mobile with synced projectsnot Facetune
  • Applying preset styles and sky replacements to landscape photographynot 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.

Luminar Neo

  • Perpetual license only guarantees 1 year of AI tool access, after which continued AI features require renewing Luminar Prime.
  • Web access is not yet available at purchase time and is listed as a future addition.
  • AI features are subject to a Fair Use Policy limiting bulk or automated generation.
  • Cross-device editing currently only syncs mobile to desktop, with full bidirectional sync pending the web release.

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

Luminar Neo

$129/month
  • Desktop Only$129/month
    • Perpetual license for 2 devices (macOS & Windows)
    • 1-year AI tools access
    • Continuous updates
  • All Platforms$159/month
    • Desktop, mobile (3 devices), and upcoming web access
    • Cross-device syncing and Spaces galleries
    • 1-year AI tools access
  • Max$199/month
    • All platforms included
    • Luminar Prime included for 1 year (auto-renews)
    • Permanent access to features released during subscription

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 Luminar Neo if

  • You need generase and genswap.
  • You work on windows, mac, ios, android.
  • You also want genexpand.
Luminar Neo review

Questions people ask

Is Facetune or Luminar Neo better?
Neither clearly leads. Facetune starts at Free and Luminar Neo at $129/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Facetune or Luminar Neo?
Facetune has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Facetune and $129/month for Luminar Neo.
Does Facetune or Luminar Neo run on more platforms?
Facetune runs on iOS, Android. Luminar Neo runs on windows, mac, ios, android.
Can I use Facetune for free?
Yes. Facetune has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Luminar Neo starts at $129/month.
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 Luminar Neo is typically brought in for.
What can Facetune do that Luminar Neo cannot?
Facetune covers Skin and blemish retouching, Facial reshaping, Body contouring, Teeth whitening and eye enhancement. Luminar Neo covers GenErase and GenSwap, GenExpand, AI Assistant, Cross-device syncing.

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.

Luminar Neo: What does Luminar Neo cost?

Luminar Neo starts at $129 for a Desktop Only perpetual license, $159 for All Platforms (desktop, mobile, and upcoming web), and $199 for the Max plan which adds a year of Luminar Prime.

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.

Luminar Neo: Is there a free trial or refund policy?

Luminar Neo offers a 30-day money-back guarantee along with 24/7 support for purchasers.

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.

Luminar Neo: What is the Fair Use Policy for AI features?

The Fair Use Policy sets guidelines for responsible access to AI features, intended to prevent automated bulk generation and license sharing across users.

Source
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