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Photography · head to head

Lensa vs Pic-Time

Lensa logo

Lensa

Photography

AI photo editing and avatar generation app from Prisma Labs, known for its viral Magic Avatars feature

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pic-Time logo

Pic-Time

Photography

Client galleries with an automated print store and marketing campaigns built in

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lensa the underlying Stable Diffusion model was trained on images scraped from the internet, including copyrighted artwork, without direct consent from the original artists, and Lensa avatar outputs have been criticised for replicating identifiable artist styles without attribution or compensation.; Pic-Time the commission on store sales means the true cost rises with your success, so a photographer with strong print revenue may pay far more than the subscription implies and should price the top tier against the percentage before choosing.
  • They diverge on capability: Lensa covers Magic Avatars, Pic-Time covers Designed galleries.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lensa and Pic-Time actually diverge.

Attributes where Lensa and Pic-Time differ
AttributeLensaPic-Time
Pricing modelFree download with a short free trial, Magic Avatars and most tools require paymentPer month by photo count
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Lensa

  • Magic Avatars
  • Photo retouching
  • Sky and background replacement
  • Portrait enhancement
  • Multiple avatar style packs
  • Selfie upload and processing

Only in Pic-Time

  • Designed galleries
  • Automated store campaigns
  • Wall art visualiser
  • Album proofing
  • Regional lab fulfilment
  • Digital delivery

What people use each for

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

Lensa

  • Someone wanting to generate stylised AI avatars from their own selfies, understanding those selfies are uploaded for AI processingnot Pic-Time
  • A user comfortable with the documented training-data provenance concerns around the underlying Stable Diffusion model choosing to proceed anywaynot Pic-Time
  • Someone wanting general photo retouching tools separate from the avatar featurenot Pic-Time
  • A user comfortable cancelling a free trial through phone app store settings before it converts to a paid chargenot Pic-Time

Pic-Time

  • A wedding photographer who wants print revenue from past clients without writing and sending the promotions personallynot Lensa
  • Studios where the gallery itself is part of the perceived product and a plain grid of thumbnails undersells the worknot Lensa
  • Album based workflows that need clients to comment on spreads rather than exchange PDFs by emailnot Lensa
  • Photographers with clients in several countries who need orders fulfilled by a lab local to the clientnot Lensa

Where each one falls short

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

Lensa

  • The underlying Stable Diffusion model was trained on images scraped from the internet, including copyrighted artwork, without direct consent from the original artists, and Lensa avatar outputs have been criticised for replicating identifiable artist styles without attribution or compensation.
  • Users and journalists reported the Magic Avatars feature generating sexualised images from ordinary selfies, including reported cases involving photos of minors, without the user requesting that style, raising documented concerns about model behaviour and safeguards.
  • Magic Avatars typically requires a separate one-time purchase on top of any Pro subscription, so the total cost of trying the feature is not covered by a single subscription fee alone.
  • The free trial converts automatically into a paid recurring subscription unless cancelled beforehand, following the same pattern of complaints about unexpected charges seen across comparable apps in this category.
  • Generating avatars requires uploading a set of personal selfies for AI processing; Prisma Labs states these are deleted after processing and not used for further model training, but this relies on the company's own stated policy rather than independently verifiable proof.

Pic-Time

  • The commission on store sales means the true cost rises with your success, so a photographer with strong print revenue may pay far more than the subscription implies and should price the top tier against the percentage before choosing.
  • Storage is counted by photo, so high volume delivery pushes you up the tiers even when the files themselves are small.
  • There is no contracts, invoicing, booking or CRM module, so a working studio still pays for a separate management tool and reconciles two systems.
  • Lab coverage is uneven by country and some regions have a single partner, which removes any ability to shop for print quality or price.
  • The automated campaigns go out under your studio name on Pic-Time schedules, and photographers with a small or recently marketed client list can look pushy unless every sequence is edited by hand.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lensa

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Very limited basic editing tools
    • Trial access to Pro features for a short period
    • Magic Avatars sold separately per pack in most cases
  • Lensa Pro$35.99/year
    • Access to enhancement and retouching tools
    • Auto-renews annually unless cancelled before the trial or renewal date
    • Magic Avatars typically purchased as a separate one-time pack fee on top

Pic-Time

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Small photo allowance for evaluating the platform
    • Store available with the commission that applies to this tier
  • Paid tiers$undefined/month
    • Priced by the number of photos stored
    • The sales commission differs by tier and falls on the higher plans
    • Automated marketing campaigns included from the paid tiers upward

Which should you pick?

Choose Lensa if

  • You need magic avatars.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want photo retouching.
Lensa review

Choose Pic-Time if

  • You need designed galleries.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated store campaigns.
Pic-Time review

Questions people ask

Is Lensa or Pic-Time better?
Neither clearly leads. Lensa starts at Free and Pic-Time at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lensa or Pic-Time?
Lensa starts at Free and Pic-Time at Free.
Does Lensa or Pic-Time run on more platforms?
Lensa runs on iOS, Android. Pic-Time runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Lensa for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lensa best used for?
Lensa is most often used for someone wanting to generate stylised ai avatars from their own selfies, understanding those selfies are uploaded for ai processing, a user comfortable with the documented training-data provenance concerns around the underlying stable diffusion model choosing to proceed anyway, someone wanting general photo retouching tools separate from the avatar feature, a user comfortable cancelling a free trial through phone app store settings before it converts to a paid charge. Of those, someone wanting to generate stylised ai avatars from their own selfies, understanding those selfies are uploaded for ai processing and a user comfortable with the documented training-data provenance concerns around the underlying stable diffusion model choosing to proceed anyway are not what Pic-Time is typically brought in for.
What can Lensa do that Pic-Time cannot?
Lensa covers Magic Avatars, Photo retouching, Sky and background replacement, Portrait enhancement. Pic-Time covers Designed galleries, Automated store campaigns, Wall art visualiser, Album proofing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lensa: Is Lensa Magic Avatars feature the same as photo editing?

No, Magic Avatars is a separate AI portrait generation feature using the Stable Diffusion model, distinct from the app's standard photo retouching tools.

Pic-Time: Does Pic-Time take a percentage of print sales?

Yes, and the rate depends on the plan you are on, with the higher tiers reducing it. Check the current rate for your tier, because it usually outweighs the monthly price difference.

Lensa: Did Lensa face criticism over its AI avatars?

Yes, documented criticism covered the underlying model training data being scraped without artist consent, and reports of the feature generating sexualised images from ordinary selfies without the user requesting that style.

Pic-Time: Can it replace my studio management software?

No. There is no contract signing, invoicing or booking. Pic-Time covers delivery and sales only.

Lensa: What happens to my selfies after generating an avatar?

Prisma Labs states uploaded selfies are deleted after processing and not used to further train the underlying model, though this relies on the company's own disclosed policy.

Pic-Time: Do clients need an account to view a gallery?

No. Galleries open from a link with an optional password, and an email is only requested when a client downloads or orders.

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