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Photography · head to head

Lensa vs Storytel

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
Storytel logo

Storytel

Publishing

Unlimited audiobook and ebook subscription, strong in Europe and Latin America, no library card needed

From
$14.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lensa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Storytel catalogue depth and specific title availability vary significantly by country, so the experience in a core Nordic market is not the same as in newer markets.
  • They diverge on capability: Lensa covers Magic Avatars, Storytel covers Unlimited streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lensa and Storytel actually diverge.

Attributes where Lensa and Storytel differ
AttributeLensaStorytel
Starting priceFree$14.99/month
Pricing modelFree download with a short free trial, Magic Avatars and most tools require paymentPer user per month, unlimited
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
CategoryPhotographyPublishing

Identical on both: 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 Lensa

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

Only in Storytel

  • Unlimited streaming
  • Offline downloads
  • Combined ebook and audiobook catalogue
  • Kids profiles
  • Personalised recommendations
  • Multi-device sync

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 Storytel
  • A user comfortable with the documented training-data provenance concerns around the underlying Stable Diffusion model choosing to proceed anywaynot Storytel
  • Someone wanting general photo retouching tools separate from the avatar featurenot Storytel
  • A user comfortable cancelling a free trial through phone app store settings before it converts to a paid chargenot Storytel

Storytel

  • A commuter who listens to several audiobooks a month and finds per-title purchase or credit systems expensivenot Lensa
  • A reader tired of library holds queues who wants guaranteed instant access to anything in the cataloguenot Lensa
  • A family wanting a shared subscription with separate kids profiles for audio contentnot Lensa
  • Someone in a Storytel-strong market such as Sweden, Poland or Brazil where the catalogue depth is greatestnot 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.

Storytel

  • Catalogue depth and specific title availability vary significantly by country, so the experience in a core Nordic market is not the same as in newer markets.
  • Access stops the moment you cancel, so a lapsed subscriber loses the ability to continue books they were partway through, unlike owned audiobook purchases elsewhere.
  • Its ebook catalogue is meaningfully smaller than dedicated ebook services, so heavy ebook readers may find it thinner than expected.
  • It competes on unlimited access, so heavy listeners get better value than light users, who may find a credit-based service like Libro.fm or Audible cheaper per book.
  • Pricing and plan structure have changed by market over time, so the number of concurrent profiles and exact price should be checked for your specific country.

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

Storytel

$14.99/month
  • Storytel$14.99/month
    • Unlimited audiobook streaming
    • Smaller unlimited ebook catalogue
    • Offline downloads

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 Storytel if

  • You need unlimited streaming.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline downloads.
Storytel review

Questions people ask

Is Lensa or Storytel better?
Neither clearly leads. Lensa starts at Free and Storytel at $14.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lensa or Storytel?
Lensa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lensa and $14.99/month for Storytel.
Does Lensa or Storytel run on more platforms?
Lensa runs on iOS, Android. Storytel runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Lensa for free?
Yes. Lensa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Storytel starts at $14.99/month.
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 Storytel is typically brought in for.
What can Lensa do that Storytel cannot?
Lensa covers Magic Avatars, Photo retouching, Sky and background replacement, Portrait enhancement. Storytel covers Unlimited streaming, Offline downloads, Combined ebook and audiobook catalogue, Kids profiles.

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.

Storytel: Do I need a library card for Storytel?

No, it is a paid subscription open to anyone regardless of library eligibility.

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.

Storytel: Is access unlimited or credit-based?

Unlimited streaming while subscribed, not a credit system like Libro.fm or Audible.

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.

Storytel: What happens to my books if I cancel?

You lose access to the catalogue, including anything you were partway through, since nothing is owned outright.

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