Layout - Photo Collage Maker

What it does

Layout is a comprehensive mobile tool for creating photo and video collages. The app allows users to combine multiple photos and videos into various layouts and stylized templates. It offers extensive customization options, including text, stickers, backgrounds, and filters, catering to users creating content for social media, wallpapers, or personal projects.

Where it shines

The app excels by separating its creation tools into purpose-driven workflows. On the home screen (01:17), a user can choose to make a 'Freestyle' collage, a 'Video', or a 'Carousel' for Instagram. This immediately tailors the experience to the user's goal. The photo collage editor is particularly strong, featuring an intuitive 'hold and swap' gesture for reordering images, which is cleverly taught through a just-in-time animated tutorial (01:51). The video editor (08:00) is also surprisingly robust, offering trimming, speed adjustments, filters, and music.

UX highlights

The home screen acts as a clear hub, with distinct entry points for different collage types (01:17).
Just-in-time tutorials, like the 'hold and swap' demo (01:51), teach complex gestures at the exact moment they are needed.
The text editing tool is powerful, offering not just fonts and colors but also adjustments for letter spacing and curvature (03:20).
Changing templates is non-destructive, allowing users to preview their selected photos in dozens of styles with a single tap (02:17).
The app includes a 'Reorder' layer management tool (06:48), which is a great feature for managing complex designs with overlapping elements.
Project management is straightforward, with familiar folder structures and clear options to move, duplicate, or delete projects (10:55).

Monetization & growth

The app uses a free trial model, gated by a paywall encountered at the end of the onboarding flow (00:57). The paywall screen is well-designed, featuring a visual timeline that clearly explains the trial period and billing schedule. This transparency helps build trust. The app also includes a rating prompt (10:27) after a user successfully completes a key action (exporting a video), which is a smart way to solicit positive reviews from happy users.

Who it’s for

This app is designed for social media users, content creators, and anyone looking to create visually appealing collages without needing complex desktop software. Its features, like the 'Carousel' maker (07:25) and various aspect ratios (01:24), are clearly tailored for platforms like Instagram. The simple interface also makes it accessible for casual users who just want to combine a few photos for a personal keepsake.

Notes & opportunities

The initial onboarding experience includes a slightly unusual request to 'Leave a review' (00:02) before the user has even tried the app, which could be perceived as premature. While the editing tools are powerful, the sheer number of templates and options could be overwhelming for some users. Introducing a search or filter function within the template selection screens could improve usability.