Photo Retouch-Object Removal

What it does

Photo Retouch is a mobile photo editor focused on AI-powered enhancements. Its core features include one-tap object removal, detailed portrait and body retouching, AI-driven background expansion, and a wide array of cosmetic filters. The app is designed to provide both granular, manual control and quick, automated adjustments for users looking to improve their photos for social media or personal use.

Where it shines

The app's main strength is its comprehensive editing toolkit. The portrait beauty mode (00:44) offers an extensive set of tools, from subtle skin smoothing to complete facial reshaping, all controlled by simple sliders. The object removal feature is also impressive, quickly and cleanly erasing an entire person from a background at 04:54. Another standout is the AI Expansion tool (06:48), which intelligently generates new background content to fit different aspect ratios, a task that would be complex in traditional software.

UX highlights

Efficient Tool Organization: The app nests a huge number of editing tools into horizontally scrolling categories, preventing the main interface from feeling cluttered.
Real-Time Feedback: Adjustments made via sliders and filters are reflected on the photo instantly, providing a responsive and satisfying editing experience.
Clear Premium Gating: Premium-only features are clearly marked with a small crown icon, effectively communicating the value of a subscription without being intrusive.
Contextual Tutorials: The app uses animated carousels and on-screen tips to explain how its more complex AI features, like hair styling or photo expansion, work.
Dual Editing Modes: It successfully caters to different user needs by supporting both precise manual adjustments and one-tap, pre-made filters and makeup looks.
In-App Organization: Users can create and manage custom albums within the app (07:44), encouraging them to keep their edited work inside the app's ecosystem.

Monetization & growth

Monetization is central to the user journey. The app presents a hard paywall with a 3-day free trial immediately after a very brief onboarding carousel (00:13). This forces a subscription decision before any tools can be used. Inside the editor, numerous premium features are marked with crown icons, constantly reminding free users of the benefits of upgrading. After a user saves an edited photo, a pop-up appears asking for feedback in a survey, offering a chance to win a 1-month VIP membership as an incentive (04:14).

Who it’s for

This app is primarily for social media users, content creators, and casual photographers who want powerful retouching tools without the complexity of desktop software. Its dual-mode approach makes it accessible to both users looking for a quick fix (e.g., applying a makeup filter) and those who want to perform detailed edits (e.g., reshaping facial features). The extensive feature set makes it a strong all-in-one option for enhancing personal photos.

Notes & opportunities

The app is feature-rich, but the user experience has some small friction points. It prompts for an App Store rating immediately upon returning to the home screen (06:13), which might feel premature for a new user. The onboarding is so fast that it misses an opportunity to learn about the user's goals, which could be used for personalization. Finally, the double confirmation modals after subscribing (00:27-00:32) feel slightly redundant and could be combined into a single, more impactful welcome screen.