In a Nutshell
pros
- Extensive collection of filters, effects, and overlays
- User-friendly interface suitable for beginners
- Powerful AI image enhancement and stylization
cons
- Some advanced features require a paid plan
- No phone support
Fotor at a Glance
Payment Options
Number of Plans
Starting Price
Free Features
Number of AI Features
How Much Does Fotor Cost?
Fotor operates on a freemium model, with a free version and two paid plans available.
The free version provides access to various basic editing tools, filters, and effects. However, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan to remove watermarks from your generated images. The free version also displays ads, which I found quite distracting.
If you’re a hobbyist or enthusiast looking to take your photo editing to the next level, Fotor's Pro plan adds loads of features and costs a reasonable $8.99 per month or $39.99 per year. It includes AI art effects, a background remover, and the ability to upload custom fonts, providing more creative control and options for enhancing your photos.
For professional photographers, the Pro plan may be enough. The only major new feature you get with the highest tier Pro+ plan is an increase in your cloud storage space from 2GB to 10GB. It costs $19.99 per month or $89.99 per year.
This pricing is fairly standard compared to other browser-based photo editors. For most users, I recommend the Pro plan as it has the best combination of pricing and features.
How Does Fotor Work?
Getting started with Fotor is straightforward. You can access the editor directly through your web browser without downloading or installing any software. Fotor also offers free downloadable Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android apps.
The Fotor interface is clean and well-organized, with tools grouped into logical categories like Adjust, Effects, and Test. Uploading photos is as simple as dragging and dropping them into the editor or selecting them from your device.
You can perform basic adjustments like cropping, resizing, and rotating using the tools in the Adjust tab. More advanced options, including color correction, sharpening, and exposure control, are also easily accessible.
Fotor's Effects tab houses an extensive collection of filters, which you can apply with a single click. These range from subtle enhancements to more dramatic artistic effects. The Retouching tools enable you to remove blemishes, whiten teeth, and even perform some skin smoothing.
One of Fotor's most impressive features is its AI-powered enhancement tools. These tools allow you to improve image quality, colorize black-and-white photos, and even create stylized artwork based on your images.
Is Fotor Reliable and Safe?
Fotor has been around since 2012 and claims to have over half a billion users worldwide.
Fotor has a relatively poor rating on Trustpilot, at 1.2 out of five stars. However, this average comes from just 200 users. Five-star reviews praise Fotor for its excellent value and user-friendliness, whereas the most recent negative reviews focus on the poor quality of AI-generated images and the lack of features in the free version.
Help and Support
Fotor's primary method of support is email support tickets or WhatsApp, with a turnaround time of one to two business days.
Fotor has an AI support bot, but it can only answer very simple questions about billing. While you can ask the AI bot to put you through to a support agent, each time I attempted this method I was told that no one was currently available and to send a support ticket instead.
However, Fotor has a reasonably good knowledge base and support site, with around 150 articles and videos on how to get the most from the software.
Bottom Line
Fotor's extensive collection of filters, effects, and AI-powered enhancement tools allows you to create impressive images even if you're a novice at image editing.
Fotor is a powerful and versatile online photo editor that offers excellent value for its features and capabilities. Whether you're looking to make quick enhancements to your photos or dive into more advanced editing techniques, Fotor provides a robust set of tools to help you achieve your creative vision.
FAQs
Is Fotor for free?
Fotor offers a free version that includes a variety of editing tools, filters, and effects. However, some advanced features, such as the AI art effects and background remover, are only available with a paid subscription. Additionally, the free version applies a watermark to exported images, which you can avoid by upgrading to a paid plan.
Is Fotor a Chinese app?
Yes, Fotor is owned by Chengdu Hengtu Technology Co., Ltd, a company based in China. However, it serves a global user base and is available in multiple languages.
Are Fotor images copyright-free?
If you upload your own photos or use copyright-free images from Fotor's built-in library, you are free to use the edited versions as you like. However, if you use copyrighted images from other sources, you may need to obtain permission from the original creator or copyright holder before using the edited versions for commercial purposes.