Filter is a photo and video editing app for social media creators on iOS and Android, focused on aesthetic presets and AI-powered effects.
Product velocity
Maintenance
Daily rank 🇺🇸
#113
▼9Photo & Video · free
Sentiment
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Nemesis
Picsart AI Photo Editor, Video
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire Filter for one-tap visual styling that reduces the time required to prepare content for social sharing, serving creators who prioritize speed over professional-grade granular control.
For Social media content creators and casual users seeking quick, aesthetic-focused photo and video editing tools.
What does it look like?
Key features
Converts selfies into artistic styles; premium-tier gate to drive conversion.
Pre-built structures for social media; retention loop by reducing time-to-content.
Manual tools for skin and facial adjustments; utility for recurring profile maintenance.
High-frequency usage of basic presets; expands ad-impression opportunities.
Library of 800+ effects; paid-conversion lever for power users.
How much does it cost?
Freemium model gates high-fidelity AI and AR assets behind a subscription to monetize power users while maintaining a broad free-tier user base.
Velocity
Maintenance developmentperformanceopaqueShow more...
The app exhibits a maintenance-level cadence, with only two releases in the last six months and a significant gap between the 2016 and 2026 release cycles. Development is currently focused on minor stability and performance improvements rather than new features. The release notes are largely opaque, providing no insight into specific functional changes. The current development trend is stable at a low-frequency maintenance level.
Who built it?
Yasuko Shikiuchi
12 apps tracked · Photo & Video
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Today's Tasks
Speak to Board
VoicePicNote
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PlaceHistoryUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Recent user voice shows an excited sentiment. Users appreciate extensive library of filters and effects provides high creative value for photo editing enthusiasts and simple and accessible interface design allows for quick photo editing workflows on mobile devices, but report aggressive paywall implementation during onboarding prevents users from evaluating core functionality before committing to subscriptions.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
Weekly average review rating
What users say, by theme
- Extensive library of filters and effects provides high creative value for photo editing enthusiasts
- Simple and accessible interface design allows for quick photo editing workflows on mobile devices
- Aggressive paywall implementation during onboarding prevents users from evaluating core functionality before committing to subscriptions
76 of 343 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Excited overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Filter
How's the Photo & Video market?
Filter holds a #73 top-free position in the US Photo & Video category. The 4.52 rating on Android suggests strong core utility, but the aggressive paywall creates a conversion barrier relative to rivals like Picsart.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By PicsArt, Inc.
Picsart competes directly by offering a comprehensive suite of filters and effects that dwarf this app's basic functionality, capturing the same casual photo-editing demographic.
- Advanced AI-driven generative tools provide creative capabilities far beyond simple static filter application
- Massive community-driven content ecosystem creates a network effect that simple filter apps cannot replicate
- Integrated video editing and background removal tools offer a complete end-to-end mobile creative workflow
Lightroom: AI Photo EditorContender
Photo Collage Maker & CreatorContender
Blend PhotosContender
KODAK STEP PrintsContenderUnlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Filter
Where is it heading?
Casual photo-editing traffic is consolidating around feature-rich entrants like Picsart, which absorb the interest that previously fed Filter's discovery funnel. Maintenance-mode updates leave Filter exposed: the current stability regressions will erode the lead before the next major feature drop.
- Technical instability and save failures in the latest release erode the daily active habit, which compounds the rating drag already visible on Android.
- The extensive library of filters and effects continues to provide high creative value, acting as a primary retention driver for photo enthusiasts.
The SWOT
- High-frequency usage of basic filters expands ad-impression opportunities
- Simple interface design allows for quick editing workflows
- Education partnerships for B2B distribution
- Untapped potential for wearable integration
Next best moves
Pivot the onboarding flow to allow 3 free edits before the paywall prompt because onboarding friction is the top complaint → reduce immediate churn.
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The app's high rating on Android is a…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
Generative AI-driven editing tools (available in Picsart but absent here) +1
Bottom line
Filter retains users through a deep library of aesthetic presets, but the aggressive paywall and recent stability regressions threaten the top-of-funnel conversion, so the PM must prioritize onboarding transparency and save-process reliability to stabilize the user base.
Unlock 3 critical frictions, 2 market threats, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
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