Report updated Apr 19, 2026

TL;DR:Meitu is a veteran all-in-one photo and video editing platform (launched 2011) that has successfully pivoted to AI-driven aesthetic enhancements. Users feel Mixed, praising ease of use but frustrated by removal of template feature. Meitu is a powerful AI-first incumbent, but it is currently over-leveraging its market position through aggressive monetization and feature gating.|TL;DR:Meitu is a veteran all-in-one photo and video editing platform (launched 2011) that has successfully pivoted to AI-driven aesthetic enhancements. Users feel Mixed, praising ease of use but frustrated by removal of template feature. Meitu is a powerful AI-first incumbent, but it is currently over-leveraging its market position through aggressive monetization and feature gating.

Meitu- AI Photo & Video Editor is an established photo & video app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 4.6/5 rating from 1.5M reviews, it shows polarized user reception. Users particularly appreciate ease of use, though removal of template feature remains a common concern.

What is Meitu- AI Photo & Video Editor?

Meitu is a veteran all-in-one photo and video editing platform (launched 2011) that has successfully pivoted to AI-driven aesthetic enhancements. It targets social media creators with a value proposition of "effortless beauty," currently ranking #36 Grossing in its US category. Its primary differentiator is its proprietary AI Portrait Retouching and AI Art Effects, though it is currently facing a sentiment crisis due to aggressive monetization and the removal of core features.

Current Momentum

v12.8 · 3d ago

Intense

Meitu 12.8.0 introduces cross-format editing for photos, live media, and videos, alongside advanced group eye refinement tools. Two major feature updates were released within a 16-day window.

AI-powered deep analysis surfacing high-signal insights. Still in beta, accuracy improves daily. For informational purposes only.

Competition

Rivals identification in progress

7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸

Photo & Video
#42
81

Rating Pulse 🇺🇸

Recent User MoodAI-powered deep analysis surfacing high-signal insights. Still in beta, accuracy improves daily. For informational purposes only.

What makes this app unique?

What Does It Look Like?

How Is The App's Momentum Right Now?

Loading...

What Are The Key Features?

AI Portrait RetouchingDifferentiator

Advanced facial feature detection for automated skin smoothing, blemish removal, and body reshaping.

AI Art & IllustrationDifferentiator

Transforms portraits into stylized illustrations using generative AI technology.

AI Object RemovalStandard

Intelligently erases unwanted objects or people from photos and videos.

How much does it cost?

Freemium
  • Free version with core editing tools
  • Meitu VIP subscription (1000+ materials, advanced retouching)
  • VIP+ tier (reported by users for specific features like watermark removal)

Uses high-utility basic tools to drive acquisition while gating precision-retouching (teeth, hair, wrinkles) behind a subscription. Recent introduction of 'VIP+' features is causing significant user friction.

Who Built It?

Xiamen Meitu Technology Co., Ltd. app icon 1
Xiamen Meitu Technology Co., Ltd. app icon 2
Xiamen Meitu Technology Co., Ltd. app icon 3
Xiamen Meitu Technology Co., Ltd. app icon 4

Xiamen Meitu Technology Co.

(1.4M)

Empowering creators and e-commerce sellers with AI-driven visual enhancement tools for high-quality photo and video production.

Portfolio

12

Apps

Free 11
Photo & Video64%
Graphics & Design27%
Lifestyle9%

Who is Xiamen Meitu Technology Co.?

Meitu has successfully weaponized a decade of proprietary aesthetic data to transition from a utility-based portrait editor into a vertically integrated AI creative powerhouse. Their moat is built on specialized facial recognition models that outperform general-purpose AI competitors in the high-growth social media creator segment. The current strategic expansion into B2B e-commerce automation and multi-modal design agents signals a move to capture professional creative workflows, reducing reliance on the volatile consumer selfie market.

Who is Xiamen Meitu Technology Co. for?

  • Social media creators
  • Vloggers
  • E-commerce sellers seeking high-end aesthetic enhancements
  • Automated visual production
Intense

Portfolio momentum

Maintaining an exceptionally high development cadence with 97 updates across 11 active apps in the last 6 months.

Last release · 10d agoActive apps · 11Abandoned · 1

What do users think recently?

High confidence · Latest 100 of 1.5M total reviews analyzed

How did the latest release land?

Overall
4.6/ 5
(1.5M)
Current version
4.8/ 5
+0.2 vs overall
(78.2K)
Main signal post-update: ease of Use.

What is the recent mood?

Mixed

Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate ease of use and feature versatility, but report removal of template feature and aggressive monetization.

What Users Love

Ease of Use
Feature Versatility

What Frustrates Users

Removal of Template Feature
Aggressive Monetization

What is the competitive landscape for Meitu- AI Photo & Video Editor?

How's The Photo & Video Market?

How does it evolve in the Photo & Video market?

ChartRankChange
iOSGrossing#281
iOSFree#702

The outtake for Meitu- AI Photo & Video Editor

Strengths to defend, gaps to attack

Core Strengths

  • Market longevity and massive 1.5M+ user rating base
  • Proprietary AI tech for facial detection and generative art
  • Comprehensive all-in-one photo and video suite

Critical Frictions

  • Aggressive ad load for both free and VIP users
  • Removal of 'Personalized Templates' feature
  • Server instability for AI-powered tools

Growth Levers

  • Expansion of video retouching tools for TikTok/Reels creators
  • Diversification of AI generative art styles

Market Threats

  • Declining user sentiment following feature regressions
  • Churn to competitors due to 'VIP+' paywalling

What are the next best moves?

high

Restore 'Personalized Templates' functionality

This is the top complaint theme and a primary reason power users stay with the app; its removal is a major churn driver.

high

Fix AI server capacity and 'Server Busy' errors

Paid VIP members report being unable to use the AI tools they pay for, directly impacting retention and subscription value.

medium

Review ad-load for VIP subscribers

Users report seeing ads despite having a premium subscription, which is a significant brand-detractor and source of 'Frustrated' sentiment.

Key Takeaways

Meitu is a powerful AI-first incumbent, but it is currently over-leveraging its market position through aggressive monetization and feature gating. To maintain its #36 Grossing rank, the PM must prioritize restoring the template workflow and stabilizing the AI server infrastructure to appease a frustrated power-user base.

Where Is It Heading?

Declining

Removal of personalized templates in recent updates has triggered a wave of 'Frustrated' user reviews.

Introduction of 'VIP+' tiering is creating friction with existing premium subscribers.

Active investment in advanced AI (wrinkle removal, group eye refinement) keeps the tech stack competitive.

FAQ

Is Meitu VIP worth it if I want to remove ads?
User reviews suggest that even with a VIP subscription, you may still encounter ads. Some users report needing to watch ads to process photos or being prompted for a 'VIP+' tier for specific features like watermark removal.
Can I still save my own templates in Meitu?
According to recent user feedback following the latest update, the ability to save personalized templates has been removed, which has been a major point of frustration for long-time users.
Does Meitu work for editing videos for TikTok?
Yes, Meitu includes a dedicated video editor with filters, music, and unique portrait retouching features specifically marketed for Vlogs and TikTok content.

Disclosure

Independent intel to help builders create better apps.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. See methodology.

Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Meitu- AI Photo & Video Editor, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

Hope this helps & keep building! · Found an error?

What's new in this report

Meitu is undergoing a period of intense development and aggressive monetization, resulting in a significant backlash from its user base due to feature regressions and complex, multi-layered paywalls.

declined

Increased User Friction

removed

Removal of Personalized Templates

shifted

Introduction of VIP+ Tier

removed

Feature List Consolidation

Cite this report

Marlvel.ai. “Meitu- AI Photo & Video Editor Intelligence Report.” Updated Apr 19, 2026. https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/photo-video/com-meitu-mtxx

Agent Markdown (.md)·

Data licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0