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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

PhotoGrid vs PicCollage

PhotoGrid 4.9★ · Free + IAP 65
Winner PhotoGrid
PicCollage 4.8★ · Free + IAP 55

While both apps face significant criticism regarding their free-to-paid transitions, PhotoGrid has a slight edge due to its users reporting more consistent core functionality, even with ads, and some positive feedback on advanced features like AI removal.

Full reviews: PhotoGrid · PicCollage

Both PhotoGrid and PicCollage are popular collage makers that have recently shifted towards more aggressive monetization, leading to widespread user frustration. PhotoGrid struggles with excessive ads and payment issues, but its core editing functions are still praised, while PicCollage users report more critical issues like inability to save creations and deleted collages.

Head to head

Features edge: PhotoGridR13R21R22R27
PhotoGrid PhotoGrid users appreciate its wide variety of free options, stickers, and tools for customizing photos and videos, with some highlighting its AI removal feature as impressive R22. However, many lament that basic templates and good photo quality, which used to be free, are now behind a paywall R13R21R27R31.
PicCollage PicCollage offers a good selection of free stickers and backgrounds, allowing for creative expression R64. However, a significant number of desired templates and features are locked behind a VIP subscription, and some users report that features advertised as free become paid .
Ease of Use tieR2R3R8R9
PhotoGrid Many PhotoGrid users find the app very easy and quick to use for creating collages and adding text and images R2R8. However, some recent reviews mention it has become a 'headache' due to glitches and difficulty seeing grids R3R9.
PicCollage PicCollage is generally described as easy to navigate and intuitive, making it simple to create collages . Some users, however, find it less clear for making custom collages or report issues with moving images .
Reliability edge: PhotoGridR9R25R64R73
PhotoGrid PhotoGrid users report significant issues with crashing, particularly after updates R25. Some also complain about glitches and the app being generally annoying to use R9.
PicCollage PicCollage has severe reliability problems, with multiple users reporting that the app inexplicably deleted all their saved collages, sometimes twice R64R73. Other users experience the app kicking them off, lagging, and general unresponsiveness, even with a premium subscription .
Price/Value tieR1R3R7R11
PhotoGrid PhotoGrid users are highly critical of its monetization strategy, citing an overwhelming number of repetitive ads, especially for free users R1R7R29. Many features that were once free, like removing watermarks or saving in good quality, now require payment R3R13R31. There are also numerous complaints about scammy free trials that instantly charge users or fail to provide promised premium features R11R15R23R33.
PicCollage PicCollage users are also very frustrated with the app's shift to a paid model, with many stating that they can no longer save collages without a subscription . The annual subscription price of £34.99 is considered too high by some . Similar to PhotoGrid, there are complaints about free trials leading to unexpected charges and difficulty canceling subscriptions R94.
Support tieR35R63R94
PhotoGrid One PhotoGrid user reported that their email regarding subscription problems went unanswered, indicating poor customer support R35.
PicCollage PicCollage users who were charged unexpectedly after free trials struggled to find contact information for refunds R94. One user also reported issues transferring a paid account to a new phone, despite following instructions and watching videos, suggesting a lack of effective support R63.
Pick PhotoGrid if

Pick PhotoGrid if you prioritize a wider range of free customization options and advanced features like AI removal, and are willing to tolerate frequent ads or pay for a subscription to remove them R22. It's also suitable if you need a generally easy-to-use app for quick edits, despite occasional glitches R2R8.

Pick PicCollage if

Pick PicCollage if you value an intuitive interface for basic collage making and enjoy a good selection of free stickers and backgrounds, provided you don't mind a watermark or paying for premium features R64. It might also be a choice if you're looking for an app that's been around for a long time and has a large user base .

Evidence note: Evidence for support is thin for both apps, with only a few reviews mentioning issues. The free-vs-paid asymmetry is very pronounced for both, as most negative reviews stem from the recent shift to more aggressive monetization, making it difficult to compare core functionality fairly without considering the user's willingness to pay.

Frequently asked

Can I save my collages for free in PhotoGrid or PicCollage?
In PhotoGrid, while some users report plenty of free options, many recent reviews indicate that saving collages without a watermark or in good quality now requires payment or watching ads R3R13R21R31. For PicCollage, numerous users explicitly state that they can no longer save any collages without a subscription .
Are the free trials for these apps reliable?
Many users for both PhotoGrid and PicCollage report significant issues with free trials, including being charged instantly upon signing up, even for a 'free' trial, or having difficulty canceling subscriptions and receiving unexpected charges (R11, R15, R23, R33, R35, for PhotoGrid; R94, for PicCollage).
Do these apps have many ads?
PhotoGrid users frequently complain about an overwhelming number of repetitive and unskippable ads that interrupt the editing process, even for subscribers R1R7R19R29. PicCollage users mention issues with watermarks and being constantly prompted to pay, but the volume of intrusive ads is less frequently highlighted than for PhotoGrid .

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R13] PhotoGrid 1/5 · US Pushy for money: This app used to be great but now they have ads and heavily try to push you into paying for things that used to be free like good photo quality when saving. So disappointing.
  2. [R21] PhotoGrid 1/5 · GB Increasingly difficult to use: I used to really like this software, but then the watermark started requiring ads, and the basic templates disappeared, replaced by many paid and rarely used templates. I just uninstalled it. · translated
  3. [R22] PhotoGrid 5/5 · US So fun!: Plenty of free options which I like. So many ways to customize my photos and make amazing collages!
  4. [R27] PhotoGrid 1/5 · GB I used to love but they have removed the normal grid: They removed the normal grids and you now have to pay for everything I’ve had this app for 4 years but deleting now
  5. [R2] PhotoGrid 5/5 · US Great!!: Very easy to use
  6. [R3] PhotoGrid 3/5 · US I’ve used PhotoGrid forever: This is the most convenient option out there that I know of, but it could be better. There are ads to get rid of the watermark, it’s really hard to see the grids when selecting one. The app has only gotten worse over the years. Maybe there are better options out there, and it is a headache to use, but I couldn’t find a better option when I looked years ago and so I’ve
  7. [R8] PhotoGrid 5/5 · US Easy: Super ready to add text and images
  8. [R9] PhotoGrid 1/5 · US Just get rid of it: What should be a very simple and easy to use app is one of the glitchiest and most annoying pieces of garbage I’ve ever used on a phone. I would recommend Microsoft paint before I recommended this trash. Whoever made this app I hope you see this and never make another dime off of it ever again. You’re garbage. Period!
  9. [R25] PhotoGrid 2/5 · GB Sort it out!: It used to be good, now it’s awful. Keeps crashing all the time. Looking for something else now. This is rubbish. :(
  10. [R64] PicCollage 2/5 · US Deleted all my collages (TWICE): The good: Lots of free stickers, backgrounds, etc- but includes watermark. Pretty intuitive, can save, duplicate, and edit images. The bad: I use this app to make templates for posts that I edit and use again. TWICE the app has inexplicably deleted ALL my collages- not after an uninstall or update, no warning, just gone and not recoverable. Considering switching
  11. [R73] PicCollage 1/5 · GB All of my colleagues are gone! :(: When I loaded the app, all of my colleagues were gone. And now, I can’t get them back. :( Please fix!
  12. [R1] PhotoGrid 1/5 · US Terrible news: Soooooooooooooooooo many adds
  13. [R7] PhotoGrid 2/5 · US To many ads! 🙄: This used to be a quick and easy app to use and I’ve had it for many years (5+ maybe). As of recent the app is becoming very annoying with a lot(repetitive) ads, To many bs ads!!It takes away from just wanting to edit your photos quickly. Currently looking for a new app.
  14. [R11] PhotoGrid 1/5 · US Payment and free trial: Used the free trial but it’s trying to charge my card so now I can’t download anything
  15. [R35] PhotoGrid 1/5 · GB Subscription problems: I paid to upgrade the app for a year but after a month, it’s locked all of the features again and my email hasn’t been responded to. Very disappointed and feeling scammed!
  16. [R63] PicCollage 3/5 · US I love pic collage but…: I love PicCollage, but no matter what I do I cannot transfer my paid account over to my new phone. Very frustrating. I followed everything it said to do and watch YouTube videos even. I am using Canva for most things now and may have to cancel my membership.
  17. [R94] PicCollage 1/5 · GB need refund: I did a free trial and I wasn’t able to cancel it in time so now £34.99 has come out of my bank account , I’d like a refund for this please I cannot find contact info for you
  18. [R31] PhotoGrid 1/5 · GB Don’t fix things that aren’t broken: I used to absolutely love this app, I had used it for 10 years. It was free to use, now they seem to have made it so you HAVE to pay the monthly fee or the collage is blurry and unusable? Such a shame as I loved this app, should’ve kept it how it was.
  19. [R15] PhotoGrid 1/5 · US Rip Off: I did a free trial it let me make one kissing video. And then it immediately wants you to buy more. So a couple days went by and I got a notification that said hey for $1.99 you can have. I’m like whatever so I paid $1.99. Then it told me I had to wait. until the free trial ended. I’m assuming today I got charged the dollar 99. But nothing has changed from when I was doing the free trial.
  20. [R23] PhotoGrid 1/5 · GB Slamming liars: Wish I could leave a 0 start rating. The 3 day free trial offer is a scam. It will ignore the 3 day free trial and charge you instantly upon purchasing it. If you use this app don’t buy any subscription unless you actually plan to pay.
  21. [R33] PhotoGrid 1/5 · GB Scam!!!!: I was charged £34:99 even when it was free 3 days trail.
  22. [R19] PhotoGrid 1/5 · US This is a scam!!!: I have a subscription to this APP but I cannot use it without being barraged by ads! Some ads won’t disappear even if I try to delete them.
  23. [R29] PhotoGrid 1/5 · GB Ads disabled the app and crashed my phone: This is what happens when you mess with the Jesus!!!! The ads last 5 minutes and you can’t skip them and they come up in the middle of a design - that’s where I’m done … bye forever there’s better tools out there

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store