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

PhotoGrid vs Collage Maker

PhotoGrid 4.9★ · Free + IAP 70
Winner PhotoGrid
Collage Maker 4.8★ · Free + IAP 55

PhotoGrid is the better choice for users seeking a more established and feature-rich collage maker, despite its recent issues with ads and monetization, while Collage Maker struggles with basic usability and consistent payment issues.

Full reviews: PhotoGrid · Collage Maker

PhotoGrid, with a lifetime rating of 4.87, is generally praised for its ease of use and extensive features, though recent updates have introduced significant ad barrages and aggressive monetization tactics. Collage Maker, rated 4.78, also faces criticism for excessive ads and a confusing payment model, with additional complaints about glitches and poor usability.

Head to head

Features & Customization edge: PhotoGridR13R21R22R27
PhotoGrid PhotoGrid users appreciate its wide variety of free options, stickers, and tools for combining pictures, making collages, and editing photos and videos R22. Some users specifically highlight advanced features like AI removal as amazing . However, recent changes have removed previously free basic templates and good photo quality, making them paid features R13R21R27R31.
Collage Maker Collage Maker is also used for various creative tasks, including greeting cards, video memories, and memorials . Users like its ability to add colors and make photos and videos . However, many basic templates are difficult to find or are locked behind a paywall .
Ease of Use edge: PhotoGridR2R3R8R9
PhotoGrid Many PhotoGrid users find it very easy to use, quick, and simple for adding text and images R2R8. Despite this, some recent reviews mention it becoming a headache to use and glitchy R3R9R25.
Collage Maker Collage Maker is described by some as easy and convenient . However, a significant number of users find it difficult to use, navigate, and edit, with issues like cropping photos in collage frames and an unorganized template selection .
Reliability & Performance edge: PhotoGridR9R10R25R29
PhotoGrid While many users have used PhotoGrid for years without issues R10, recent complaints highlight the app crashing frequently R25 and ads disabling the app or crashing phones R29. Some users also report glitches R9.
Collage Maker Collage Maker users report frequent glitches and issues with the app not working or crashing, especially after updates . There are also specific problems with saving videos and exporting GIF sets , as well as videos being cut in half .
Price & Value edge: PhotoGridR3R6R13R21
PhotoGrid PhotoGrid is free with in-app purchases, but users are increasingly frustrated by the aggressive push to pay for features that used to be free, such as removing watermarks, accessing basic templates, and saving high-quality photos R3R6R13R21. Many feel it's no longer worth paying for R49.
Collage Maker Collage Maker is also free with in-app purchases, but users are highly critical of its monetization strategy. Many feel that essential functions, like saving collages or accessing basic templates, are locked behind a paid subscription, making the free version extremely frustrating or unusable .
Ads & Monetization Practices tieR1R3R7R11
PhotoGrid PhotoGrid users are overwhelmingly negative about the excessive and repetitive ads, which often interrupt the editing process, last too long, or even disable the app R1R3R7R13. There are also numerous complaints about deceptive free trial offers leading to instant charges and feeling scammed R11R15R23R33.
Collage Maker Collage Maker also receives significant criticism for too many ads and pop-ups, with ads appearing every time a user presses something or tries to save a video . Similar to PhotoGrid, users report fraudulent charges after free trials and being forced to pay upfront R79.
Pick PhotoGrid if

You prioritize a wide range of features, including advanced tools like AI removal, and are willing to navigate through ads or consider a paid subscription for a more established photo and video editor .

Pick Collage Maker if

You are looking for a basic collage maker and are extremely patient with ads and potential glitches, or if you are willing to pay for premium features despite the reported issues with monetization .

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative recent reviews, particularly concerning ads and monetization, which contrasts with their high lifetime ratings. The free-vs-paid asymmetry is very strong for both, with many negative reviews stemming from free-tier friction and aggressive upselling. PhotoGrid has more specific complaints about fraudulent charges and subscription issues, but Collage Maker also has a notable number of similar complaints.

Frequently asked

Are PhotoGrid and Collage Maker truly free to use?
Both PhotoGrid and Collage Maker offer free versions, but users report that essential features, good quality exports, and even saving projects are often locked behind paid subscriptions or require watching numerous ads R3R13R31R79.
Do these apps have a lot of ads?
Yes, both PhotoGrid and Collage Maker are heavily criticized for having an excessive number of ads, which are often repetitive, interruptive, and can even cause the apps to malfunction or crash R1R7R29R49.
Are there issues with subscriptions or free trials?
Yes, both apps have multiple user complaints about deceptive free trial offers that lead to immediate charges, difficulty canceling subscriptions, or features becoming locked again even after paying R11R15R23R33.

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 Getting worse: I used to like this app, but then the watermark required watching ads, and basic templates disappeared, replaced by many paid and rarely used templates. So I 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. [R10] PhotoGrid 5/5 · US Love it: Love it I’ve been using this since 2014
  10. [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. :(
  11. [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
  12. [R6] PhotoGrid 3/5 · GB iphone grid: i think this app is great it would be better if we didn’t have to pay for it xx
  13. [R1] PhotoGrid 1/5 · US Terrible news: Soooooooooooooooooo many adds
  14. [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.
  15. [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
  16. [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.
  17. [R79] Collage Maker 1/5 · US Saving Options are a Pain: Oh I get why I was not able to save the project to my photos; what was supposed to be a free app turned out to be paid. If it’s free then okay but if it’s paid I would have rather been told that upfront instead of downloading all my pictures and then being forced to pay before I could do anything with my project. Your tactics are not okay. I will Surely be canceling befo
  18. [R49] PhotoGrid 2/5 · GB used to be good, ruined with greed.: they slowly removed functionality and made it part of a subscription, and increased the number of full screen adverts. i was editing a photo and every time i selected a different font i got a full screen advert that lasted over a minute. obnoxious to the point of frustration and the subscription price for a photo editor is ridiculous. greed ruined an app that
  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.

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