Restory vs Renew: Complete Comparison 2026

Quick Verdict

Both Restory and Renew are iOS apps dedicated to bringing old photos back to life, but they take notably different approaches. Restory is the more established option with a broader feature set that includes six distinct restoration tools, video animation, and support for 32 languages. Renew, launched in March 2025, brings a fresh perspective with a unique feature that lets you combine people from different photos, but it remains relatively unproven with a smaller user base. If you want a comprehensive, battle-tested photo restoration toolkit, Restory is the safer bet. If you are specifically interested in creative compositing features and do not mind adopting a newer app, Renew is worth exploring.

Feature Comparison Table

Feature	Restory	Renew
AI Colorization	Yes (4 coins)	Yes
Photo Enhancement	Yes (4 coins)	Limited
Face Restoration	Yes (5 coins)	Yes
Scratch Removal	Yes (5 coins)	Limited
Generative Fill / Recreate	Yes (6 coins, Premium)	No
Bring Photos to Life (Video)	Yes (10-15 coins)	No
Combine People from Photos	No	Yes
Languages Supported	32	Limited
Platform	iOS	iOS
App Store Rating	4.8+	4.75
Number of Reviews	10K+	~6K

Detailed Feature Breakdown

Colorization

Restory's colorization engine processes black-and-white photos through a trained AI model that analyzes context, clothing, skin tones, and environmental elements to apply historically plausible colors. The results tend to be natural and consistent, especially on portrait photos. You can learn more about the colorization process in our guide to colorizing black and white photos.

Renew also offers colorization, and the results are generally solid. However, because the app is relatively new, there are fewer user reports and community feedback to gauge long-term reliability. Early reviews suggest the colorization quality is competitive, though some users report occasional inconsistencies with complex scenes.

Photo Restoration and Enhancement

This is where the apps diverge most significantly. Restory offers four separate restoration-focused tools: Enhancement (improving clarity and detail), Face Restoration (specifically targeting facial features in degraded photos), Scratch Removal (detecting and filling scratches, creases, and tears), and Generative Fill/Recreate (using AI to fill in missing or damaged areas of a photo). Each tool is purpose-built for a specific type of damage, which allows for more targeted and effective results.

Renew takes a more consolidated approach to restoration. It bundles its repair capabilities into a general restore function that addresses multiple types of damage simultaneously. This can be convenient for quick fixes, but it may lack the precision that comes from having dedicated tools for each damage type. For photos with specific issues, such as heavy scratching but otherwise good clarity, Restory's targeted approach often produces cleaner results.

For a comprehensive walkthrough on restoring old photos, see our complete guide to restoring old photos.

Combine People from Different Photos

This is Renew's standout feature and one that Restory does not currently offer. Renew lets you take people from separate photos and combine them into a single image. This is particularly appealing for family history projects where you may want to create a composite of relatives who were never photographed together. The feature uses AI to match lighting, scale, and perspective, though results can vary depending on the source material quality.

Bring Photos to Life (Video Animation)

Restory offers a unique video animation feature that transforms static photos into short animated clips. Priced at 10 to 15 coins depending on complexity, this feature adds subtle movement such as blinking, head turns, and facial expressions to portrait photos. This is a feature that Renew does not offer, and it has become increasingly popular for sharing restored family photos on social media.

You can explore all of Restory's capabilities on the features page.

Pricing Comparison

Pricing as of March 2026. Prices may vary by region and are subject to change.

Restory Pricing

Restory operates on a coin-based system with multiple purchasing options:

• Free tier: Available with limited coins to try the app
• Weekly subscription: 9.99 EUR per week (includes 50 coins)
• Annual subscription: 39.99 EUR per year (includes 200 coins, with a 3-day free trial)
• Coin packs (one-time purchases):
  • 50 coins for 7.99 EUR
  • 200 coins for 24.99 EUR
  • 500 coins for 44.99 EUR

Individual feature costs range from 4 coins for basic enhancements to 15 coins for video animation. The annual plan offers the best value for regular users, working out to approximately 3.33 EUR per month.

Renew Pricing

Renew uses a subscription model typical of newer photo restoration apps. Pricing details may vary as the app is still relatively new and may adjust its monetization strategy. Check the App Store for current pricing.

Value Analysis

Restory's flexibility stands out here. The option to buy one-time coin packs means casual users who only need to restore a handful of photos do not have to commit to a subscription. The annual plan at 39.99 EUR per year is competitively priced for regular users who restore photos frequently. Renew's pricing model is less established, which introduces some uncertainty for long-term budgeting.

Quality Comparison

Restoration Accuracy

Both apps produce solid results on standard restoration tasks such as removing noise, correcting fading, and improving clarity. Restory's advantage comes from its specialized tools. When you apply the scratch removal tool specifically to a scratched photo, the AI focuses entirely on detecting and removing scratch patterns without altering other aspects of the image. Renew's more generalized approach works well for moderately damaged photos but can sometimes over-process areas that did not need correction.

Colorization Fidelity

Colorization quality is comparable between the two apps for straightforward portraits and landscapes. Restory has a slight edge on complex scenes with multiple subjects, varied textures, and mixed lighting conditions, likely due to a longer period of model training and user feedback integration. Renew's colorization is impressive for a newer app but occasionally struggles with unusual clothing patterns or mixed indoor-outdoor lighting.

Face Restoration

Restory's dedicated face restoration tool is particularly effective at reconstructing facial features from heavily degraded source material. It can recover details like eye clarity, skin texture, and facial structure in photos where faces are barely recognizable. Renew handles face restoration as part of its general restoration pipeline, which works well for lightly damaged photos but may not achieve the same level of detail recovery on severely degraded portraits.

Ease of Use

Restory

Restory presents a clean, straightforward interface. You upload a photo, select the specific restoration tool you want to apply, and wait for the AI to process the image. The separation of tools into distinct functions means you always know exactly what transformation is being applied. The app supports 32 languages, making it accessible to a truly global audience. Processing times are reasonable, and the preview system lets you see results before committing coins.

Renew

Renew offers a modern interface that feels polished for a relatively new app. The onboarding process is smooth, and the combine-people feature has a well-designed workflow for selecting and positioning subjects. The restoration tools are easy to find, though the lack of granular control over individual restoration types means you have less flexibility in how you approach a damaged photo. Language support is more limited compared to Restory.

Pros and Cons

Restory Pros

• Six dedicated restoration tools provide targeted, precise results for different types of photo damage
• Video animation feature brings static photos to life, which is unique in this category
• Flexible pricing with both subscriptions and one-time coin packs for casual users
• 32 language support makes the app accessible worldwide
• Established track record with a large user base and extensive review history
• Generative Fill can reconstruct missing portions of photos using AI
• Regular updates based on user feedback from a larger community

Restory Cons

• iOS only, no Android or web version
• Premium features like Generative Fill require more coins
• Video animation is the most expensive feature at 10-15 coins

Renew Pros

• Combine people from different photos is a unique and creative feature
• High App Store rating of 4.75 stars indicates strong user satisfaction among early adopters
• Modern, fresh interface designed with current UI trends
• Focused feature set keeps the app simple and easy to navigate

Renew Cons

• Very new app (launched March 2025), so long-term reliability and support are unproven
• Smaller user base (~6K reviews) means less community feedback and fewer real-world test cases
• Fewer restoration tools compared to Restory's six specialized features
• No video animation capability
• No generative fill for reconstructing missing parts of photos
• Limited language support restricts accessibility for non-English speakers
• Uncertain long-term roadmap as the app is still establishing itself in the market

Who Should Choose Restory?

Restory is the right choice if you want a comprehensive photo restoration toolkit with multiple specialized tools. It is ideal for users who:

• Have photos with specific types of damage (scratches, faded faces, missing areas) that benefit from targeted restoration tools
• Want the option to animate restored photos into short video clips
• Prefer flexible pricing that allows one-time purchases without subscription commitment
• Need an app that supports their native language (32 languages available)
• Value an established app with a proven track record and active development

Visit restory.photos to learn more about Restory's capabilities.

Who Should Choose Renew?

Renew is worth considering if you:

• Are specifically interested in combining people from different photos into composites
• Prefer a simpler, more streamlined app with fewer but focused features
• Are comfortable adopting a newer app and do not mind the inherent uncertainty that comes with it
• Have mostly lightly to moderately damaged photos that do not require highly specialized restoration tools

Long-Term Considerations

When choosing a photo restoration app, it is worth considering the long-term viability and development trajectory of each option. Restory has been on the market longer, has a larger user base, and has demonstrated consistent updates and improvements. This track record provides reasonable confidence that the app will continue to be maintained and improved.

Renew, while showing strong initial promise with its 4.75-star rating, is still in its early stages. Many apps launch with enthusiasm but face challenges in sustaining development, especially in a competitive niche like AI photo restoration. The smaller user base also means fewer edge cases have been tested, which could result in unexpected quality variations on certain types of photos.

That said, Renew's fresh approach and unique features like photo compositing suggest an innovative team behind the product. If the app continues to grow and improve, it could become a strong competitor in the space.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If neither Restory nor Renew fully meets your needs, check out our roundup of Remini alternatives for a broader look at the photo restoration app landscape. You might also find our guides on restoring old photos and colorizing black and white photos helpful regardless of which app you choose.

Final Verdict

Restory wins this comparison for most users looking for a reliable, feature-rich photo restoration app. Its six specialized tools, video animation capability, flexible pricing, and extensive language support make it the more complete package. The established user base and track record provide confidence that the app will continue to improve.

Renew earns recognition for its innovative combine-people feature and strong early reviews, but its newness introduces uncertainty that makes it harder to recommend as a primary photo restoration solution. For users specifically interested in compositing features, Renew is a worthwhile complement to a more comprehensive restoration app like Restory.

Ready to restore your photos? Download Restory today and start bringing your family memories back to life with AI-powered restoration tools.