Restory vs TouchRetouch (2026): Restoration vs Object Removal

Quick Verdict

TouchRetouch and Restory solve different problems. TouchRetouch removes unwanted objects (wires, tourists, blemishes) from modern photos. Restory restores old, damaged photographs using AI.

• Choose TouchRetouch if: you want to remove specific unwanted objects from a photo you took recently
• Choose Restory if: you want to restore damaged, faded, or black-and-white old photos

Many users end up using both. This comparison explains when each is right.

This comparison is published by Restory. Feature references are based on public App Store information as of April 2026.

What Each App Actually Does

TouchRetouch

A specialized tool for manual object removal. You paint over an unwanted element (a telephone wire, a person in the background, a blemish) and the app fills the area with surrounding content. Fast, precise, highly focused on one task.

Restory

A multi-feature AI photo restoration app with six distinct tools: Restore Faces, Colorize, Remove Scratches, Enhance, Recreate (generative fill), and Bring to Life (portrait animation). Designed for old family photos, not modern cleanup.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Restory	TouchRetouch
Manual object removal (paint and fill)	Limited	Yes (specialty)
Face restoration	Yes	No
Scratch and damage removal	Yes (automatic)	Partial (manual)
Colorization	Yes	No
Enhancement and upscaling	Yes	No
Generative fill for missing corners	Yes	No
Portrait animation	Yes	No
Bulk batch processing	Yes	No
Designed for	Old photo restoration	Modern photo cleanup

Pricing

Restory

• 50 coins one-time: EUR 7.99
• 200 coins one-time: EUR 24.99
• 500 coins one-time: EUR 44.99
• Annual plan: EUR 39.99/year (200 coins per renewal)

TouchRetouch

One-time purchase on iOS (typically EUR 4-5). No subscription, no recurring fees. You pay once, use forever.

TouchRetouch's pricing is excellent for its niche. Restory's coin system covers more features but costs more overall if you only need object removal.

When Each App Wins

TouchRetouch wins when:

• You have a good modern photo with one or two unwanted objects
• You want precise manual control over what gets removed
• You'd rather paint exactly where the problem is than rely on AI detection
• Your photo doesn't need enhancement, colorization, or face restoration

Example: a beach vacation photo with a stranger in the background. TouchRetouch removes the stranger in 10 seconds.

Restory wins when:

• You have an old family photo with complex damage (multiple scratches, fading, blur, missing corners)
• You need multiple features applied: colorization + face restoration + scratch removal
• You have a batch of photos to process
• The photo is heavily damaged and automatic AI detection works better than manual painting

Example: a 1950s wedding portrait with scratches, yellow cast, and blurry faces. Restory handles all three issues automatically.

Why Many Users Need Both

For a modern photo with an unwanted object: TouchRetouch.

For an old damaged photo: Restory.

If you have an old photo where you also want to remove something specific (a label, a person, a background element), the workflow is:

1. Restore the photo in Restory (faces, scratches, colorization as needed)
2. Export the restored version
3. Open in TouchRetouch
4. Remove the specific unwanted object

Total cost for this workflow: roughly EUR 5 for TouchRetouch (one-time) plus coin costs in Restory (~EUR 1-2 per photo).

User Reviews

TouchRetouch has earned strong reviews over many years (4.7 stars on App Store) for its focused execution and one-time pricing. Users love its precision and simplicity. Criticism is rare and usually concerns edge cases where manual painting doesn't work well.

Restory is newer (launched February 2026) and averages 4.0 on early reviews. Positive mentions focus on feature breadth and coin pricing; the smaller review count reflects launch timing.

Final Verdict

These are complementary tools, not competitors. Most photo-conscious families benefit from owning both:

• TouchRetouch (one-time ~EUR 5) for modern cleanup
• Restory (coin-based) for old photo restoration

If your primary need is restoring old family photos — faded, scratched, black-and-white — Restory is the right primary tool. If your need is removing objects from recent photos, TouchRetouch is unbeatable at its price point.

Download Restory on the App Store to start restoring your family archive.

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