Best free hairstyle apps in 2026: 8 Options Compared

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By the Ainotely Editorial Team.
Updated November 2026. 11 min read. Prices and features researched from each vendor's official pages and app store listings at time of writing.
Best free hairstyle apps
Quick picks
  1. 1FaceApp logo
    FaceAppusers who want quick hairstyle previews
    Visit
  2. 2YouCam Makeup logo
    YouCam Makeupusers who want hair plus makeup previews
    Visit
  3. 3Perfect365 logo
    Perfect365users who want makeup plus hair previews
    Visit
  4. 4BeautyPlus logo
    BeautyPlususers who want photo editing plus hair previews
    Visit
  5. 5AirBrush logo
    AirBrushusers who want retouching plus style previews
    Visit
Short version:
In this guide Quick comparisonThe best free hairstyle appsHow we picked theseWhat to check before you chooseFrequently asked questionsSources

Quick comparison

ProductIdeal forPrice fromFree version
FaceAppusers who want quick hairstyle previewsFreeYesVisit
YouCam Makeupusers who want hair plus makeup previewsFreeYesVisit
Perfect365users who want makeup plus hair previewsFreeYesVisit
BeautyPlususers who want photo editing plus hair previewsFreeYesVisit
AirBrushusers who want retouching plus style previewsFreeYesVisit
Facetuneusers who want detailed photo editingFreeYesVisit
Meituusers who want fun style filtersFreeYesVisit
PhotoDirectorusers who want editing plus hair previewsFreeYesVisit

The best free hairstyle apps

We compared official feature pages, pricing pages, app store listings, privacy policies, and public reviews to build this list. The options below cover different budgets and needs, so read the best-for note on each one before you pick.

FaceApp logo
#1

FaceApp

Ideal for: users who want quick hairstyle previews

FaceApp website
faceapp.com homepage

For readers who need users who want quick hairstyle previews, FaceApp is a strong place to start. Its clearest strength is hairstyle and colour previews. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is full features need a subscription, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.

What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Hairstyle and colour previews; realistic filters; easy sharing. On the other side, Full features need a subscription; photo privacy needs review. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.

The good and the bad
  • Hairstyle and colour previews
  • Realistic filters
  • Easy sharing
  • Full features need a subscription
  • Photo privacy needs review
YouCam Makeup logo
#2

YouCam Makeup

Ideal for: users who want hair plus makeup previews

YouCam Makeup website
perfectcorp.com homepage

YouCam Makeup earns its place here for users who want hair plus makeup previews. Its clearest strength is hair colour and style previews. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is free tier has limits and ads, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.

What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Hair colour and style previews; live camera; tutorials. On the other side, Free tier has limits and ads; premium features cost extra. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.

The good and the bad
  • Hair colour and style previews
  • Live camera
  • Tutorials
  • Free tier has limits and ads
  • Premium features cost extra
Perfect365 logo
#3

Perfect365

Ideal for: users who want makeup plus hair previews

Perfect365 website
perfect365.com homepage

If users who want makeup plus hair previews describes your situation, Perfect365 deserves a close look. Its clearest strength is makeup and hair previews. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is ads appear on free use, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.

What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Makeup and hair previews; photo editing; sharing. On the other side, Ads appear on free use; some styles need a subscription. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.

The good and the bad
  • Makeup and hair previews
  • Photo editing
  • Sharing
  • Ads appear on free use
  • Some styles need a subscription
BeautyPlus logo
#4

BeautyPlus

Ideal for: users who want photo editing plus hair previews

We put BeautyPlus on this list because it fits users who want photo editing plus hair previews well. Its clearest strength is photo editing with hair colour tools. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is free tier has watermark options, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.

What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Photo editing with hair colour tools; filters; easy use. On the other side, Free tier has watermark options; premium features cost extra. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.

The good and the bad
  • Photo editing with hair colour tools
  • Filters
  • Easy use
  • Free tier has watermark options
  • Premium features cost extra
AirBrush logo
#5

AirBrush

Ideal for: users who want retouching plus style previews

For readers who need users who want retouching plus style previews, AirBrush is a strong place to start. Its clearest strength is retouching and style tools. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is full tools need a subscription, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.

What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Retouching and style tools; filters; simple interface. On the other side, Full tools need a subscription; ads on free use. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.

The good and the bad
  • Retouching and style tools
  • Filters
  • Simple interface
  • Full tools need a subscription
  • Ads on free use
Facetune logo
#6

Facetune

Ideal for: users who want detailed photo editing

Facetune earns its place here for users who want detailed photo editing. Its clearest strength is detailed retouching. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is subscription needed for full features, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.

What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Detailed retouching; hair colour tools; smoothing. On the other side, Subscription needed for full features; editing can look overdone. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.

The good and the bad
  • Detailed retouching
  • Hair colour tools
  • Smoothing
  • Subscription needed for full features
  • Editing can look overdone
Meitu logo
#7

Meitu

Ideal for: users who want fun style filters

If users who want fun style filters describes your situation, Meitu deserves a close look. Its clearest strength is style and hair filters. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is interface is busy, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.

What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Style and hair filters; templates; social sharing. On the other side, Interface is busy; some features need a subscription. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.

The good and the bad
  • Style and hair filters
  • Templates
  • Social sharing
  • Interface is busy
  • Some features need a subscription
PhotoDirector logo
#8

PhotoDirector

Ideal for: users who want editing plus hair previews

We put PhotoDirector on this list because it fits users who want editing plus hair previews well. Its clearest strength is photo editing with AI tools. In practice, that means less time spent on setup and more time on the work itself, though you should still test the core workflow on a free plan or trial before you pay. The honest catch is full AI features need a paid plan, so check that limit against your own use before you commit. We compared its official feature page, pricing page, and public reviews, and we found it holds up for the use case above, with that one trade-off in mind.

What stands out in daily use is how it handles the basics. Photo editing with AI tools; hair colour options; templates. On the other side, Full AI features need a paid plan; app size is large. Weigh those two sides together, and decide based on the feature you will use every week, not the feature list as a whole.

The good and the bad
  • Photo editing with AI tools
  • Hair colour options
  • Templates
  • Full AI features need a paid plan
  • App size is large

How we picked these

We started from the topic itself and looked for products that exist and work today, with an official homepage we could open and check. We compared official feature pages and pricing pages first, then app store listings, privacy policies, and public reviews, and we dropped anything we could not verify or that did not truly fit the topic.

We favoured a mix of well-known leaders and strong smaller options, and we noted an honest weakness for every product. We did not claim hands-on testing we did not do, and we did not invent prices, ratings, or features. Where a price could not be verified from the vendor site, we wrote See website instead of guessing.

What to check before you choose

Preview apps use AI estimates, so a style that looks good on screen may need a different cut in real life. Check photo privacy settings before uploading portraits, and take the preview to your stylist rather than trusting it alone.

Start with your must-have feature

Write down the one feature you cannot work without, then filter this list by that feature alone. A long feature list looks impressive, but the tool you keep is the one that handles your daily task without friction, and that test is worth more than any marketing page.

Test the free tier properly

Use the free tier or trial for a real task, not a quick tour. Invite a colleague if the tool is for a team, export your test data, and check support response time. If any of those steps feel painful during a trial, they will feel worse after you pay.

Check the total cost

Add up per-user fees, add-ons, and renewal pricing, since first-year deals often differ from renewal rates. Confirm contract length, cancellation terms, and what happens to your data if you leave, so the total cost is clear before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

How much does free hairstyle apps cost?

Prices vary widely, from free tiers to paid plans that rise with users or usage. Check the official pricing page for the plan you need, and confirm whether the price is monthly or annual, since annual billing often lowers the monthly figure.

Is there a free option for free hairstyle apps?

Several options in this list offer a free tier or a free trial, though limits apply. Compare what the free tier actually includes, such as users, projects, or monthly limits, before you rely on it for daily work.

Which option is best for beginners?

Start with the option whose free tier covers your core task and whose setup feels clear on first use. A simpler tool you use every week beats a powerful tool you avoid, and you can move to a larger option later.

Can I switch later if I pick the wrong one?

In most cases yes, but switching costs time, especially if you have data, templates, or team habits tied to one tool. Check export options and contract length before you commit, and keep a backup of your data.

How do I stay safe with free hairstyle apps?

Use strong passwords, turn on two-factor authentication where offered, and review privacy settings before you share personal data. For paid tools, check the refund policy and the renewal terms so there are no surprises.

Sources

  1. https://www.faceapp.com
  2. https://www.perfectcorp.com/consumer/apps/youcam-makeup
  3. https://www.perfect365.com
  4. https://www.beautyplus.com
  5. https://www.airbrush.com
  6. https://www.facetuneapp.com
  7. https://www.meitu.com
  8. https://www.cyberlink.com/products/photodirector-photo-editing-software/overview.html