A Color Story: Photo + Video Reviews

by Dittodittooo

I have been a long time user of A Color Story. At least 5+ years. One of my favorite features used to be that you could layer their filters along with your own edits and then save the resulting edits as your own unique filters and simply apply the exact same filter to future photos. I had years and years worth of filters saved, custom designed for my own branding and style. I also have bought several of their filter packs over the years.

After updating AColorStory last night, the custom and recent filters feature is simply gone. All those years of saved filters have disappeared overnight. I’m now starting from scratch in attempting to match new edits to my previous aesthetic.

Additionally, they have now taken away every single filter pack that previously came with the original app purchase and you now have to repurchase them all separately. The only filters I now have access to are the filter packs I already purchased separately. All of the filters previously included with the purchase of AColorStory are no longer accessible.

I understand wanting to monetize more filters for new users, but to take away basic functions of AColorStory that long time users have long enjoyed that were included with their original purchase is beyond irritating. To overnight eliminate years’ worth of a long time user’s saved filters without warning is unacceptable.

Unfortunately moving on from color story as most of its most useful functionality no longer exists. :/

by Jesuschristkillmenow

I’ve had this editing app for at least 3 years, and have bought all of the filter packs as they came along. At $2-$3 per pack it’s not a big deal, but when I’ve definitely paid for at least 20, maybe 30 of them, it’s kind of an investment. Since they rolled out the monthly subscription price, something I would be interested in had I not already purchased all of the packs, AColorStory has gotten more and more glitchy, to the point where I can’t edit a single photo or video and save it without it crashing, not saving what I’d done. I love the filters and all of the capabilities of AColorStory which is why I’ve dedicated so much time and money into it, but it’s very frustrating to not even be able to use it at all, let alone have an option for the monthly subscription that deducts the cost of what I’ve already paid. I’ve been a loyal customer for 3 years, I also have their sister app, Filmm+ which has presented all of the same problems and won’t let me save anything anymore. Please fix these problems and I’ll return to these apps.

by Mamanda6891

I loved AColorStory until the most recent update. It was always my go to and now I’m a bit disappointed. I think the update isn't as user friendly. Not really a fan of the the new visual icon set up for the filters and effects. The color text box really interferes with seeing the filter effect icon preview. Not a huge issue, but something i noticed immediately.

Locating “saved” and “recent” edits takes a bit of getting use to, but what has really shattered my heart is actually using the Saved/Recent edits. Before the update i could easily scroll through my saved edits at the bottom the bottom of my image, click any one I’d like and see a preview of how my image would look. I could keep previewing other saved edits before i decided which one id like to use.

Now i actually have to click “use” from the pop up without actually previewing my image with that saved edit. And after i click the use button and realize i don’t actually like that edit with my photo, i then have to go through and undo every single filter layered in the saved edit. I have to start the process all over again hoping the next saved edit i choose will work for my image. If not, the undo process begins again. This is really disappointing and makes the saved edit feature almost useless.

by Fbeoslrnfbsosufbf

I love AColorStory. They really listen to what we need, and do updates that make it easier to edit. They added blemish removal, and perspective changes. However, it’s only my favorite app when it works. Many times I’ve spent half an hour + editing one photo, only to have AColorStory close out automatically and not save. Also, it closes out anytime I try to go to my grid. Sometimes when I save and grid photos, it doesn’t save the photo, and crashes every time I try to go to my grid. I paid for the upgrade to AColorStory , so idk why it doesn’t work. I also can’t use anything on my iPad, which is linked to my phone. I’ve paid for the year sub. on my iPad as well as my phone, and it charged me but won’t let me use unless I pay. There’s no sign in or anything. It’s just frustrating because I’ve lost a lot of really good work, and I do really love AColorStory . Just don’t expect to have your work when your completed.

by Hahdbekdndndnman

I’ve been using AColorStory for a long time now, I have all the filters and have always loved it. It’s easy to use and easy to mix different styles. However the most recent update makes it harder to edit photos, especially your pre saved filters. There are too many steps involved especially if you are trying to use multiple at a time or trying to edit a bunch of photos in a row. Hopefully they will see this and make a change - I’d recommend being able to select the presets you built as a tab in the filters sections. I thought the saved option was it but instead it’s a square box above the tabs and you have to click into it every time you want to use a different preset. I still like AColorStory but this could defer me to something else just bc I’m editing a lot of photos at once.

by Uluwale

I love AColorStory but my only gripe is that it saves as the date that it is edited, not the date of the actually photo taken. E-mailed customer service asking if there was an option to save the edited photo as date taken instead of date edited and the response was “Thanks for your question! Since many of our users like editing their photo and sharing immediately to Instagram, A Color Story records the date as when the photo was edited. Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to change the date. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause!” Yeah.. it is an inconvenience since I don’t have the time to edit the same day as the photo was taken I have to go back and find the date of the photo I edited and go edit the date on the computer when I get the chance and that makes it even more difficult to keep photos and videos organized and harder to find when trying to make photo year books or anything like that. Definitely something AColorStory needs to work on. At least have an on and off option if “many” of their users don’t worry about the time stamp. Especially if I’m paying for AColorStory.

by Cmpsny

Using a color story has been very fun. The plus packs are great, and have made me feel much more inspired as I take and edit photos. I also like the grid function, so I can see what my photos look like next to one another. I wish that it wasn’t so expensive to get all the plus packs and editing tools to keep (I’m not a super fan of subscription services, so far I’ve only bought the filters and effects I like). That said, I’ve still enjoyed using AColorStory quite a lot. I take more pride in taking a nice photo now, and pay much closer attention to color! I feel like I’m starting to develop my own visual language or style in photographs, which I’ve never felt before in this medium. Hope others enjoy as well!

**update on current edition: it seems like all the glitches with the most recent update have been resolved—it works fine. I do wish that I could access photos from my shared photo albums in iPhoto from AColorStory . I also don’t like that more and more features move from being a part of the free version to items that must be purchased. I can tell that they are reaaaaaallly pushing the subscription service, which I don’t like because then I don’t permanently own the tool/filters.

by Jems Five

I absolutely love AColorStory. I’ve purchased all of the filters, and I use it multiple times a day. However, since the last update it crashes continuously in the middle of editing on my iPad pro. I can be one step away from being done with an edit and it will crash, or I can be on the first step of editing and it will crash. There really is no rhyme or reason to when it will crash, it just does. If this were fixed it would be 5 stars easy.

On another note, it’s super simple to navigate and learn. I love that I can edit even the smallest things in a picture. I do wish there was a way to easily compare an original picture to the edited picture or even flash back one step to see the difference. Definitely love AColorStory , just wish this bug would be fixed with crashing on the iPad Pro. I’ve restarted my device, I’ve checked for updates, and I’ve made sure AColorStory is closed completely, and it’s still doing it.

by AshlynneJoy

Before getting A Color Story I solely used VSCOcam. Since getting AColorStory, I've hardly touched VSCO. I love it because you can get bright images that pop and are vibrant without any weird skin tones and funky color changes. They have presets for any style you might like, and fun extras to add a little pizzazz if that's what you like. There are also amazing technical options like adjusting an image using curves. Plus, you can save your favorite filter combinations as your own so it's easy to have consistency. The only (sorta) negative thing is that I wish you could batch edit. That's the one thing I miss about VSCO, but because you can save an exact edit "recipe" on ACS and import another photo to apply that same edit to, it makes up for not being able to batch edit. Regardless, it's by far my favorite photo editing app to date!

by Lovejamienicole

I use this exclusively for editing my photos. You can do a lot with just the basic set of filters and additions, but they also roll out filter colabs every so often to keep things new and fresh! Well worth the money on those for sure.
It doesn’t just have filters and light leaks/confetti though, it also has some cropping, perspective and color tweaking tools, comparable to the things you might find in photoshop.
Any bugs you might experience are always quickly fixed, and they are constantly trying to make AColorStory better.
In 2.0 they have us the ability to add a photo to our Instagram grid to see how it looks with the rest of our photos.. with out actually having to upload the photo to Instagram! I LOVE THIS. It also allows you to schedule posts!

by Annasghostt

AColorStory is wonderful! I use it all the time and it has helped my instagram feed look much better. AColorStory has so many unique and creative touches that really separates it from other photo editing apps I use/have used. I would and have recommended to friends and family. It is nice to have an app that allows you to not just edit photos but illustrate a feeling you had during the time the photo was captured. From happy, saturated and bright to muted, peaceful and calm AColorStory has everything I need to present my photos the way I experienced them. I find this especially helpful because it is often hard to differentiate a person from an account online and AColorStory helps me feel like I am presenting myself in a way that is more true to myself. Anyways, I love it. It’s great.

by Laniiibug

I love AColorStory but I have this constant issue. I will open AColorStory and usually try to batch edit but it also happens when editing one photo, I’ll choose my photo/s, click on the filters, and they all appear as a blank white screen. It’s like the filters aren’t loading? And then when I click on the filter it turns my photo into a blank white pic. I have to close and reopen AColorStory about three or four times to get it to finally load the filters.

Then other times it works just fine on the first try. I do a lot of IG marketing and use AColorStory solely as my photo editor and it’s getting really annoying that it doesn’t work. I would love a update to fix this. Otherwise AColorStory is great. And yes I’m always updating AColorStory to the current version.

by KAD919

I’ve used this since ABM released it and I love it. Totally unique filters, and they got ahead of the trend for sure. I have purchased nearly every upgrade/filter pack and love trying new things with AColorStory . My only feedback is that my pics save pretty blurry/degraded quality even with only a minimal filter added on. When I upload the pics to Facebook after editing with ACS, they don’t look great, but on Instagram they are just fine. I spoke to other friends and it’s 50/50 if they experience this or not. Either way, this is just some honest feedback. I still love AColorStory and use it every single day. I have never had issues with this crashing or any other tech issues otherwise! It’s so creative and fun!

by Jessisazombie

I love a color story. I’ve been using it since they first released it and have loved every update they’ve added since then. As with any app, there’s occasionally been a bug here or there. But honestly they always fix them within a few days.

The added features are so fun and have really added some fabulous personality to many of my photos and memories. Only complaint is having to buy every new Photo pack!! But also they clearly put A LOT of love and work into each pack. I’ve probably spent about $20 total on AColorStory and it’s an investment worth spending! Still light years EASIER and CHEAPER than photoshop! (Do not care/have time to learn that jazz right now.)

Highly recommend AColorStory. Start with the freebies and add filter packs that fit your own personal aesthetic. It’s fun, it’s functional, and it’s constantly growing! 5 stars!

by Agernert

I have been using AColorStory for over a year now, and intend on continuing to this this indefinitely. I have tried most other paid apps as well, in fact I started out on other apps and finally landed here. For what it’s worth I can’t remember ever having AColorStory be glitchy on me, as other reviews are stating, but also... new app updates are rarely flawless.

AColorStory itself is quite easy to understand, and once you have a few filters you enjoy and use routinely, you can save them into an easy to navigate folder instead of applying 100 different filters and wasting time (hello, me). I have purchased over 10 packs of filters, without regret. I use AColorStory to edit photos when I’m too lazy to hop on the computer, and process a majority of my photos for a relatively successful lifestyle/art instagram. Highly recommended!

by Momoflaj

Wow I LOVE this freaking app. Now that the issues are fixed it is worth every penny. Thank you for being one of the best available apps out there!

I sell on Etsy, and I have been searching for an app that will let me batch edit, with preset filters that I love. AColorStory fits that bill, except… I will try to do a batch and it and it will take FOREVER, sometimes shutting down AColorStory and restarting it, reloading pictures, etc. etc. etc. just to get the filters pulled up and usable. I’m not sure why there is such a massive delay, but it is draining for sure. In the time that it takes for me to wait for the effects and filters to actually pull up and be usable, I could’ve edited single pictures by themselves. It defeats the main reason that I love AColorStory! If they fix that, it’s five stars.

by Michelle Kane

I’ve used multiple photo editing apps and this one is far and beyond the best. Being a photoshop action creator myself, I truly appreciate the subtle nuances of A Color Story. I appreciate the lovely aesthetics of the design. The presets are not over the top and create truly instagram-worthy edits. And it has curves! Say no more! The curves feature is essential for custom edits. I’ve enjoyed playing, experimenting, and editing my photos using AColorStory. The only feature I would love to see implemented would be for the personalized saved editing presets to allow the user to remove individual steps in the preset formula. Sometimes a saved preset is perfect, minus one or two minor settings like exposure. I’m so thrilled to use AColorStory and can’t wait to keep churning out beautiful, professional-looking phone edits. Thanks for the incredible thought and detail built into this user-friendly app!

by JaneG67

Update 8/17- Got a prompt response from the developers, who explained a small bug with the update that has since been fixed. They recommended updating AColorStory and trying the restore purchases option again, and this time it worked! All my prior purchases are there again, and AColorStory is working the way it always has for me. Big props to the team for responding with a solution so quickly. I am happily using AColorStory again.

AColorStory used to be fantastic, but as of yesterday’s update it seems to have forgotten all of the filters I’ve purchased over the past year and a bit. Now it’s prompting me to either buy ACS+, or buy all the filters again individually. Since I don’t plan to buy everything for a second time, I’m going to have to say goodbye to AColorStory until this gets sorted out. Few things are as frustrating as being prompted to pay for things you’ve already purchased.

by Cvstles

Dare I say it, but today I cancelled my 2 year long VSCO subscription and have moved to Color Story for my editing needs. I use it in conjunction with a few apps - an app dedicated to shooting, color correcting (you guys!) and an app for blemishes/small details ACS doesn’t handle and it’s a dream. It has made my feed more fluent and visually thematic and I love it. I love the new direction my Instagram feed has taken and ACS has helped me achieve that. I love the fact that I can plan out how my feed is going to look with the use of the grid. I don’t bother with e captions, but it’s such a useful tool to visualize how my feed will turn out once my scheduled posts hit my feed. I’m so happy I bit the bullet and paid for a yearly subscription.

My one suggestion is the layout of the filters. I have a lot of trouble sifting through so many on the bottom of my screen. I wish there was a dedicated filter screen in which I could see what many filters would look like applied at a glance.

by HeatherBorges

I do the annual subscription and I have for the last couple years - I used to buy packs individually but sometimes they didn’t turn out how I thought so I’m happy to be able to use everything available. There’s so much control which is nice - opacity of filters, being able to move and flip effects and even being able to change the warmth, brightness and saturation of a filter. This is my #1 photo editing app, I’ve stopped using everything else including VSCO and Afterlight 2. The adjust function is amazing, the curves tool helps so much to get the light perfectly where you want it. I’ve been a fan of ABM for at least a decade and they know what they’re doing when it comes to making photos beautiful. Also: even though they have the Filmm app, you can filter videos with this too, but there’s a lot less functions and options than with Filmm and you can’t preview the whole video/boomerang but if you want to make a small or fun change before posting an insta story, it’s great for that too. Highly recommend.

by Gabbergurl30

Went to edit a photo using ACS like I normally do & tried to add a frame around my picture like I have been for awhile to keep my Instagram feed looking uniform & when I tried to add a plain white frame that is now only available if you purchase ACS+ for $2.99. I wasn’t trying to customize the size or change the color, I was just trying to add a plain white frame, which up until now was FREE.

I get trying to make money, but why randomly start charging for something that you previously had for free? You already charge for extra filter packs etc. Why not charge the extra amount if you want to customize the frame? I’m annoyed & will probably switch to an app that I can do my frame/editing all in one. Sad to say that because I do love the filters I currently have. But I don’t want to go back & forth between apps just for a picture.

by Hdkvosksmcckwi

I was unhappy with AColorStory, seeing as I was told by suggestions of ratings that AColorStory was fantastic, earning a grand total of 8.4 star rating averaged. I was completely unaware that when I opened AColorStory , you had to pay for anything unique, and things i had never seen before. Granted, most items are cheep, considering the use you make out of them, but you can easily turn a dollar into 20 when using AColorStory. For the most part though, everything was fine until I found out I had to pay to edit my photos, after I had taken my time to shoot the photo, download AColorStory with high hopes, and be very dissatisfied with the success I received. ( which was none ) o would not recommend AColorStory to you if you are looking to not spend any money, and just look for something free. However, if you are willing to agree with the terms, you should be fine.

by Emilyruth290

I’m an artist and use my phone to take and edit reference photos frequently, so I’ve tried quite a few photo editing apps. Because I'm an artist (and other contributing factors) I’m poor and can’t justify spending money on a bunch of apps and subscriptions and whatnot, so I use what’s available for free. Color Story is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the best app I’ve found for editing color, contrast, temperature, and exposure. The free filters (and ability to adjust the intensity of said filters) are pretty decent, with a few stand outs, and the free effects aren’t bad either.

So what’s it missing? The big two for me are easy blemish editing and controlled blurring. It’s irritating to have to edit many of my photos in multiple applications. But hey, for free, I’ll take what I can get and this really is a great, intuitive, simple, but fairly comprehensive photo editing app.

by Caroline3495

I used to VSCO but now only ACS. The filters are beautiful and add polish to a photo without being over the top. I love that there are filter collections developed by photographers and creators that I know and follow on IG (Rebecca’s Seasons pack is my go-to).

My only wish is that when browsing filter packs to buy, the example photos should show the before and after of the edited photo. It’s really hard to get an idea of what the filter might actually do when each example photo is different and there’s nothing to compare. This should be a really simple fix, just show half the photo unedited and half with the filter applied. I have bought packs before and then had them turn out pretty different from what I expected because I just can’t tell from the examples.

by Katie At Sunshine Style

I'd recommend AColorStory to anyone! In fact, I wrote a whole blog post about it and all the features that I love! The new update has batch editing, a grid layout to make sure your feed is nice and pretty and the best filters. AColorStory helps me plan out and edit my entire Instagram feed and people even think I’m Insta famous because it looks so well! My fav filters are essentials and blush. Plus I love that once you edit your photo, you can save that edit as a "preset" just like in a desktop computer in Lightroom. Once your ready to edit your next photo, you can go to recent edits or saved edits and use those for your photo editing. AColorStory is great and Id recommend it to anyone! Especially those color lovers! I just paid for ACS+ and it’s totally worth the $2 monthly payment.