YouCam Makeup is the most complete virtual makeup app, with try-on for lipstick, foundation, hair, and body editing all inside one camera. The catch is that the strongest tools, AI agent, advanced makeup palettes, full body retouch, hairstyle library, sit behind a Premium subscription that pushes daily. We tested seven YouCam Makeup alternatives that cover makeup try-on, beauty retouch, and body sculpting without the heavy upsell.
The list mixes dedicated makeup apps with general beauty cameras and one specialist retouch tool that beats YouCam on portrait detail.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BeautyPlus | Filter and retouch combo | Most filters with ads | Around $5 for Pro | Live filters plus retouch |
| Perfect365 | Virtual makeup specialist | Most makeup styles free | Around $4 for VIP | Preset makeup looks |
| Facetune | Portrait detail retouch | Limited free tools | Around $7 for Pro | Pixel-precise skin and feature edits |
| BeautyCam | All-in-one Meitu beauty | Most features free | Around $4 for VIP | Heavy beauty defaults |
| B612 | Live stickers and filters | Most filters free | Around $5 for VIP | Daily fresh sticker packs |
| SODA | Natural beauty | All filters free | Around $3 for Premium | Subtle skin retouch |
| Sweet Selfie | Beauty plus stamp filters | Filters with watermark | Around $4 for Pro | Polaroid and retro looks |
Why people leave YouCam Makeup
Three issues come up consistently in YouCam Makeup reviews.
The first is Premium gating.
The second is filter intensity. Default beauty is set aggressively, smoothing skin to a porcelain look that does not pass for natural. Dialing it back works but is not the default.
The third is storage and battery. The app is heavy and runs the camera with high-resolution AR continuously. Mid-range phones see noticeable battery drop and storage growth from saved looks.
The seven alternatives below address at least one of these.
The alternatives
BeautyPlus — Best for live filters plus retouch
BeautyPlus sits closest to YouCam Makeup in scope. It has live AR filters, skin retouch, body editor, and a sticker library. The retouch defaults are less aggressive than YouCam’s, and the filter library refreshes more often.
Where it falls short: Free tier has ads. Body editing and the strongest stickers sit behind Pro.
Pricing:
- Free: Most filters and basic retouch with ads
- Paid: Around $5 a month for Pro
- vs YouCam Makeup: Comparable feature set, cheaper Pro tier
Migrating from YouCam Makeup: Open existing photos in BeautyPlus. Retouch presets do not transfer, but the basic sliders cover similar adjustments.
Bottom line: Pick BeautyPlus for the closest direct YouCam Makeup replacement at a lower Pro price. Skip if you want a more minimal beauty cam.
Perfect365 — Best virtual makeup specialist
Perfect365 focuses on virtual makeup with a deep palette library and preset looks built by makeup artists. The try-on quality on lipstick, eyeliner, and contour holds up under good lighting. YouCam Makeup vs Perfect365 on pure makeup is a close call; Perfect365 is more focused.
Where it falls short: No AI agent, no chat-based editing, less aggressive on the cool experimental features YouCam markets.
Pricing:
- Free: Most makeup styles and basic retouch
- Paid: Around $4 a month for VIP with premium palettes
- vs YouCam Makeup: Cheaper VIP, narrower focus, similar makeup quality
Migrating from YouCam Makeup: Same camera input, different output. Apply Perfect365 looks to existing selfies.
Bottom line: Pick Perfect365 if you mainly try on makeup. Skip if you want body editing or AI features.
Facetune — Best portrait detail retouch
Facetune by Lightricks is the precision portrait retouch app the influencer crowd actually pays for. The skin smoothing keeps texture, the teeth whitener is subtle, and the reshape tool is pixel-precise. YouCam Makeup vs Facetune on portrait detail is a clear Facetune win.
Where it falls short: No live filters, no AR. Pro pricing is higher than most apps here.
Pricing:
- Free: Limited tools and watermarked exports
- Paid: Around $7 a month for Pro
- vs YouCam Makeup: Pricier, but stronger on portrait quality and editing precision
Migrating from YouCam Makeup: Open existing photos in Facetune. Looks do not transfer, but the manual tools cover what YouCam’s automated retouch produces, with more control.
Bottom line: Pick Facetune if portrait detail matters more than try-on. Skip for casual selfies.
BeautyCam — Best Meitu beauty engine
BeautyCam from Meitu is the Asia-leading beauty cam, with heavy filter presets and an AI editor that handles full-body retouch. The defaults skew dramatic, which is the appeal for users who want a strong beauty look out of the box.
Where it falls short: Defaults are heavier than SODA or B612. Some advanced AI features need VIP.
Pricing:
- Free: Most features
- Paid: Around $4 a month for VIP
- vs YouCam Makeup: Cheaper VIP tier and stronger out-of-the-box beauty
Migrating from YouCam Makeup: Open the camera and start fresh. Existing photos open in the editor.
Bottom line: Pick BeautyCam if you want strong default beauty without dialing sliders. Skip if you prefer natural-looking results.
B612 — Best for live stickers
B612 is the AR sticker leader, with hundreds of face filters refreshed weekly. Beauty retouch is lighter than YouCam Makeup but cleaner-looking. B612 is the right pick when stickers and trend filters matter more than full makeup try-on.
Where it falls short: No deep makeup palette, no body editing.
Pricing:
- Free: Most stickers and filters with light ads
- Paid: Around $5 a month for VIP
- vs YouCam Makeup: Cheaper VIP, narrower beauty focus, deeper sticker library
Migrating from YouCam Makeup: Direct swap. The capture flow is similar; the difference is depth in stickers versus depth in makeup.
Bottom line: Pick B612 if stickers and trend filters drive your selfies. Skip if you mainly try on makeup.
SODA — Best natural beauty
SODA is the SNOW team’s natural-beauty cam. The retouch is subtle by default, which is the opposite of YouCam Makeup’s approach. For users tired of the airbrushed look, SODA produces photos that pass for unfiltered.
Where it falls short: Limited makeup palette and no virtual try-on. Beauty is a single slider, not a deep system.
Pricing:
- Free: All filters with light ads
- Paid: Around $3 a month for Premium
- vs YouCam Makeup: Cheaper Premium and far gentler beauty defaults
Migrating from YouCam Makeup: Direct swap. SODA captures and exports at native resolution.
Bottom line: Pick SODA if you want soft natural beauty and minimal try-on. Skip for full makeup looks.
Sweet Selfie — Best beauty plus stamp filters
Sweet Selfie combines beauty retouch with retro polaroid and stamp-style filters. It is the pick for users who want a daily beauty cam plus on-trend looks for Instagram and TikTok.
Where it falls short: Premium stickers add watermarks on the free tier. Less depth than YouCam Makeup on makeup palettes.
Pricing:
- Free: Most filters and basic retouch
- Paid: Around $4 a month for Pro
- vs YouCam Makeup: Cheaper Pro tier and stronger trend-driven filters
Migrating from YouCam Makeup: Open existing photos in Sweet Selfie.
Bottom line: Pick Sweet Selfie for beauty plus on-trend stamp filters. Skip for deep makeup try-on.
How to choose
Pick BeautyPlus if you want the closest YouCam Makeup replacement with a cheaper Pro tier and a slightly lighter beauty hand.
Pick Perfect365 if virtual makeup is the only feature you care about. The makeup engine is on par with YouCam’s, at a lower price.
Pick Facetune if portrait detail and precision retouch matter more than try-on. Influencers pay for it because it works.
Pick SODA if you want a natural-looking selfie cam without the over-processed feel YouCam defaults to.
Pick BeautyCam if dramatic beauty defaults are exactly what you want.
Stay on YouCam Makeup if you use the full bundle, makeup, hair, body, AI agent, and the Premium subscription is already paying for itself in your workflow.
FAQ
What is the best free YouCam Makeup alternative?
SODA and B612. Both keep most filters free and do not push subscription nags inside the editor. SODA is gentler, B612 has more stickers.
Which alternative has the best virtual makeup try-on?
Perfect365. It focuses on makeup specifically and the palettes are built by makeup artists. YouCam Makeup is broader; Perfect365 is deeper on this one job.
Is Facetune better than YouCam Makeup?
For portrait detail, yes. Facetune’s pixel-precise reshape and skin tools are stronger. For try-on and live filters, YouCam Makeup is broader.
Can I get the YouCam body editor on another app?
BeautyPlus, BeautyCam, and Picsart all include body retouch and reshape. BeautyPlus comes closest to YouCam’s tool set; BeautyCam pushes harder defaults.
Are there ad-free YouCam Makeup alternatives?
SODA and B612 have lighter ad loads on the free tier. Facetune is mostly free of ads but gates strong tools behind Pro. Perfect365 shows ads sparingly.
What do beauty creators use most?
A mix of Facetune for portrait detail and YouCam Makeup or Perfect365 for makeup. Live content tends to use B612 or SODA for filters. Few creators rely on just one app.
