Watercolor Effect review

Watercolor Effect from Whistle Studios is the simplest app here. Its App Store listing promises that one tap adds a watercolor look to a photo, with additional styles for oil painting, digital, modern and contemporary art, plus more than 15 cartoon filters. You can add text, stickers and other photo effects before sharing to social media or saving to a private in-app gallery, and a short tutorial walks first-time users through it. It needs only iOS 12.0 or later and a 90.2 MB download, so it runs on older iPhones that other apps here no longer support. It rates 4.6 from 9K US ratings. The value is weaker: after a 3-day trial the subscription costs $3.99 a week or $29.99 a year, and the listing does not publish how many painting styles are included. The in-app list also shows one-off purchases for filters and the watermark at $1.99 each.

Who it is for

Beginners who mainly want a watercolor look in one tap

Price

Free download; subscription $3.99 per week or $29.99 per year after a 3-day trial.

3 day trial then $3.99 per WEEK OR $29.99 per YEAR
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• One-tap watercolor effect
• Watercolor, oil painting, digital, modern and contemporary art styles
• 15+ cartoon filters
• Text, stickers and extra photo effects
• Built-in tutorial for first-time users

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 4.6 rating from 9K ratings
• Strength: Runs on iOS 12.0 or later, the widest support here
• Strength: Small 90.2 MB download
• Weakness: Weekly subscription at $3.99 is costly over time
• Weakness: Number of painting styles is not published
• Weakness: English only

Key facts

• App Store rating: 4.6 from 9K ratings
• Age rating: 4+
• App size: 90.2 MB
• Requires: iOS 12.0 or later
• Free trial: 3 days

Where it ranks

Watercolor Effect is No. 10 in our Best Apps to Turn Photos Into Paintings verdict.