Remember what it was like to go to a carnival and squeeze into those tiny photo booths to take fun photos of your little day trip? Or the photo booth sessions at birthday parties and proms? Those rickety cameras don’t compare to the quality, resolution, and filters we’re used to today, but something about them makes for such a unique aesthetic that is both appealing and deeply nostalgic. If you want to have those experiences, or perhaps relive them, try out these photo booth apps, tools, and software to design your own photo strips.
The internet has made everything you could possibly need widely accessible, which is why you don’t need an old camera or have to scavenge your local theme parks for a photo booth. Now you can recreate the experience at home with online tools at your disposal.
BeautyPlus is amongst some of the most versatile online beauty tools you can find, with over 50 individual online editing tools and hundreds of AI filters to choose from to take any photo to the next level. It also features a DIY photo booth webcam that you can use to take photos in whatever format you prefer, using your laptop or tablet camera, and then edit the results using cute stickers to dot all over the strip.
Webcam Toy brings back some of the nostalgia of photo booths, but with the convenience of modern online tools. It is the most fun to use out of the bunch because it is exclusively made to be a photo booth camera and features over 80 effects to use while clicking away. You don’t need to download any software onto your computer or get a photo booth app for iPad; simply look up Webcam Toy in your browser, and it’s ready to use, which makes it perfect for casual use. Ready? Smile.
The name couldn’t be more on the nose than this one. Virtual Booth is a more polished approach to the standard photo booth online tools because you are going to be using it primarily for online events or virtual gatherings. It allows users to log in from any device and participate in the photography session from anywhere. Think of disposable cameras in wedding parties, where everyone is a participant and can contribute. Virtual Booth is the same concept, but digitized, and for fun photo strips.
It does not take a stretch of the imagination to understand why people would prefer to use their phones for photography and photo booth sessions over any other device. Phones are handy, convenient, and are coming out with camera quality never before seen. You could try out editing apps or make collages out of your photos to make them look like photo strips, sure, but there is an easier way. Try out these free photo booth apps to bring the photobooth magic to your pocket.
The BeautyPlus all-in-one online editor comes in a pocket-sized app format that supports filters, stickers, and now, photo booth templates for stylish collages that immediately make this app a fan-favorite. It functions as a creative studio while allowing you to edit your photos, erase faults and blemishes, and comes with a full range of AI tools to give you the very best photos to add to your photo strip.
The BeautyPlus app has an iOS and Android version.
Touchpix is a professional-grade photo booth app designed for 360 videos and interactive event experiences, which makes it popular at parties, weddings, and any big event, but you can use it for yourself as an individual as well. It supports slow-motion and video effects along with custom overlays.
Touchpix comes in both iOS and Android versions.
You’ve probably seen those popular Korean 4-cut photo booth photos in your favorite feel-good K-dramas. Well, Flinzy is the next best thing. While it can’t take you to South Korea, you can use its trendy frames and templates that mimic real photo booths while remaining user-friendly. Flinzy makes sharing quick and effortless, making it great for social media content.
Flinzy only has an Android version.
Mini Photobooth is a DIY-style app that turns your iPhone into a portable photo booth, and when you combine that with the signature iPhone camera, you’re in for a fun experience.
Mini Photobooth offers customizable templates, print-ready layouts, and easy sharing options for your social media posts.
Only works with iOS devices.
If you have the time and the resources, why not go for the professional-grade thing? Here are some of the best desktop photo booth software programs for you to use at your leisure.
If you’re in charge of your company event’s photoshoot, chances are your boss and co-workers want a professional yet relatable result. Simple Booth fits that bill perfectly because it is a professional photo booth software designed for businesses, events, and brand activations.
It offers customizable layouts, branding features, and social sharing options for guests, and the platform works with iPads and desktops, making it versatile for different setups.
It works with desktops and iPads.
There’s absolutely no chance that there’s a trend going around and Apple just sits idly by without being a part of it. Apple launched its own Apple photo booth, which is a built-in macOS app that lets users take fun photos and videos with their Mac’s camera.
It comes with basic effects, filters, and a simple interface for quick snapshots that might not be the same as an iPhone camera, but it does get the job done.
It is only compatible with macOS.
Last but not least, we have Lumabooth, a professional-grade photobooth software that comes with DSLR camera support, allowing you to have high-resolution photos, but what makes it special is that it also supports instant sharing to keep things user-friendly, no matter how serious the setup.
Works on Windows and iPad
The BeautyPlus app is by far the most versatile out of the entire selection. It combines the convenience of an app, the editing features of BeautyPlus, and the collage effects of an actual photo booth. Here is how you can use the BeautyPlus app to make fantastic photo strips.
1. Open the BeautyPlus app and tap on the arrow to access more options. Then, tap on PuriPlus.
2. On the PuriPlus feature page, tap on the Go To Shoot button.
3. You can create a Polaroid photo or a photo strip by selecting either the single photo or multiple photos option. Choose a template for your photostrip/polaroid.
4. Pose and tap the capture button. The timer will start, and wait for the camera shutter to close. If it’s a Polaroid, once will do, and if it’s a photostrip, the shutter will close several times like an actual photobooth. Try different poses.
5. Retouch your photo and adjust the skintone and firmness, or remove any blemishes or dark circles.
6. You can use Reshape to alter your features, such as eyes, nose, lips, etc.
7. You can use the Makeup feature to virtually add makeup like eyeshadow, contour, blush, and much more.
8. Finish up your photo with a few decorative stickers, filters, fun backgrounds, and drawings using the Decorations feature.
9. Once you’re happy with the result, tap Save to download your photostrip or polaroid.
If you don’t have your photos ready but have the time for a fun little photo session, you might as well try out using your device camera like a make-shift photobooth. Here is how you can do that using the BeautyPlus online tool.
2. Choose your favorite filter, adjust the number of photos in the frame, and adjust the timer to give yourself a reasonable amount of time to pose before the camera ‘clicks’.
3. Click on “Start Capture” to take your photos.
4. Customize as needed with stickers and download your creation.
There are a couple of options to customize your photo strip, but there are a few popular options that you need to try out.
This template took the words “whimsical” and “vibrant” and made a complete photo strip template out of them, featuring bright colors, fun stickers, and cartoon designs that would make anyone smile the minute they see it.
The Playful and Cute template is best suited for casual selfies, fun posts for social media, and keepsakes after a family event or trip.
When you see someone with a retro-vintage aesthetic, you automatically assume they have a very interesting persona, and if you want to be that person, try this template. It features Film-like filters, grainy textures, and a classic 80s theme park feel.
Retro and Vintage templates are best suited for artsy portraits, street shots, and pair well with retro outfits.
The chic, minimal aesthetic never gets old, and neither does this template. It features clean layouts, soft pastel tones, and lots of white space.
The minimal and aesthetic template works great for lifestyle photos, solo portraits, and Instagram-style shots.
The name says it all. The trendy and cool template is all about making you stand out with dark-themed backgrounds, metallic, or glossy effects.
This one is recommended for fashion-forward photos, night shots, or even professional photography.
Photo booths represent timeless fun. They remind us of a time when people lived fully in the moment and kept little souvenirs to remember their time. That is not a commentary on technology keeping us from living the same way; rather, technology allows us to have the same thing, just in a more convenient way. Online tools and apps like BeautyPlus can help us get in touch with that past without needing the same setup. It’s nostalgia reimagined for the digital age.