5 Best Apps to Add Nail Polish to Photo in 2025

best apps to add nail polish to photo

As a long-term Weedit.Photos retoucher, I frequently have to enhance beauty and fashion photos, which put a special emphasis on the tiniest details like nail polish. Recently, a lot of our social media subscribers and clients started asking me what the best app to add nail polish to photos they can use, so I wanted to dive deeper into this subject.

I tested the apps on photos that featured subjects with undone nails, chipped polish, or ones where I needed to swap the color of the polish without having to open Photoshop. Some options delivered terrific results, while others failed to detect the nail area accurately or produced an effect that looked too artificial.

To narrow down your search, I’ve prepared this list of apps that will help everyone interested in learning how to add nail polish to a photo.

My Tips for Taking Better Nail Photos

Being a retoucher, I’ve learned several tricks that can help you improve the look of your nails in pictures:

  • Natural light is king. When I can, I try to take photos near a window with soft lighting. If you use a flash, it can make the nails shine too much and cause distracting reflections. Morning or afternoon lighting is perfect to achieve smooth skin tones and reproduce the polish color accurately.

  • Choose a basic background. Neutral or minimal backdrops help maintain the viewer’s attention on the nails. A textured sweater sleeve, a book, or a soft fabric are all good options. Don’t use busy patterns unless you have a specific reason to do so.

  • Hand positioning is important. Relax your hand. Bent fingers or stiff poses aren’t appealing. Subtly curve your fingers or consider holding a flower, a mug, or another prop. Alternatively, you can touch your face to establish a more candid mood.

  • Match the retouching style to the vibe. Don’t go crazy with filters. I tend to adjust the skin tone, delete little blemishes, and brighten highlights to ensure the polish is more visible. Apps like Fix The Photo Body Editor&Tune allow you to receive professional-quality results by performing retouching, cleanup, reshaping, etc.

  • Prepare your hands and nails. Before the shoot, I moisturize and tidy up the cuticles. Even perfect lighting won’t dry skin or chipped polish. Some preparation can go a long way.

  • Don’t wear a lot of jewelry. I love bangles and accent rings, but they rarely have a place if you want to take nail polish pictures. Go the minimalist route with a stoneless ring or a basic, stylish bracelet.

  • Try a remote or a tripod. If you’re taking a selfie, it can sometimes be difficult to get the right angle without zooming out. A tripod and a remote can significantly expand the range of available shots you have, and you can get one for a low price by simply going to Amazon or a similar marketplace.

1. YouCam Nails

Real-time try-on mode

youcam nails app to add nail polish to photos interface
Pros
  • Pleasantly intuitive
  • Over 1000 premade nail designs
  • Stickers, jewels, hand enhancements
Cons
  • Free version can feel restrictive
  • Comes with ads and locked assets

I used YouCam Nails as an app to add nail polish to a photo, and it is flexible when it comes to functionality. It isn’t a basic nail photo editor, as it allows you to completely change the look of your hands as you see fit.

It lets you pick from standard tones to rich neons, add matte, sheer, or cream textures, and tweak the nail shape and length. Regardless of what idea you have in mind, be it natural or coffin style, this app can bring that vision to reality.

I particularly enjoyed using the live try-on mode. It lets me preview different nail styles in real-time and take a quick picture if I’m happy with the result. This Android and iPhone photo editor provides a variety of seasonal and trending assets, stickers, patterns, and jewel effects to make your images unique. YouCam is essentially a digital nail salon you can bring with you everywhere.

Even though plenty of tools are free, several essential features can only be accessed if you get a paid subscription. The paid version will send you back $5.99/mo. Additionally, most of the interface looks a bit outdated, and the pop-up ads can be annoying as well.

2. Fix The Photo Body Editor&Tune

Ultra-realistic results

fix the photo body editor tune app to add nail polish to photos interface
Pros
  • Skillful human retouchers
  • Specific lash styles & shapes
  • Ads-free
  • No need for editing skills required
  • Quick turnaround First photo is free
Cons
  • Can’t look for services by name
  • Takes some time to receive the result

In contrast to a regular nail color changer app that simply applies a filter or a gratingly artificial overlay to your finger, Fix The Photo Body Editor&Tune ensures you don’t have to do a single thing. Simply import your image, specify your request (for instance: “almond shape, glossy nude polish, reshaped nail beds”), and in just a couple of hours, you’ll receive a manually enhanced photo.

I particularly appreciate how versatile this app is. I requested to add nails to a picture where the subject didn’t apply any polish, as well as to extend them to achieve coffin-style tips or super long stiletto shapes. The delivered results always looked detailed and natural. The retoucher adjusted the lighting and shadows while preserving the skin texture.

Possible options include traditional French manicures, bold reds, holographic overlays, and even glass-style effects. The personal touch of the retoucher ensures the applied nail polish always fits the rest of the shot.

The pricing is pleasantly flexible, and you can receive the first photo for free. After that, you’re dealing with a credit system, with 5 credits only costing $0.99. However, you will have to wait since it’s an actual retoucher handling your request, so it can take a couple of hours until you get the result.

Other than applying nail polish to a picture, Fix The Photo Body Editor&Tune can be used as a blemish remover app, as well as makeup adjustments, body reshaping, etc. The retouchers are available 24/7, which is great if you’re in a rush and need to get the results quickly.

3. Facetune

Creative effects

facetune app to add nail polish to photos interface
Pros
  • Intuitive UI
  • AI-based functionality
  • Frequent updates and bug fixes
Cons
  • Most tools are only in the paid version
  • Lacks a reshaping or nail length feature

This photo nail art editor provides terrific results when performing general selfie edits, adjusting colors, and applying shine. Additionally, it lets you switch your nail color in a few taps. You don’t have to change your entire manicure in real life. Simply tap on Makeup > Tones, select the desired hue, and fine-tune the intensity.

The app provides a variety of options, including matte black, soft pastel blue, or striking red, all of which look natural and can be customized. It allows you to create nail polish finishes by applying shine or glitter, making your nails more eye-catching. If the nail polish you had on when taking the photo has smudges or your hands have minor flaws, you can use such features as Patch, Brightness, and Skin Smoothing to tidy everything up.

This auto photo enhancer lacks a separate feature for changing the nail length or applying an almond or coffin shape, so if you want to switch the look significantly, you’ll need to find a different option. It has a free plan, but most tools are locked behind Facetune Pro, which would send you back $7.99/mo.

4. AirBrush

Quick processing

airbrush app to add nail polish to photos interface
Pros
  • Streamlined UI
  • Real-time previews
  • AI-based editing features
Cons
  • Free version feels restrictive
  • Certain features have a learning curve

AirBrush is one of the first apps you should try if you want to learn how to add nails to a photo, change their color, or apply some digital nail art. The virtual manicure feature is the key distinguishing feature. Meanwhile, the Stamp tool allows you to copy the specific hue or pattern from an image and paste it onto the nails. This helped me match my nails to my attire regardless of what I was wearing.

The Background tool is another very useful inclusion. It lets you open any image you want, be it a landscape picture or some street art, and add it as art for your nails. You have full control over the nail shape and length. The Reshape tool allows you to lengthen, squeeze, and resize your nails, achieving all kinds of looks from almond to coffin nails in just a few taps. The process isn’t automated, but fans of manual retouching will appreciate this approach.

When using Skin Tone, I layered translucent undertones over base hues to receive personalized color blends. If you’re interested in shine, the Glitter tool applies sparkles and textures, while you get to customize the intensity. Even though the free edition of AirBrush has a decent selection of features, the most handy tools like nail resizing, stamping, backgrounds, and glitter are locked behind AirBrush Premium, the cost of which begins at $7.99/mo.

5. Try Nails-AI Fake Nail Designs

Personalized designs

try nails-ai fake nail designs app to add nail polish to photos interface
Pros
  • Intuitive and precise nail detection
  • AI-based design recommendations
  • Pattern import feature
Cons
  • Too many ads
  • Possible performance problems

I gave Try Nails – AI Fake Nail Designs a spin since I wanted to find a quick and fun method to add nail polish to photos. The AI used in this app blew me away. This Android photo editor automatically detects the shape of your hand and nails, ensuring the applied design looks natural. I tried out solid colors, glitter, almond and coffin-shaped nails, and even extra-long nail designs.

I particularly like that I can match my nail color to my clothes. I snapped a selfie of me wearing a floral dress, employed the Stamp feature to copy its pattern, and the app transformed it into a nail design.

However, it also has its flaws. Even though you can use it for free, you’ll have to deal with an endless ads. Alternatively, you need to get the paid version. In addition, it isn’t supported on iOS devices.

FAQ

  • Is it possible to add nail polish to a photo after it’s taken?

Of course, nail photo editors like Fix The Photo Body Editor&Tune, YouCam Nails, and Try Nails-AI Fake Nail Designs let you add various nail polish colors, visual styles, and unique designs without having to touch your fingers in the real world.

  • Can I create my own nail polish color online using these apps?

Indeed, high-quality apps like Facetune, AirBrush, and Try Nails-AI Fake Nail Designs offer customizable color functionality that allows you to combine different tones, sample colors from other elements in an image, or apply textures. Whether you’re interested in matte pink or minimalist glitter art, you can get the exact result you need with the right online tool.

  • What nail styles and lengths should I use?

From classic almond to coffin or extra-long styles, most apps to add nail polish to a photo include reshaping tools so you can test out trendy looks virtually before your next salon visit.

  • What to do if I want natural results but lack the time to learn how to change nail color in Photoshop?

If you don’t have time to edit photos yourself, consider approaching the Weedit Retouch Service. Their retouchers will manually apply nail polish, enhance skin, change the nail or hand shape as you see fit, and ensure your photo print or web-ready.

weedit retouch nail polish service before after
  • Can I get these apps for free?

Most virtual nail polish apps have free versions with paid upgrades. Subscriptions typically cost $5.99–$9.99/mo based on the app, and many free plans come with ads. If you’re interested in a solution that doesn’t follow the subscription model, check out Fix The Photo Body Editor&Tune, which works on a credit model, and lets you order the first photo for free.

  • Can such an app help me try out a nail polish style before visiting a salon?

Absolutely. These apps let you edit nails, experiment with different colors and shapes, and much more before you commit to bringing that vision to reality.


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