Prequel is a photo and video editing platform for iOS (13 and later) designed to, in the developers words, help folks “bring their creative ideas to life, express themselves, and tell their stories through aesthetic filters, effects, presets, and templates.”
It’s available for free at at the Apple App Store, but does tout in-app purchases. And you’ll have to fork out for those purchases if you want to take full advantage of the app.
Prequel purportedly offers a much wider and more sophisticated range of editing tools than you find in typical image editing apps, but I’ve only found this to be partially true. Built with AI technology, Prequel allows you to play around and tweak personal photo and video content with filters, effects, and templates that are frequently updated. Filters are always themed, offering specific styles and aesthetics.
Prequel is available for free to everyone to use, and there’s no time limit, so it can be used for as long as you like. Some filters are available for users of the free version, but to access the full range of tools (and the best effects), you’ll need a Prequel Gold subscription. This costs US$4.99 per week or $34.99 per year, which is overpriced.
The main Prequel view lets you swipe left to right through different effects in multiple categories. You swipe up and down to see all the categories, including our Dreamy Retro Lenses, Blogging filters, Polaroids, Pride, Film, 90s, Y2K, and more.
Prequel’s browser makes it easy to find different tools to try out on your content. When you find one you like, you can add it to your favorites or share it with other people.
When you select an effect, Prequel will ask whether you wish to apply it to photo or video content. Then you browse through either your photo or video library on your iPhone to find the content you want to apply the effect to.
With some video effects you can select multiple clips, and Prequel will apply the effect to all of them, then combine them into a single video montage. However, I’ve found the quality of the effects to be a mixed bag.
My favorite is the Cartoon+ video effect that turns any video clip into a cartoon. The VHS effect is also pretty cool and will appeal to folks of a certain age (like me). It adds a style reminiscent of old analogue home recordings, complete with camcorder text and blurry lines.
You can use Prequel’s filters even after applying an effect. Tap the button on the right and a new browser appears at the bottom that allows you to scroll through a range of color filters that affect the mood and tone of an image. You can experiment with combinations of effects and filters.
Some tools are for adding additional text, stickers, color refinements (brightness, contrast, etc), and music. Some tools are designed to only be used on photos, while others are just for video. And some of Prequel’s filters rely on the presence of a human face (in a selfie, for example).
Once you’re happy with your final creation, Prequel offers ways to share that content on social media platforms, or through personal messaging apps. After applying an effect, you can tap on “save photo,” “share link,” etc.
Several image filters are designed for a highly dramatic effect. After applying an effect a photo or video, you can apply different filters to change the color and style of an image. You can adjust the parameters of the filter, including facial adjustments, cropping images, adding text and trimming video content.
One of Prequel’s latest features is Fantastic AI Avatars, an artificial intelligence effect that can reimagine your selfies in numerous scenarios such as fantasy and sci-fi. That feature is pretty cool.
However, Fantastic AI Avatars is separate from Prequel Gold. After uploading a set of 10-20 personal selfies, for $2.99 you get a pack of 50 avatars, $4.99 for 100 and $6.99 for 200 avatars. You do not need to be a Prequel Gold subscriber to use the feature.
Despite some cool, fun effects, I find it hard to justice the price of $4.99 per week to get the best stuff. Some effects (such as Renaissance) distorted faces in my images. Other functions don’t work with every photo. And some effects and filters take longer to apply than I expected.
Prequel is fun to play around with. You may find the free version has all the goodies you need. However, if you need more effects, filters, and templates, Adobe Lightroom is a better buy. It’s available both as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, and as desktop software. It’s free to install, but you have to subscribe to an Adobe Photography Plan to unlock its full set of features. The cheapest plan will cost you $9.99/month. But that’s still better than $4.99 per week for Prequel.
Apple World Today rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★
