I’ve loved following Tessa Barton for years, so I was in when she announced the Tezza app a few years ago. For those who don’t know, Tezza is a photo and video app designed for creators. There are dozens of photo filters, video effects, collage templates, and a built-in studio to create TikTok and Reel videos. There’s a free version with limited features. If you’ve been using the app for a while and are debating upgrading, this post is for you.
I don’t pay for many apps, especially when it comes to photo editing. There are so many great free options, and I use a Lightroom subscription regularly. But I renew my Tezza iPhone app subscription every year. For $40/annually, you get a lot of features at your disposal. Let’s get into some of my favorites.
Tezza App Photo Editing
From left to right, top to bottom: Mood, Wildflower, Lellow, Tangerine, Vintage 3, Goldie, Bestie, Pine
The app has 40+ filters, and while I love having options, it can be seriously overwhelming. You can save your favorite edits and easily copy/paste them to other pictures. I think Tezza can be a 1-click app (meaning that you apply a filter without adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation, etc.) if your original image is in optimal lighting. If it isn’t, you’ll probably need to make some tweaks. As you can see, some of the filters drastically affect the colors (look at the color of the sky in the first row of pictures). You can always adjust the hue to make it closer to the original.
Tezza Photo & Video Effects
These are a few of the photo effects available in the app. You can see the filters I mentioned above on the top row. The filters are grouped by category, making it easier to sort through them depending on what mood you’re trying to convey through your picture. Next up are basic photo adjustments, similar to those in the native iPhone app. The last two are the more fun effects, like adding shimmer or text to a picture. You can also play around with texture overlays. I don’t typically use the more creative effects, but they’re good to have as an option. Here’s an example of what a picture looks like with all of the effects.
I don’t use Tezza much for video, so I won’t be covering it in this review — but from what I’ve seen, it has many great features. There’s a built-in video tool that has special effects and realistic-looking film filters. You can also use the same photo features on videos — picking a filter, adjusting brightness and saturation, and cropping.
The free version gives access to limited presets. Still, I think the paid app is worth it for content creators or anyone serious about elevating iPhone photos. My favorite thing about the Tezza app is how user-friendly it is. I still edit pictures in Lightroom, but there’s a definite learning curve. The Tezza app is much easier to use but has a long list of advanced features. I don’t plan on canceling my subscription anytime soon.
