Photomyne is an easy-to-use photo scanner app. You can use the app with your iPhone or Android smartphone. The image quality is spot on and the sharing and storing options are (almost) unlimited. The pricing structure for the premium plan can be a bit confusing.
Table of Contents
About Photomyne
Photomyne, an Israeli startup company, aims to become the largest photo collection of the pre-digital era.
The team at Photomyne has developed an AI-based scanning algorithm, making it possible to:
- scan multiple old (paper print) photos in a single shot,
- auto-crop the images
- enhance them
- and finally, save those as individual photos in a newly created digital album.
Also, Photomyne offers a dedicated web platform for curating, sharing and viewing these photo memories. The company’s ever-growing user base consists of 3 million individuals worldwide who scanned an accumulated number of 50M photos to date.
Current Ratings and Reviews on App Stores
The reviews of the Photomyne app are plenty and positive:
- As of 9 April 2018, the Photomyne app is ranked #42 in Photo & Video category of the Apple Apps Store and has a rating of 4.5-star rating with over 3,800 user ratings.
- On the Google Play Store, the photo scanner app by Photomeyne has a review score of 4.1 and a total of over 1,800 user ratings.
Editor’s View: We have tested the app by scanning over 100 images and used all its features, and can confidently give it close to 5 stars. In fact, we ranked Photomyne as the best photo scanning app.
Scanning Images
The app can scan single prints as well as entire albums. You can have a look at this video to understand how simple it is to digitize your old photos:
How to Use your iPhone to Scan and Save Old Family Photos
Photomyne is the only photo scanning app that makes it possible to scan multiple printed photos in a single shot.
Image Quality
Normal sized images (4*3 inch) turn out to be big digital files (e.g. 3264 × 2196px). This is a great file size to see your old paper prints on a large monitor. It feels as if old moments and memories come back to life on a vivid and big computer screen (apart from seeing and storing your images on the phone, you can later see them on the web or download them on the computer).
Please note that we used the iPhone 7 camera and scanned single images from nearby. If you use a smartphone with a camera of lower quality or scan multiple images at once, you will get lower resolution images. Read more on how you can achieve optimal photo quality on the Photomyne website.
Related Posts
Social Sharing of Images
Once you have scanned and saved a few images, you may want to share them with friends and family. This too is an effortless process.
You can share your images via
- an iPhone Message
- Messenger
- Or any app you have installed on your phone, e.g. Twitter, Dropbox, etc.
Create your own Photo Album Website
In addition to sharing your images via a message or social media, Photomyne also gives you the possibility to create your own website. All it takes is one click and your website is live!
Don’t want to share your photos with the world? Not a problem, you can easily add a password to your online photo website and hence limit the access.
Back up your Photos in the Cloud
What we also like about the Photomyne app is that all your scanned photos get safely backed-up on your personal account in the cloud. Also, not only will you find all your cropped and edited versions there, but also the original scans in case you need them.
Discover other People’s Photos
Another nice and fun function is the Discover tab. Click on it and discover other people’s publicly shared photos. It’s nice to see some pictures from the 60s and 70s once in a while. A nice way of getting a little nostalgic and a good break from modern and filtered Instagram images ;-).
Download your Scanned Images
And finally, if you want to download all your images from the app/cloud, you can do that too. Simply go to your account online and download the entire album folder.
We love the app and recommend it to anyone who has a shoe box or two full of old photos lying around at home or a grandma with a bunch of photo albums.
An App that Makes Storing Photos Fun
Scanning your old photos with Photomyne is a nice time-pass for a Sunday afternoon. Sit together with your family and scan your old paper prints!
You will have a great time looking at those old prints, have a few laughs, and store your family memories for the next generations to come by getting them into a digitized and easy to share format.
Related Post: Best Slides Scanners to Digitize Your Negatives
Price
Photomyne offers both free and paid iOS photo scanner apps on the App Store, and both apps offer an account option through an in-app purchase:
Free App – A Limited Version of Photomyne’s Utility on One Device
The Photomyne app is free to download (Apple App Store, Google Play Store), scan and save photos.
Use is for basic scanning before deciding if you want to upgrade. Scanning and/or saving, sharing photos is limited. Excludes web and cloud-based services.
To enjoy account sync and online access, you will have to subscribe to a Photomyne account (the price for the premium version is $47.99* for 2 years, but varies depending on plan options).
👉*Please Note: Prices may vary depending on location, time of year, etc.
Paid App – Photomyne’s Full Utility on One Device
Unlimited photo scanning, saving, and sharing on a single device (on this paid app). Excludes web and cloud-based services.
Account Option in Both Apps
Both apps mentioned above require an additional upgrade through the app if you want any of the following premium features:
- Unlimited B&W photo colorization
- Photo access on other devices
- Unlimited photo back-up
- Photo ZIP transfer to PC or Mac
- Free up space on your device
- Photos saved in best quality
Users can choose to subscribe to a Photomyne Account on a recurring monthly or annual basis, or join a long-term plan through the One-Time option.
Once you are done scanning your old photos, make sure to check out our recommended boxes for storing old photo prints.
Overall Photomyne Rating: 4.8/5
Our Review Score Criteria and Ratings
- Ease of Use: 5/5
- Scan Quality: 5/5
- Online Sharing Options: 5/5
- Premium Subscription Plan Price: 4/5
Photomyne
Photomyne is a photo scanner and enhancing tool which aims to create a database of old photos.
Price: 47.99
Price Currency: USD
Operating System: Android, iOS
Application Category: Multimedia
4.8
Pros
- Easy to use
- High-quality photo scans
- Access photos on computer
- You can share photos online
Cons
- Expensive
- Pricing is confusing
How to get the App
- iOS Download Link: Photomyne iOS
- Android Download Link: Photomyne Android
Does everyone who needs access to the photos also have to have a Photomyne account? Or just to the saved data source (i.e., cloud, website, etc.)? What is included in the “Premium” Photomyne version?
You get your own website and can share the link to the album. The ones you want to share the photos with do not need to have Photomyne (just Internet access and a web browser).
What is the difference between the red version and the gold? I have been charged for both.
When I am done saving pics and I cancel my plan will my photomyne created albums remain in the app/cloud? Or Will they only still exist if I have downed loaded them to my iphone or my computer?
As per Photomyne:
Why can’t I access my Photomyne app on my iPhone 7. I have tried for weeks. I pay for the app through Apple Pay.
Can photos saved to photomyne be loaded to my Google photos album?
You can share download links or to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, WhatsApp, Email in the desktop app.
On the phone app if you have Google drive or Photos installed along with the Photomyne app it should work. E.g. I can save them in Dropbox because I have the Dropbox app installed. Or into a shared iPhone photo album. So I assume it will work with Google Drive or Photos too.
Why is it so difficult to find out what you pay and what you get? Hiding something? Just about ready to move on to another app. Still don’t know the end price
Agree, pricing is not very transparent and a bit confusing. Right now the 5-years subscription plan is costing $49.99.
So did it work them being stored on google photos too??
Hi Judy, I have tried to export the photos from the Photomyne app to Google photos. There seems to be no direct option. The only way around is to save the photos to your phone camera album (or your desktop) and then let them sync with your Google photos album (you must have sync enabled on your Google photos app).
Using the PhotoScan by Google Photos app may be the better option if you want to have the photos immediately ready in Google Photos.
Can I scan 35 mm negatives with this app?? IF not do you have an app that will do this?
The Photomyne app only works for scanning paper prints. We are not aware of an app for scanning 35mm negatives.
But you can read our comparison about the best negative/slides scanners we did recently.
I click on all the links, without success, as I want to take up the option to pay for the 5 years plan. In my Apple subscription too, it doesn’t give me the opportunity to do so.
what about if I cancel the Apple subscription (in the 3 days free plan) and then try to get somehow the 5 years plan.
However, will I lose then all my downloaded photos/albums ?
Thank you for leaving a comment. We have updated the Photomyne review post. The five year plan may have been a one time promotion.
Prices may vary depending on location, time of year, etc.
Photoshop Elements and a flatbed scanner.
This app is the best app I have ever used, so easy and fast to use. I scanned over 300 photos in less than 2 hours. the quality is excellent. The colorization works well too but not always accurate colours. Although you can scan holding the phone i feel it would be better to have some sort of cradle to keep it steady, have ordered one from eBay, costs just under $12 AUD (YES UNDER $12 UAD).
WELL DONE TEAM
Glad to hear that you find Photomyne and our review useful.
Thank you for sharing the tip about using some sort of phone stand to avoid camera shake.
Richard, I hope you see this. What kind of a phone cradle were you able to find on eBay? I’ve been trying to figure something out (hopefully with a wireless remote) to hold my phone above my photo. With a tri-pod i can’t keep the camera aimed down onto my original. Thanks in advance!
I just made my own holder out of a cardboard box with a hole cut in top. I lay may phone there and place the photos below on printer paper. I use the voice control and say “go” and it scans them perfectly.
Does Photomyne have any rights to your photos?
No, unless you share them to the public stream I guess. From the TOC “Any Submitted Information and Materials (including your photos) provided by you remains your property.”
I see no reference anywhere about adding captions/comments to individual photos. Is this a basic feature/special feature/not available?
Regards
Yes, you can:
Add a description
Add a date
Add a location
Add people’s name
Is there a limit on the number of slides you scan over the time period of a paid plan?
The paid Photomyne account comes with unlimited scanning, saving, and sharing of photos.
Do I have to keep an active membership forever in order to be able to view my photos in photomyne in the years ahead?
Hi Michelle, once your membership stops and you don’t renew then according to the Photomyne FAQ section this will happen:
I get a new iPhone every year. No access if switching device would be a huge problem.
Scanned family pics after parents died and haven’t gone back to look at them or to down load them until this year ( a few years after putting them on my iphone). I logged in today and found out my photos are being held unless I sign up for a year, with the first 3 days free? What?
So if I sign up, for a day, download my pics to my pc where I wanted to put them, and cancel it in the same day, really-if I cancel you won’t charge me as its 3 free days? Does the purchase go through and I have to wait a year to get my money back?
Hi Jane,
Sorry to hear about that. Your subscriptions and payments can be controlled from your iPhone in settings > subscriptions.
For Android devices see your active subscriptions in the Google Play Store > subscriptions.
We are however not fully aware of your old plan and the terms of conditions you signed up for.
PhotoWorkout is not in any ways associated with the Photomyne company. We do like the app, wrote this review, and recommend Photomyne for scanning old photo prints.
The Photomyne support team ([email protected], or go to the Photomyne about page, scroll down and you can chat on Facebook, book a call etc.). We are sure they can assist you with any of your billing queries.
I scanned about 800 pictures from photo albums after my mother in law passed away. I want to save them on a disc or external device so I don’t have to store all the photos. How do I do this. I went to Walgreens and the photos in the app would not show up to do this. Thank you.
I would like to do this same thing. If I connect my iPhone to my computer, I should be able to download all the photos from the phone into a folder on the computer, then copy those onto disc, flash drive, etc. is that right??
Hi, for transferring photos you need to sign up for a Photomyne account. This will allow you to transfer your photos to a PC or Mac.
I had an android device and used your product which was great. I don’t need anymore and I thought it was free. I switched to iPhone 7 months ago and just notice now that you are charging me $10 a month. I need to cancel but have no idea how. I see the charge is going thru google but I don’t have an android phone anymore. How can I cancel please!!!
Hi. This app looks like it could be a good option for the boxes of pictures I currently have, though I’m also looking at Google Photoscan.
The advantage of this one is the colorization of black and white prints. Have you tested it and how can you ensure accuracy? (Does it ask you to pick a color for a shirt for example?)
We did a test with Photomyne. This was very easy, just a press of the colorize button.
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The original black and white photo:
The result:
We have not tested Photoscan so far.
After I scan a picture I’d like to dictate a comment about it so the viewer can know who it is and whatever I tell them. Can I do that with this? Can I later make a printed book from this? Thanks!
hi i bought your software through apple buy now how i activate my software money is deducted from my account
PhotoWorkout is not associated with Photomyne. The Photomyne support team can be reached here: [email protected], or go to the Photomyne about page, scroll down and you can chat on Facebook, book a call etc.). We are sure they can assist you with any of your billing queries.
How easy is it to digitize thousands of photos and transfer to iCloud or Macbook? Will the quality hold up? Will I be able to edit and store in MAC albums on my Macbook and share with others so they have full rights. In other words, I want to use the app to do the digitizing, but don’t want to pay forever like Ancestry.com
Very easy. Just save to your iPhone. They will transfer to your photo stream then saved on your computer.
Can I upload the scanned photos to a USB Drive or other dedicated external drive?
Yes you can save your scanned photos on your computer or any dedicated external drive.
Will it work on my IPad mini 5th gen?
I have terrible internet so I avoid cloud if at all possible. Isolated area with limited satellite connectivity and limited data allowed for upload/download and so on. Would like an app that would scan directly to hard drive or be able to transfer directly from iPhone to Mac using USB. Will this app do that?
The Photomyne app is made to sync with the Photomyne online account so it may not be the best solution in your case.
Hi, I’d like to subscribe to Photomyne for – let’s say – a month, until I’ve been able to go through all my photos. Will I be able to transfer all my photos to a few CD’s, and send them to the family via internet ?
Can I cancel after a month ?
What happens if I want to re-subscribe in a year’s time to do the same process again with newer photos ?
I don’t use cloud, I have an Android LG smartphone. Will it be easy to save my photos onto my laptop ? does it need a lot of memory ? or must I just save them on the CD’s ? Thanks
I downloaded the free version and scanned in photos. Then paid for the plus version but can not see photos from the free version. Any suggestions?
Did you upgrade to paid within the app like explained on the Photomyne support page?
To quickly complete your digital photo library with high quality (heif) scans of old albums along with date and location metadata straight to the Photos library, try the ´Photo Complete’ scanner app for iPhone/iPad. It also gives you the option to modify time and location for any photos or videos in Photos app.
I couldn’t find the “Photo Complete” app you mentioned above in the App Store. Is that the correct name?
Are all my photos when displayed (for example on Nixplay) going to be branded with the Photomyne
name?? I just started uploading and am disappointed with that feature.
Do you use the free version? We have not noticed this on the paid version.
In what format are scanned pictures stored? I like to keep all my scanned pictures in *.jpg (jpeg) format on an off-line hard drive that I use for that purpose – to keep all family pictures for future use. Does the Photo Scan App use its own format? If so, I assume that would mean that the stored pictures could only be accessed using a Photmyne application? Thank you,
I have just cancelled SlideScan prior to the end of my 3-day trial because I could not find a good How To for SlideScan. I had no indication, for instance, prior to scanning 500 slides, that it would require an iPhone 7 (13) to exploit the scans in downloads; mine is an iPhone 6 (12.5.1). It is unclear to new users that SlideScan is a tool of Photomyne and that while the SlideScan app is free, a paid subscription to Photomyne is necessary. After reading your blog, I now learn that my 500 slide scans are lost. I weep. I really wanted this to work!
After scanning and saving to my PC, is it stored as .jpg? If I want to send them to family do they need the app because the photos are in a a Photmyne specific format? If I can keep them as .jpg in the same quality I’ll definitely sign up!
Hi
Have used Photomyne for ages and now want to scan in the slides with the SlideScan app . Is this part of what I already pay for and if so how can I get to see all the app areas I’ve paid for?
Hello, I recall seeing a one-time membership price. Please advise, what is the cost of a one-time. Thanks for the feedback.
I tried photomyne using the 3 Day free trial but cancelled on the second day as I could not find the negatives I wanted to scan so I thought the best thing to do was to cancel for the time being and then purchase the app when I find the negatives. Photomyne have charged me £26.49 even though they had sent me a questionnaire as to why I cancelled so I am now warning as many people as possible not to trust Photomyne.
what happened? did you paid them? or you contact them regarding the matter?
My brother in law and myself both loaded and both paid for separate accounts not related accounts. We are both are scanning old photos that my mom had in albums. He lives 250 miles away. We both want to share are albums with my daughter he sent her a share request which she accepted then I sent her a share request to my library she could not accept my share request because she had already accepted his request. Is there any way for her to accept his share of his library and also my request to my library we are not using the name account?
I am very interested in subscribing to Photomyne. Are the scanned photos large enough to print? I want to continue making Blurb photo albums for my kids.
Can you print the photos once scanned? My family wants copies of photos my mother had. She recently passed away. They want paper prints, not all digital.
If this is Photomyne I purchased a few years ago and made pictures but I don’t know how to bring them up through your system!
Please contact Photomyne as we’re not affiliated with the company.
You can reach them at: [email protected]
Hi, I have about 3,000 photos that I would like to scan and save on my laptop. I would then like to transfer them to something else to pass on to my sons. What would be the best option to do this and also make sure the quality is good for printing photos if they wish so. I also have an iPhone 8, is that good enough?
Hi Marzena, for this many photos, we suggest you have a look at one of the Epson photo scanners.
You can scan all your photos to your laptop. But if you don’t want to buy a scanner, even the iPhone 8 will do a good job. You can have a look at the best photo scanning apps. If you don’t use iCloud (for synching your photos to your laptop), you could use a photo stick to save your iPhone photos.