Freemium
ImageColorizer
Colorizes black and white photos, and repairs damage and sharpens faded detail in the same run.
BeginnerWebMac
Palette.fm
AI colorizer for black-and-white photos, with filter presets and text descriptions to steer the colors.
PaidBeginnerWeb
Overview
Palette.fm adds color to black-and-white photos with AI. More than 21 filter presets each recolor the same photo in a different mood. If the AI misreads something, you type a short description of what that thing is, for example ocean or red dress, and it colors that part to match. Previews are free and unlimited, so you can iterate before paying.
It runs in the browser only. Colorizing and previewing are free, but a free download carries the Palette logo and is resized to 500 by 500 pixels. A clean download at up to 5000 by 5000 pixels costs one credit. Credits come from a subscription or a one-time pack, currently valid for two years.
Key features
✓Adds color to black-and-white photos
✓More than 21 filter presets, each a different mood
✓Text descriptions steer specific objects
✓Free unlimited previews before you spend
✓Watermark-free full-resolution export per credit
✓Pin & organize favorite filters on a subscription
✓Developer API for colorizing in your own app
When to use
Use Palette.fm if:
- You have old family photos in black and white and want to see them in color without learning a photo editor.
- You want to try several looks on the same photo. Each filter preset recolors it in a different mood, and you can flip between them freely.
- The automatic colors come out wrong and you want to correct them. You can describe what an object is and have that part recolored.
- You want to see the result before you pay. Previews are free and unlimited, so you spend a credit only once you have a version worth keeping.
- Your photo is already in good condition and lacks only color. Palette.fm assumes a clean scan and colors what it is given.
- You are a developer who wants colorizing inside your own product. Palette.fm offers an API, documented on its site.
When NOT to use
Skip Palette.fm if any of these describe you:
- Your photo is damaged. Scratches, creases, water spots and torn corners are not fixed here, they are colored in along with everything else. Repair it first with a photo restoration tool.
- Your photo is blurry or small. Adding color does not add detail, so a soft scan stays soft. A photo enhancer or an image upscaler is the right first step.
- Your photo is already in color and you want a different look. This is built for grayscale input. A color grading tool is made for that job.
- You need a clean result without paying. Every free download carries the Palette logo and is resized to 500 by 500 pixels, and a clean full-resolution file costs a credit.
- You also need to crop, retouch faces or remove an object. Palette.fm only colorizes, so a general photo editor covers the rest of the work.
Frequently asked questions
Up to a point. Colorizing a photo and previewing the result are free, and you can do it as often as you like. A free download carries the Palette logo and is resized to 500 by 500 pixels. A clean download at full resolution, up to 5000 by 5000 pixels, costs one credit. The free plan also shows ads, and a subscription runs up to 10 times faster. Signing up gives you a free credit, so you can take one photo all the way through at full quality before deciding to pay.
No. Palette.fm adds color and nothing else. Scratches, creases, water spots, tears and dust stay exactly where they are, and the AI colors them in along with the rest of the photo. It also will not sharpen a blurry or faded scan. If your photo has damage, repair it with a restoration tool first, then colorize the repaired version.
No. Palette.fm has no official mobile or desktop app, and the vendor's site links to no app download. It runs in a web browser, including your phone's browser, and needs an internet connection because the AI runs on Palette's servers. Be careful in the app stores: there are colorizing apps with similar names, including ones with Palette in the title, but they are published by other companies and are not this tool.
It depends on how you bought them. Subscription credits refresh each billing cycle and unused ones roll over up to a cap, but they are only valid while the subscription is active. Cancel, and any unused credits are gone. Credits from a one-time pack are currently valid for two years from purchase, which suits occasional use better. Check Palette.fm's pricing page for the current rules before buying a large pack.
There are two ways, and both are free to try. You can switch between the filter presets, which each recolor the whole photo differently. Or you can type a short description of what an object is, for example ocean or red dress, and the AI recolors that part to match. Describing what is in the scene is the main way to correct a bad guess. Previews cost nothing, so you only spend a credit once it is right.
Palette.fm states that uploaded files are deleted shortly after it returns your result. It states it does not publish, share or use your files for anything other than providing the service, unless you deliberately send them in as feedback. It does not state an exact deletion window. If your photos are sensitive, or covered by a client contract that restricts sharing files with outside services, check Palette.fm's terms against that contract first.
Alternatives to Palette.fm
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