Top 15 AI Photo Colorizers to Colorize Black and White Photos 2023 (Updated in May)

This article reviews the top ten tools and software that can be used to colorize black and white photos, with options ranging from AI-powered online tools to advanced desktop applications. The review covers features like output quality, processing speed, user-friendliness, compatibility, pricing options, and suitability for different types of users, including amateur photographers, historians, and professional designers.

What Is An Image Colorizer?

We all have an album of old black and white photos that carry with our sweet memories. An image colorizer is developed to help you colorize these old photos, so as to satisfy your curiosity or make up for your regrets. We have many image colorizers today, some of which require the engagement of humans with the skilled operation, some adopt AI colorize photo algorithms to get your photo smartly analyzed and colorized, and some even allows you to convert black and white photo to color online free.

This is a general overview table made by us, if you want to see our more detailed review, please keep reading:

Part 1: Best 10 AI Photo Colorizers to Colorize Black and White Photos (Updated May 2023)

Product Name	Processing Speed	Output Quality	User-Friendliness	Compatibility	Free/Paid	Suitable for
VanceAI Photo Colorizer	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	Online	Freemium	Casual users or amateur photographers
Palette Colorizer	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	Desktop	Paid	Professional photographers or designers
Colourise.com	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	Online	Freemium	Casual users or amateur photographers
MyHeritage	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	Online	Paid	Genealogists and family historians
DeepAI Colorizer	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	Online	Freemium	Casual users or amateur photographers
Colourise.online	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	Online	Paid	Casual users or amateur photographers
Deoldify	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	Online	Freemium	Casual users or amateur photographers
Image Colorizer	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	Online	Paid	Casual users or amateur photographers
Colorize.digital	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	Online	Paid	Casual users or amateur photographers
Hotpot.ai	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	Online	Paid	Graphic designers, marketers, and digital artists

1. VanceAI Photo Colorizer

• Price: $9.90/mo or $59.88/year
• Compatibility: Online
• Notable features: AI-powered colorization, support for PSD file format.

During our experience, we found that VanceAI Photo Colorizer stands out with its automatic colorization of black and white photos. Using advanced AI algorithms and deep learning, this online tool can effortlessly add lifelike colors to your grayscale, yellowish, and black and white images with just a single click. It even offers a free trial version that allows users to colorize up to 5 images per month.

You can choose AI models (This methodology makes analytics smarter and faster, and it can handle more data as we go along. And choosing the right model can make your photo coization faster and more accurate.)for photo of human or landscape. For creative professionals and Photoshop users, the support for PSD file format is an added advantage.

For this review, we will use this old photo taken in the last century to test the photo colorizer tool we mentioned today.

Output comments

This is the processing effect of VanceAI Photo Colorizer, you can see that VanceAI is very accurate in processing the skin color of people. The picture becomes much clearer and seems to be the most recent photo taken. The clothes worn by the characters even have color, such as the pink heels and blue jeans. The only downside is that the colors of the background may not be vibrant enough.

Pros:

• Automatically colorize black and white photos online
• Use deep neural networks to restore beautiful color to images
• Offer 5 images free trial
• Pro users can access PSD format

Cons

• Lack editing tools
• Limited credits to colorize black and white pictures free

How to colorize photo with VanceAI Photo Colorizer?

Step 1: Upload the image you want to colorize into this image colorized

Step 2: Click "Start to Press" and let AI colorize the photo.

Step 3: Download the results.

If you want to know the steps of how to use this AI photo colorizer better, below is a video that may be helpful.

2. Palette Colorizer

Notable features: Free usage, (not free to download HD image)ease of use.

When it comes to Palette Colorizer, it excels in offering a free and user-friendly online AI picture colorizer. It allows users to colorize black-and-white photos without any limitations, making it a convenient choice for individuals with numerous old old black and white photos. This photo colorizer utilizes a neural network model trained with a vast collection of images, ensuring colorization without manual effort. However, we observed a slight loss in quality and occasional difficulties in achieving accurate colors in a single attempt.

The pros of AI Palette Colorizer lie in its free usage and simplicity, allowing users to colorize their photos quickly and easily.

However, it's important to note that there may be a compromise in quality, and achieving perfect colors may require multiple attempts. And you should note that you have to pay for HD image download.

Output comments

Palette Colorizer offers more restored styles than VanceAI, and they really do present different results in the end. We prefer the effect of the first image, which is very colorful. The second and third images, on the other hand, both seem a bit too green.

Click Palette Colorizer Review to know more about Palette AI Colorize Photo.

Pros

• Free to use
• No limit
• Fast to use

Cons

• Loss in quality
• Sometimes you can not get the color correct at one time.

3. Colourise.com

Colourise.com is also a powerful tool to help colorize photo online free.

Colourise.com offers a powerful AI photo colorizer that instantly converts black and white photos to color with just one click. Whether it's a portrait or a landscape, this AI colorizer can handle a variety of images. The best part is that there is no need to sign up or download any software, ensuring a hassle-free experience.

On the positive side, Colourise.com excels in its claim of using AI to deliver quick and accurate colorization results. It is a fast and efficient tool, allowing users to colorize old white photos free of charge. However, the lack of batch processing capability and longer processing time is a notable drawback.

Output comments

The model used by Colourise.com seems to be similar to a certain style of Palette Colorizer, which has bright, rich colors after all. But there are some small mistakes, in which one woman's face is not colored, and her hair turns red.

Pros

• Claim to use AI to colorize images in one click
• Fast to use
• Colorize black and white photos free

Cons

• No batch processing

For more information about this free AI image colorizer, please check out How to Convert Black and White Photo to Color Online Free?

How to colorize photo with Colourise.com?

Step 1: Drop your photo in this AI colorizer

Step 2: The AI will colorize your photo automatically

Step 3: Wait for a few seconds and get your colorize photo

4. MyHeritage

Notable features: Lossless colorization, easy-to-use interface, free trial and subscription options.

MyHeritage, primarily an online genealogy platform, offers a AI colorize photo feature powered by AI. This colorizer has been trained on millions of images, ensuring high-quality and realistic results. Notably, it keeps the black and white photos lossless in terms of quality. Users can upload photos easily and quickly, with colorization taking approximately 10 seconds. It's worth mentioning that signing up is required, and there is a 14-day free trial available with the option for unlimited photo colorization.

The advantages of MyHeritage include lossless colorization, ease of use, and the ability to download, compare, and share colorized photos. However, the requirement of signing up and the need for payment information during the 14-day free trial, as well as the inclusion of a watermark for non-subscribers, are potential drawbacks.

Output comments

MyHeritage's has turned the pictures into colorful and vivid colors. Leaves are also recognized by MyHeritage and colored green. One thing to note is that the contrast in this image seems to be a little too high.

Here are more information about MyHeritage: How to Restore Old Photos with MyHeritage Photo Enhancer?

Pros

• Colorized photo is lossless in quality
• Easy and fast to use
• Free to colorize 10 photos after signing up
• 14-day free trial to access unlimited photo colorization
• Download colorized photo or comparison
• Share on Facebook or Twitter

Cons

• Require signing up
• 14-day free trial requires payment information
• Add watermark to result for non-subscribers

5. DeepAI Colorizer

Notable features: Free colorization, ease of use.

DeepAI Colorizer is an image colorization API that allows users to colorize black and white photos online for free. The deep learning model used in this tool has been trained on a wide range of color and black and white images, enabling it to effectively add color back to grayscale photos. The process is simple, with users able to upload images or provide image URLs directly. However, it's important to note that there is a limit on the image size, and the colorized photo may have slightly reduced quality.

The strengths of DeepAI Colorizer lie in its ability to colorize old photos for free and its user-friendly interface. However, users should be mindful of the image size limit and potential reduction in quality.

How to colorize photo with Deepai?

Step 1: Upload an image to this AI photo colorizer or input the url of the image

Step 2: After only 2 seconds you will have your AI colorize photo

Step 3: Save the result

Output comments

DeepAI Colorizer has a performance that belongs to the normal level, the coloring is more accurate, but the color is not vivid enough. There are some minor problems with the color of the pants and the color of the background plants.

Pros

• Free photo colorizer online
• Easy to use
• No watermark

Cons

• Limit the size of an image
• Colorized photo has lower quality

6. Picwish

Notable features: Effortlessly colorize black and white photos with PicWish, bringing new life to old images for free.

PicWish offers a convenient solution for colorizing black and white photos. It is ideal for individuals looking to transform their old photos into vibrant, colored images. Whether you want to restore family photos or add a touch of realism to historical figures, PicWish brings the past back to life with natural and realistic colors.

During our experience with PicWish, we found it to be a free and user-friendly photo colorizer. With no limitations or required skills, anyone can easily transform their black and white photos into color photos within seconds. One of the key features of Picwish Colorizer is fast to process and does not require any action other than uploading images. In the same way, there will be a lot less customization as a result.

Output comments

As you can see from the graphs we tested, Picwish is fast with old photos, but it also misses a lot of color details in the pictures as a result. For example, the woman in the dress still seems to be black and white.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface for easy use.
• Can colorize black and white pictures for free.

Cons:

• Detailed color missing

7. Colourise.online

Notable features: Free colorization, user-friendly interface.

Colourise.online is an AI-powered colorizer that enables users to effortlessly colorize their black and white photos. With its simple UI design, even users without any editing skills can easily upload their images and let the AI do the work. It's important to note that this tool has limitations on image size and doesn't provide photo restoration capabilities.

The main advantage of Colourise.online is its total free usage and user-friendly interface. While using the product, we identified room for improvement such as the tool is limited in terms of image size and lacks photo restoration features.

Output comments

The processing of coloriseonline is not very satisfactory, there are many parts that remain black and white, without color. Honestly, this effect is not competitive compared to other products, we think, but luckily this program is completely free.

Pros:

• Total free to use
• Doesn't require any skills

Cons:

• limited image size
• Doesn't allow to restore photo

8. Image Colorizer

Notable features: Online and software options, accurate colorization.

Image Colorizer provides an AI-powered solution for converting black and white photos to color online for free. With its drag-and-drop interface, users can easily add life to their grayscale images. While the online version has certain limitations in terms of image size, the software version, Picture Colorizer Pro, offers enhanced capabilities such as adjusting saturation, exposure, and hue. The software is compatible with various platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

The advantages of Image Colorizer include its no-registration requirement, accuracy in colorization, and the availability of both an online tool and a more powerful software option. However, users should keep in mind the file size limit imposed by the online version.

Output comments

This is the image we processed with Image Colorizer, and you can see that the result of this tool is also of medium level. The coloring is relatively accurate, but the final output is blurry and not of high quality.

Pros

• No need to register or log in
• Quite accurate
• Convert black and white photo to color online free
• Easy to use
• Provide both online tool and colorize black and white photos freeware (free&paid)

Cons:

• Set file size limit: less than 3000px for any dimension

9. Colorize.digital

Notable features: Effective colorization using advanced algorithms.

Colorize.digital is an AI colorizer that automatically adds color to black and white pictures. With its simple interface, users can achieve colorization results in seconds, depending on the image size. However, the performance of this tool may be somewhat unstable.

The main advantage of Colorize.digital lies in its effective colorization capabilities using advanced algorithms. Based on our experience, a potential issue some users might face is, we should be aware of the potential for unstable performance.

Output comments

After looking at the images processed by colorize.digital, we guess that it uses an AI model that may be similar to Colourise.online. They are very similar in color, and at the same time, there are some parts that are not recognized and colored by the algorithm.

Pros:

• Colorize black and white pictures effectively using advanced algorithms
• colorize photo online free

Cons:

• Unstable performance

10. Hotpot.ai

Notable features: AI-based colorization.

Hotpot.ai utilizes DeOldify's technology to offer AI-based colorization for old black and white photos, specifically focusing on colorizing photos of ancestors and historic figures. While this tool claims to automatically enhance and colorize images, it is not available as an online app and requires the use of an API. Furthermore, there is no free trial option, limiting users' ability to fully experience its features.

After spending some time with the product, it seems that the advantage of Hotpot.ai lies in its AI-powered colorization capabilities. Our hands-on evaluation revealed that the product may fall short in terms of free trial version.

Output comments

For HotPot.AI Photo Colorizer. I think the colors in this image are relatively rich, but the saturation is a bit too high. And the output quality is not high. Maybe it will be better in a paid version.

Pros:

• Colorize black and white pictures using AI

Cons:

• Not an online app but an API
• No free trial

How to colorize photo with Hotpot.ai?

Step 1: Upload an image to this AI photo colorizer

Step 2: Choose the colorization factors to meet your colorize photo requirements

Step 3: Click "Colorize" to get an AI colorize photo

Part 2: Best 5 AI Colorize Programs (Updated May 2023)

1. ColorSurprise - Colorized Software

• Price: $39.99
• Compatibility: Windows & Mac
• Notable features: Lossless quality output, high color factor option

 

During our experience with ColorSurprise, we found it to be one of the top AI photo colorizers on the market. It excels at colorizing black and white photos using artificial intelligence, delivering impressive results. The software offers lossless quality output, ensuring that the colorized photos maintain their original sharpness and clarity. Additionally, users have the option to choose a high color factor for even more stunning results, although this may require slightly longer processing time due to increased computations.

ColorSurprise is incredibly user-friendly. Once you download the software, simply upload an old black and white photo from your computer, and within seconds, you will see a preview of the colorized version. Saving the colorized photo to your computer is also straightforward.

It's worth noting that ColorSurprise offers a free trial service, allowing users to explore its capabilities before making a purchase. However, the unlimited photo colorization feature requires a paid subscription, and the free trial version adds a watermark to the results.

Also read: How to Make Pictures Come to Life - Best 5 Ways.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Fast to use
• Output lossless quality in original size
• Offer free trial service

Cons:

• Paid subscription required for unlimited photo colorization
• Results in the free trial version contain a watermark

2. Photoshop - Best photo colorizing software

• Price: $9.99/mon
• Compatibility: Windows & Mac
• Notable features: Dust and scratch removal, color settings, layers

Photoshop is undoubtedly a powerful photo colorizing software with extensive customization options. Users can employ various color settings to transform grayscale images into vibrant and colorful ones. Additionally, Photoshop allows for dust and scratch removal, ensuring clean and polished colorized photos. Advanced users can also leverage layers to neutralize colors and enhance their editing process.

However, it's important to note that Photoshop may not be suitable for everyone. Newcomers to the software might find it complex and time-consuming, as it requires manual adjustments to achieve desired colorizing effects. Furthermore, using Photoshop extensively may demand a high-performance computer system. We recommend considering AI photo colorizers as a starting point to obtain the base color of your black and white photo and then using Photoshop for further refinements.

Pros:

• Removes dust and scratches in the software
• Allows for color neutralization with layers

Cons:

• Can be complicated for beginners
• Manual adjustment of colorizing effects can be tedious
• High system requirements

3. Luminar

• Price: $89
• Compatibility: Windows & Mac
• Notable features: Professional photo colorizer, brushing tools, powerful photo enhancement

Luminar stands out as a professional photo colorizer that offers an array of editing features. It serves as both a standalone application and a plugin, providing users with flexibility in their editing workflow. When it comes to colorizing old black and white photos, Luminar impresses with its quality outputs. The software offers brushing tools that allow users to precisely apply colors to their photos.

Powered by AI technologies, Luminar also excels in photo enhancement, making it an ideal choice for users with advanced photo editing skills.

However, it's worth noting that the colorization process in Luminar is manual, requiring users to actively participate in the coloring process. Additionally, Luminar is not available for free and requires a one-time purchase.

Pros

• Produces superior quality colorized photos
• Offers a wide range of editing features

Cons

• Colorizes photos manually
• Requires a one-time purchase

4. Movavi AI colorize photo

• Price: Free/trial 10 pictures & Paid/$44.95
• Compatibility: Windows & Mac
• Notable features: Neural network integration, user-friendly interface

Movavi is a powerful photo colorizer that comes equipped with additional editing features. With the integration of neural networks, this AI-driven colorizer enables users to effortlessly colorize black and white photos with just one click. The software boasts an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible to users of all levels of expertise.

To get started with Movavi, simply install the software and let the artificial intelligence handle the colorization process. The free trial service allows users to colorize up to 10 black and white pictures, providing an opportunity to explore the capabilities of the software. For unlimited photo colorization, a paid subscription is required, and the trial version adds a watermark to the colorized results.

Pros

• Automatic photo colorizer
• User-friendly and slick interface
• More editing features
• Offer free trial service

Cons

• Paid subscription required for unlimited photo colorization
• Results in the trial version contain a watermark

Read our full review about Movavi colorizer here: How to Colorize Black and White photos with Movavi Photo Editor?

5. AKVIS Coloriage

• Price: $75
• Compatibility: Windows & Mac
• Notable features: Manual colorization with brushes, standalone and plugin functionality

AKVIS Coloriage offers a unique approach to photo colorization, allowing users to manually add colors to black and white portraits, landscapes, fashion, and still life images. Unlike AI-driven colorizers, this software provides precise control over the coloring process through brush strokes. AKVIS Coloriage also functions as a comprehensive photo editor, offering features for eliminating red-eye effects and correcting colors.

One of the standout features of AKVIS Coloriage is its ability to automatically identify edges and borders, making the colorization process less demanding in terms of precision. This software operates as both a standalone program and a plugin, providing users with flexibility in their editing workflow. While AKVIS Coloriage offers a 10-day free trial, it comes with a price tag higher than average.

Pros

• Enables precise manual colorization of black and white photos
• Functions as a standalone program and a plugin
• Offers a 10-day free trial

Cons

• Pricing is higher than average

Summary

Generally speaking, AI image colorizer might not be that accurate in colorizing photos. But AI colorize photo technology makes things much easier for those who just want to automatically colorize black and white photos.

If you are one of our regular readers, you might notice that Algorithmia has been replaced by Colourse.com in that the former is not stable to use and often fails to work. Besides, the once-popular tool Colourise.sg is no longer available now. But don't panic. New AI coloring service providers are entering the market. Plus, programs to colorize photos are also worth trying because they allow you to access customized colored photos.

And we also reviewed some well performed AI image upscaler that can help increase the image quality of the colorized photos to make it more delicate.

If you want to refine the colorized photo for a better look, check out in Top 10 Photo Enhancers Review 2020.

FAQ

Which is the best AI Photo Colorizer?

Of the photo colorizers in this article, Colourise.com tops them all due to the simplicity, output of more accurate results, and free-to-use. If you want to colorize photos with high resolution, Movavi and MyHeritage are recommended. For a result with no watermark, you can choose Deepai.org.

How to colorize old historical photos?

Thanks to AI coloring technology, we are given an opportunity to see colorized historical photos. Below is a video showing the best 10 historical photos. Just click to watch it if you are interested in it.

Is there any ethical controversy in colorizing black and white photos?

Some people believe that colorizing a black and white photo can bring life to the past and preserve our precious memories, while Some photographers believe it shows little respect to history since the one who runs AI not only adds colors to the photo but also alters the facial expression of people.

How to Colorize a Black and White Photo in Photoshop?

If you want to get professional help from Photoshop. You may have to learn how to work with layers and brushes. The video below would give you clear guidance to help you colorize photos.

How to colorize black and white photo without Photoshop?

The most easy way to colorize black and white photo without Photoshop is to use an AI colorizer, which is powered by colorize AI algorithms. Such AI-powered colorizers can colorize black and white photo 100% automatically without any manual operations. All you have to do is to find an image colorizer and upload your image and click "Start".

How Does AI Colorization and AI Coloring Work?

It may look easy watching from the outside but this process of the AI colorization is based on detecting and transforming millions of tiny pixels which colorize old photos accordingly. This whole different ball game of a colorizing tool service is built on an AI colorize photo algorithm that makes use of deep learning techniques to accomplish such a great result. Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) machine learning is the name of the technique used by AI coloring tools.