Published on Oct 10, 2021
Prasanta R
Full Review on VSCO App - Positive and Negative Comments
VSCO, the product of Visual Supply Company, is a mobile photography application. The photo editor app is available on both Android and iOS operating systems, and the app allows users to click, edit, and share pictures. VSCO is rated as one of the most used photo editing apps.
There are multiple embedded filters and tools for editing pictures. VSCO app is user-friendly as it is featured with the elements of social media. In other words, users can share their photos and edited content with other users within the VSCO app.
For sharing photos, the users must follow each other. However, people can only view the picture; they can neither react nor comment on it. VSCO app is simple to use and gives you a professional feel. The more money you pay, the more filters you can use.
Usage
VSCO users need to log in to an account using an email address and profile name to use VSCO. Users can directly click photos from the app or import the picture from the device to edit the pictures. Sharpness, saturation, skin tone, fade, white balance, exposure are a few of the properties of VSCO.
The edited pictures using VSCO software have an export back option to the camera roll. Also, the user can use those pictures to post them directly to any of the social media they prefer to share.
Editing Version
VSCO app has two editing versions: a free basic and paid version. If users use the free basic version, they get limited options for filters and can use a few editing tools.
If a user gets a premium version of VSCO, they get extra more likable filters. Along with additional editing tools, VSCO users can also access tutorials for photography and editing.
Pros of VSCO
- VSCO provides a variety of choices for editing photos.
- Users can share their pictures directly to social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
- There is no competition among users as VSCO users can only view pictures but can’t like or comment on them.
- The app has its Grid community where the users can share their photos.
- Apart from social media, one can view others' posts unless they follow each other.
Cons of VSCO
- The app is mobile-based and unavailable on web or desktop versions.
- Advanced filters and tool kits are unlocked on the premium version only.
- VSCO app doesn’t support the dark mode feature.
VSCO App - Positive Review
Here are some of the positive reviews on the VSCO app. Go through the reviews and learn the fantastic and user-friendly features of VSCO.
Login Credentials
VSCO app is a free application that you easily download and install on your smartphone. The app is applicable on both iPhones and Android. To set up VSCO, you need to accept prompts that ask you to use location and turn on the app's notification.
You can sign up for VSCO by connecting to Google or Facebook. Before, you could use VSCO directly after installation with no procedure for sign up. But now, to authenticate the user, VSCO asks for login details. As an alternative, you can also use the phone number or email address to get logged in.
Subscription
After you are logged in to VSCO, you are displayed with the option of a paid subscription or a free trial of the application. If you use a free trial, you get a 7 day free trial period to use the app. You get limited options for filters and editing toolkits.
For paid subscription, you need to pay $19.99 per year. With the paid version of VSCO, you can freely use hundreds of filters. You can also go through editing tutorials. and get an option to ‘Grant Access’ to camera roll and contacts right after choosing either a free trial or premium version of VSCO.
VSCO Compared to Instagram
The social element and functionality of VSCO and Instagram are somehow similar. In both VSCO and Instagram, users can follow each other. Right after logging in, users are suggested with a person to follow. They can also search and follow a known person or one from their contacts.
VSCO is better than Instagram if compared based on photo editing tools and filter options. The photography and editorial steps on VSCO are professional. VSCO makes a user creative with the availability of hundreds of filters. But, in Instagram, only limited filters and editing tools are integrated.
VSCO users can see each other's posted photos if they follow each other, but Instagram cannot react or comment on their posts. Followed users can chat with one another as you get on Instagram. There is no ‘Story Content’ in VSCO as Instagram and followers lists are not publicized in VSCO.
Built-in Camera
Apart from importing photos from the camera roll, one can capture photos using VSCO Cam. While turning on the camera, you get access to a few settings that allow you to turn on the grid and use flash, focus, and white balance. When you get ready for a click after setting all these features, you can tap the camera symbol at the bottom to capture a photo.
The photos you took from VSCO Cam are stored in the VSCO Gallery once you save them. You get the option of ‘Delete,’ ‘Share’ after selecting specific or multiple pictures from the gallery. You can further edit those pictures if you tap on the ‘Screwdriver’ option.
Smartphone Interface of VSCO
In the profile section of VSCO, you can add a profile picture. For profile images, you need to load images from VSCO Gallery as there is no option for selfies. There is an additional ‘Discover’ section in VSCO. By clicking on ‘Discover,’ you can browse popular photos provided by the VSCO team. The search on ‘Discover’ is displayed based on username and search tags.
Photos Adjustment
In the free version of VSCO, you get a maximum of ten filter options and selective edits. B1 and M5 are the types of names given to filters. If you want to explore more filters and editing toolkits, you need to get a paid subscription for the application. During photo editing, you can use a slider to adjust the filters and their strength.
You can warp up a photo by cropping it to aspect ratios. You are given a geometric angle option where you can adjust your picture in ‘3D form’. The user can easily slide the picture while using the rotation feature to adjust the level of the photo.
VSCO App - Negative Review
Despite numerous positive reviews, VSCO still has some defects. I have listed a few of VSCO’s drawbacks:
App Crashes
VSCO got a bug of getting constantly crash in few minutes. You can restart your app or device to use the app, but it crashes once you enter editing mode.
Another bug of VSCO is that you can’t save the picture once you already save it. In other words, if you re-edit the picture, you can’t save the newly edited picture. First of all, you need to move the previous picture to a different gallery folder, and then only you can save re-edited photos.
Selective Edits
The basic edit options for adjusting explore, color, saturation, and contrast are embedded on the ‘Tone button.’ The user can’t make detailed editing on pictures. VSCO app is less powerful when you want to use the shadow feature, add or dehaze feature, or use spot healing while editing the photos.
Horrible Update
The new update of the VSCO app has restrictions on selecting multiple pictures from the camera roll. If you load out a photo from the gallery, you need to edit it after the selection. Previously you had an option for selecting a bunch of photos and reediting them whenever you want.
In the new update, if you want to edit multiple pictures, you need to select and import each picture separately and save it to the ‘Drafts.’ Once you have pictures on draft, you need to select a specific photo separately and edit one by one.
VSCO is Not Secure
The VSCO user is unable to make their account private. Since there is no privacy setting, any unknown user can see anyone posted photos on their profile. The app also displays the location where the picture is shot. Due to the exact reason for publicity, VSCO is not regarded as a safe photo editing platform for children and adults as there is leakage of personal information.
Conclusion
VSCO is an easily operated mobile application with a growing VSCO user circle. The app is feasible as the user can effortlessly experience professional photography and editing. VSCO provides plentiful filters and photo editing tools based on whether you use a free trial or paid version.
Login credentials, subscription, sharing community, built-in camera, smartphone interface, and photo adjustment are a few positive comments on VSCO. While on the dark side, the VSCO app has defects regarding app crashes, selective edits, updates, inconvenient usage, and security.
I have mentioned all the positive and negative reviews of VSCO. Before you decide to use VSCO, it’s better for you to go through all the reviews.
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