News Details

A Comprehensive Examination Based on Customer Feedback, Industry Comparisons, and Service Evaluation

RetouchUp.com is a photo retouching service provider that has been operating since 2001 under the parent company Hollywood FotoFix, Inc., which was established in 1993. The company specializes in providing photo retouching solutions exclusively for professional photographers, with operations based in Alpine, Utah (USA) and a team of artists located in Lima, Peru. 

This review examines the service through the lens of publicly available customer feedback, third-party review platforms, comparative analysis with competitors, and an assessment of their stated offerings.

Quick Reference: RetouchUp at a Glance

Summary Rating

RetouchUp Company Background and History

RetouchUp emerged from Hollywood FotoFix, a company founded in 1993 that specialized in photo restoration services for the retail photo industry. In 2001, the team began focusing on providing photo retouching services for professional photographers, eventually launching the dedicated RetouchUp.com platform. The company operates as a family business, with the owner’s family members managing the team of Photoshop artists in Peru.

According to company claims, RetouchUp has processed over 10 million photos since its inception and has maintained what they describe as an industry-leading Net Promoter Score averaging 85 since 2016, reaching 95 in March 2025. However, these internal metrics should be considered alongside independent third-party reviews for a complete picture.

One distinguishing feature emphasized by the company is their commitment to human-powered retouching rather than AI-based solutions. They state that their artists perform all retouching by hand, which they believe produces more natural results than automated alternatives.

RetouchUp Services and Pricing Structure

RetouchUp operates on a tiered pricing model with flat rates per image rather than hourly billing. This approach provides pricing predictability for photographers planning their workflow and budget. The company offers several service categories:

Key Pricing Features:

The pricing structure charges per image regardless of the number of edits required within each service level. For example, a Complete Plus order covers multiple head swaps, eye corrections, or background extensions for a single flat fee. This can be advantageous for complex orders but may represent lower value for simple single-edit requests.

Bulk orders for color correction receive discounted rates at $0.15 per image for orders of 50+ photos. Rush services are available at additional cost for time-sensitive projects.

Identified Strengths

1. Competitive Pricing

RetouchUp’s pricing sits at the lower end of the market spectrum. At $2.50 for basic retouching and $5.00 for more comprehensive services, the rates are accessible for photographers working with tight margins. Comparatively, some competitors charge $6 or more for similar portrait retouching services.

2. Industry Longevity

With over two decades in the photo services industry, RetouchUp has established operational infrastructure and processes. This longevity provides some assurance of business stability, though it doesn’t automatically guarantee service quality.

3. Human-Powered Editing

The company’s emphasis on manual retouching by trained artists can be valuable for photographers seeking customized results rather than automated processing. This approach allows for more nuanced adjustments and artistic interpretation of client instructions.

4. Broad Service Range

The service portfolio covers diverse photography niches including portraits, weddings, real estate, products, newborns, and events. This versatility allows photographers to consolidate their outsourcing with a single provider.

5. Rework Guarantee

RetouchUp offers free reworks if clients are unsatisfied with initial results. They also allow clients to request a different artist for subsequent attempts. This policy reduces financial risk for new clients testing the service.

Documented Concerns and Criticisms

Analysis of independent review platforms reveals several recurring concerns that potential customers should consider:

1. Customer Service Issues

The most frequently cited concern across third-party review platforms relates to customer service quality. On Sitejabber, RetouchUp holds a 1.9-star rating from 6 reviews, with multiple reviewers describing interactions as “unprofessional,” “rude,” and “condescending.” One reviewer specifically mentioned paying for rush service (6-hour turnaround) but receiving work after 26 hours without a refund offer. Another reported being charged without authorization after requesting only a quote.

2. Inconsistent Quality

Multiple reviewers describe significant variation in output quality. As one verified purchaser stated: “Sometimes they do an amazing job with a quick turnaround and sometimes they take two full weeks to get a job back to you and completely ignore your retouching requests.” This inconsistency may be attributed to the size of their artist team and potential variations in individual skill levels.

3. Communication Gaps

Several reviews mention orders being “flagged for internal review,” a process that can add days to turnaround time without clear communication to the client. Reviewers also report instructions being ignored or misinterpreted, requiring multiple revision cycles to achieve desired results.

4. Unnatural Results

Some industry comparison reviews note that retouched images can appear artificial, with skin looking “plastic” or colors appearing “unrealistic.” This may result from over-processing or potentially from monitor calibration differences between the editing team and clients.

5. Registration Friction

The service is exclusively available to professional photographers, with accounts being deleted if registrants don’t qualify. The registration process requires extensive personal information including legal name, address, occupation, and payment details before any trial can begin. This creates a barrier for individuals who want to evaluate the service before committing.

6. Website and Technology

Various reviews note that the website appears dated with some layout issues, though the core functionality remains operational. There is no mobile application available, which may inconvenience photographers who prefer managing workflows from mobile devices.

Recent Community Feedback

A recent Reddit discussion in the r/retouching community (titled “Never using RetouchUp again”) reflects ongoing concerns within the professional photography community. While the specific content of this post couldn’t be directly accessed for this review, its existence and title suggest that service quality issues continue to generate negative experiences for some users. This type of grassroots community feedback often provides more candid assessments than formal review platforms.

Competitive Landscape

Understanding RetouchUp’s position relative to alternatives helps contextualize their value proposition:

The competitive analysis reveals that while RetouchUp offers competitive pricing, several alternatives provide similar services at comparable or lower rates, often with better third-party reviews. Photographers should consider their specific needs (volume, turnaround requirements, quality standards) when selecting a provider.

Who May Benefit from RetouchUp

RetouchUp may be suitable for:

Professional photographers with high-volume, standard retouching needs who prioritize cost efficiency over premium quality. The flat-rate pricing structure benefits those with predictable editing requirements.

Photographers who have established relationships with specific artists at RetouchUp and can maintain consistent communication to achieve desired results.

Those seeking specialized services like photo restoration or digital oil painting, which RetouchUp offers at $35 per image.

RetouchUp may not be ideal for:

Individual consumers, hobbyists, or non-photographers, as the service explicitly targets professional accounts only.

E-commerce businesses requiring web-optimized product images, as the company reportedly doesn’t apply platform-specific optimization techniques.

Photographers requiring consistent premium quality where any variation is unacceptable.

Those who value responsive, accommodating customer service as a priority.

Recommendations for Potential Users

Based on this analysis, photographers considering RetouchUp should:

1. Start with a test order: RetouchUp offers free trials. Submit a representative sample of your typical work to evaluate quality before committing to larger orders.

2. Provide detailed instructions: Given reports of instructions being overlooked, provide explicit, specific guidance for each order to minimize revision cycles.

3. Build in buffer time: Despite 24-hour turnaround claims, account for potential delays caused by internal review flags or revision needs, especially for client-facing deadlines.

4. Compare alternatives: Request quotes or trials from competing services like FixThePhoto, WeEdit.Photos, or others to establish a quality and pricing baseline.

5. Document everything: Maintain records of instructions provided and work received to facilitate any dispute resolution.

6. Establish artist relationships: If you find artists whose work matches your style, request them specifically for future orders to maintain consistency.

Conclusion

RetouchUp represents a mixed proposition in the photo retouching market. The company offers competitive pricing, decades of industry experience, and a comprehensive service range that appeals to cost-conscious professional photographers. However, significant concerns around customer service quality, output consistency, and communication effectiveness warrant careful consideration.

The disparity between RetouchUp’s internal satisfaction metrics (NPS of 95) and external review platforms (1.9 stars on Sitejabber) suggests that while many customers may have positive experiences, those who encounter problems face meaningful challenges in resolution.

For photographers for whom consistent quality and customer service responsiveness are paramount, exploring alternatives with stronger third-party reviews may be advisable. For those primarily optimizing for cost and willing to invest in clear communication and multiple revision cycles, RetouchUp’s pricing structure may offer reasonable value.

Ultimately, the best approach is empirical: test the service with representative samples before committing to significant volumes, and maintain alternative vendor relationships to ensure continuity if service levels don’t meet expectations.

Disclaimer: This review is based on publicly available information, third-party reviews, and company-provided materials as of January 2025. Individual experiences may vary. Prices and services are subject to change. This analysis is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute an endorsement or criticism of RetouchUp or any competing service.