Contemporary digital achievements don’t stop mesmerizing people with the versatility of services like photo editors, and look-alike applications. Undoubtedly, users are really enjoying the latter services: they have much fun finding their famed counterparts and posting the search results on social media pages. And these users can be easily monetized so that they can bring profit to the app owners. Isn't it a reason to create celebrity look-alike apps of your own?
If the topic is of some interest to you, read our article. We’re sharing our expertise and describing 6 top applications with face recognition features. Also, you’ll learn the easiest way to make these services a good investment.
Why Develop Celebrity Look Alike Apps?
Should you bother developing a celebrity lookalike app? Are you in a position to attract enough users to make the whole venture profitable?
Yes, you have a chance to win your audience, because…
- People love to have fun! And the opportunity to find your doppelgangers among world-class celebrities is true entertainment.
- According to Statista, customer loyalty to the facial recognition market is expected to increase its annual growth by 9.34% from 2024-2030 and lead to a market volume of US$8.44bn. A global admiration for facial recognition can generate customer demand for your app.
- Users don't mind experimenting with filters and settings to better their photos. And many celebrity look alike app solutions offer such a great option. The best example is the Faceapp application, which gained huge popularity in its time.
- Apps of this kind provide a way to vary our Facebook and Instagram pages with new cool posts.
The summary is clear: if you manage to create an application with Faceapp recognition technology, you'll be golden. Your program will analyze the user's photo and look for his or her famous twins using the celebrity face(s).
Though, we should discuss the operation principle in more detail.
Before Developing a Celebrity Look-Alike App
Let’s start with the basics: what do you need to do to find pictures of celebrities to tell which celebrity you look like?
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A device with an installed face recognition app and access to the Internet;
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Your own selfie. You don't need a full-length photo, just your face is enough (though, the photo must be taken from the front). Also, the background in the image should be as neutral as possible (white, gray, etc.). These factors affect the reliability of a further search.
Discover the Principles of How Do Celebrity Look-Alike Apps Work
It is important to consider that the look-alike applications are usually based on AI and ML technology to compare users' faces with those of famous people.
The very process of finding your double includes the following steps:
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You open the application and upload your photo (which meets the criteria outlined above);
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The system analyzes your photo and compares it with the pictures of celebrities stored in its database;
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The program deduces which images have more matches and gives the results to you.
How to Create a Celebrity Look-Alike App
The process of developing a celebrity doppelganger finder app shows a lot of enthusiasm, considering the following four major phases:
Discovery Phase
The discovery phase represents the primary analysis of the further celebrity-twin project. This stage includes the subpoints of ideation, market research, and wireframe.
Ideation
In the ideation subpoint, a development team communicates with the client on their objectives, ideas, and wishes for the further development of the custom-tailored celeb twin application.
Market Research
The market research implies that the development team will conduct research on the current market state of celebrity look-alike app demand, the competitors’ strategies, and unique features for the further development of an effective application that will stand out.
Wireframe
After discussing all the required details on how the client wants to see the final project with all its core features, the team of developers start working on the wireframe stage, where they will project the structure, elements, and functional components of the further celeb look-alike application.
Development Phase
The development phase starts implementing the prior strategic analysis of the doppelganger app into life. This phase has the following key elements like the app development itself and crafting solutions for the UI/UX design.
App Development
The development team will mainly focus on crafting the backend and API by applying the agile or SDLC method during the app development stage.
UX/UI Design
The UX/UI design element will focus on the frontend development to make the application user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
Delivery Phase
The delivery phase involves testing applications’ effectiveness in terms of functioning, performance, and user-centricity. The major elements of the delivery phase are functional testing, usability testing, and performance testing.
The developers analyze whether the celebrity look-alike apps contain all the required functions, as discussed in the discovery phase during the functional testing.
Usability testing implies checking the correctness of the UX/UI design elements, whether they function smoothly, and whether they preserve the app’s overall aesthetic look.
During the performance testing the development team evaluate whether the application can proceed in a correct manner during the peak loads.
Deployment Phase
Deployment is the final stage of your celebrity look-alike app development journey, as it represents the practical launch of your app on the market. The stage includes market launch and maintenance.
Market Launch
The development team uploads the iOS and Android celeb look-alike applications to the App Store or Google Play during the market launch phase. Clients can download and start using the application during this stage.
So, now you are aware of the exciting journey of making your dream look-alike app come true. Nevertheless, you may feel anxious about choosing the reliable development team for your celeb twin application. Here, are some factors to choose Agilie as your reliable partner:
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14 years of experience;
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Deadline compliance;
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Technical excellence in DevOps & Cloud, High Load System, and UI/UX design.
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A cost-effective SDLC approach.
Learn more about Agilie’s competence and tech expertise.
5 Key Celebrity Look-Alike App Features
Although finding a doppelganger is quite intriguing and motivational, you may ask about its overall aspects of functionality to know the basic elements of its work.
Prior to building a celebrity look-alike app, you should consider the following five features this kind of app contains, which determine its functionality:
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uploading an image (selfie) from the photo gallery;
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the possibility to take a photo without leaving the application (the user must give the service access to the camera of his smartphone);
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addressing the celebrity base and searching for matches with the user's photo;
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photo editing. This feature set isn't a must-have, but it can be a useful competitive advantage, helping the program stand out from other celebrity look-alike app solutions. Such a set allows bettering the image with filters, contrast changes, etc;
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information about the uploaded photo. Some services can provide some basic information on the processed image: a person's gender, age, etc.
The identified tech-relevant components represent the overall composition of the celebrity twin app; nevertheless, the ultimate point worth mentioning is its user-centricity. If the application is not client-engaging, it might face resentment from the public.
Hence, the core features of celebrity look-alike app development are mainly access to the camera and address to the celebrity base, which can increase your motivation to build your own doppelganger app.
6 Best Celebrity Look-Alike Apps
Okay, let’s get started!
#1. Gradient
One of the top celebrity look-alike apps is Gradient. Lately, the application has been actively capturing the headlines, so to say, and acquiring vogue. Its task, as you've probably already guessed, is to show which famous person you are most similar to.
A brief history of Gradient
Gradient was created by a Ukrainian startup of the same name several years ago. At first, the application was simpler in terms of functionality, but the developers didn't stop there and continued to improve their service. After one of the updates, the program had received a new cool AI-based feature needed to analyze a user's photo and look for his or her counterparts among celebrities. And the app’s popularity had skyrocketed at once.
How the Gradient app works
To create your own celebrity look-alike app, you need to understand how it works. We’ve already discussed this topic earlier, but it’ll be useful to know which method competitors are using. So let's consider Gradient's operation principle.
According to Gradient's creators, it resorts to artificial intelligence technology to find similarities with maximum accuracy.
In fact, everything is extremely simple: the neural network analyzes the user's photo and refers to the application's database to determine a celebrity with more or less similar facial features. Then the program literally transforms the user into the found person.
Usually, the results are quite impressive, but sometimes Gradient seems to be joking. However, judge for yourself.
Anyway, users love Gradient, which they consider to be one of the best celebrity look-alike apps. They have a lot of fun turning themselves into celebrities and posting results on Facebook and Instagram pages.
The app is free in its basic version, but some of its features are only available with a subscription.
#2. StarByFace
If you really intend to build an application like a celebrity look-alike, you should also pay attention to another of your possible competitors, which is StarByFace. The app has a rather eloquent name, so users can understand its essence without further ado.
How StarByFace works:
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First of all, you need to upload your photo using a website or application. You can also add an image by URL.
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It is important to make sure the picture is a full-face portrait and looks clear. Otherwise, the app won't be able to find your celebrity counterpart. Or the results won’t be really accurate.
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At the next stage, StarByFace, this cool face-editing app, analyzes the uploaded photo, examines the main features of the face, and processes the data obtained.
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It remains to make a comparison with the database and give the result, showing which actor (singer, TV presenter, etc.) you are most similar to. Also, you’ll be able to see the percentage of similarity.
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If desired, the result of the comparison can be posted on social networks.
#3. LookALike
LookALike belongs to a very special type of celebrity look-alike apps. What is its peculiarity? We can explain right now.
To begin with, let's tell you one interesting story. Recently, a popular female blogger shared a video on her YouTube page in which she made up like Ariana Grande and walked in her new look through the streets of Los Angeles. Of course, she caught the attention of the public and won a lot of new subscribers. And if you want to follow her lead and get a similar experience, you have to use the LookALike app.
LookALike will let you…
- determine which actor or actress you can copy best;
- compare your photo with a specific character in a movie or TV series;
- find out what anime character you look like.
So if you're going to a costume party, LookALike would make a great choice. All you have to do is add your photo and wait for the search results.
By the way, why not develop a celebrity look-alike app of the same type too? It may prove successful!
#4. Looky
Looky is incredibly easy to use and that's what's so great about it!
Just follow the simple scheme of step, and you’re set:
- at the first stage, you should take a selfie directly in the application or select it from the gallery of his smartphone;
- the server searches and displays the results of matches with celebrities;
- if you aren’t happy with the result, try again to find your counterpart. A second attempt may be more successful;
- now is the time to share your search results on your favorite social network. It's simple, isn't it?
- It is due to its simplicity that this service has become one of the best celebrity look-alike apps and gained its popularity. But keep in mind, it has its drawbacks either:
- the free version of the application is only available for 24 hours; after the specified period, you have to buy a subscription or stop using Looky;
- according to some users, there are too many ads in the application;
- sometimes search results are too far from believable.
#5. Facer
When thinking about developing a celebrity look-alike app, be sure to take a closer look at the Facer service, as it is also in high demand among users. And its popularity is well deserved, because:
- the app provides three celebrities with whom the user has the maximum likeness;
- each proposed option is accompanied by a percentage of similarity;
- the program has a powerful database with pictures of famous people (actors, athletes, politicians, musicians, bloggers).
Application developers advise uploading a close-up photo of your face to increase the chances of getting a quality result.
#6. Who Do I Look Like
Who Do I Look Like is also among the best celebrity look-alike apps. So we're going to complete our comparative analysis by describing this particular service, which you can adhere to when developing a celebrity look-alike app.
Have you ever dreamed of knowing if you really look like, say, Justin Timberlake, as your friends assure you? The Who Do I Look Like app will help you find out if their opinion is true. It'll analyze your photo, examine such facial features as the color of the eyes and hair, the shape of the ears, and so on, and give you its verdict.
The main features of Who Do I Look Like are as follows:
- the special machine learning algorithm, which Amazon provides. It guarantees high recognition accuracy;
- an extensive database containing portraits of 1,000+ celebrities;
- free access to top features of the celebs app in question;
- convenient sorting of celebrity photos into numerous categories, which makes it easier to find propper matches;
- constant improvement and updating of the program (among other things, the developers are working on expanding the database and speeding up the process of finding matches).
Ideas for Creating Your Own Celebrity Look-Alike App
Let’s fantasize a little about other ways to entertain a user and help him find his doubles of some sort. Why not, in the end?
Art: paintings, sculptures
One more popular type of celebrity look-alike apps is a service allowing the user to check if he has a double among the characters of world-famous paintings (or sculptures). The program compares the uploaded photo with a huge database that stores information about thousands of paintings and selects the most suitable option.
Among such programs is the Google Arts & Culture application released back in 2016. Initially, it provided an opportunity to follow the world of culture, but this wasn't enough to interest the proper number of users. And therefore, at the beginning of 2018, the developers added a new interesting feature to the service. So now users can find their counterparts in the masterpieces of artists of the past centuries.
For the record, this feature made Google Arts & Culture the number one downloadable app in the US App Store (a true success, which had been achieved in a fairly short period of time). It proves that developing a celebrity look-alike app is something to think about (after all, the heroes of great paintings are also celebrities of their kind, aren't they?).
Cartoons
Cartoons are really hot right now. So why not create an application able to tell the user what cartoon character he looks if you aim to build a celebrity look-alike app. The results might be quite funny! Of course, the person who takes advantage of such a mobile service must have a sense of humor.
A program of this sort would especially appeal to the youngest users. And since kids are the most active mobile audience, conquering it would be a smart thing to do.
Now let’s take a look at how celebrity look alike apps can make money.
How do celebrity look-alike apps make money?
Let's say you were able to build an application like a celebrity look-alike. But a project of such a high level doesn't come cheap, you know, and you'll have to fork out pretty much. So, you should think about monetizing your mobile service beforehand.
We offer you several main ways to make your face-editing app profitable:
- In-app advertising. Advertising is one of the most reliable ways to make a profit, no matter whatever this is about... and various types of celebrity look-alike apps are no exception. All you have to do is find advertisers interested in using your application to promote their product or service. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind to be successful:
- The promoted product must meet the interests of users at least to some extent. Otherwise, ads will be ineffective, and advertisers may go to your competitors.
- Don't overuse annoying ads. We're pretty sure you yourself have more than once dealt with applications stuffed with ad banners or videos. It makes you angry, doesn't it? Don't repeat other people's mistakes.
- Subscription. Another way to monetize celebrity look alike app solutions is to offer the user a paid subscription. But you had better start with a free trial period, during which he'll get a chance to evaluate all the benefits of your service. Of course, you have to do your utmost and figure out the best way to impress your audience, to make your potential user willing to part with the money to buy your subscription.
- Paid features. It's also a good idea to give the user a choice. That is, he can either take advantage of free basic functionality or pay for access to premium features. These features can include some special filters or other options to change one's photo.
With 14 years of experience on the market, Agilie is an outsourcing team that tailors digital solutions per the client’s demand. EIther from scratch or an optimized project, Agilie brings its best top-notch experience in iOS, Android, and cross-platform development, appreciating passion, effectiveness, and client-centricity in our work.
Dive into our custom app development services for various platforms.
Conclusion
In our article, we aimed to elucidate how to develop a celebrity look-alike app, its core features, and effective examples. The identified type of application can generate customer demand due to the differentiation strategies like art and cartoon and provide its owner with financial input due to monetization strategies. Hence, our analysis is over. Let’s collaborate in your journey on the celeb twin app development.
