Apps for collages and collages: grid, free collage, and ready-made template.

Before installing anything, open the Google Photos app already on your Android device: select up to six photos, tap Create, and then Collage. The grid will appear assembled, with an adjustable border and design template, without a logo in the corner. Two taps will solve the most common collage scenario.

The list in this guide points to verified app listings in the app stores. Names like Layout and PhotoGrid may appear in older listings, different versions, or third-party results. To use Instagram's grid tool, look for Layout mode within Stories; to install a separate editor, check the developer in the button's destination.

This guide separates collages into three types because each type requires a different tool: grid, freehand collage, and ready-made template. For each, the right app, step-by-step instructions, and the resolution calculation that nobody does before exporting.

Three types of collage, three different tools.

Almost all frustration with collage apps comes from using the wrong tool for the type of collage.

• Grid: The photos occupy cells of a defined size (2x2, 3x3, one large and three small). You control the aspect ratio, spacing, and border.
• Free collage: The photos are placed loosely on a background, with rotation, overlapping, cropping, stickers, and text. It's the style of a scrapbook, birthday mural, or "best moments of the year.".
• Ready-made template: A layout designed by someone else, where you only change the photos and text.

Grid collage with what already comes on the phone.

Google Photos: up to six photos, border, and design template.

Google Photos comes pre-installed on most Android devices and is also available for iPhone. According to... Google Photos Help Center, The app's collage editor accepts up to six photos (up to nine in the web version, but without subsequent editing). The path:

1. Tap and hold on the first photo to start the selection and select up to six.
2. At the bottom, tap Create and then Collage.
3. Tap on Templates to change the theme and layout; the Add and Remove buttons change the number of cells.
4. Tap on Borders to adjust width, radius (rounded corners), and color.
5. Tap a photo to Replace, Edit, or Rotate; the pinch gesture zooms in within the cell.
6. Hello. The collage is added to the library as a new photo, without a watermark.

On iPhone, the new editor requires iOS 18 and the app to be version 7.64 or later; on the App Store, it has a rating of 4.9 based on over 480,000 reviews.

Instagram: Layout mode lives within Stories.

The app Layout from Instagram, which combined up to nine photos, has disappeared from the Play Store: the listing returns error 404. Open the Stories camera, swipe through the modes on the left side to Layout and choose the grid; each cell receives a photo from the gallery or a screenshot taken on the spot. To save the image to your phone, tap the save icon before publishing; the file comes out in the 9:16 story format and is not suitable for the feed without cropping.

Grid with fine control: proportion, spacing and border.

Google Photos solves the problem of quick collages, but it has clear limitations: six photos, no choice of final aspect ratio, and no control over cell spacing. When the goal is a 4:5 post for the feed, a 16:9 cover, or a 3x3 grid with nine photos, a dedicated app comes into play. What to look for in it:

• Choose the ratio of the result (1:1, 4:5, 9:16, 16:9) before assembling;
• Dividing lines that you drag to give more space to a photo;
• Adjusting cell spacing, outer border, and corner radius;
• Choose the size or quality option when saving.

Photo editor and collage maker: the "Collage Maker" that's alive in the store.

Many lists recommend a generic "Collage Maker," linking to a website outside the app store. The app with this profile that I checked on the Play Store is called "Photo Editor & Collage Maker," from the developer that signs as Photo Editor & Collage Maker: 100 million downloads, a 4.9 rating from over 3.6 million reviews, free to install. The listing states that it contains ads and in-app purchases, and that's how it pays for itself: grid, aspect ratios, borders, and blurred background are in the free tier; some templates, fonts, and stickers appear with a padlock.

PhotoGrid has changed its listing and name.

The option linked below is PhotoGrid: Video Collage Maker, from PhotoGrid Corporation. Its offering combines photo grids with video collage. Check the current specifications, compatibility, and included features before you begin. Avoid choosing an installer solely based on the name PhotoGrid: a similar name doesn't confirm the application's identity.

Freehand collage and scrapbooking: PicCollage

In free collage, the photo ceases to be a cell and becomes an object: you rotate, overlap, cut out the outline with your finger, apply stickers, write on top. PicCollage, from Cardinal Blue Software, is the most established app in this style: 100 million downloads on Play, a 4.8 rating from 1.8 million reviews, free to install, with ads and in-app purchases. On the App Store, it has a 4.8 rating from 250,000 reviews. A workflow that works for a birthday mural:

1. Start in freestyle mode and choose a background: solid color, pattern, or a photo of yourself.
2. Add the photos; place the larger ones in the back and bring the smaller ones to the front, using two fingers to rotate and resize.
3. Use the cutout tool to remove the outline of a person and overlay it onto another photo.
4. Use text in a single font (two at most) and stickers in the same color palette as the background.
5. Export at the highest resolution the app offers and check the saved file in the gallery.

A rule of thumb for composition that works for any mural: a simple background when there are many photos; a decorated background when there are two or three.

If the idea is to add movement to the composition, with a background that moves behind the cut-out person, that's a different type of app altogether; the Guide to apps for creating 3D photos. shows which ones produce that effect.

Ready-made template for commemorative dates and store windows.

When the request is for “a Mother’s Day card with three photos and a phrase,” creating one from scratch is a waste of time: Canva has ready-made templates with pre-marked spaces for photos, and you just drag yours into the cells. The app is free to install (500 million downloads on Play, 4.8 rating from over 26 million reviews) and has in-app purchases; some of the elements and stock photos have a crown icon, indicating content from the Pro plan. If a template has a crown, look for another: there are thousands without.

Canva deserves its own guide because post, story, and carousel formats change how you design; those who will publish on Instagram can find the sizes and step-by-step instructions in the guide. Guide to apps for taking viral photos on Instagram..

Photo montage with cutout of a person: the step that comes before

"Montage," in the sense of "placing the person in another scenario," is a different task: first, the background is cut out, then the cutout is pasted onto the scene. Collage apps do the second part well; the first part is better done with a specialized app that returns a PNG with a transparent background. The iPhone (iOS 16 onwards) already cuts out the subject of the photo by tapping and holding on it, and some Galaxy models offer a similar function in Samsung's Gallery, depending on the device and update. For other Android devices and for difficult cutouts, with loose hair or glass, the app guide for removing image backgrounds It compares the apps and explains how to export PNG files.

Solution to the problem: the calculation nobody does.

A collage divides the final image resolution among the photos. Instagram delivers the feed at 1080px wide. In a 3x3 grid exported at 1080px, each photo is 360px wide; in a 2x2 grid, 540px; in a 4x4 grid with 16 photos, 270px, thumbnail size.

Two options. The first is to limit the quantity: up to four photos for the feed, up to six for stories, which is higher. The second is to export a larger size: several apps offer 2048 or 4096 px width, sometimes only in the paid plan; look for the size or quality option on the save screen. To print at 15x21 cm, 2048 px already delivers more than 240 dpi. In Google Photos, the collage is saved as a regular photo and you can check the size in pixels by swiping the image upwards.

Watermark, ads, and Pro plan: what's free in each?

Understanding how the app pays for itself avoids surprises when saving. Google Photos doesn't add watermarks or ads to collages; its cost is the storage in your Google account, with 15 GB free. Dedicated apps are free to install and rely on ads and subscriptions, as each app's description indicates: the paid package usually removes ads, unlocks templates and stickers with a lock, removes the corner watermark, and unlocks export in higher resolution.

Before spending half an hour on a collage, try this two-minute test: create a grid with any two photos, tap save, and check the result in your gallery. If a logo appears in the corner or the resolution is low, you'll find out now, not after you've put a lot of effort into your collage.

Comparison: collage type, app, and what's free.

Type	App	Where	Free	Limit to consider
Quick grade	Google Photos	Already installed on Android; App Store on iPhone.	Yes, no watermark and no ads.	Up to 6 photos; no free aspect ratio.
Grid for story	Instagram (Layout mode)	Already installed	Yes	Only on Stories; coming out at 9:16
Grid with control	Photo editor and collage maker	Play Store	Install: Free; ads and in-app purchases	Models and stickers with padlock
Grid with video	PhotoGrid: Video Collage Maker	Play Store (new entry)	Install: Free; ads and in-app purchases	The old token is no longer available at the store.
Free collage	PicCollage: Photo Editor	Play Store and App Store	Install: Free; ads and in-app purchases	Check the watermark when saving.
Ready-made model	Canva	Play Store and App Store	Install: Free; in-app purchases	Items marked with a crown are part of the Pro plan.

Anyone creating collages to use as a lock screen has a shortcut: export in 9:16 directly from the grid app. Sizes by phone model and apps that adjust the image to the clock and notifications are available in the... guide to custom wallpaper apps.

Common mistakes that ruin the gluing process.

1. Mixing vertical and horizontal photos in the same fixed grid: one of them will be cropped. Choose a layout with a tall cell for the vertical image, or crop it beforehand.
2. Place photos side-by-side with different lighting, one yellowish and the other bluish. Apply the same filter to all of them before arranging them.
3. A thick, colorful border on a grid of many photos: it steals space and clashes with the images. A thin, white border, or none at all, is better when there are six or more photos.
4. Save at a low resolution and only notice at the print shop. Check the file width and height before printing.

Common questions

Which app makes collages without a watermark?

Google Photos, which comes pre-installed on Android and is also available for iPhone, allows up to six photos, borders and templates, and no logo in the corner. In dedicated apps, the watermark depends on the plan; create a test collage with two photos and look at the saved file.

How many photos fit in a collage?

Google Photos accepts six photos in the app and nine on the web. Dedicated apps can handle dozens, but the resolution drops accordingly: at 1080px, nine photos become 360px each.

Is Layout from Instagram discontinued?

The app's listing has been removed from the Play Store and returns a 404 error. The feature remains within Instagram: Stories camera, Layout mode, with the chosen grid on the side. Do not install the APK of the old app from outside the store.

Can you make collages on an iPhone?

Yes. Apple's Photos app doesn't create collages, but Google Photos for iOS has the same editor as the Android version (iOS 18 and app 7.64 or later), and PicCollage has a version on the App Store for free collages. The Layout mode in Stories works the same on iPhone.

Collage for printing: what size to export?

For a 10x15 cm photo, 1200 px on the 10 cm side is already more than 300 dpi. For a 15x21 cm photo, export at 2048 px or more; for an A4 poster, 3000 px on the longer side. If the app only saves at 1080 px, reduce the number of photos in the grid.

Start with this two-minute test: open Google Photos, select four photos, and tap Create, then Collage. If the grid works, you're done; if you lack proportion, text, or loose photos, you already know which app to install next.

Read also

• Apps for removing image backgrounds: automatic PNG cropping
• Photos for Instagram: formats, templates, and carousels on your phone
• Apps for creating 3D photos: depth and movement in the photo
• Wallpaper apps: choose your own images, animations, and backgrounds.