A Color Story

What A Color Story does

A Color Story, LLC is a privately held, Missouri-domiciled software company that builds mobile photo and video editing applications for iOS and Android, targeting social media content creators, lifestyle and fashion bloggers, and interior photographers. The company's flagship product, the A Color Story app, centers on a catalog of 40+ curated filter and effect packs supplemented by professional-grade mobile editing tools including Color+ (HSL), Curves, Selective Edit, and Advanced Filter Adjustments. Distinctive technical capabilities include a filter-stacking feature that layers 2–4 filters at adjustable opacity (typically 15–45%), grid planning for Instagram feed design, and batch editing across photos and videos. A companion app, A Design Kit, extends the product surface into text, sticker, and design overlay workflows with layer management and photo color-pick functionality.

The company monetizes through a freemium model: the base app is free to download with premium filter packs sold individually at $2.99, tools at $3.99, and bundled collections at $9.99, alongside an ACS+ subscription that unlocks the full catalog for a recurring fee of undisclosed amount. Distribution is exclusively through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, with deep Instagram integration enabling direct posting, grid planning, and in-app caption writing. The company operates a creator collaboration program in which named photographers and influencers (including Chris Loves Julia, The Yusuf's, Bethany Marie, Kate La Vie, and Arielle Vey) co-develop themed filter packs, supplemented by a tutorial and blog content engine on its website and email newsletter. The company is founder-led, with co-founder Emma Chapman publicly identified, bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, and operates with a team of 1–10 employees described internally as a small, tight-knit group.

Name

A Color Story

Legal name

A Color Story, LLC

Website

https://acolorstory.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

A Color Story is a privately held, bootstrapped mobile photo and video editing app company that sells a freemium catalog of 40+ curated filter packs, professional editing tools, and an ACS+ subscription to social media creators, lifestyle bloggers, and interior photographers via iOS and Android.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. App Sales (iOS/Android): Revenue from app downloads and in-app purchases. The base app is free to download with premium features available for purchase.
2. ACS+ Subscription: Premium subscription service providing access to all filter +packs and tools for free with membership. Recurring subscription model.
3. Filter +Packs: Individual filter packs sold at $2.99 each. Examples include Interior pack by Chris Loves Julia. Available free to ACS+ subscribers.
4. Premium Tools: Individual premium tools like Color+ available for $3.99, or included free with ACS+ membership.
5. Bundled Collections: Bundled filter and effect collections like the Steffy Collection sold as a package for $9.99.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

A Color Story develops and sells mobile photo and video editing applications (A Color Story app and A Design Kit app) for iOS and Android, offering proprietary color-focused editing tools, filter stacking, HSL color adjustment, curves, selective edit, batch editing, and Instagram grid planning. The company monetizes through a freemium model with individual filter and effect packs (priced around $2.99-$9.99) and an ACS+ subscription that unlocks all packs and tools.

Product overview

A Color Story is a mobile-first photo and video editing platform consisting of two core applications: the A Color Story app (photo/video editing with filters and effects) and the A Design Kit app (design and text overlay). The company operates primarily through its iOS and Android mobile applications, supported by a subscription model (ACS+) that provides access to an expanding library of filter +packs and effect +packs, as well as individual pack purchases. The product portfolio includes foundational tools (Essentials pack, Curves, Color+, Selective Edit), seasonal and themed filter packs (Jewel, Fashion, Dessert, Interior, Analog, North West), effect packs (Glow, Prism), and curated collections (Steffy Collection). The platform targets lifestyle photographers, Instagram content creators, and social media influencers seeking cohesive, color-enhanced editing capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACS+: Subscription membership service that provides free access to all filter +packs in the A Color Story app.

Products and services

• A Color Story (Mobile App) A mobile photo and video editing application for iOS and Android that provides filters, effects, color adjustment tools, batch editing, grid planning, and Instagram integration for content creators and lifestyle photographers.
• A Design Kit (Mobile App) A separate design application for adding text, stickers, doodles, and design elements to photos, featuring color picking from photos, layer management with drag-and-drop reordering, and customizable fonts and shapes.
• ACS+ Subscription A subscription membership that unlocks free access to all filter +packs, effect +packs, and premium tools within the A Color Story app on a recurring basis.
• Essentials Filter Pack
• Interior Filter Pack Filter pack designed by Chris Loves Julia featuring 17 filters (Bedroom, Great, Entry, Den, Guest, Powder, Bath, Play, Kitchen, Loft, Study, Bunk, Dining, Family, Nursery, Studio, Living) optimized for interior and lifestyle photography.
• Fashion Filter Pack Filter pack created with The Yusuf's containing 21 fashion-forward filters (Nas, Nuni, Street Style, Luxe, Runway, Couture, Glamour, etc.) for fashion photography and styling.
• Dessert Filter Pack Filter pack by co-founder Emma Chapman featuring 12 food photography filters (Angel Food, Rhubarb, Sprinkles, Rose Water, Berry Pie, Hot Chocolate, Buttercream, etc.) designed to enhance food photography.
• North West Filter Pack Filter pack created by Bethany Marie featuring 21 filters (Fresh, Cedar, Timeless, Haze, Moss, Glacier, Evergreen, Wander, Cascade, Mist, Glisten, Olympic, etc.) inspired by Pacific Northwest aesthetics.
• Weekend Filter Pack Filter pack created by lifestyle photographer Arielle Vey containing 11 filters inspired by Southern California coastline with warm, rich tones.
• Glow Effect Pack Effect pack featuring light-based effects including Quartz, Warmth, Glimmer, Glow, Lumen, Beaming, Disco, Burst, Rainbow, Prism, Party, Aura, Crystal, Radiant, and Burn effects.
• Prism Effects Pack Effects +pack collaboration with Kate La Vie featuring 16 light effects inspired by how light moves, including spectrum, diamond, and rainbow prisms.
• Jewel Filter Pack
• Analog Filter Pack
• Steffy Collection Bundle Bundle collection featuring Glow effect pack, Harvest Moon filter pack, I Am filter pack, Twilight filter pack, and Texture effect pack, sold as a package for $9.99 (33% savings).
• Color+ Tool (HSL)
• Curves Tool
• Selective Edit Tool

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ filter packs available
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Yusuf's (Nasteha and Nuni Yusuf)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Fashion-forward filter +pack collaboration with sisters Nasteha and Nuni Yusuf, who are bloggers, YouTubers, entrepreneurs, and refugees. The pack includes 21 fashion-themed filters designed to complement various photography styles.
• Chris Loves Julia (Julia Marcum)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2020Interior-focused filter +pack collaboration with Julia Marcum of Chris Loves Julia, a prominent interior design and lifestyle blog. The 'Interior' pack contains 17 filters designed specifically for interior photography.
• Elsie (Steffy)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2020Glow effects +pack and Steffy Collection collaboration. Glow features 17 light and lens flare effects. Steffy Collection bundles multiple packs for 33% savings.
• Kate La Vie (katelavie.com)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2020Prism effects +pack collaboration with Kate La Vie, featuring realistic and surreal light effects inspired by how light moves. Includes 16 effects like spectrum, diamond, and rainbow prisms.
• Bethany Marie (@bethanymarieco)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2019North West filter +pack created by fashion blogger and photographer based in Seattle. The pack provides PNW-inspired vibes with balanced tones, delicate saturation, and warm color highlights.
• Arielle VeycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017Weekend filter +pack created by lifestyle photographer Arielle Vey. Contains 11 filters inspired by Southern California coastline with warm, rich tones.
• A Beautiful MesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company/blog associated with A Color Story. Many tutorials and content originally posted on A Beautiful Mess (abeautifulmess.com). Co-founder Emma Chapman is associated with this brand.
• Katie Day (@ohkatieday)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhotography educator and tutorial contributor who creates content about lens flare, direct sunlight photography, and vibrant sky techniques for the A Color Story platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• VSCO: VSCO is the closest direct peer: a mobile-first photo and video editing app with curated filter packs, a paid subscription (VSCO Membership), and a creator community, serving the same social-media content creator audience as A Color Story.
• Tezza: Tezza offers mobile photo and video editing apps with preset packs and templates popular with lifestyle influencers, including presets tied to creator Tezza Cole. Closely mirrors A Color Story's creator-collaboration, filter-pack monetization model.
• Afterlight: Afterlight is a mobile photo editing app offering filter packs, textures, and double exposure tools, targeting Instagram content creators with a similar freemium and pack-purchase model.
• Polarr: Polarr offers mobile and desktop photo editing with advanced color tools, custom filters, and a creator community, overlapping A Color Story's professional-grade color editing positioning on mobile.

Broad incumbents

• Adobe Lightroom Mobile: Adobe Lightroom Mobile is a broader, more powerful photo editing platform that overlaps with A Color Story's Curves, Color+ HSL, and Selective Edit tools. It competes for the same mobile creator segment but as part of Adobe's larger Creative Cloud ecosystem.
• PicsArt: PicsArt is a broader creative editing platform with mobile apps, filter and effect packs, AI tools, and a creator community, overlapping A Color Story on mobile filter-based editing and subscription monetization.
• Snapseed: Snapseed, owned by Google, is a free mobile photo editor with professional-grade tools (curves, selective adjust) comparable to A Color Story's Color+ and Curves tools, serving a similar mobile creator base.
• Lightricks (Facetune, Photoleap): Lightricks operates a suite of mobile creative apps including Facetune and Photoleap, which include filters, effects, and AI editing features, competing with A Color Story in the mobile creator app ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Pixlr: Pixlr provides browser and mobile photo editing with filter packs and AI-assisted tools, targeting similar casual and prosumer photo editing use cases as A Color Story.
• Filterloop: Filterloop is a mobile preset and filter pack app inspired by VSCO and A Color Story, selling curated filter packs to the same Instagram and lifestyle content creator segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/acolorstory
• Xx.com/acolorstoryapp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about A Color Story