Prequel

What Prequel does

Prequel Inc. is a privately held mobile software company that operates Prequel, a photo and video editing application distributed globally through the Apple App Store and Google Play. The app targets individual creators and social media users, offering 800+ effects (including D3D and AR-based objects), retouching tools (skin smoothing, teeth whitening, face reshaping), aesthetic filters (vintage, retro, Y2K, Indie Kid), advanced editing controls, and pre-built video templates with intros, outros, and background music. AI features include face-effect alignment using proprietary facial landmark technology and an AI Chat capability for text-prompt-based image generation and editing.

The company's underlying technology stack combines proprietary computer vision for face alignment with third-party AI services for generative capabilities: OpenAI and Google Gemini power the AI Chat feature, fal.ai provides generative media inference, and AWS supplies cloud infrastructure, compute, storage, and AI safety moderation. The company is incorporated in Delaware (USA) with operational presence in Limassol, Cyprus and Miami Beach, Florida. Leadership comprises CEO Timur Khabirov and co-founder Serge Aliseenko. The company maintains an active social media presence across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Pinterest, Medium, and Discord as primary user acquisition channels.

Prequel operates a freemium business model. The free tier provides access to basic features, while Prequel Gold is a paid subscription offering weekly, monthly, and annual billing cycles processed through Google Play or the App Store, granting access to custom filters, effects, and tools. Prequel Business is a separate commercial-license subscription (iOS only) enabling legal entities to use outputs for advertising, sales, and redistribution. Additional in-app purchases provide virtual items and features. Customer segments are horizontally split between individual creators/social media users (primary) and commercial/business users (secondary, via Prequel Business). No external institutional funding rounds, M&A activity, or public listing have been disclosed.

Name

Prequel

Legal name

Prequel Inc.

Website

https://prequel.app

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Prequel is a mobile photo and video editing application serving individual creators and social media users. The platform offers 800+ effects, AI-powered transformations, retouching tools, and video templates, monetizing through freemium subscriptions (Prequel Gold), in-app purchases, and a commercial-use tier.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Limassol

HQ country

Cyprus

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Prequel Gold Subscription: Premium subscription providing access to custom-made filters, effects, and tools for photo and video editing. Offered on monthly, weekly, or annual billing cycles with auto-renewal.
2. In-App Purchases: Additional virtual items, virtual currency, and features available for one-time purchase within the app ecosystem. These have no real-world value and are for in-app use only.
3. Prequel Business Subscription: Commercial license subscription for legal entities allowing unlimited project editing, redistribution of products, and selling products containing Prequel outputs. Available exclusively for iOS devices.
4. Freemium Access: Free tier providing basic editing features with limited access to effects and tools to drive user acquisition and conversion to paid subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Prequel is a mobile photo and video editing application that lets individual creators and social media users apply 800+ built-in effects, AI-powered portrait transformations, retouching tools, color filters, and pre-built video templates to images and videos. It operates on a freemium model with a paid Prequel Gold subscription unlocking premium filters, effects, and tools, plus a separate Prequel Business subscription granting commercial-use and redistribution rights to legal entities.

Product overview

Prequel is a photo and video editor mobile application with a modular architecture consisting of core editing features and subscription tiers. The core product Prequel: Photo & Video Editor provides Effects (800+ D3D and AR-based effects), AI Power (generative AI for profile pictures and art effects), Retouch (skin/face editing tools), Filters (aesthetic presets), Advanced Editing (professional adjustments), and Video Templates (intros/outros). Premium access is available through Prequel Gold (personal subscription with custom filters/effects/tools) and Prequel Business (commercial license for unlimited editing and redistribution, iOS-only). The AI Chat Feature powered by OpenAI and Google Gemini enables text-prompt-based image generation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prequel: Photo & Video Editor Mobile photo and video editing application offering 800+ effects, AI-powered portrait transformations, retouching tools, color filters, advanced editing adjustments, and pre-built video templates for individual creators and social media users producing content for platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
• Prequel Gold Premium subscription for individual users that unlocks the full collection of custom-made filters, effects, and tools for photo and video editing inside the Prequel app, with weekly, monthly, or annual billing options.
• Prequel Business Commercial-use subscription tier for legal entities that grants unlimited project editing and redistribution rights for Prequel-generated content used in advertising, marketing campaigns, and product imagery. Available exclusively through the App Store on iOS devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ effects available for photo and video editing
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreTechnology or IntegrationAWS provides cloud infrastructure, hosting, storage, networking, compute, security, and related support services used in connection with AI-powered features and safety checks. AWS processes data including face-containing images for AI-powered features and safety moderation services.
• OpenAI (OpenAI Ireland Limited, OpenAI OpCo, LLC)coreTechnology or IntegrationOpenAI provides AI model and related processing through their Gemini API to power the AI Chat Feature for image editing and generation. Processes prompts, files, and responses to provide requested AI functionality.
• Google (Gemini)coreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Cloud EMEA Limited provides Gemini AI models for the AI Chat Feature. Processes text prompts, uploaded files, and generates responses for image editing and generation functionality.
• fal.ai (Features & Labels Inc.)coreTechnology or Integrationfal.ai serves as a generative media and AI inference provider that processes prompts and submitted media to generate, transform, edit, or return requested outputs for AI-powered features.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lensa AI (Prisma Labs): Lensa AI by Prisma Labs offers AI-driven portrait enhancement and avatar generation, monetized via subscriptions and one-off AI packs. It competes with Prequel's AI Power and AI Chat generative features among the same selfie-focused consumer base.
• PicsArt: PicsArt is a comprehensive photo and video editing platform with effects, AI tools, templates, and a creator community, monetized via freemium subscriptions and PicsArt Gold. It competes with Prequel across effects library depth, video templates, and AI editing.
• Meitu: Meitu is a photo and video editing app popular in Asia with face retouching, AR effects, and AI art generation, monetized via subscriptions. It overlaps directly with Prequel's face effects, retouch tools, and AI transformation features for individual creators.
• Facetune (Lightricks): Facetune by Lightricks is a face-and-portrait retouching app with AI-powered editing features (AI selfies, generative tools) and a freemium subscription model. It competes head-to-head with Prequel's Retouch, AI Power, and AI Chat capabilities among the same self-portrait creator audience.
• Afterlight Collective: Afterlight is a mobile photo editor known for its curated filter packs, textures, and editing tools sold via subscriptions and one-off purchases. It targets the same aesthetic-driven social media creators as Prequel.
• Remini (Bending Spoons): Remini is an AI photo and video enhancement app specializing in face restoration, upscaling, and AI-generated portraits, monetized via subscription. It competes with Prequel on AI-powered portrait transformation features.
• Polarr: Polarr is a mobile and desktop photo editor offering AI-powered filters, face editing, and creative effects via freemium subscription. It targets the same enthusiast creator segment as Prequel with overlapping effects and AI editing capabilities.
• SNOW (SNOW Corp / Naver Z): SNOW is a camera and video editing app with AR face effects, stickers, and beauty filters, distributed globally. It directly overlaps Prequel's D3D/AR face effects, retouch tools, and short-video creator use cases.
• VSCO: VSCO is a mobile-first photo and video editor with a premium subscription (VSCO Membership), curated aesthetic filters, and a strong creator community. It directly competes with Prequel for social-media-savvy individual creators on iOS and Android.

Broad incumbents

• Canva: Canva is a broad design and visual content platform with photo editing, video editing, AI generation, and templates, monetized via Canva Pro subscriptions. It overlaps Prequel on video templates and effects but addresses a much wider audience including marketers and teams.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/prequel_app
• Facebookfacebook.com/prequelapp
• Instagraminstagram.com/prequelapp
• TikToktiktok.com/@prequelapp
• Pinterestpinterest.com/prequelapp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Prequel