Source-backed analysis9
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
9 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 10, 2026
How we review
Retro Review
A friends-only weekly photo journal with no ads
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- iOS
- Android
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Retro suits people who want a small, private place to catch up on friends' and family's photos each week, without a feed of strangers. The trade-offs are no standalone pricing page or help center, contact mostly by email, and access to contacts and photos when permitted.
Best for: Friends and family who want a weekly rhythm of sharing photos
Skip it if: Anyone who wants a wide audience or a public following
Pros
- No ads; revenue comes from subscriptions, per TechCrunch
- Friend list and likes are private, and captions are optional
- Group albums, recaps, printed postcards and home screen widgets
Cons
- No standalone pricing page or help center; contact is by email to [email protected]
- Terms state that charges paid are final and non-refundable
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- Strong store ratings: 4.8/5 on the US App Store, 4.6/5 on US Google Play
Cons
- The privacy policy mentions advertising partners' cookies and Google Analytics
Best for
- Groups that want a private album after an event, with group chat
- People who want a social app with no ads and no public like counts
Skip it if
- People who want minimal data access, since the app uses contacts and photos when permitted
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
Retro is a photo-sharing app from Lone Palm Labs (US). According to TechCrunch, founders Nathan Sharp and Ryan Olson are former Instagram product engineers, and the app has been downloaded around 7 million times since its 2023 launch. Its site describes a friends-only photo journal that nudges you to pick at least one moment a week to remember and share. There is no feed of strangers.
Per the App Store description, you can start with photos you already took to backfill previous weeks. The friend list and likes are private and captions are optional. The app also has private group albums shared by link, group messaging, collage or video recaps, printed postcards mailed via USPS, and home screen widgets.
On pricing, the app is free and, per TechCrunch, does not monetise through ads; revenue comes from a subscription that adds video, GIF and sticker comments, more styles, unlimited history and app icons. TechCrunch adds that subscribers are still a small share of users. The US App Store lists $4.99/month, $35.99/year and a $1.99 weekly option. Because Retro has no standalone pricing page, per-plan entitlements can only be inferred from these sources.
Retro is aimed at people who want a small place to follow close friends and family without competing for attention. Compared with Locket it centres on a weekly journal rather than a widget photo; compared with Instagram it has no public channel. Weigh the fact that it uses contacts, photos and photo location when permitted, and that support is mainly by email.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026
Retro (miễn phí / free)
PersonalFree
Free to download and use, with no ads. According to TechCrunch, the paid tier adds video, GIF and sticker comments, more styles, unlimited history and special app icons.
Retro Premium
Personal$4.99/mo
$3/mo billed yearly
US App Store prices: $4.99/month, $35.99/year (about $3/month) and a $1.99 weekly option. Some listings include a trial. Retro has no standalone pricing page, so per-plan entitlements are not published.
- Free plan limits
- The free tier covers weekly photo posts, group albums and recaps; the app does not run ads.
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
Retro's terms say charges paid are final and non-refundable unless Retro decides otherwise. For purchases made through the App Store or Google Play, refunds also depend on Apple's or Google's policies.
Privacy
Retro's privacy policy (updated 20 May 2025) says it collects name, username and phone number at sign-up, plus an optional profile photo, messages and feedback, contact details you enter when finding friends, device data, IP address, approximate location, and photo location metadata if you allow it. Data may be shared with service providers, advertising and social media partners that place cookies, Google Analytics, and authorities where required. The policy states Retro does not sell personal data and will delete data on request by email to [email protected], although backups may remain. The App Store privacy label lists precise location, contacts, photos or videos, phone number and device ID as linked to you, and lists no data used to track you. On Google Play the developer declares that some data may be shared with third parties and that data is encrypted in transit. Per the app's description, your friend list and likes are private.
Retro alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Is Retro free?
Yes. Downloading and basic use are free and ad-free. Retro Premium is listed at $4.99/month or $35.99/year on the US App Store.
Does Retro show ads?
Per TechCrunch (28 August 2026), Retro does not monetise through ads and earns from subscriptions. The privacy policy still mentions advertising partners' cookies on its website.
Does Retro offer a Vietnamese interface?
Yes. The US App Store lists Vietnamese among 15 supported languages, alongside English.
Who can use Retro?
The terms require users to be 18, or 13 to 17 with a parent or guardian agreeing to the terms. The App Store age rating is 13+.
Review evidence & sources9
Scores
- Ease of use
- 8.0
- Features
- 6.5
- Value for money
- 7.0
- Performance
- 7.0
- Support
- 5.5
- Privacy & security
- 6.5
Why this score
You can start from photos already on the phone and captions are optional (per the App Store description). Ratings of 4.8/5 on the App Store and 4.6/5 on Google Play suggest most users are satisfied.
Why this score
Covers weekly journals, group albums, group messaging, recaps, postcards and widgets. The scope is narrower than general-purpose social networks.
Why this score
The free tier covers the core features with no ads. Retro Premium is $4.99/month or $35.99/year on the US App Store, but entitlements are not published in detail and the terms say charges are non-refundable.
Why this score
4.8/5 on the US App Store (18,601 ratings) and 4.6/5 on US Google Play (23.9K reviews, 1M+ downloads). No independent data on speed or stability was found.
Why this score
The only contact found is email ([email protected]); there is no help center or status page.
Why this score
The policy says data is not sold and offers deletion by email; friend list and likes are private. Against that, it collects contacts and photo location and shares data with advertising and analytics partners.
What users say
- App Store (United States)4.8/5 · 18,601
- Google Play (United States)4.6/5 · 23,900
Sources
- Vendor-providedOfficial websiteNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial ethos pageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial privacy policyNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial terms of useNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedLone Palm Labs company siteNov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store listing (US)Nov 10, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listing (US)Nov 10, 2026
- pressTechCrunch (2026-08-28)Nov 10, 2026
- pressTechCrunch (2024-07-11)Nov 10, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Lone Palm Labs, Inc.
- Headquarters
- United States
- Launched
- 2023
- Category
- Social
Capabilities
- Mobile app
- Real-time collaboration
Platforms
- iOS
- Android
Interface languages
- English
- French
- German
- Indonesian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Portuguese
- Chinese
- Spanish
- Thai
- Vietnamese
Integrations
Support
Change history
- Company.TechCrunch reports Retro raised more than $21M in a Series A (per an SEC filing dated 19 August), led by Field Ventures and Thrive Capital.
- Update.Date of the latest update to Retro's privacy policy.
- Update.TechCrunch reports Google Photos testing a "My Week" feature resembling Retro's idea; CEO Nathan Sharp said he was not yet worried.
Full change history (5)
- Update.Date of the latest update to Retro's terms of use.
- Launch.Retro's App Store listing release date is 13 July 2023 (per iTunes data).
About the author
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