The Best Change-Your-Hair-Color Apps of 2020

Dyeing your hair is a way of life for many, but deciding to change your hair color can also be intimidating. Mobile app stores are full of options to play with hair and makeup, but some of these apps are buggy, filled with advertisements, and offer limited functionality. We researched the best hair color apps to find the best ones to help you visualize your future look.

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Best for a Realistic Look: Hair Color Dye

What We Like

Place color where you want.
Select hair areas to edit.
Realistic results.
Share your new hair color via text or social media.
Easy to use with a variety of colors.

What We Don't Like

Available only for iOS.
Some colors cost an additional 99 cents.

If you want to try out a unique hairstyle, Hair Color Dye lets you choose from a huge variety of varied and vibrant hair colors. Upload a photo and swap out your overall hair color, or paint only certain areas by hand. For example, add a stripe of neon blue to your bangs, or see how you'd look with red tips.

This app gets great marks for ease of use, color variety, and easy-to-follow instructions. This iOS-only app is free, but some colors cost an additional 99 cents through an in-app purchase.

Download For:

iOS

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Best for Selfies: YouCam Makeup-Magic Selfie Cam

YouCam Makeup-Magic Selfie Cam hair color changing app

What We Like

Augmented reality applies color automatically.
References actual hair dyes to take to a stylist.
Try out makeup and facial enhancements.
Fun selfie filters for social media.

What We Don't Like

Must upgrade to Premium to take advantage of all features.

YouCam Makeup-Magic Selfie Cam is more than a hair color-changing app. Calling itself a virtual makeover app and beauty camera, YouCam uses augmented reality to overlay various hair colors and try out new hairstyles.

Smart facial detection applies makeup looks in real time or on photos and selfies. Retouching tools smooth out your skin, whiten teeth, add a smile, or adjust facial shape and features. More than 200 special effects turn your selfies into a #mood!

The app is free, but you'll need to upgrade to a paid version to take advantage of the advanced features.

Download For:

iOS

Android

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Best 3D Hair Color Technology: Style My Hair

What We Like

Choose from tons of color palates.
3D technology shows a new color in motion.
Directs you to a L'Oreal professional salon.
Offers tips, tricks, and trends.

What We Don't Like

No option for seeing what a haircut would look like.

L'Oreal's Style My Hair is a free, flexible, and accurate hair color-change app. It has options that range from natural blondes and browns to more avant-garde pinks and purples.

With 3D technology, see how your new hair color looks as you move around, flip your hair, and run your hands through your tresses. If you like a look, share it with friends and get their opinion. When you're ready to commit to a color, the app directs you to a nearby L'Oreal professional to make it happen.

Download For:

iOS

Android

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Best for One-Click Makeovers: Mary Kay Virtual Makeover

What We Like

Try out makeup as well as hair color.
Hundreds of hairstyles and hair color transformations.
Dual screen compares two looks.
Buy a whole look with a few clicks.
One-click makeovers overlay an entire look.

What We Don't Like

Takes a little time to align your face correctly.

The Mary Kay Virtual Makeover app handles hair color and hairstyle transformations as well as eye makeup, accessories, lip color, and more. One-click makeovers let you try out an entire seasonal, trendy, or special occasion look, such as a bridal makeover.

The makeup aspect of this app is specific, helping you determine the right products from foundation and concealer to blush and lipstick. If you like a look, buy all the products with a few clicks.

This app is free, fun, and social, even letting you put your newly made-over self on the cover of The Look to share with friends over social media.

Download For:

iOS

Android

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Best for Simple Hair Color Experimentation: Hair Color

What We Like

Instantly recognizes your hairline.
See yourself in real time, with movement.
Colors load quickly.

What We Don't Like

Some colors available only with the Premium version.
Doesn't do only tips or highlights.

ModiFace's Hair Color app is purely for hair color experimentation. Upload a picture of yourself or try on hair colors in real time, watching how the color moves with you and flows with your hair. The app instantly finds your hairline without you having to outline the shape, so it's easy to use.

This app concentrates on an overall hair color look, so if you're looking to experiment with colored bangs, tips, or highlights, it's not the right app for you.

Hair Color is a free app with a $1.99 Premium version that unlocks more hair colors.

Download For:

iOS

Android

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Best for African American Women's Hair: Black Hair for Women

What We Like

Focuses on black women's hair.
Try on hair colors, styles, and cuts.
Adjust color, brightness, and saturation.
All styles are professionally edited.

What We Don't Like

No Android version yet.

The Black Hair for Women iOS app is designed to cater specifically to colors, styles, and cuts for black women's hair. Upload your photo and easily try on various styles and cuts in an array of colors, from natural tones to vibrant, fun hues. Upload your photo, try out new looks, and save or share with friends.

Black Hair for Women is free, but upgrading for $2.99 eliminates ads. Spend 99 cents for add-on packs with additional short and braided hairstyles.

Download For:

iOS

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Best for Whimsical, Trendy Colors: Fabby Look

What We Like

Try on unique, trendy hair colors.
Experiment with color in real time.
Try on color in videos as well as photos.
Realistic results.

What We Don't Like

Not as many color choices as some other apps.

Fabby Look is a fun, fast-loading, realistic hair color app, even if its color choices are centered around unrealistic colors. If you'd like to see how you'd look with blue, purple, pink, magenta, platinum, and other fun colors, this is the app for you. Check out your new hair color in a photo you upload, in real time, or in a video, and share your fabulous new look with friends on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and more.

This app is free and gets extra points for ease of use and fast results.

Download For:

iOS

Android

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Best for Men and Women: Hairstyle Magic Mirror

What We Like

Huge array of hairstyles and color variations.
Easy-to-use interface.
Hairstyles for men and women.
Create your own color.
Hairstyle library is continually updated.

What We Don't Like

If your face shape isn't oval, it's hard to fit the hairstyles properly.
Need the paid version to use all styles and colors.

Hairstyle Magic Mirror comes in a free version (Lite) as well as a $4.49 Premium version that unlocks additional hairstyles, colors, and other features. This app lets you choose a male or female character to use, or take a photo and upload your picture to style. Traditionally masculine and feminine hairstyles let anyone try out any style that appeals to them, along with an array of colors.

The facial-detection feature works much better on the paid version, allowing you to improve the final result by dragging the hairs' anchor points.

Download For:

iOS

Android

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Most Social Hair Color Changing App: Hair Zapp

What We Like

Originally developed for hairstylists.
Compare favorite styles and colors side by side.
High-resolution imaging.
Premium features for hairdressers.
Get feedback from the Hair Zapp community.

What We Don't Like

The free version has ads.
Update to a paid version for enhanced features.

Hair Zapp offers more than 500 hairstyle and color combinations in its free version, with hundreds more if you upgrade to the $4.49 Premium version. Compare favorite looks side by side and consult the Hair Zapp community for advice.

The styles and colors are unique, and the app's community forum is a fun feature that differentiates this app from others. If you're a hairdresser, upgrade for stylist-specific features, including client-management tools.

Download For:

iOS

Android

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Best for Men's Facial Hair: Hair Style Changer

What We Like

Hairstyles and colors for women and men.
Change the color or style of beards and mustaches.
Supports multiple social media platform sharing.
Cut a hairstyle by touching the photo.
Accessories add to the final look.

What We Don't Like

Not as many color options as other apps.

Hair Style Changer is a free, basic app for trying out hair colors and styles. It also offers men's and boy's hairstyles and colors and allows for visualizing new beard and mustache colors.

Download For:

iOS

Android