Skin apps ยท Facts checked
Skinli vs Pimpl
Skinli and Pimpl both read a face photo. Pimpl is an app for iPhone, iPad and Mac that scores acne, oiliness, texture, redness and dark spots, tracks your routine and streaks, and scans product labels. It needs iOS 26 or later, and the US App Store lists paid plans from $6.99 a week to $49.99 a year, or $99.99 once. Skinli runs in any browser, looks at acne only, is free right now, and needs no sign-up to see your plan. Pick Skinli for an acne plan. Pick Pimpl for a daily skin journal on iPhone.
By Nick, Founder of Skinli. We make Skinli, so read this knowing that. Every fact about Pimpl links to where we found it.
Skinli is a free acne plan in any browser. Pimpl is an iPhone skin journal with paid extras.
Pick Skinli if
- You use Android, or an iPhone that cannot run iOS 26.
- You want a written morning and night acne plan.
- You want the full plan free, with no sign-up.
Pick Pimpl if
- You want a daily skin journal with streaks, water and weather tracking.
- You want to log the products on your shelf by scanning their labels.
- You want an app that says it keeps face scans on your phone.
Skinli and Pimpl side by side
| What we compared | Skinli | Pimpl |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A morning and night acne routine built on products sold without a prescription, with a plain reason for each step. | A face scan with scores for acne, oiliness, texture, redness and dark spots, a routine checklist with streaks, a product label scanner and home mask recipes, according to its App Store listing. |
| Focus | Acne only. | A general skin journal. Acne is one of five scores. |
| Who looks at your skin | An AI reads your photo and your answers. No doctor or nurse looks at it. If you save a photo, you and the Skinli site owner can see it. | The app. No doctor. Pimpl's site says it is not a medical device. |
| Price | Free right now, and no sign-up to see your plan. Skinli plans to charge for its 4 week and 12 week plans later, and the price will be on the pricing page before it applies. | In-app purchases in the US App Store: weekly $6.99, monthly $12.99, yearly $49.99 or a $29.99 yearly discount, and a $99.99 lifetime option. |
| What is free | The full acne plan. | Pimpl's site says the free app has the essential tracking, routine and photo features, and premium adds deeper analytics, cloud backup and exports. |
| Device | Any web browser. Nothing to install. | iPhone, iPad and Apple silicon Mac. Needs iOS 26 or later. Pimpl's site says Android is coming soon. |
| Account | Not needed to see your plan. Needed only to save it or store daily photos. | Pimpl's terms say you may need an account for some features. |
| Photo storage | Kept only if you sign in and choose to save your plan. If you save a photo, you and the Skinli site owner can see it. You can delete your saved data from your dashboard. | Pimpl says face scans are analyzed on your device and photos stay on your device or in your own iCloud, not on its servers. We could not test this. |
| Products | A shopping list of words to look for on the box, such as "adapalene 0.1%". No brands, no shop, no paid links. | You scan the products you own. Pimpl's site says it suggests products for the gaps. |
| App Store rating | No app. Skinli runs in the browser. | 5.0 from 2 ratings in the US App Store on September 26, 2026. |
| Company | Skinli. | NGSMedia LLC, the seller named in the App Store. |
| How long it has existed | New. The site went live in September 2026. | In the US App Store since October 9, 2025, according to Apple's data. |
| When to see a doctor | If your photo shows deep, sore pimples, the plan says at the top to see a doctor. | Pimpl's site says to see a dermatologist for persistent acne, scarring or anything painful. |
Is Pimpl free?
Pimpl is free to download, and its site says the free app includes the essential tracking, routine and photo features. On September 26, 2026 the US App Store listed a $6.99 weekly plan, a $12.99 monthly plan, a $49.99 yearly plan, a $29.99 yearly discount and a $99.99 lifetime option. The App Store text says the subscription has a free trial and does not give its length.
Skinli is free right now, including the full acne plan, and you do not need to sign up to see it.
Can you use Pimpl on Android or an older iPhone?
Not yet on Android. Pimpl's site says Android is coming soon, and we found no Google Play listing. On Apple devices, the App Store says Pimpl needs iOS 26 or later, so older iPhones that cannot update to iOS 26 cannot install it.
Skinli runs in the web browser on any phone or computer, including Android phones and older iPhones, with nothing to install.
Where do your photos go?
Pimpl's privacy policy says scan photos are analyzed on your device with Apple's own tools and stored only on your device, and that the scores can sync through your private iCloud, which Pimpl cannot access. We could not test this ourselves. If it works as described, your face photo does not leave your phone, which Skinli cannot say.
Skinli sends your photo to its AI service to write your plan. It keeps the photo only if you sign in and choose to save your plan. If you save a photo, you and the Skinli site owner can see it, and you can delete your saved data from your dashboard.
What Pimpl looks like
Screenshots and logo from Pimpl's US App Store listing. They belong to NGSMedia LLC and are shown only to identify the product.
See what Skinli gives you before you decide.
One photo and a few quick questions. Free, and no account needed to see your plan.
Analyze my skinHow Skinli works, and how far to trust a photo
Is Skinli cheaper than Pimpl?
Skinli
- Free right now
- No sign-up to see your plan
- Any phone or computer
Pimpl
- Free download
- Weekly: $6.99
- Monthly: $12.99
- Yearly: $49.99, or a $29.99 discount
- Lifetime: $99.99
Skinli is cheaper: it is free. Pimpl is free to download, and the US App Store lists several paid plans for its premium features.
What 3 months costs
Lowest listed price for each option, checked September 25, 2026. Prescription services include their cream. Products you buy at a store are extra for every option. Hover or tap a bar to see how it was worked out.
- Skinli$0
- SkinPal AIfrom $23.97
- Skan$29.97
- AcneTrack$29.97
- Pimpl$38.97
- Thea$59.97
- Curology$65.35
- Hims & Hersfrom $87
- MDacne$87
- Musely$90
- Nurxfrom $118
Show as a table
| Option | 3 months | How we worked it out |
|---|---|---|
| Skinli | $0 | Free right now, with no sign-up to see your plan. You buy the drugstore products yourself, in any brand. |
| SkinPal AI | from $23.97 | The lowest monthly price in the US App Store list, $7.99, for 3 months. The app's own description lists $12.99 a month. |
| Skan | $29.97 | The $9.99 monthly plan for 3 months. A $19.99 yearly plan costs less if the app offers it to you. |
| AcneTrack | $29.97 | The $9.99 monthly plan for 3 months. Yearly plans start at $19.99. |
| Pimpl | $38.97 | The $12.99 monthly plan for 3 months. A $29.99 yearly discount costs less if the app offers it to you. |
| Thea | $59.97 | The $19.99 monthly plan for 3 months. The dermatologist upgrade costs extra. |
| Curology | $65.35 | $5.45 trial shipping, then one $59.90 shipment that covers the next 60 days. Includes the prescription cream. |
| Hims & Hers | from $87 | The "starting at $29 a month" price for 3 months. The visit and shipping are free. The exact price shows only after the online visit. |
| MDacne | $87 | $9 trial shipping in the US, then one $78 refill that covers the next 2 months, before tax. Includes MDacne's cleanser, moisturizer and night cream. |
| Musely | $90 | The listed $30 a month for 3 months. Includes the prescription cream. Musely ships 2 months of cream at a time. |
| Nurx | from $118 | $40 visit, the lowest listed cream at $25 a month for 3 months, and one $3 support fee, without insurance. |
Which one fits your situation?
You have an Android phone and want an acne plan
Pick: Skinli
Skinli runs in any browser. Pimpl's site says Android is coming soon.
You want a daily skin journal with streaks and water tracking
Pick: Pimpl
Pimpl is built as a journal with streaks, weather and water tracking. Skinli gives you a plan and one daily photo.
You want your face photo to stay on your phone
Pick: Pimpl
Pimpl says it analyzes and keeps scan photos on your device. Skinli sends the photo to its AI service to write the plan.
You want a written acne plan with a reason for each step
Pick: Skinli
Skinli writes a morning and night plan around benzoyl peroxide and adapalene, and says when to see a doctor.
Looking for a Pimpl alternative?
If you are looking for a Pimpl alternative because you use Android, or you want a written acne plan instead of a journal, Skinli is free, runs in any browser, and needs no sign-up to see your plan.
Other skin apps we compare are Skan, Thea, AcneTrack and SkinPal AI. Each has its own page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Pimpl cost?
Pimpl is free to download. On September 26, 2026, the US App Store listed a $6.99 weekly plan, a $12.99 monthly plan, a $49.99 yearly plan, a $29.99 yearly discount and a $99.99 lifetime option. Pimpl's site says premium adds deeper analytics, cloud backup and exports. Skinli is free right now, with no sign-up to see your plan.
Is Pimpl on Android?
Not on September 26, 2026. Pimpl's site says Android is coming soon, and we found no Google Play listing. On Apple devices it needs iOS 26 or later, according to the App Store. Skinli runs in the web browser, so it works on Android phones, older iPhones and computers with nothing to install.
Does Pimpl keep my photos on my phone?
Pimpl says so. Its privacy policy says face scans are analyzed on your device with Apple's own tools, photos stay on your device, and scores can sync through your own iCloud, which Pimpl cannot access. We could not test this. Skinli sends your photo to its AI service, and keeps it only if you sign in and save your plan.
Who makes Pimpl?
The US App Store lists the seller as NGSMedia LLC, and Pimpl's site names the same company. Apple's data shows the app in the App Store since October 9, 2025. Skinli is made by Skinli, and its founder, Nick, writes the guides and plans on the site. Skinli went live in September 2026 and has no app.
What is Pimpl's App Store rating?
On September 26, 2026, Apple's own listing data showed Pimpl at 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings in the US App Store. Two ratings say little about how well an app works. Skinli has no store rating at all, because it runs in the web browser and has no app to install.
Is Skinli a good Pimpl alternative for acne?
If you want a plan more than a journal, yes. Skinli looks only at acne, gives you a score out of 100, and writes a morning and night routine around benzoyl peroxide and adapalene, with a reason for each step. It is free and needs no sign-up to see the plan. Pimpl suits people who want daily tracking and streaks on iPhone.
Sources
Checked on September 25, 2026. Prices and plans change, so check Pimpl's own site before you pay.
- Pimpl in the US App Store (prices, description, device needs) (Pimpl's own site)
- Apple catalog data for Pimpl (rating, rating count, seller, release date) (independent source)
- Pimpl website (free features, Android plans, dermatologist advice) (Pimpl's own site)
- Pimpl privacy policy (photo handling) (Pimpl's own site)
- Pimpl terms (account) (Pimpl's own site)
Get a routine built from your own photo.
One photo and a few quick questions. You do not need an account to see your routine.
Analyze my skinSkinli gives simple tips for skin with pimples. It is not a doctor. It cannot tell you what is wrong the way a doctor can. If your pimples hurt, are deep under the skin, are getting worse, or will not go away, see a doctor.