If you’re looking to add some unique filters to your photo editing toolbox, look no further than VSCO, a powerful app that includes dozens of filters and an easy-to-use editing dashboard.

We encourage you to try out all of the awesome VSCO filters, but if you’re not ready to fork out for the annual subscription, check out the filters in the free version. We’ve picked five best VSCO filters that are totally free to use.


Here are the best free VSCO filters

VSCO names its free filters with one or two letters followed by a number, and while the names of the filters might not be that memorable, the VSCO effects definitely are. Here are our favorites in no particular order:

  • C1
  • F2
  • M5
  • G3
  • B1
Edited photos pile up on your iPhone

As fun as adding filters to your photos is, it saves a copy of the original photo to your iPhone every time you save a new edit. Using an app like CleanMy®Phone is a quick way to find and delete the copies you don’t want.

Download on the App Store



C1: The best VSCO filter for lovely pastel colors

C1 is one of the most popular free VSCO filters, and for good reason. It adds lovely pink highlights and blue shadows to your photos, as well as bumps up saturation, brightness, and contrast. C1 is awesome for landscapes and nature shots, as well as cityscapes.


F2: The VSCO filter for moody grays and blues

With the F2 VSCO filter, you can recreate underexposed film shots. F2 creates a mellow, moody look by washing your photo with a muted blue. Deep blacks become subtle grays, and highlights become quiet and understated. While F2 is a quiet filter, it also gives your photos an edgy look and is perfect for floral shots, flat lays, and cloudy beach scenes.


M5: The VSCO filter for a vintage look

For warm and bright rust tones throughout your photo, definitely check out the M5 filter. The saturation is lowered, but the colors are deepened, making this a great option for portraits and street photography. This filter does a nice job of creating more flattering skin tones and adds an overall vintage feel to your photo.


G3: The best VSCO filter for even skin tones

While many of the VSCO filters we’ve mentioned so far will work for portraits, the G series really excels in this department. The contrast and sharpness are increased with G3, and the skin tones are warmed up with fewer harsh highlights. Blues and greens are deepened, especially with photos that are already on the cool side.


B1: A great VSCO filter for black and white

Finally, a black and white filter that emulates the effects of old-school film without going overboard. B1 provides great details in the shadows and a gentle contrast that helps preserve the lights and darks in your shot. The B1 filter highlights the subtle textures of your photo, making it great for landscapes, street scenes, and even macro shots.


The 10 free VSCO filters are the perfect way to get started with iPhone photo editing. They are super easy to apply, won’t drastically change your photos, and are great for social sharing. If you fall in love with VSCO filters as we have, you can always upgrade to the premium version, which will give you more filter choices than you’ll know what to do with.