Looking for a Deep Nostalgia alternative? Apps vs done-for-you
For anyone who tried an app, liked the idea, and wanted a result they'd actually show the family.
If you’re looking for a Deep Nostalgia alternative, you have two kinds of options. Apps (including MyHeritage’s own newer LiveMemory feature) animate a photo in seconds for free or as part of a subscription. A done-for-you service like zazsi restores the photo, animates it gently and has a person check every video before you get it, for a one-time price from $19. Apps are best for trying things out; a service is better when the photo matters and you want it right first time.
What Deep Nostalgia does
Deep Nostalgia is MyHeritage’s tool for animating faces in old photos. By MyHeritage’s description, it uses pre-recorded “driver” videos of real gestures, and it animates one face at a time. MyHeritage has since added LiveMemory, which animates the whole scene into a short clip. At the time of writing, you get a few free tries and then need a paid MyHeritage plan.
Many people come to it through family history, and if you already pay for MyHeritage, it’s a natural place to start.
Option 1: do it yourself with an app
Good for: trying lots of photos quickly, curiosity, social posts.
- Fast, often seconds per photo
- Free tiers or low per-photo prices
- You choose the motion yourself
Watch out for: motion that’s too big (waves, laughs, head swings) and can feel uncanny on an old portrait, subscriptions that renew automatically, and checking yourself whether the face still looks like them. Read the privacy terms before uploading family photos.
Option 2: a done-for-you service
Good for: a photo that matters, a gift, a memorial or a family film.
At zazsi:
- We repair fading, scratches and creases before animating
- The movement is kept quiet and natural: a smile, a blink, a small turn of the head
- A real person reviews every animation, and if a photo won’t animate well, we tell you
- One round of changes is included
- You can add a montage film with licensed music, a title and a dedication
Delivery is 2 to 4 business days, often sooner. Pricing is one-time: $19 for the first photo, $9 for each extra and +$49 for the montage. No subscription.
How to choose
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| To play with many photos for free | An app |
| Instant results tonight | An app |
| A gift or memorial you’ll show the family | A done-for-you service |
| Restoration plus animation in one step | A done-for-you service |
| A short film with music and a dedication | A done-for-you service |
Plenty of people do both: try an app to find which photos come alive, then send the best two or three for a careful version.
For more on the process, read our main guide to animating old photos, or see how several photos become a short film with music.
Frequently asked questions
Is Deep Nostalgia still available?
MyHeritage still offers photo animation, now alongside its newer LiveMemory feature. Check their site for current plans, as these change.
Are free photo animation apps safe?
Some are fine, some are vague. Before uploading, check how long they keep your photos, whether they share them, and how to delete them.
Why pay when apps are cheap?
You’re paying for restoration, a careful result and a person checking it. If you only want a quick experiment, an app is the better deal.
Can you animate a photo I already tried in an app?
Yes. Send us the original photo, not the app’s video, and we’ll start from there.