Merge is an iPhone app for turning a still photo into a moving video, using a reference motion video to guide the animation. Users can add a style prompt to influence the result. Merge says generation takes under a minute, and its listed creation options include AI dance videos, animated portraits, moving selfies, and cinematic motion. It uses image-to-video animation and supports output up to 1080p. Finished videos can be saved on the device or shared to a community feed, where people can browse and like posts. The free Starter plan provides 300 credits each month, Full HD AI motion videos, and community feed access. Creator provides 1,000 credits per month and a priority generation queue; Studio provides 3,000 credits per month and a top-priority queue. Prices for these plans may vary by region. One-time credit packs start at 1,200 credits, do not expire, and have no recurring charge. Merge requires Apple Sign-In, and Apple handles billing. The app lists English, Spanish, German, Dutch, Turkish, and Russian. Selected photos are uploaded to temporary storage for generation and automatically deleted within about 48 hours. Photos and reference videos are sent to Wan AI through fal.ai for processing and are not used to train AI models.
Who it is for
Merge suits iPhone users who want to animate still photos with a reference motion video, with an optional style prompt. It may also suit people who want to save results locally or share them through a community feed.
What is good
- Creates dance videos, animated portraits, moving selfies, and cinematic motion.
- Says generation takes under a minute.
- Starter includes 300 credits each month and Full HD videos.
- Videos can be saved or shared to a community feed.
- One-time credit pack credits do not expire.
What to know first
- Available for iPhone only.
- Monthly subscription credits expire at the end of each billing cycle.
- Creator and Studio prices may vary by region.
Verdict
Choose Merge if you want an iPhone app for animating a still photo from a motion reference, with 300 monthly credits available on Starter. Look elsewhere if you need a platform beyond iPhone or want subscription credits to carry over between billing cycles.
Get started with Merge
- Open the Merge website or find the app for iPhone.
- Sign in with Apple.
- Choose the free Starter plan, a monthly subscription, or a one-time credit pack.
- Select a still photo and a reference motion video.
- Add an optional style prompt and generate the video.
- Save the result on your device or publish it to the community feed.
What the free plan stops at
Starter includes 300 credits per month and Full HD output. Subscription credits reset each billing cycle and unused credits expire at its end; one-time pack credits do not expire.
Questions about Merge
Is Merge free?
Yes. Starter is free and includes 300 credits per month, Full HD AI motion videos, and community feed access.
Which devices can run Merge?
Merge is an iOS app, and its App Store listing says it is only for iPhone.
How does Merge animate a photo?
It uses a still photo and a reference motion video to generate an AI motion video. Users can add an optional style prompt.
What happens to uploaded photos and videos?
Selected photos are temporarily stored for generation and automatically deleted within about 48 hours. Photos and reference videos are sent to Wan AI through fal.ai and are not used to train AI models.
Do subscription credits carry over?
No. Monthly subscription credits reset each billing cycle, and unused credits expire at the end of that cycle. Credits from one-time packs do not expire.
Merge plans and pricing
All plansCompared on AI photo animation tools
- Free plan
- Yes
- Animation modes
- image-to-video
- Maximum output resolution
- 1080p
