Instashot
Instashot is an AI-based tool that generates realistic portraits based on user photos. It offers high resemblance portraits, created using ...
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What is Instashot?
Instashot is an AI portrait generator that turns user-uploaded face photos into personalized AI selfies and portraits. The website says it can deliver a first set of AI portraits in under a minute, emphasizing high face resemblance and fast generation. It is built around training a custom model from your own photos, then using prompts to generate new images.
The workflow is presented as a simple four-step process: tell the service basic details about yourself, upload staging photos, train the AI model, and generate portraits with a prompt. Instashot says you can upload up to 24 photos, with a minimum of 12 recommended, and model training takes less than 4 minutes. After training, each generation produces four photos at once and usually takes about 30 to 60 seconds depending on server load.
The service appears aimed at people who want stylized profile photos, social content, or personalized portrait sets without hiring a photographer. It advertises itself as faster, cheaper, and more flexible than alternatives, and it uses Stable Diffusion alongside its own fine-tunes. The site also mentions Telegram-based usage, with commands like /stage, /imagine, /portal, and /help for users who access it through the bot.
Instashot is also positioned as a subscription service with multiple tiers, support for custom prompts on higher plans, and a focus on portrait resolution output. The website notes that generated photos are currently 512x768 portrait images. It also includes usage guidance about photo quality, prompt safety, and limitations around timing, support, and content rules.
Instashot pricing
Pricing model: Paid
Instashot offers a 14-day free trial. After the trial, users are automatically billed on the subscription plan they selected. The website lists three monthly plans: Starter at $9 per month, Essential at $17 per month, and Premium at $35 per month. The site says plan upgrades take effect immediately with prorating, while downgrades begin in the next billing period. Higher tiers, including Essential and Premium, allow custom prompts; Starter users receive randomly prompted photos only.
Instashot pros
- Fast first results
- High face resemblance
- Custom AI model per user
- Simple 4-step workflow
- Up to 24 training photos
- Minimum 12-photo training set
- Model training under 4 minutes
- Generates four photos at once
- 30 to 60 second generation time
- Custom prompts on higher tiers
- Telegram bot support
- /stage onboarding command
- /imagine generation command
- /portal subscription management
- /help support command
- 512x768 portrait output
- Uses Stable Diffusion technology
- Free trial available
- Refunds available for remaining days
- Cancel anytime with grace period
Instashot cons
- Must upload personal face photos
- Requires at least 12 photos
- Race and gender category requested
- Starter plan lacks custom prompts
- Generation speed depends on server load
- Only English supported in Telegram bot
- Portrait resolution is limited to 512x768
- Glasses can reduce quality if reflections appear
- Photos of minors are not accepted
- No guarantee of uninterrupted service
- Service quality may vary as a sole proprietorship
- Prompts must avoid NSFW or abusive content
- Photos of others create user responsibility
- Training and generation can take longer under load
- Refunds require contacting support manually
Frequently asked questions about Instashot
How does Instashot work?
Instashot works by training a custom AI model on your uploaded face photos, then using that model to generate new portraits from prompts. The website describes a four-step flow: share basic details, upload staging photos, train the model, and generate images. It says the first portraits can arrive in less than a minute, while model training takes less than 4 minutes.
How many photos do I need to upload?
The website says you can submit up to 24 photos of yourself, and that 12 photos is the minimum amount to get started. It recommends using only your own photos for best results. The photo set should show different facial expressions and angles, with a clearly visible face.
What kind of photos work best?
Instashot says the best training photos show only you, with a clearly visible face that is neither too large nor too small in the frame. It recommends various expressions and angles, and says hands, accessories, or other objects should not cover your face. It also notes that glasses are generally not recommended unless you wear them all the time and the images are high quality with minimal reflection.
How long does training and generation take?
The site says training your AI model takes less than 4 minutes. After training, generating a set of photos usually takes about 30 to 60 seconds depending on server load. It also says the first-time total experience is roughly about 5 minutes when you combine model training and the first generation.
What do the subscription plans include?
The pricing page lists three monthly plans: Starter for $9, Essential for $17, and Premium for $35. The site says Essential and Premium users can use custom prompts when generating photos, while Starter users receive randomly prompted photos only. The website also offers a 14-day free trial before billing begins.
Can I use Telegram to use Instashot?
Yes. The website says Telegram users can use /stage to get a photo submission guide, /imagine to generate photos with a prompt, /portal to manage the subscription, and /help to get support information. It also notes that the Telegram bot currently supports English only.
What image size does Instashot generate?
The website says generated photos are currently output in 512x768 portrait resolution. It also says more resolution options may be added in the future. At the moment, that portrait format is the standard output for the service.
Can I cancel my subscription?
Yes. Instashot says you can cancel your monthly subscription at any time. After cancellation, the plan stays active until the next renewal date in a grace period, and you can resume it within that period before it fully terminates.
Does Instashot offer refunds?
The website says refunds are available in proportion to the remaining days until the next billing date. To request one, you need to message the customer support Telegram channel and include your Telegram User ID and/or the email address associated with the payment. The site also says payment processing is handled by Lemon Squeezy and that it does not store payment information on its own servers.
Are there any content rules or restrictions?
Yes. Instashot says users should use the service in a respectful and lawful manner, and it warns against malicious, NSFW, or abusive prompts. It also says photos of minors are not accepted, and that uploading photos of other people without permission can create legal and responsibility issues for the user.