The Pika iOS app turns your iPhone into a tiny AI video studio. Instead of fiddling with complex timelines and layers, you snap a selfie, pick a trend or template, and Pika turns it into a short, stylised AI video you can share anywhere.
Pika describes it simply: “Turn your selfies into viral AI videos” - all you need is a selfie and the app.
No editing experience needed. Just type, generate, and share.
Pika AI is a video platform (web + mobile app) that turns text, images and existing clips into short, social-ready videos. It’s popular for TikTok, Reels, Shorts, ads, and memes.
Pika: AI Video & Trend Maker is an iPhone-only app by Mellis, Inc., listed in the Social Networking category on the App Store.
Core idea:
Take or upload a selfie or photo
Apply an AI-powered template, effect, or lipsync
Generate short AI videos, GIFs, and memes
Share them to Pika’s own feed or export to TikTok, Instagram, etc.
It’s not a general-purpose editing app like CapCut or Premiere it’s a social AI video playground designed for fast, viral-style clips.
Image credit: Pika.art
The app turns your selfie into an “unreal” AI video with just a few taps:
Upload a selfie or portrait
Choose a template or style
Let Pika generate a short video, GIF, or meme
The App Store description calls out:
“Pika transforms your photos into unreal videos, GIFs, and memes. A selfie is all you need.”
So you don’t have to understand prompts or video jargon-Pika hides the complex model stuff behind templates.
Image credit: Pika.art
Pika leans heavily on templates and trends:
Remix trending styles, sounds, and lipsync templates
Tap into pre-built trends instead of designing every effect from scratch
Quickly adapt the same format to different photos or ideas
App Store copy highlights:
“Pika lets you remix trending styles, sounds, and lipsync templates in seconds.”
This makes it feel more like a TikTok-style trend machine than a plain generator.
Pika’s AI lipsync is one of the standout features:
Pick a song or audio clip
Pika animates your selfie so it sings, raps, or talks in sync
Great for music clips, memes, or character-style content
According to the App Store description:
“Pika allows you to sing or say anything with perfect sync to music or speech.”
This lines up with Pika’s wider focus on hyper-expressive human video models on web.
Pika isn’t just a tool – it’s also a social app:
The Pika site describes it as “the easiest way to level-up your content with AI… All you need is a selfie and the app.”
A dedicated site for Pika’s social experience explains that users can create and share “unreal” videos in a social feed.
That means you can:
Scroll a feed of AI-generated videos
Remix other users’ creations using the same templates
Discover new trends, sounds, and visual styles from the community
It’s closer to “AI TikTok” than a classic editing app.
Pika as a whole is described as a video generation platform and app for “social-first content using AI.”
The web platform (pika.art) lets you:
Use advanced models like Pika 2.1 / 2.2 / 2.5
Generate videos from text, images, or video
Access pro tools like Pikaffects, Pikaswaps, Pikadditions, Pikaframes, Pikaformance, etc.
The iOS app is the mobile, social layer on top:
Same Pika brand & ecosystem
Uses Pika’s expressive video models behind the scenes
Focused on quick selfie-based content, trends, and sharing
You can think of it as:
Web Pika = full studio
iOS Pika = pocket trend-maker
Download & Install
Search “Pika: AI Video & Trend Maker” on the iOS App Store.
Available for iPhone, requires iOS 17.6+.
Create an Account
Sign up and accept Pika’s Terms, Acceptable Use Policy, and Privacy Policy.
Start with a Selfie or Photo
Take a photo in-app or pick from your gallery.
Clear lighting and a clean background usually give better results.
Choose a Template or Trend
Browse AI templates, effects, and lipsync trends.
Select one that fits your mood (funny, glam, dramatic, etc.).
Generate the Clip
Tap to create.
Pika’s AI models run in the background and return a short AI video / GIF / meme.
Edit Basics & Share
Some templates allow simple edits (text, sound, or crop).
Share to Pika’s feed, save to camera roll, or export to other apps (TikTok, Instagram, etc.).
The Pika iOS app is free to download but uses in-app purchases.
From the App Store listing and Pika’s web pricing:
Free tier
Generate a limited number of videos
Access to core templates & basic quality
Paid / subscription tiers
Token packs (e.g. hundreds or thousands of tokens)
Monthly / yearly plans such as Standard and Pro on the broader Pika platform
Higher quality (up to 1080p), more monthly credits, priority generation, and advanced tools on web
Because each generation consumes credits/tokens, heavy experimenting can add up; many users test with a few templates first, then upgrade when they’re happy with the results.
TikTok, Reels, Shorts, YouTube community posts
People who want a “just tap and go” way to make visual trends
Creators who already post a lot and just need faster content
Influencers who want AI “versions” of themselves
UGC creators making samples for brands
People who collaborate with others and remix trends
Anyone who wants to play with AI video without learning editing software
People who like filters, lenses, and AR but want something more “unreal”
Social managers testing visual ideas quickly on mobile
Capturing AI draft concepts on the go, then recreating them with more control on Pika web
Extremely low friction – selfie in, trend out.
Designed for social-first formats (vertical, short clips).
Built-in community and remix culture – you’re not creating in a vacuum.
Focuses on short, playful content, not long-form or professional editing.
Token / credit system means you need to budget your generations.
Some advanced Pika features (detailed prompt control, keyframing, scene ingredients) still live mainly on the web platform, not the iOS app.
Pika’s FAQ describes Pika as a video generation platform and app for “mind-blowing, social-first content.”
The web version (pika.art) is for:
Deep control, prompts, aspect ratios, tools like Pikaffects, Pikaswaps, Pikaformance
Higher-resolution and longer clips
The iOS app (Pika: AI Video & Trend Maker) is for:
Fast, selfie-based content
Remixing trends and lipsyncs
Sharing in a built-in AI video feed
Together, they form a pipeline where you can:
Experiment on iOS (quick ideas, trends, memes)
Scale or refine on web (higher res, more control, longer sequences)
| Feature / Aspect | Pika iOS App (Pika: AI Video & Trend Maker) | Pika Web (Pika.art) | Other AI Video Apps (e.g., Runway, CapCut AI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Social-first AI video from selfies & photos; trends, memes, lipsync clips. | Full AI video studio in the browser with text/image/video-to-video tools and pro features. | Runway: cinematic text-to-video / VFX; CapCut: AI-assisted editing, templates, avatars and full editor. |
| Platform | iPhone app (iOS 17.6+). | Web app (browser-based, desktop or mobile). | Runway: web app; CapCut: web, desktop and mobile apps. |
| Typical user | Short-form creators, influencers, casual users who want “one-tap” AI trends from selfies. | Creators, marketers, studios who want more control over prompts, scenes, and quality. | Semi-pro / pro editors (Runway) and mainstream creators needing full editing + AI helpers (CapCut). |
| Core creation mode | Photo/selfie → AI video, GIFs, memes, lipsync trends using templates. | Text/image/video → short clips with tools like Pikaformance, Pikaffects, Pikaframes, etc. | Runway: advanced text-to-video + video editing; CapCut: AI video generation from scripts, avatars, templates, plus full timeline editing. |
| Editing depth | Very light—choose a template, maybe tweak text/sound, then share. | Medium–high—prompt control, aspect ratios, durations, effects, scene-level tools. | Runway: deep timeline / VFX workflows; CapCut: full multi-track editor, captions, color, etc. |
| Social features | Built-in feed, remix trends, share & browse AI videos in-app. | No full social feed; mainly a creation platform (export to other social apps). | Runway: project sharing, export; CapCut: template/community feed, export to TikTok etc. |
| Quality & resolution | Optimized for short, mobile-friendly clips; effective for vertical social content. | Free: SD; Paid: up to 1080p and multiple aspect ratios (16:9, 9:16, 1:1). | Runway Gen-4.x: high-end cinematic video; CapCut: quality depends on export, can go up to HD for social/YouTube. |
| Pricing model | Free download + token packs / in-app subscriptions (Standard/Artist-style tiers). | Freemium web platform with paid tiers (Standard/Pro+) that unlock more credits, 1080p, advanced tools. | Runway: subscription/credit-based; CapCut: free with optional paid/enterprise features. |
| Best use cases | Quick AI trends, meme clips, selfie-based lipsync, playful social experiments on mobile. | More controlled AI storytelling, product clips, advanced effects, higher-res exports. | Professional or semi-pro editing, YouTube videos, commercials, complex multi-shot projects. |
The Pika iOS app is a natural extension of what Pika Labs is building: a world where anyone can create scroll-stopping AI video without learning editing or animation.
If you:
Live on TikTok, Reels, or Shorts
Love playing with trends, filters, and AI
Want a one-tap way to turn selfies into surreal clips
then Pika on iOS is basically the “AI trend button” on your phone.