How to make a before-and-after image
Updated 15 June 2026
Before-and-after images are everywhere — fitness transformations, home renovations, hair and makeup, photo edits, cleaning results, and restoration work. A good comparison tells the whole story in one frame. The trick is to make the two halves match so the change is what stands out, not the difference in size or alignment. Here's how to build one in a couple of minutes.
Step by step
- Open StitchPic and load your before photo in the first box, after in the second. (Convention is before-left, after-right, or before-top, after-bottom.)
- Choose Horizontally for a side-by-side comparison, or Vertically for a stacked one.
- Under Resize images, pick Crop biggest or Reduce biggest so both halves are exactly the same size.
- Add a small spacing value with a white or contrasting background colour to create a clean dividing line.
- Press Merge! and then Download PNG.
Make your before/after now — no sign-up needed.
Open StitchPicThe secret to a convincing comparison: consistency
A before-and-after only works if a viewer trusts that the two shots are comparable. When you take the photos, try to keep these the same in both:
- Distance and angle — shoot from the same spot, at the same height.
- Lighting — same time of day and light source, so a “result” isn't just better lighting.
- Framing — keep the subject the same size in the frame.
If your two photos are slightly different dimensions anyway, the Crop biggest option is your friend: it trims the larger image to match the smaller one without stretching or squashing the subject, which keeps faces and proportions natural.
Horizontal or vertical?
Choose the layout that matches the shape of your photos and where you'll post them:
| Layout | Best for |
|---|---|
| Horizontal (side by side) | Portrait photos, faces, full-body fitness shots, wide screens |
| Vertical (stacked) | Landscape photos, rooms, wide scenes, Instagram/Pinterest feeds |
Labelling “Before” and “After”
StitchPic merges your images as-is and doesn't add text. If you want labels, the simplest approach is to add them to each photo before merging (most phone galleries have a markup tool), or add a caption on the platform where you post. Keeping the merge tool focused on combining means your export stays a clean, full-quality image you can caption however you like.
Common questions
Can I make a 3-stage progression?
Yes. Click + Add image to include a third (or more) photo — great for week 1 / week 4 / week 8 style progress shots. They'll be evenly arranged in the order you set.
What size should I export?
Export at full resolution (the default) and let the platform downscale. Starting large and shrinking always looks sharper than starting small.