Not every reverse image search does the same job. Some match whole images, some match faces, and some are built to help you protect your own photos. This page explains the categories, what we could verify about specific tools, and how to choose without overpromising: no tool covers the whole internet.
Three kinds of tools#
- General reverse image search (for example Google Lens): finds pages with the same or similar images and objects. Useful as a first step.
- Face search engines (for example PimEyes, FaceCheck.ID): search by facial similarity. They raise biometric privacy questions and are easy to misuse on strangers.
- Self-protection tools (like StopCatfish): aimed at checking the use of your own photos, with consent recorded and a removal roadmap.
What we verified#
Google's help page says you can use Google Lens "to learn more about an image or the objects around you", by uploading a file, dragging and dropping, pasting an image URL or, in Chrome, right-clicking an image (according to its official site, checked October 2026). It also notes that "Google may store the URLs you search" to enhance its products.
PimEyes lists a free plan with 10 searches per day and paid plans with up to 75 or 125 daily searches, or no daily cap, and says it is intended for personal and lawful use (according to its official site, checked October 2026). FaceCheck.ID describes itself as a facial recognition search engine and says it is for educational purposes only (according to its official site, checked October 2026). For TinEye and other tools, we could not verify details on the official pages in this check, so check the official site.
Comparison table#
| Criterion | General image search (Google Lens) | Face search engines (PimEyes, FaceCheck.ID) | StopCatfish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matches by | Whole image, objects, similar images | Facial similarity | Visual features of the image, which may include facial features |
| How to use it | Upload, drag and drop, URL, or from Chrome | Upload a photo | Upload and email, then deep search on the server |
| Cost | Check the official site | Free tiers and paid plans or credits; see each site | Match count first; 1 credit per report (packs from $9.90 / €9.90) |
| Consent step | Not applicable to a general tool | Check each official site | Declaration and explicit consent before each upload |
| Removal help | Check the official site | Opt-out or removal links vary; see each site | Removal roadmap in the paid report |
| Best for | Finding sources of an image or object | Broad face lookups, at your own risk | Checking the use of your own photos |
How to choose#
- Start general
Run your photo through a general reverse image search. It is quick and often enough for a copied or reposted picture.
- Go to a self-protection search
If you suspect fake profiles or misuse of your face, use a consent-based search such as StopCatfish, with your own photo.
- Verify manually
Open each result, compare details and screenshot evidence. A match is an indication, not proof.
- Request removal
Contact the host site, the platform and search engines. Our guide covers the steps.
Privacy and limits#
Our flow: You upload a photo and sign in. A face pre-analysis runs locally in your browser for visualization only and never leaves your device. The deep search then runs on our server (it takes a few minutes), and you get a summary on screen plus an email with a link. You pay only to unlock the full report, with 1 credit. The uploaded image is kept only as long as needed to complete and verify your report (7 days at most), and EXIF/GPS metadata is stripped in the browser when supported. No search covers the entire internet, and private or closed accounts are out of reach. See the Privacy Policy.
When another tool may be better#
- To trace the source or find similar versions of a non-face image, a general reverse image search is usually the simpler tool.
- For high-volume or continuous monitoring, tools that list alerts or uncapped plans may suit you better; we do not offer alerts.
- For products, landmarks or text in an image, a general tool such as Google Lens is designed for that.
Ethics and privacy: why a face search needs consent#
A face image used to identify a person is biometric data. Under the GDPR, processing biometric data to uniquely identify a person falls under the special categories of Article 9, which are prohibited by default unless an exception applies, such as the explicit consent of the person concerned (Article 9(2)(a)).
Separately, Article 5(1)(e) of the EU AI Act prohibits AI systems that create or expand facial recognition databases through the untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV footage. This is one reason we focus on self-protection with the consent of the person pictured. We describe the rule for context only; we do not claim that any tool, ours included, is or is not compliant with it, and this is not legal advice.
That is why we recommend searching only your own images or images you are explicitly authorized to search, with any tool.
After a general image search, try a consent-based search of your own photo. You see how many matches were found before paying, and nothing is charged if there are none.
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