Digital Photo Printing has transformed how we preserve memories, offering a tangible way to enjoy our favorite moments beyond the digital screen. With numerous online services available, selecting the best one for your needs can be challenging. This review analyzes several popular digital photo printing services, evaluating them on print quality, user experience, and value to help you make an informed decision.
Mpix, a widely recognized name in photo services, provides a convenient app for ordering prints directly from smartphones. However, in our evaluations, prints from Mpix were ranked as the least preferred by our panel. A significant drawback was its inability to print smartphone photos without substantial cropping. This forced cropping can be particularly frustrating for photographers who pay close attention to composition. Services like EZprints and RitzPix offer more smartphone-friendly print sizes with a 4:3 aspect ratio, while Printique and Nations Photo Lab provide options to print images uncropped, regardless of aspect ratio discrepancies. Currently, Mpix lacks these flexible options.
Bay Photo presents small print sizes tailored for smartphone photos and commendable sturdy packaging. Despite these advantages, its print quality was found to be middling in our tests. Participants in blind print comparisons often placed Bay Photo as a satisfactory second choice, but rarely as a top or bottom pick.
Snapfish stands out as one of the most budget-friendly services tested. However, this affordability comes with compromises in print quality. Both 8-by-10 and 4-by-6 prints exhibited harsh contrast, leading to a loss of detail in shadows and highlights. Portrait photos also displayed noticeable orange skin tones. Packaging was another area of concern. Smaller prints were shipped in flimsy cardboard envelopes lacking sufficient padding, and while the 11-by-14 print was shipped in a tube, the absence of internal padding resulted in damage during transit.
Damaged photo print from Snapfish due to inadequate packaging during shipping.
Snapfish’s 11-by-14 print arrived in a protective tube, but without internal padding, it was creased after hitting the end cap during shipping. Photo: Amadou Diallo
RitzPix also experienced issues with packaging and print damage. Their 11-by-14 print was shipped in a flat envelope with minimal backing board support, resulting in corner damage when the package was crushed. This was particularly disappointing given RitzPix’s high shipping fee of $14.95, significantly above the average of other services. A more appropriately sized envelope or a box, as used by several competitors, could have easily prevented this damage.
Damaged corner of a photo print from RitzPix due to insufficient packaging during shipping.
This 11-by-14 print from RitzPix was damaged due to a too-small envelope that was crushed during shipping, impacting the corner of the print. Photo: Amadou Diallo
EZprints, similar to Snapfish, delivered prints that were notably subpar. Every print exhibited a hazy, washed-out quality, appearing veiled. These were the least sharp photos among those tested, and areas of consistent color showed a somewhat mottled texture.
Shutterfly, while being the second most expensive service in our tests, offered only average print quality. The primary concern with Shutterfly was its packaging. Small prints arrived in a thin, flat envelope, and the 11-by-14 print was shipped in a tube, causing it to curl and require flattening before display. While curling from tube shipping is common, it’s an extra step for users to address.
Curled photo print from Shutterfly after being shipped in a tube.
Shipped in a tube for protection, this photo print from Shutterfly arrived with a significant curl. Photo: Amadou Diallo
Zazzle provides digital photo printing services, but its user interface is more geared towards individual, small-batch orders and offers limited paper choices. The process of selecting print sizes involves a cumbersome drag-and-drop method for each image on its own order page. This makes Zazzle inefficient for larger orders or multiple prints.
Flattening a curled photo print using heavy books.
A safe method to flatten a curled print is to place it between cardboard sheets and weigh it down with heavy objects like coffee table books for 24 to 48 hours. Photo: Amadou Diallo
Winkflash has garnered numerous negative reviews, citing issues such as customers losing access to stored photos due to ownership changes and poor customer service. Support is limited to a web form, with no phone or email contact options available. These factors make Winkflash a service to avoid.
FreePrints offers an enticing deal of up to 1,000 free 4-by-6 prints annually, with users only covering shipping costs. However, information about the company, print quality, and order process is sparse on their single-page website, suggesting caution. The offer might sound too good to be true, and often, such deals come with compromises.
Amazon Prints provides 4-by-6 prints at a competitive price of 17¢ each. Amazon Prime members who use Prime Photos can directly order prints of their stored images. The ordering process is straightforward, and print quality is decent, falling in the mid-range – better than some, but not the best, with skin tones leaning towards orange. Packaging, however, was disappointing, consisting of a thin mailer with minimal cardboard support, leading to corner damage on one print.
Walmart offers a 4-by-5.3-inch print size, accommodating the 4:3 aspect ratio of smartphone photos without cropping. However, their overall range of print sizes is less extensive compared to top-rated services.
Conclusion
Choosing the right digital photo printing service depends on individual priorities. While some services offer lower prices, this often comes at the expense of print quality or packaging. For those prioritizing print quality and careful handling, services that offer uncropped printing options and robust packaging may be worth the investment. Conversely, budget-conscious users might find services like Snapfish or Amazon Prints acceptable for basic printing needs, provided they are aware of the potential compromises in quality and packaging. Always consider the balance between cost, quality, and service features to select the best digital photo printing service for your specific requirements.
