In today’s digital age, while we capture countless memories on our smartphones, there’s still something special about holding a physical photograph. If you’re looking for the best Places To Print Pictures online, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve rigorously tested a range of popular online photo printing services to help you find the perfect option for transforming your digital images into tangible prints. From wallet-sized photos to large prints for framing, the quality and service can vary significantly. This review dives into some of the most well-known platforms, assessing everything from print quality and color accuracy to packaging and user-friendliness, to guide you in choosing the ideal service for your precious photos.
Mpix
Mpix is a widely recognized name in online photo printing, boasting a user-friendly app for direct smartphone uploads and orders. However, despite its popularity, our testing revealed some significant drawbacks. Panelists consistently ranked Mpix prints as their least favorite in blind comparisons. A major issue we encountered was Mpix’s inability to print standard smartphone photos without forced cropping. This is a critical consideration for those who carefully compose their shots on their phones, as essential parts of the image may be automatically cut off. For photographers who prioritize preserving their original composition, Mpix might not be the best choice.
Services like EZprints and RitzPix stand out by offering smartphone-friendly print sizes with a 4:3 aspect ratio, perfectly matching typical smartphone photos. Furthermore, Printique and Nations Photo Lab provide the valuable option to print images uncropped, regardless of aspect ratio mismatches. Unfortunately, at the time of this review, Mpix lacks both of these crucial features, potentially leading to frustration for users printing directly from their phones.
Bay Photo
Bay Photo distinguishes itself by offering small print sizes specifically optimized for smartphone photos. They also impressed us with their robust packaging, ensuring prints arrive safely. However, in our print quality assessments, Bay Photo’s output was consistently mediocre. In side-by-side comparisons, participants rarely selected Bay Photo prints as their top or bottom choice, generally placing them as an acceptable, but not outstanding, second option. While reliable in packaging and size options, Bay Photo’s print quality may not satisfy those seeking truly exceptional results.
Snapfish
When price is the primary concern, Snapfish often comes to mind as one of the most affordable places to print pictures. However, our tests revealed that this low cost comes at a noticeable compromise in quality. Both 8-by-10 and 4-by-6 prints from Snapfish exhibited harsh contrast, resulting in a loss of detail in both shadow and highlight areas. Portrait photos displayed noticeably orange skin tones, detracting from the overall image quality. Beyond print quality, Snapfish’s packaging also proved disappointing. Smaller prints were shipped in flimsy cardboard envelopes without adequate padding, leaving them vulnerable to damage during transit. While the 11-by-14 print arrived in a tube, the absence of internal padding resulted in bent edges due to contact with the tube’s end caps, as shown below.
A damaged 11×14 print from Snapfish showing a crease on the top edge due to inadequate packaging during shipping.
Snapfish’s attempt to protect larger prints with a tube was undermined by the lack of internal padding, leading to shipping damage. Photo: Amadou Diallo
RitzPix
RitzPix also fell short in terms of packaging, with one of our 11-by-14 prints arriving damaged. Despite charging a hefty $14.95 for shipping – more than double the average of other services we tested – RitzPix opted for inadequate packaging. The print was shipped in a flat envelope with only thin sheets of backing board, similar to those found in inexpensive photo frames. Because the envelope was only slightly larger than the print itself, the corner of the photo was damaged when the package was crushed during shipping. This damage could have been easily avoided with a larger envelope or, preferably, a box, like those used by several competing services. The combination of high shipping costs and subpar packaging makes RitzPix a less appealing option, especially when considering the potential for damage.
Close-up of a damaged corner on a RitzPix photo print caused by insufficient packaging during shipment.
Poor packaging led to corner damage on this 11×14 print from RitzPix during shipping. Photo: Amadou Diallo
EZprints
Similar to Snapfish, EZprints was among the services that delivered noticeably poor print quality. Every print from EZprints had a hazy, washed-out appearance, as if viewed through a veil. These prints were the least sharp of all those tested, and areas of consistent color tone exhibited an undesirable mottled texture. The consistently low print quality across our order makes EZprints a service to avoid if you prioritize image clarity and vibrant colors in your printed photos.
Shutterfly
Shutterfly, while a popular choice, proved to be the second most expensive service in our tests, yet the print quality was, at best, average. Our primary complaint with Shutterfly stemmed from their packaging. Smaller prints were shipped in a thin, flat envelope, offering minimal protection. The 11-by-14 print was delivered in a tube, which, while providing some protection from bending, resulted in a significant curl to the print that would require flattening before display. While a curled print isn’t necessarily damaged, it adds an extra step and potential hassle for the user. The need to flatten prints, coupled with the higher price point and only average print quality, makes Shutterfly a less compelling option compared to other services.
A curled photo print from Shutterfly, a result of being shipped in a tube, shown laying on a table.
Shipping prints in tubes, while protective, often results in significant curling that requires flattening before display. Photo: Amadou Diallo
Zazzle
Zazzle does offer photo printing services, but its user interface seems more geared towards individual, custom product orders rather than bulk photo printing. The process of selecting print sizes involves dragging each image individually onto a print-size template on its own order page. This method is excessively time-consuming and cumbersome, even for ordering a small number of prints. The tedious ordering process and limited paper options make Zazzle impractical for anyone needing to print more than a few photos at a time.
Heavy books are used to flatten a photo print, demonstrating a method to remove curls caused by shipping.
Flattening curled prints under heavy objects like books is a common, albeit slow, method to prepare them for display. Photo: Amadou Diallo
Winkflash
Winkflash is a service that raises significant red flags due to a consistent stream of very negative customer reviews. Beyond numerous reports of customers losing access to their photos hosted on Winkflash’s servers due to a change in ownership, many users have voiced concerns about their customer service. Customer support is exclusively available through a web form, with no phone number or even email contact option provided. These serious issues related to account security and customer support make Winkflash an easy service to dismiss, and one we cannot recommend as a reliable place to print pictures.
FreePrints
FreePrints operates on a unique model, offering up to 1,000 free 4-by-6 prints per year, with users only responsible for shipping costs. However, the limited information available on their single-page website raises concerns. It appears all ordering must be done through a phone app, and there is a lack of detailed information online about the company, print quality, or the overall order process. Given the scarcity of information and the “too good to be true” nature of the free prints offer, proceeding with caution is advisable. The lack of transparency and reliance solely on a mobile app might not appeal to all users seeking reliable and well-documented places to print pictures.
Amazon Prints
Amazon Prints offers 4-by-6 prints at a competitive price of 17¢ each, although they previously matched budget rivals like Snapfish at 9¢. For Amazon Prime members already utilizing Prime Photos for storage, ordering prints directly from their photo library is a seamless process. The ordering experience through Amazon Prints was straightforward and efficient. Print quality, however, landed in the middle of the pack – not exceptional, with skin tones leaning towards orange, but also not the worst we encountered. Prints arrived within a reasonable six business days. Packaging, similar to other budget services, was disappointing, consisting of a flat mailer with thin cardboard inserts. Unsurprisingly, one of the prints sustained corner damage during shipping. While convenient for Prime members, Amazon Prints’ mediocre print quality and inadequate packaging are factors to consider.
Walmart
Walmart offers a somewhat unique 4-by-5.3-inch print size option. This size is advantageous as it allows for printing smartphone photos with a 4:3 aspect ratio without any cropping, a feature lacking in services like Mpix. However, Walmart’s overall selection of print sizes is considerably less comprehensive compared to our top-rated places to print pictures. While the smartphone-friendly size is a plus, the limited size variety might restrict users with diverse printing needs.
This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.
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