Finding the right place to print your cherished photos can be overwhelming. With so many online services available, each boasting different features and price points, it’s essential to make an informed decision. This guide explores various popular photo printing services, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses to help you determine Where To Get Photo Printed that best suits your needs.
Navigating the World of Photo Printing Services
Several factors contribute to a satisfying photo printing experience, including print quality, pricing, packaging, and customer service. Let’s delve into the performance of some well-known providers:
Top Contenders and Disappointments
Mpix, despite its popularity and convenient app, consistently received low ratings for print quality and lacked options for printing smartphone photos without cropping. This limitation can be a significant drawback for photographers who prioritize composition. Alternatives like EZprints and RitzPix offer 4:3 aspect ratio prints ideal for smartphones. Printique and Nations Photo Lab even allow uncropped printing, regardless of the aspect ratio.
Bay Photo provides small print sizes optimized for smartphone photos and boasts sturdy packaging. However, its print quality was deemed average in comparison to other services.
Budget-Friendly Options and Their Drawbacks
Snapfish offered the lowest prices but produced disappointing results. Prints suffered from harsh contrast and inaccurate skin tones. Packaging was also subpar, with inadequate protection leading to damaged prints.
EZprints, along with Snapfish, delivered subpar prints characterized by a hazy, washed-out appearance and lack of sharpness.
Price vs. Quality: Finding the Balance
Shutterfly, while having a higher price point, offered only average print quality. Furthermore, inadequate packaging resulted in curled prints requiring additional effort to flatten.
Amazon Prints, although previously competitive with budget-friendly options, now charges a higher price for 4×6 prints. While the ordering process was simple and turnaround time was reasonable, print quality was average and packaging was insufficient, resulting in damaged prints.
Usability and Customer Service Concerns
Zazzle’s interface is cumbersome for multiple print orders, requiring individual image selection for each print size. Winkflash suffers from negative customer reviews, including issues with photo accessibility and unresponsive customer service. FreePrints, while offering free prints, lacks transparency about its service and relies solely on a mobile app for ordering.
Considering Specific Needs
Walmart, while offering a smartphone-friendly 4×5.3 inch print size, lacks the extensive print size selection of other services.
A close-up of the edge of a rolled-up print from Snapfish that was damaged during transport.
Snapfish’s inadequate packaging led to damaged prints.
A close-up of the corner of a photo print from RitzPix that has been damaged, in front of a green background.
RitzPix’s small shipping envelope resulted in a damaged print.
A large photo print that was shipped in a shipping tube and now has a very defined curvature, resting on a table.
Shutterfly’s use of shipping tubes led to curled prints.
Two large coffee table books, placed on top of a couple pieces of cardboard that are being used to flatten an unseen photo print.
Flattening curled prints requires time and effort.
Making the Right Choice
Ultimately, the best place to get your photos printed depends on your individual priorities. If you value affordability over quality, services like Snapfish might be an option, but be prepared for potential compromises. If print quality and packaging are paramount, exploring options like Printique or Nations Photo Lab might be more suitable. Carefully weigh the pros and cons of each service to ensure your printed photos meet your expectations. Consider factors like cropping options for smartphone images, aspect ratios, and packaging methods to avoid disappointment.
