In today’s digital age, our smartphones are constantly capturing precious moments. While these photos live on our devices and in the cloud, there’s something special about holding a physical print. But Where Print Photos online to ensure quality, convenience, and value? Numerous online photo printing services promise the best results, but the reality can vary significantly. This review examines several popular online photo printing services, comparing their print quality, smartphone compatibility, packaging, and overall user experience to help you decide where print photos best suit your needs.
Mpix, a well-known service with a user-friendly app, unfortunately underperformed in our tests. Panelists ranked Mpix prints as their least favorite, primarily due to its problematic cropping of smartphone photos. If you meticulously compose your shots, Mpix’s forced cropping might be a deal-breaker. Unlike services like EZprints and RitzPix, which offer smartphone-friendly 4:3 aspect ratio print sizes, or Printique and Nations Photo Lab, providing uncropped printing options regardless of aspect ratio, Mpix lacks these crucial features. Currently, Mpix doesn’t cater well to preserving the original composition of smartphone images when you where print photos.
Bay Photo, while offering small print sizes optimized for smartphone photos and sturdy packaging, delivered only middling print quality in our evaluations. Participants in blind print comparisons consistently placed Bay Photo as a reasonable second choice, but rarely as a top or bottom pick. While Bay Photo might be an acceptable option for where print photos, it doesn’t stand out in terms of superior print output.
Snapfish emerges as the most budget-friendly option among the services we tested, yet this low cost comes at a considerable quality compromise. Both 8-by-10 and 4-by-6 prints from Snapfish exhibited harsh contrast, resulting in a loss of detail in shadows and highlights. Portrait photos displayed noticeably orange skin tones. Packaging was also subpar; smaller prints arrived in a flimsy cardboard envelope without padding, and while the 11-by-14 print was shipped in a tube, the absence of internal padding led to damage during transit. Considering these issues, where print photos becomes less appealing with Snapfish if quality and careful handling are priorities.
Damaged edge of a Snapfish print due to inadequate packaging during shipping.
Snapfish’s protective tube for 11×14 prints lacked internal padding, causing damage to the print’s edge during shipment.
RitzPix also encountered packaging problems, with an 11-by-14 print arriving damaged. Shipped in a flat envelope with thin backing boards—similar to those found in inexpensive photo frames—the envelope, barely larger than the print itself, resulted in corner damage when crushed during shipping. Simple improvements like a larger envelope or a box could have prevented this damage. The $14.95 shipping fee, significantly higher than average, compounded the disappointment of receiving a damaged print. Therefore, where print photos for larger sizes with RitzPix might be risky due to packaging concerns.
Damaged corner of a RitzPix photo print caused by insufficient packaging during shipping.
RitzPix’s 11×14 print suffered corner damage due to a too-small and flimsy envelope used for shipping.
EZprints, similar to Snapfish, stood out for its unexceptional print quality. Every print displayed a hazy, washed-out look, lacking sharpness. Tonal areas appeared somewhat mottled. For those seeking crisp and vibrant prints, where print photos with EZprints might not be the optimal choice.
Shutterfly, the second most expensive service in our tests, delivered merely average print quality. The primary issue was packaging. Small prints arrived in a thin, flat envelope, and the 11-by-14 print was shipped in a tube, resulting in a curled print requiring flattening before display. While shipping tubes offer protection, they often lead to curled prints, posing an inconvenience when you where print photos and intend to display them immediately.
Curled photo print from Shutterfly after being shipped in a tube, needing flattening.
A photo print from Shutterfly exhibits significant curl after being packaged and shipped in a standard mailing tube.
Zazzle offers photo printing, but its interface is geared towards individual, small-batch orders and provides limited paper choices. Selecting print sizes involves a cumbersome drag-and-drop process for each image on its order page, making it inefficient for printing multiple photos. For users needing to print numerous photos at once, where print photos becomes less practical with Zazzle due to its tedious ordering system.
Winkflash faces a barrage of negative customer reviews. Beyond reports of customers losing access to hosted photos due to ownership changes, numerous users have cited difficulties contacting customer service, which is exclusively available through a web form—lacking phone or email support. These issues make Winkflash an easily dismissible option when considering where print photos with reliable service and support.
FreePrints, as the name implies, offers up to 1,000 free 4-by-6 prints annually, requiring only shipping payment. However, the service provides minimal online information, directing users to a phone app for all operations. The lack of transparency and detailed information online raises concerns, aligning with the adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.” For those seeking clarity and comprehensive details about where print photos, FreePrints’ limited information might be a deterrent.
Amazon Prints provides 4-by-6 prints at 17¢ each, a price increase from its previous 9¢, matching budget rivals like Snapfish. Amazon Prime members using Prime Photos can directly order prints. The ordering process is straightforward, and print quality is mid-range—acceptable but not outstanding, with slightly orange skin tones. Photos arrived within six business days. Packaging, however, was disappointing, consisting of a flat mailer with thin cardboard, leading to corner damage on one print. Considering convenience and decent but not top-tier quality, where print photos with Amazon Prints presents a mixed bag.
Walmart offers a 4-by-5.3-inch print size, accommodating smartphone 4:3 aspect ratio images without cropping. However, its overall selection of print sizes is less extensive compared to top-rated services. For users specifically needing uncropped 4:3 prints and a wider variety of sizes isn’t crucial, where print photos at Walmart might be a viable option for smartphone photos.
Ultimately, choosing where print photos depends on your priorities. For uncompromised quality and uncropped smartphone prints, services like Printique and Nations Photo Lab are worth considering despite potentially higher costs. If budget is the primary concern and you are willing to accept compromises in print quality and packaging, Snapfish or Amazon Prints might be options, albeit with noted drawbacks. Carefully evaluate your needs for print quality, smartphone compatibility, and acceptable packaging when deciding where print photos online to best capture your cherished memories in print.
Coffee table books used to flatten a curled photo print, demonstrating a method to fix packaging-related issues.
Flattening a curled print between cardboard sheets and heavy books is a safe method to correct curling caused by tube packaging, taking 24-48 hours.
