In today’s digital age, while we capture countless photos on our smartphones, the desire to hold physical prints remains strong. Choosing the right online photo printing service can be overwhelming. This guide explores several popular options, analyzing their print quality, services, and overall experience to help you decide where to print your photos.
Mpix is a well-known service, popular for its user-friendly app that allows for direct photo uploads from smartphones. However, in comparative tests, Mpix photos were ranked as less desirable by panelists. A significant drawback is Mpix’s cropping issue with smartphone photos, which can be frustrating if you meticulously compose your shots. For those prioritizing uncropped prints, services like EZprints and RitzPix offer smartphone-friendly 4:3 aspect ratio prints, while Printique and Nations Photo Lab provide uncropped printing regardless of aspect ratio. Currently, Mpix lacks these options.
A close-up of the edge of a rolled-up print from Snapfish showing damage from transport.
Damaged photo print edge from Snapfish due to insufficient packaging during shipping.
Bay Photo offers smaller print sizes suitable for smartphone photos and is praised for its robust packaging. Despite these positives, its print quality was considered average in tests. Participants in blind tests often ranked Bay Photo as a reasonable, but not exceptional, second choice.
Snapfish stands out for its budget-friendly pricing, being one of the cheapest services available. However, this low cost comes with compromises in print quality. Tests revealed harsh contrast in both 8×10 and 4×6 prints, resulting in loss of detail in shadows and highlights. Portrait photos also exhibited an undesirable orange skin tone cast. Packaging was also subpar; smaller prints were shipped in thin, unpadded cardboard envelopes, and while larger 11×14 prints came in tubes, they lacked internal padding, leading to bent edges during transit, as seen in the image above.
RitzPix also experienced packaging issues. An 11×14 print arrived damaged, shipped in a flat envelope with minimal backing board – similar to cheap photo frames. The envelope’s tight fit to the photo size meant corner damage when the package was crushed in transit. For a shipping fee significantly higher than average, the inadequate packaging was particularly disappointing.
Damaged corner of a photo print from RitzPix against a green backdrop.
Corner damage on a RitzPix photo print due to undersized and crushed shipping envelope.
EZprints, similar to Snapfish, was noted for below-average print quality. Prints consistently appeared hazy and washed out, lacking sharpness and exhibiting a mottled texture in areas of uniform color.
Shutterfly, while being the second most expensive service tested, delivered only average print quality. Packaging was a major concern. Small prints were sent in flimsy flat envelopes, and 11×14 prints arrived curled from being shipped in tubes, requiring flattening before display. While uncurling prints is possible, it carries a risk of creasing or damaging the photo. A safer method involves flattening under weight for a day or two.
Curled photo print from Shutterfly after being shipped in a tube, resting on a table.
Curvature of a Shutterfly photo print caused by tube shipping.
Zazzle offers photo printing but is designed for individual, small-batch orders. Its user interface is not efficient for ordering multiple prints at once. Selecting print sizes involves a cumbersome drag-and-drop process for each image on individual order pages, making it tedious for larger print orders.
Coffee table books flattening a photo print sandwiched between cardboard pieces.
Flattening a curled photo print using coffee table books and cardboard for safe uncurling.
Winkflash has garnered numerous negative customer reviews. Beyond complaints about customer service inaccessibility (web form only, no phone or email support), many users have reported losing access to photos hosted on their servers due to ownership changes. These issues make Winkflash a less reliable option for photo printing.
FreePrints offers a seemingly attractive deal of up to 1,000 free 4×6 prints annually (excluding shipping costs). However, their website provides minimal information, suggesting app-only ordering. The lack of online information and the “too good to be true” proposition raise concerns about the service’s reliability and quality.
Amazon Prints provides 4×6 prints at a competitive price, especially for Amazon Prime members who utilize Prime Photos for storage. The ordering process is straightforward, and print quality is decent, falling in the mid-range (though skin tones leaned orange). However, packaging was again an issue – prints arrived in a thin flat mailer with minimal cardboard, resulting in corner damage to some prints.
Walmart offers a 4×5.3-inch print size that accommodates smartphone 4:3 aspect ratio photos without cropping. However, their overall range of print sizes is less comprehensive compared to some other services.
Conclusion
Choosing Where To Print Photos online depends on your priorities. For uncropped smartphone prints, consider EZprints, RitzPix, Printique, or Nations Photo Lab. If budget is paramount and you are willing to accept potential compromises in quality and packaging, Snapfish and Amazon Prints are options. However, based on test results, services like Mpix, Bay Photo, Shutterfly, EZprints, RitzPix, Winkflash and FreePrints may present challenges in terms of print quality, packaging, or user experience. Carefully weigh your needs against these factors to select the best photo printing service for your cherished memories.
