EmailBest Reviewed
Digital Photo Printing
- Best digital photo printing service Snapfish *Est. $0
- Best photo gifts Shutterfly *Est. $0
- Most flexible delivery options Wal-Mart Photo Center *Est. $0
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Best photo gifts
- Offers more than 500 free photo borders
- Wide variety of photo gifts
- Can print dates and names on back of photos for free
- Variety of print sizes available
- Mixed reviews for print quality
- Expensive prints
Reviews say Shutterfly is one of the most popular digital photo printing sites because it has some of the best photo gifts on the Internet, with exclusive options such as storybooks that feature popular children's characters. Reviewers also praise its simple user interface and wealth of creative options, including more than 500 free borders. Shutterfly can also customize photos with captions on the front and notes on the back. Photos are printed on Fuji Crystal Archive paper in glossy or matte finishes. In-store delivery options at Target are available, although store prices apply to prints picked up there. Reviews note that Shutterfly's services are more expensive than most. For less expensive prints with excellent quality, reviewers suggest Snapfish (*Est. 9 cents per print).
Reviews at Information Week, PCMag.com and ConsumerReports.org compare a number of digital photo printing services, including Shutterfly. DigitalPhotos101.com offers a chart comparing eight services and includes an individual review of Shutterfly, and Katherine Boehret at The Wall Street Journal takes an early look at Shutterfly's new photo-sharing site, Shutterfly Share. Finally, Sean Kerner for TomsGuide.com analyzes the usability and features of Shutterfly Studio, the free offline client associated with Shutterfly.
Our Sources
Reviewer Don Reisinger rates four digital photo printing services on print quality, price and ease of use. He cites Shutterfly as a service with a wide variety of options, although he finds that print quality is in the middle of the tested group.
Review: Online Digital Print Services Buyer's Guide, Don Reisinger, July 19, 2008
Tony Hoffman reviews 13 digital photo printing services in this thorough review, including Shutterfly. He notes that prints are consistently good and have nice color and detail. He also comments that "ordering was a breeze" and, like other reviewers, he appreciates the wide variety of gift options.
Review: Photo-Printing Services, Tony Hoffman, Dec. 20, 2006
3. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
ConsumerReports.org tests 12 digital photo printing services, rating them on price, website features and editing tools. Shutterfly is included in the review and its accompanying ratings chart.
Review: Photofinishing: Online vs. In-store?, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, July 2005
Shutterfly comes out on top of this review of six different online digital printing services. Reviewer Ulrich Boser orders a photo book from each service, and rates them on user experience as well as the quality of the images and photo book received. Boser is impressed by the many options offered by Shutterfly and the clarity and quality of prints.
Review: Picture Perfect: Which Photo Sites Create the Best Albums, Ulrich Boser, June 6, 2006
This enthusiast website includes ratings for eight digital photo printing services. A detailed list of features is included for each service and reviews are available by clicking on a provider's name. Shutterfly's photo quality ties with first-place Snapfish.
Review: The Best Online Photo Processors, Editors of DigitalPhotos101.com
Katherine Boehret discusses the pros and cons of Shutterfly's new photo sharing site, Shutterfly Share.
Review: Shutterfly Makes Shared Photos More Welcoming, Katherine Boehret, July 30, 2008
Kerner reviews five online photo sharing sites in terms of their editing, sharing and printing options. While no clear winner is picked, this review delves into the more technical aspects of the software usability of each of the five sites reviewed.
Review: Show and Tell with Online Photo Sharing, Sean Kerner, July 11, 2007
Digital Photo Printing Runners Up:
2 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
