I like to test all of the photo sites from time to time, because they are always evolving. There are so many online sites to choose from, but I want the best quality so I gravitate to the photo-dedicated sites, like Shutterfly, Kodak Gallery, and Snapfish, which are focused on photo printing, and thus do it best.
The short answer is that you can’t go wrong with any of these three. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is also true. They each have slightly different features, and like finding a glove that fits, you’ll find the photo site that fits you best.
If I can generalize based on my experience, Shutterfly is a little more pricey, but it focuses on making the site very easy to use and delivering state-of-the-art print quality. Lately Shutterfly has been improving the “sharing” and community experience, with features like full-screen slide shows, support for video, and personalized pages. Shutterfly also does not currently have an “expiration date” for photos, which means it continues storing them whether or not you order prints.
Snapfish, owned by HP, excels at offering a wide variety of gift items, and often has lower cost prints. It has also added friendly features like a full-screen slide show, cell phone upload, and a robust “photo tips and ideas” section. Snapfish even accepts roll film.
Kodak Gallery falls between the two, in prices and features.
Each of these sites have tools for making custom photo books and greeting cards online, and though each is slightly different, they all work fairly well and are easy enough to use.
These sites print your photos on their huge equipment at a central location. You are getting the best quality that they can produce on giant specialized equipment. On the other hand, if you want same-day pickup at a local retail store, the quality can vary because your prints are made locally inside that retail store on its own equipment, which may not be as well maintained nor as robust. Shutterfly’s retail partner for local pickup is Target, Kodak Gallery’s are Target and CVS, and Snapfish’s are Walgreens and Meijer.
I hope these ideas help. There are many other aspects we could explore, such as photo sites that excel at online sharing rather than prints; other ways to produce photo books offline; paying for online storage. My best advice for busy people is to find a favorite big-name site, one that is not likely to go out of business, and park your photo activity there. If you’re an infrequent user, you’ll appreciate having all your photos in one place and becoming familiar with that site.
