With the holidays right around the corner, many people are understandably looking for that perfect gift.
The first choice that you need to make is what online vendor to use for your photo gift needs. As two of the biggest players in the market, Snapfish and Shutterfly both offer a variety of photo gifts.
Here is what you need to know about the differences between the two competing options.
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Snapfish vs. Shutterfly: Brand Overview
Snapfish Overview
Snapfish launched in 1999 as a fun way to use your personal photos to create meaningful mementos and gifts.
The company boasts a wide array of products, including photo books, puzzles, custom stationery and invitations, home decor items, calendars, and much more.
Snapfish markets itself as the perfect vehicle for creation, regardless of if you are a novice with a camera or a professional.
Snapfish is also proud of its app, allowing you to design personalized photo gifts from the convenience of a smartphone.
Shutterfly Overview
Also founded in 1999, Shutterfly has carved out a niche in the photo market. The company encompasses three divisions, Consumer, Lifetouch, and Shutterfly Business Solutions.
- Shutterfly is most known for its custom stationery, the vendor also offers a cornucopia of photo gifts and decor items for any home or office space.
- Lifetouch is a leader in school portraits.
- Tiny Prints offshoot specializes in sentimental birth announcements and all things baby.
- Groovebook service allows you to upload your favorite snapshots through an app to receive a new photo book each month.
Like Snapfish, Shutterfly features a variety of gift-giving ideas as well as items that you can use to personalize your own home with your favorite photo memories.
Snapfish vs Shutterfly: Photo Books
For a thoughtful gift that will bring joy for years, consider a custom photo book. Both Snapfish and Shutterfly offer personalized photo books.
These books are appropriate to celebrate a variety of occasions. Some of the most common photo book ideas include wedding albums, anniversary celebrations, birthday milestones, vacation memories, baby books, or simply to celebrate the love of family and friends.
Use these photo books to tell a unique story through collected pictures and memories.
Snapfish Photo Books
Snapfish offers photo books in seven sizes as small as 5 x 7 and as large as 11 x 14.
- This vendor also offers more binding options than Shutterfly, giving customers the choice of layflat hardcover binding, linen hardcover, leather hardcover, classic softcover, and more.
- You also have the option to upgrade to a matte cover for less glare and a smoother finish.
- Once you select your size and binding, you can begin the fun process of designing your book. You can choose from pre-set designs or create your own unique theme and layout.
A bevy of backgrounds ensures that every book will be a one-of-a-kind product.
Shutterfly Photo Books
Shutterfly offers six sizes along with hardbound or softbound options.
- The hardbound book features a durable and glossy laminate cover while the softbound option boasts cardstock that is a breeze to flip through.
- While each book comes standard with 20 pages, you can add more to your custom creation if you have more photos and memories to include.
- Shutterfly also features a number of upgrade options so that you can make your book your own.
- The professional 6-color printing option will make your pictures pop with clarity and brightness.
For the most premium book, you may want to consider upgrading to the leather cover.
Other notable upgrade options include metallic covers, a premium die-cut cloth cover, a memorabilia pocket to keep all of the accompanying keepsakes secure, and a custom gift box to present your book.
Did you know? Collage.com photo books are FREE (Just cover shipping). Click here to start your own.
Snapfish vs Shutterfly Cards
One of the most popular products offered by both Snapfish and Shutterfly are the photo cards. You can use these products as photo greeting cards, graduation announcements, party or wedding invitations, and much more. This versatile product is perfect for any of your stationery needs.
Snapfish Photo Cards
Snapfish boasts a number of different sizes and shapes for your photo cards.
- You can also choose to upgrade your photo cards with specialty foils, heavier cardstocks, and much more.
- The full photo cards give you the opportunity to stretch your favorite picture to the edge of the greeting.
- If you are not happy with any of the existing designs, you can create your own personal card.
In addition to flat cards, you can also choose folded designs in multiple orientations.
Shutterfly Photo Cards
Like Snapfish, Shutterfly also offers cards in a myriad of shapes and sizes. This vendor also allows you to upgrade your card with foil additions, sustainably harvested cardstock options, and more.
- If you choose to purchase the custom envelope for your photo card, you will also enjoy free address printing.
- The address book service keeps all of your most-used contact information together in one place.
Did you know? Collage.com photo cards start at just 0.54 cents per card? Click here to create your own card.
Snapfish vs Shutterfly Puzzles
A photo puzzle makes a fun yet practical gift for people of all ages and interests. Not only will the recipient appreciate the entertainment that comes with assembling the meaningful gift, but it also ends turns out to be a special keepsake.
Snapfish Puzzles
- Snapfish offers two puzzle sizes.
- Choose the smaller 252-piece option or go for a bigger challenge with the 500-piece puzzle.
- A high gloss durable finish keeps the puzzle looking sharp for years. The sturdy chipboard backing boosts its durability.
All of the Snapfish photo puzzles come with a gift box with a clear top, making for a beautiful presentation. The recipient will also enjoy a reference print to help them to piece the puzzle together.
Shutterfly Puzzles
Shutterfly distinguishes itself from Snapfish by offering puzzles in a bigger array of sizes.
- Choose from pieces that range from 12 all the way up to 1,014. This makes these puzzles perfect for the littlest people on your gift list up to the puzzle enthusiast.
- Every Shutterfly puzzle arrives on high-quality paperboard and with a matching photo box.
- The creator can choose from a myriad of designs, themes, and color palates.
This variety makes these puzzles ideal for nearly any occasion ranging from birthdays to anniversaries and more.
Did you know? Collage.com photo puzzles start at just $14.99. Click here to create your own photo puzzle.
Snapfish vs Shutterfly: Print Quality
It is difficult to find any discernible differences in the print quality between Snapfish and Shutterfly. Both vendors offer a moderate quality of prints for the price that you pay.
In online reviews, Shutterfly enjoys the slight edge when it comes to customer satisfaction with the clarity and crispness of the prints.
It is important to remember that both of these vendors offer mass-produced products and prints, making it likely that there will be a slip in quality from time to time.
Snapfish vs. Shutterfly Prices
When comparing the price of Snapfish vs. Shutterfly, the ultimate price will depend on which promotion is being offered. Each company is known to promote different prices, depending on the platform they are advertising.
Check around for different offers, and sign up to each website’s mailing list to receive promotions and coupons.
FAQ
Which is better Snapfish or Shutterfly?
Because the quality of Snapfish and Shutterfly is so similiar, it is hard to say which service is best. It will ultimately be up to the customer to decide based on pricing options, and template styles.
Why is Snapfish shipping so expensive?
Snapfish shipping cost depends on the specific products that you have ordered. For some, their products are affordable, but have more expensive shipping costs.
Why is Shutterfly shipping so expensive?
One of the most popular Shutterfly complaints is the shipping cost associated with each product. It appears that despite complaints, Shutterfly does not offer more flexible options in terms of shipping. This is definitely something that should be considered before purchasing a Shutterfly product.
Why is Shutterfly so hard to use?
The second biggest complaint against Shutterfly (according to online reviews), is their ease of use. A lot of customers had issues placing photos, or getting their photo quality to appear how they wanted it. When creating a Shutterfly product, it is recommended to double check photo quality, and to review all products before placing your order.
The Bottom Line
When choosing between the value and quality of products offered by both Snapfish and Shutterfly, your decision should ultimately depend on what promotion is being offered at the time that you are ready to make a purchase.
If looking at overall quality and customer satisfaction, both companies are lacking when compared to the professional services of Collage.com.
Collage.com offers many of the same products as Snapfish and Shutterfly but at much more affordable prices. In addition, our design tools that are much more user-intuitive.
You owe it to yourself to read the various online reviews so that you can discover why so many more people prefer the photo gift products and services of Collage.com.