Most seasoned photographers have heard of Pixieset, and perhaps you’re one of those who have either had firsthand experience of it, or have considered it as one of your possible options.
It’s a popular platform for photographers to share, deliver, proof, and sell their images, but in spite of its many advantages, you may be wondering about possible alternatives to Pixieset.
Whether you’re concerned about the cost of Pixieset, or you’re just curious about how it compares to the most popular alternatives, in this article we’re here to help answer one simple question:
What are the best Pixieset alternatives for professional photographers?
Well, the good news is that there are many possible alternatives available, but we’ve narrowed the field down to three. These three Pixieset alternatives will help you create great looking galleries you can share with your clients for improved, efficient photo proofing, without breaking the bank or sacrificing functionality, versatility, customizability, or scale.
Why Look for a Pixieset Alternative?
There are three main reasons why people tend to choose Pixieset:
Attractive and customizable galleries: With Pixieset, photographers can create good-looking galleries that reflect their brand style and identity.
Seamless client experience: From image selection to ordering prints, Pixieset helps to make the client journey smoother and hassle free.
Sales tools: With built-in e-commerce capabilities, Pixieset enables photographers to sell their work directly to clients through their website.
However, as mentioned previously, there are many reasons why professional photographers are either looking to leave Pixieset, or have considered it as an option, and want to know how it compares to alternative solutions that might offer a better experience.
As part of my research for this article I scoured through all of the reviews I could find, as well as conversations within the photography community, and identified a number of common themes regarding why some photographers are considering alternatives to Pixieset.
Pricing: For some photographers, Pixieset’s pricing structure can be a sticking point, particularly as their business grows. The cost of subscription plans may become prohibitive, especially when compared to alternatives.
Customization options: While Pixieset offers a decent level of customization, some users find themselves wishing for more flexibility in tailoring their galleries and client experience to their exact specifications.
Customer support: While Pixieset generally receives positive feedback for its customer support, there are occasional reports of delayed responses or difficulty in resolving issues promptly, which can be frustrating for busy professionals.
So with these benefits and concerns in mind, let’s explore three alternatives to Pixieset, each of which addresses the same pain points, but with a more tailored experience, an affordable price, and which aligns seamlessly with the needs of professional photographers.
What Are the Best Pixieset Alternatives?
#1 – picu: The Ultimate Pixieset Alternative
One of the unique aspects of picu that sets it apart from many alternative online photo proofing tools is its heritage. Unlike many tools which are developed purely as a business venture with the aim of generating profit, or which were sold off to investors in the meantime, picu was developed by professionals in the photo industry – and is still fully owned and developed by its original founders.
Tired of being trapped behind a computer screen wading through endless emails, chasing up clients, sending batches of photos by email, or uploading to Google Drive DropBox and then hoping the client could work out how to use it, and then receiving vague messages from the client about which photos they want editing, picu was born of need!
In stark contrast to Pixieset, picu is designed to be highly customizable, making it easy to add images to photo proofing galleries, and have clients browse your galleries and select the ones they’d like to order. With no need for external galleries, picu allows you to keep your clients on your own website – vital for providing a professional, branded experience, as well as helping you ensure you’re fully in control of every aspect.
But also in contrast with Pixieset, picu has been much praised for its simplicity – for both the photographer and the client.
As a photographer you can simply upload your photos directly to a gallery, or use FTP to bulk upload images and then import them using picu for speed. Once uploaded, choose your customizations, and then either let picu send the client an email with the link, or send it directly yourself using whatever communication channel you prefer.
Because picu allows you to set a maximum number of images the client can select, or set a range, there is no chance of them selecting the wrong number, causing yet further delays and confusion.
For the client, the process is just as simple. Once they receive the link they simply click it to view their gallery, and are able to browse all of the images full screen. Any images they want to choose they can do so by simply clicking the check box. And if they want to add notes to any images they can do that just as easily by adding comments directly to any image – no more confusion about which comment applies to which photo!
And here’s the best part – once the client has chosen their images they don’t even need to tell you, because picu will do that too! Once they’ve made their selection, picu will show you exactly which images they’ve chosen, along with their comments. And to make life even easier, you can export all of the filenames of the selected images so that you can open them all simultaneously in your favorite photo editor.
With a host of additional features, such as watermarking, preventing downloading, enabling ZIP downloading of galleries, and supporting multi-client selections, picu is an ideal alternative to Pixieset – and at a fraction of the price. In fact – picu is free!
For many people the free version of picu will be more than enough to help streamline the photo proofing workflow, but if you demand the very best options with all of the extra features, picu Pro is available for $149 – significantly less than half the cost of Pixieset!
“Simply fantastic! I’ve used other plugins to show photos to clients, but picu I have to confess really surprised me. It’s very simple, the gallery page is fast and light, it contains the most important elements for the customer who only has to choose the photos he prefers. Congratulations also to the technical support who helped me resolve a conflict with another plug-in. Thank you.” – Daniele Torella, Photographer
“The only true photo proof gallery plugin! This plugin does exactly what it’s intended for. And the support is super reactive. Took time to help us, and find solutions. It deserves 5 stars and more!” – Romain Lafontaine, IT Service Director
“Claudio and the team are very supportive. Each new release provides valuable features, and the Pro version continues to make the plugin seamless and very user-friendly for both me and my clients. Thank you for all your hard work!” – Ania & Jarek, Paramount Focus Photography
#2 – ShootProof: The Versatile Pixieset Alternative
When it comes to versatile solutions for online photo proofing, ShootProof has a reputation for reliability and innovation. Developed with the needs of photographers in mind, ShootProof provides a comprehensive suite of features designed to streamline your workflow and allow you to scale your business more efficiently.
If you don’t already have a website of your own, then ShootProof provides a range of tools that will allow you to set up your own galleries and monetize them – all in one place.
With ShootProof, it’s all about customization. Rather than offering cookie-cutter galleries they allow you to personalize your galleries to better match your unique style and brand identity, including a range of custom branding options, as well as flexible layout designs.
But ShootProof isn’t just about aesthetics – it offers great functionality as well. With robust online proofing capabilities, you can share galleries with clients very easily, and allow them to browse, select, and comment on their favorite images with ease. ShootProof also offers Integrated sales tools to help streamline the process further, making it simple for clients to buy prints and products directly from your gallery.
Support is always something to be aware of when choosing a solution that will effectively support your photography business, and ShootProof has a good reputation for this. They have a team of dedicated professionals who will provide support and assistance when you need it.
ShootProof provides a free plan that will allow you to upload and share up to 100 photos, and create up to 5 mobile galleries. The great thing is that this free version doesn’t even require a credit card, letting you test it out without any commitment. If you do want to take advantage of the full suite of options available then their most popular plan works out at $240 – over $100 cheaper than Pixieset! This supports up to 5,000 photos, but for the really prolific photographers among you, there is a tier that supports up to 25,000 photos, although the cost works out at $360, which is just slightly higher than Pixieset.
“My overall experience has been excellent. If I have a question, it is usually answered within 24-48 hours, if not sooner. The backend is very organized and easy to use. I love the templates and other free resources that they provide.” – LaToya L., Photographer
“I have been using ShootProof for going on two years. It has been simple to figure out and has made providing a digital gallery to my clients simple to manage.” – Joy S., Photographer
#3 – Zenfolio: The Comprehensive Pixieset Alternative
Zenfolio is another great alternative to Pixieset, offering a range of features to help photographers showcase their work and grow their photography business.
With a user-friendly interface that makes creating galleries for clients easy and straightforward, Zenfolio includes a range of tools that allow you to customize the appearance of your galleries to match your brand’s identity, and present a professional look to your clients. Whether you’re uploading images, customizing galleries, or processing orders, Zenfolio’s intuitive design ensures a seamless experience every step of the way.
But as well as enabling you to create attractive galleries for clients, Zenfolio also supports the monetization of your images, offering built-in e-commerce functionality that makes it easy for clients to purchase prints and products directly from your gallery.
Also included with Zenfolio are a number of integrated marketing tools, helping you to expand your reach and attract new clients more easily. From SEO optimization to social media integration, Zenfolio provides the tools you need to stand out in a crowded marketplace and grow your business.
Although Zenfolio doesn’t offer a free option, their lowest priced package is just $108 – less than a third the cost of Pixieset. This package does allow up to 15GB of photo storage. Their middle tier supports up to 150GB, and costs $276 – a good deal cheaper than Pixieset.
“Zenfolio’s new platform really impressed me, and I’ve been very happy with the service over the last few months and ended up paying for a subscription when my free trial finished. The product isn’t perfect, but better than the alternatives for my requirements. I’ve also found their support team to be really helpful and responsive, and I’m confident that they will work to keep improving the product based on customer feedback.” – Ed H., Photographer
“Thank you Zen for being brilliant! One small event has already paid for it; being able to sell digital downloads has made a huge difference to my sales.” – Sian Lewis, Photographer
A Step-By-Step Guide To Switching From Pixieset to picu
If you already have a WordPress website then the best alternative to Pixieset for you will be picu, and fortunately the process of moving from Pixieset to picu is extremely straightforward.
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to make the move from Pixieset to picu:
1. Export Your Data: Begin by exporting your galleries and client data from Pixieset.
2. Import to picu: Once you have your gallery images exported, it’s time to import them into picu. You have two ways of doing this – either manually uploading the exported images to a new gallery in picu, or using FTP to bulk upload all of your images to your server, where you will be able to insert them into your galleries as appropriate.
3. Customize Your Galleries: With your images added to the new galleries, it’s time to customize your galleries to match your branding and style. picu offers a range of customization options, allowing you to create galleries that match your professional brand.
4. Notify Your Clients: Once your galleries are set up, it’s time to let your clients know where their new gallery is. picu makes it easy to send out notifications to your clients, ensuring they’re aware of the change and can access their galleries seamlessly. You can either let picu create an email for you to send to each of your clients individually, or you can copy the unique link to a gallery and send it to your client directly using whatever messaging platform you prefer.
As you make the switch to picu, here are some tips for maximizing the benefits of the new platform:
Explore Customization Options: Take advantage of picu’s extensive customization options to create galleries that truly stand out. Experiment with different layouts, colors, and branding elements to create a unique experience for your clients.
Use Integrated Tools: picu offers a range of integrated tools to streamline your workflow, including setting galleries to private or public, defining the number of images a client can choose (minimum, maximum, fixed number, or a range), allowing the client to download the gallery as a ZIP file, preventing downloading of images, watermarking, and much more. Take the time to familiarize yourself with these tools and explore how they can help you grow your business.
Use Support Resources: If you have any questions or need assistance during the transition process, don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team. We’re dedicated to helping you succeed and are always available to provide guidance and support.
Throughout the transition process, you can count on our dedicated customer support team to provide assistance every step of the way. Whether you have questions about importing your data, customizing your galleries, or optimizing your workflow, our team is here to help.
In addition to our customer support team, picu offers a range of resources to help you make the most of the platform. From comprehensive documentation to video tutorials, we’re committed to providing you with the tools and support you need to succeed.
Making the switch to picu is not just a change of platform – it’s a transformation of your photography business. With an easy migration process, intuitive interface, and dedicated support team, you’ll be well-equipped to take your business to new heights with picu.
Make sure your photography business is in focus and framed perfectly for success with the picu photo proofing plugin for WordPress dialing the exposure to hours of admin right down, and setting the focus firmly on efficiency and client happiness!
Try picu free today, and upgrade to picu Pro if you feel your business deserves the best photo proofing workflow today!