Blurb vs Mpix (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Blurb grades higher than Mpix: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Blurb grades higher on the free plan and platforms. Mpix grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Blurb if
- Fits if you want a few printed copies of a book with no setup fee
- Works for authors who sell through Amazon or Ingram retail distribution
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you want large formats: a 12 by 12 inch hardcover photo book starts at $67
- Skip it if you want every format in retail, as not all can go to distribution and retail fees vary
- Watch out: BookWright runs on Mac and Windows only
- Watch out: retail distribution lists the book on the retailer's page, with no Blurb storefront on that route
Pick Mpix if
- Fits if you want photo prints and albums for yourself, delivered in the US
- Works for people who want free color correction on prints
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to dropship, as there are no store integrations or white-label shipping
- Skip it if you live outside the US, since the shipping page covers US destinations only
- Pricey if you order small, as standard shipping is $9.99 and only orders over $45 ship free
- Watch out: business volume pricing is not published
How we grade them
| 2.4GPABlurbFair | 2.2GPAMpixFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo subscription. Books start at US $8.99 and photo books at US $12.00, rising with size and pages, and the pricing page shows a 12 by 12 inch hardcover at US $67.00. | CPhoto prints start at $0.39 and the rest is priced by product and size. No subscription, and business volume pricing is quote-based. |
| Free plan and trial | BNo setup fee or subscription, and the design tools cost nothing. But every printed copy is paid, so nothing leaves the building free. | CAn account is free, with 18 months of free image storage, but everything you print is paid for. |
| Features | CDesign tools, many formats, an Instant Store, retail distribution, bulk printing and a print API. Not every format can go to retail, and there is no hosted storefront on that route. | CPrints, wall art, books, cards, gifts and business printing. It does not offer store connections or dropshipping for resellers. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You design the book yourself, in a browser, BookWright or an Adobe app. | BNo store rating on record, but there is nothing to set up: upload photos and order. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, Mac and Windows, with Amazon, Ingram and Adobe links, plus a print API. No phone app is listed. | CWeb only, with no integrations listed. The shipping page covers US destinations only. |
| Best for | printing your own photo books and paperbacks | photo prints, wall art and gifts for yourself or a client |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Blurb and Mpix. How we grade
Price against what you get
Blurb has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Mpix has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other print-on-demand and dropshipping services on the chart, none scores higher than Blurb for less, and none scores higher than Mpix for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| Blurb | Mpix | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | No subscription. Blurb says there are no upfront costs; you pay per printed product, with books from US $8.99 and photo books from US $12.00. | No subscription: an account is free and each order is charged per product, with photo prints listed from $0.39. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Blurb | Mpix |
| Price read from | blurb.com | mpix.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Blurb
- Prices are per product and rise with size and page count: a 12 x 12 inch hardcover photo book with an image wrap starts at US $67.00 on the pricing page.
- Not every format can go to retail distribution, and retail fees vary by retailer.
- Retail Distribution lists the book on the retailer's own page; there is no hosted storefront from Blurb on that path.
- BookWright runs on Mac and Windows only; the other design tools run in a browser or inside Adobe apps.
Mpix
- Mpix prints for its own customers and has no store integrations or white-label dropshipping on the pages read.
- US standard shipping is $9.99, free on orders over $45; economy is $4.99 and expedited is $19.99.
- Production happens in Kansas and Missouri, and the shipping page covers US destinations only.
- Business volume pricing is quote-based, with no published rates.
Key features
Blurb
- Book design tools
- BookWright is a desktop app for Mac and Windows, and there is an online editor, a PDF uploader, and plugins for Adobe InDesign, Lightroom Classic and Photoshop.
- Wide range of formats
- Photo books in six sizes, paperback and hardcover books, magazines, notebooks and journals, and wall art, each with its own paper options.
- Instant Store
- A hosted product page for selling a book directly, which Blurb says has no subscription or extra fees. Blurb prints and ships each order.
- Retail distribution
- Books can be listed on Amazon, through Ingram's network to bookstores and libraries, or on the Blurb Bookstore, with ISBN support included.
- Bulk printing
- Volume discounts start at 10 copies on printing, and bulk services with custom quotes and dropshipping to several addresses are offered for 100 or more copies.
- Print API
- Blurb says its RPI Print API has no fees or minimums and white-label packaging, for developers who want to connect a store or app.
Mpix
- Photo prints
- Prints in over 30 sizes on archival papers, plus giclee, wallet, black-and-white and matted prints.
- Wall art
- Canvas, framed, metal, wood and acrylic prints, posters, and extra-large and textile formats for larger spaces.
- Books, cards and gifts
- Photo books and albums, holiday and DIY cards, calendars, blankets, mugs, puzzles and ornaments printed from uploaded photos.
- Business printing
- A separate business service offers volume pricing, custom quotes, print samples and dedicated support for bulk wall art and photo book orders.
- Rewards program
- The site runs a rewards program for customers, described on its own page.
Plans
Blurb
Pay per product$0
No subscription or setup fee. The pricing page lists starting prices per product: paperback and hardcover books from US $8.99, photo books from US $12.00, magazines from US $7.00.
Mpix
Pay per order$0
No subscription. Product prices vary by item and size, with photo prints starting at $0.39.
Ways to pay less
Blurb
- Other savings
Volume discounts from 10 copies
Blurb says volume discounts on printing start at 10 copies, and bulk printing services cover 100 or more copies with custom quotes.
Mpix
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Blurb or Mpix?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Blurb and Mpix are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Blurb or Mpix?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Blurb and Mpix have a free plan.
Which platforms do Blurb and Mpix run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Blurb lists macOS and Windows apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.