PhotoShelter vs Pic-Time (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pic-Time grades higher than PhotoShelter: 2.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Pic-Time grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
PhotoShelter
Photo storage, delivery and portfolio sites for photographers
Pic-Time
Client galleries and a print store for photographers
Which one is for you
Pick PhotoShelter if
- Fits if you keep a large library and want it on one service
- Works for a solo photographer selling prints and downloads
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you need client proofing, because it starts at $25 a month on Standard
- Tight if you share an account: every plan has a single user
- Watch out: sales carry a transaction fee of 8% to 10% plus printing, shipping and payment fees
- Watch out: no refunds for amounts already billed
- Watch out: overage fees can apply for bandwidth used on image deliveries
Pick Pic-Time if
- Fits if you deliver photos to clients and want a print store attached
- Works for a new photographer who can start on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you rely on the free plan, since photo storage falls from 10 GB to 3 GB after 3 months
- Skip it if you need client selections or album proofing without paying for Professional at $21
- Watch out: prices are for individual photographers, with agencies quoted separately
- Watch out: extra brands on Advanced are $6 a month each
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAPhotoShelterWeak | 2.4GPAPic-TimeFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$10 a month yearly is the Basic plan with 4 GB and no client proofing. Proofing starts on Standard at $25 a month, about twice the category's middle of $12. | BA free plan plus Beginner at $7 a month billed annually, close to the $6.75 cheaper-quarter line for website builders. Professional is $21. |
| Free plan and trial | DA 14-day trial, then it charges you automatically, and there is no free plan. | CA free plan with 10 GB of photo storage, reduced to 3 GB after 3 months, and 1 GB of video. Most working photographers will outgrow it. |
| Features | CPortfolio sites, storage from 4 GB to 500 GB, galleries, proofing and selling. The gaps: no proofing on Basic and one user on every plan. | CGalleries, a print store, sales automations, an album designer and AI gallery search. Client selections, album proofing and custom products need Professional or above. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You build a site, upload images and set up a store. | CNo store rating on record. You set up galleries, branding and a print store. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Instagram, WordPress, Vimeo, Lightroom, Photo Mechanic, Stripe and PayPal. | BWeb, iOS and Android, with Lightroom and Studio Ninja integrations. There is no desktop app. |
| Best for | photographers who want storage, site and store together | client galleries and a print store for photographers |
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: PhotoShelter and Pic-Time. How we grade
Price against what you get
PhotoShelter starts at $10 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Pic-Time starts at $7 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Pic-Time starts $3 a month lower. Of the other website and landing page builders on the chart, 5 score higher than PhotoShelter for less, and 3 score higher than Pic-Time 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
- PhotoShelter also covers templates and digital downloads.
- Pic-Time also covers marketing automation.
At a glance
| PhotoShelter | Pic-Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $10 per month, billed annually ($12.99 billed monthly) | $7 per month, billed annually ($8 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | 10 GB photo storage (reduced to 3 GB after 3 months), 1 GB video storage and unlimited galleries. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, then charged automatically | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | PhotoShelter, Inc. | Pic-Time |
| Price read from | go.photoshelter.com | pic-time.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
PhotoShelter
- Sales carry a transaction fee of 8% to 10% depending on the plan, plus printing, shipping and payment fees.
- No refunds for amounts already billed; cancellation is from within the account.
- Every plan has a single user.
- Overage fees can apply for bandwidth used on image deliveries.
Pic-Time
- Free-plan photo storage drops from 10 GB to 3 GB after 3 months.
- Client selections, album proofing and custom products need Professional or above.
- The listed prices are for individual photographers; agencies and collectives are quoted separately.
- Extra brands on Advanced cost $6 a month each.
Key features
PhotoShelter
- Portfolio websites
- Nine responsive templates, a custom domain and integrations with Instagram, WordPress, Vimeo and Tumblr.
- Cloud storage
- 4 GB, 100 GB or 500 GB by plan, with more sold in 10 GB or 35 GB increments and geographically redundant backup.
- Galleries
- Unlimited public, password-protected and private galleries, with watermarks and right-click protection.
- Client proofing
- Clients review, proof and download from branded galleries; proofing starts at Standard.
- Selling
- Prints, products, downloads and licenses with a cart supporting more than 23 currencies.
- Uploaders
- Lightroom and Photo Mechanic plugins plus desktop and web uploaders for large libraries.
Pic-Time
- Client galleries
- Deliver photos and video in branded galleries with download permissions and a Lightroom integration.
- Print store
- Sell prints through a built-in store tied to more than 30 global print labs, with online payments and automatic fulfillment.
- Sales automations
- Ready-made campaigns, coupons and gift cards aimed at lifting print sales from each gallery.
- Album designer
- Builds a personalized album layout from the gallery's photos using AI.
- AI gallery search
- Clients can search by keyword, person or selfie; the search for clients needs Professional or Advanced.
Plans
PhotoShelter
Basic$10
per month, billed annually ($12.99 billed monthly)
4 GB storage, 1 user, 9 website templates, custom domain and galleries; no client proofing tool.
Standard$25
per month, billed annually ($29.99 billed monthly)
100 GB storage, 1 user, client proofing tool and the same website and selling features.
Pro$45
per month, billed annually ($49.99 billed monthly)
500 GB storage, 1 user, with the same features as Standard.
Pic-Time
Free$0
10 GB photos (3 GB after 3 months), 1 GB video, galleries, print store and basic design tools.
Beginner$7
per month, billed annually ($8 billed monthly)
20 GB photos, 5 GB video, custom branding and chat support for clients.
Professional$21
per month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly)
100 GB photos, 30 GB video, premium galleries and print store, blogs and slideshows.
Advanced$42
per month, billed annually ($50 billed monthly)
Unlimited photo storage (terms apply), 60 GB video and multi-brand support.
Ways to pay less
PhotoShelter
- Annual discount
Annual billing saves about 20 to 25%
Annual prices of $10, $25 and $45 a month compare with $12.99, $29.99 and $49.99 billed monthly.
Pic-Time
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PhotoShelter or Pic-Time?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pic-Time is cheaper to start with: $7 a month, against $10 a month for PhotoShelter. PhotoShelter starts at $10 per month, billed annually ($12.99 billed monthly), and Pic-Time starts at $7 per month, billed annually ($8 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, PhotoShelter or Pic-Time?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Pic-Time has a free plan. PhotoShelter does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do PhotoShelter and Pic-Time run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Pic-Time lists iOS and Android 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.