PhotoShelter vs SmugMug (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SmugMug grades higher than PhotoShelter: 2.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SmugMug grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
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
SmugMug
Photo storage, portfolio sites and print sales 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 SmugMug if
- Fits if you are a photographer who wants storage, a site and print sales in one place
- Works for people who edit in Lightroom
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you sell prints: that needs Portfolio at $23.50 a month
- Watch out: RAW storage is $10 a month up to 1 TB, then $6 for each extra TB
- Tight if you want coupons, packages or several pricelists, which need Pro at $37 a month
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there is none
- Watch out: the monthly-billing price loads separately and was not readable
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAPhotoShelterWeak | 2.4GPASmugMugFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CDirect is $20 a month billed yearly, just under the dearer quarter ($20.83) of website builders. |
| Free plan and trial | DA 14-day trial, then it charges you automatically, and there is no free plan. | CA 14-day trial of every feature needs no card, and there is no free plan. |
| 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. | CUnlimited photo storage and portfolio sites, but print and download sales and templates start at $23.50, and RAW storage is an add-on. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You build a site, upload images and set up a store. | CNo rating on record, and you set up galleries, a site and pricelists yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Instagram, WordPress, Vimeo, Lightroom, Photo Mechanic, Stripe and PayPal. | AWeb, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, with Lightroom, Luminar, Flickr and Dropbox. |
| Best for | photographers who want storage, site and store together | photo storage and print sales 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 SmugMug. 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. SmugMug starts at $20 a month and scores 2.7.
SmugMug scores higher, and starts $10 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other website and landing page builders on the chart, 5 score higher than PhotoShelter for less, and 3 score higher than SmugMug 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 print on demand.
- SmugMug also covers no-code.
At a glance
| PhotoShelter | SmugMug | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $10 per month, billed annually ($12.99 billed monthly) | $20 per month, billed annually (Direct) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, then charged automatically | 14-day free trial of every feature, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | PhotoShelter, Inc. | SmugMug, Inc. |
| Price read from | go.photoshelter.com | smugmug.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
SmugMug
- RAW file storage is an add-on: $10 a month for up to 1 TB, then $6 a month for each extra TB.
- Selling prints and downloads, and website templates, need the Portfolio plan or higher.
- Multiple pricelists, coupons and packages need the Pro plan at $37 a month.
- The page shows yearly prices only; the monthly-billing price loads separately and was not readable.
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.
SmugMug
- Unlimited JPEG storage
- Every plan stores full-resolution JPEG photos with no compression and no storage cap. RAW file storage is a paid add-on.
- Client galleries and delivery
- Private, password-protected galleries let clients pick favorites, and photos can be delivered as digital downloads or by QR code.
- Print and download sales
- Portfolio and Pro plans sell prints and downloads with automatic tax collection and full-service print lab fulfillment.
- Portfolio website templates
- Drag-and-drop website templates build a portfolio or storefront, and a custom domain can be used.
- Upload and sync tools
- Plugins for Adobe Lightroom and Luminar, automatic uploading on macOS and Windows, and imports from Flickr and Dropbox.
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.
SmugMug
Direct$20
per month, billed annually
Unlimited photo storage, privacy controls, digital delivery, Lightroom integration and 24/7 live support.
Portfolio$23.50
per month, billed annually
Adds print and digital download sales, website templates, watermarks and theft protection, and full-service order fulfillment.
Pro$37
per month, billed annually
Adds multiple custom pricelists, marketing coupons and packages, client favoriting and download limits.
EnterpriseCustom
Tailor-made plan for studios, teams and institutions with serious volume. Arranged through sales.
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.
SmugMug
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PhotoShelter or SmugMug?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PhotoShelter is cheaper to start with: $10 a month, against $20 a month for SmugMug. PhotoShelter starts at $10 per month, billed annually ($12.99 billed monthly), and SmugMug starts at $20 per month, billed annually (Direct).
Which has a free plan, PhotoShelter or SmugMug?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither PhotoShelter nor SmugMug has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do PhotoShelter and SmugMug run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only SmugMug lists macOS, Windows, 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.