The Format Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Format in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Format
The Insider’s Guide
Portfolio website builder for photographers and other creatives
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among website and landing page builders, read from Format’s own pages.
Made by Ideaform Inc. · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Format’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Format’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 19 of the 34 other website and landing page builders we grade
Format is a portfolio website builder for photographers, artists, designers and filmmakers, with themes, a drag-and-drop layout tool and hosting included in every plan. Its Workflow tools add client proofing galleries, file transfers, contacts and contracts, and a built-in store sells prints, downloads and services without a platform commission.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Format, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There's an iPhone app but no store rating on record.
- 1
Best for photographers' portfolios with client galleries
Format is a portfolio builder for photographers and other creatives, and it brings the studio side along: proofing galleries, file transfers, contracts and a store that takes no commission.
- 2
Paid plans start at $10 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $10 per month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
Web and iOS.
- 5
Themes and Flex Block layouts
Pick from more than 90 themes and switch without losing content, build custom layouts on a snap grid with Flex Block, and edit CSS and HTML on Pro and Pro Plus.
- 6
Client galleries and file transfers
Workflow, included free with every plan, adds proofing galleries with passwords, file transfers of 2 to 10 GB, contacts and moodboards; contracts and CRM Light need Pro.
- 7
Commission-free store
Sell physical products, digital downloads up to 100 MB and services through PayPal or Stripe with no Format commission: 15 products on Pro and 1,000 on Pro Plus.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 19 of 34
That is against the other website and landing page builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Format you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Format at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $10 per month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS
- Made by
- Ideaform Inc.
- Category
- Website & Landing Page Builders
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for photographers' portfolios with client galleries
Format is a portfolio builder for photographers and other creatives, and it brings the studio side along: proofing galleries, file transfers, contracts and a store that takes no commission. Basic is $10 a month billed yearly. But Basic stops at 70 images with no store, so most photographers will want Pro, and there's no free plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Basic is $10 a month billed yearly ($14 monthly), right at this category's cheaper quarter. It's capped at 10 pages and 70 images with no store, so many will move to Pro at $17. Pro's $12 offer needs a code, ends October 31, 2026 and covers the first year only. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan, but a 14-day free trial with no card needed, which is enough time to load a portfolio and see how it looks. Students can ask for a free year. |
| Features | C | It does the portfolio job fully: 90+ themes, Flex Block layouts, proofing galleries, file transfers, hosted video and a commission-free store. That's a smaller job than a general builder does, and Basic leaves out the store, video and image storage. |
| Ease of use | C | There's an iPhone app but no store rating on record. Themes do the heavy lifting, but you're still building a site, page by page and gallery by gallery. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web and iPhone, with a Lightroom Classic plugin, Stripe, PayPal, Weglot, Google Workspace and Google Analytics. There's no Android app and no desktop app of its own. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Format is for
- Great if you deliver proofs and files to clients from your own site
- Handy when you edit in Lightroom Classic and want to publish straight from it
- Good for artists selling prints or downloads without a platform commission
Who it is not for
- Tight if you stay on Basic, at 10 pages and 70 images with no store
- Skip it if you work from an Android phone, as the app is iPhone only
- Pricey if you want email on your own domain, as Google Workspace is $100 a year extra
Good to know
Good for
- Photographers who deliver proofs and files to clients from their own site
- Artists, designers and filmmakers who want a portfolio without coding
- Creatives selling prints, downloads or bookings without a platform commission
Worth knowing
- The $12 and $15 a month shown for Pro and Pro Plus need a checkout code, end October 31, 2026 and cover the first year only.
- Basic has no store, hosted video, image storage or custom fonts, and stops at 10 pages and 70 images.
- A domain costs $30 a year after a free first year on annual Pro and Pro Plus; Google Workspace email is $100 a year extra.
- There is no free plan, and the mobile app is for iPhone only.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$10
A month to start
Format is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $10 per month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly).
Basic
$10
per month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly)
$120 a year. 10 pages, 70 images, 3 client galleries and 2 GB file transfers; no store, hosted video, image storage or custom fonts.
Pro
$17
per month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly)
$204 a year. Unlimited pages, 1,500 images, 100 GB storage, 15 video minutes and 15 store products. Shown at $12 for a first year with a code until Oct 31, 2026.
Pro Plus
$26
per month, billed annually ($36 billed monthly)
$312 a year. Unlimited images, 1 TB storage, 120 video minutes, 1,000 products and priority support. Shown at $15 for a first year with a code until Oct 31, 2026.
Trying it first
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Read from format.com on Oct 18, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save about 29% with yearly billing
Pro costs $204 a year against $24 a month billed monthly; Basic is $120 a year against $14 a month and Pro Plus $312 against $36.
Stated on help.format.comEducation
A free year for students
Format's Student Program gives students a free year on the platform, requested through its education page; it also offers free access to partner schools.
Stated on format.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and iOS
Portfolio website builder for photographers and other creatives. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: templates, no-code, file sharing.
That's a smaller job than a general builder does, and Basic leaves out the store, video and image storage.
- Themes and Flex Block layouts
- Pick from more than 90 themes and switch without losing content, build custom layouts on a snap grid with Flex Block, and edit CSS and HTML on Pro and Pro Plus.
- Client galleries and file transfers
- Workflow, included free with every plan, adds proofing galleries with passwords, file transfers of 2 to 10 GB, contacts and moodboards; contracts and CRM Light need Pro.
- Commission-free store
- Sell physical products, digital downloads up to 100 MB and services through PayPal or Stripe with no Format commission: 15 products on Pro and 1,000 on Pro Plus.
- Hosted video
- Upload video straight to the site so visitors see no third-party ads: 15 minutes on Pro and 120 minutes on Pro Plus.
- Lightroom plugin and iPhone app
- Publish galleries from Lightroom Classic with the Format Publisher plugin, or upload and rearrange photos from the iPhone app.
- SEO and translation
- Edit page titles, meta descriptions and image alt text, and connect Weglot to translate the site into other languages.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
What it works with
- Adobe Lightroom Classic
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Weglot
- Google Workspace
- Google Analytics
- Adobe Fonts
- Google Fonts
Format is made by Ideaform Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
19/34
Other website and landing page builders it is graded above
Format's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 34 other website and landing page builders we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 24 of 34) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $16 for the category: 8 of the 33 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 35 website and landing page builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. Format’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 24 of 34
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 34
- CFeaturesAbove 4 of 34
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 34
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 8 of 34
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 34 website and landing page builders. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Format is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Format you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $120 a year.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A builder that other people can use without writing code.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- A real app for iOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Adobe Lightroom Classic, Stripe and PayPal among them.
What this rests on. Format’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Squarespace, Wix, Webflow, Strikingly and Carrd
The 5 tools Format is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Squarespace
Free trial · from $19/mo
Template-based website builder with an online store and invoicing.
- Only Squarespace lists an Android app.
- Format also covers no-code and file sharing.
- Squarespace also covers forms and invoicing.
- 2.8GPA
Wix
Free plan · from $17/mo
Drag-and-drop website builder with an AI agent and business apps.
- Wix has a free plan. Format does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Wix lists an Android app.
- Format also covers file sharing.
- 2.4GPA
Webflow
Free plan · from $15/mo
Visual website builder with a CMS, hosting and code-level control.
- Webflow has a free plan. Format does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Format lists an iOS app.
- Format also covers templates and file sharing.
- 2.6GPA
Strikingly
Free plan · from $8/mo
Simple website builder for small sites, stores and memberships.
- Strikingly has a free plan. Format does not, though it has a free trial.
- Format also covers no-code and file sharing.
- Strikingly also covers forms, email campaigns and live chat.
- 2.6GPA
Carrd
Free plan · from $9/yr
One-page website builder with yearly plans from $9.
- Carrd has a free plan. Format does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Format lists an iOS app.
- Format also covers file sharing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Format free?
No, Format is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
How much does Format cost?
Format lists 3 plans. Basic: $10 per month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly).
What platforms does Format work on?
Format is available on Web and iOS.
Does Format offer any discounts?
Format publicly lists the following: Save about 29% with yearly billing; A free year for students.
Does Format have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Format is listed for Web and iOS.
Does Format have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Format is listed for Web and iOS.
Is Format open source?
Format is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
What does Format integrate with?
Format's listing names Adobe Lightroom Classic, Stripe, PayPal, Weglot, Google Workspace, Google Analytics, Adobe Fonts and Google Fonts.
Does Format have a student discount?
A free year for students. Format's Student Program gives students a free year on the platform, requested through its education page; it also offers free access to partner schools.
Who makes Format?
Format is made by Ideaform Inc.
What are the alternatives to Format?
The closest alternatives to Format in our directory are Squarespace, Wix, Webflow, Strikingly and Carrd.
How does Format compare with other website and landing page builders?
Format's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 34 other website and landing page builders we grade, and level with 9.
Is Format good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Format B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $16 for the category: 8 of the 33 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Format?
To replace Format you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Format’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Format's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Ideaform Inc. Prices change, so check format.com before you buy.
- format.com/
- format.com/pricing-portfolio
- help.format.com/hc/en-us/articles/40988178214035-Format-Portfolio-plans-and-add-ons
- help.format.com/hc/en-us/articles/28139460566035-Choosing-a-Plan-and-Subscribing
- help.format.com/hc/en-us/articles/28139355056531-Workflow-Plans-Pricing
- help.format.com/hc/en-us/articles/28139512330643-Format-Store-overview
- format.com/education
- apps.apple.com/us/app/format/id1080574504
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,021
Tools graded, in 54 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,021
tools graded
54
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Format, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/format
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Format: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/format
Know someone choosing between website and landing page builders?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/format/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded website and landing page builders after Format, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Website & Landing Page Builders Insider's GuideEvery one of the 35 website and landing page builders we grade, compared
- WordPress.com Insider's GuideHosted WordPress with themes, plugins and a free plan3.4 GPA
- Wix Insider's GuideDrag-and-drop website builder with an AI agent and business apps2.8 GPA
- Carrd Insider's GuideOne-page website builder with yearly plans from $92.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Format’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Format is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Ideaform Inc. Prices and plans change: check format.com before you buy.