Pixieset review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Client galleries, booking and studio CRM for photographers
Black Friday: is there a Pixieset sale?
Pixieset report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for client booking and studio management for photographers
Pixieset's Studio Manager handles contacts, contracts, quotes, bookings and invoices for photographers. It is free with caps of 3 contracts and 1 session type, and Plus is $12 a month. Client Gallery, the website and the store are priced as separate products.
Who Pixieset is for
- Fits if you are a photographer who wants contracts, booking and invoices in one app
- Works for studios that also deliver galleries through Pixieset
Who Pixieset is not for
- Tight if you stay free: 3 contracts and 1 session type
- Pricey if you need galleries and a store too, as each product is billed separately
- Watch out: free accounts pay 15% commission on store sales
- Skip it if you need integrations, as none are listed
Why Pixieset gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- BValue for moneyStudio Manager Plus is $12 a month billed annually, inside the category's cheaper quarter that starts at $15. Pro is $18, and gallery storage and other products are priced separately.
- CFree plan and trialA free plan with unlimited invoices, 3 contracts, 3 quotes or questionnaires and 1 session type. A working studio will hit those caps.
- BFeaturesContacts, a project board, contracts, quotes, questionnaires, a booking site, invoices and a mobile app. Nothing in the listing is missing from a photographer's studio work.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record. A web app where you build session types, contracts and booking forms.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb, iPhone and Android. No integrations are listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Pixieset's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/pixieset#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/pixieset.svg" alt="Pixieset: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Pixieset stands among CRM tools
Pixieset's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 99 of the 116 other CRM tools we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 101 of 116) and worst on ease of use (C, above 5).
Its paid plans start at $12 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 13 of the 93 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 117 CRM tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Pixieset’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 101 of 116, level with 12
- CFree plan and trialAbove 44 of 116, level with 53
- BFeaturesAbove 70 of 116, level with 42
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 116, level with 99
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 24 of 116, level with 85
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 95 CRM tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Pixieset, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Pixieset you would be making checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.6 is higher than 99 of the 116 other CRM tools we grade. It costs $144 a year.
What you could make
- Invoicing, appointment booking, forms, quotes and estimates and calendar: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Checkout, card payments and sales tax handled for you.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Pixieset’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.
What is Pixieset?
Pixieset is a suite for photographers that includes Client Gallery, a portfolio Website, a Store, a Mobile Gallery App, a Photo Editor, and Studio Manager. Studio Manager is the CRM and booking part: contacts, contracts, invoices, questionnaires and a booking site. Each product has its own free plan and paid tiers.
Worth knowing
- Each product is priced separately; Client Gallery starts at $8 a month billed annually and runs to $40 for unlimited storage.
- The free Studio Manager plan caps contracts and quotes at 3 and session types at 1.
- Free accounts pay a 15% commission on store sales; upgraded plans pay none.
- Add-ons cost extra, such as Photo Editor at $12 a month and extra email campaigns at $10 a month per 5,000.
Key features
- Contacts and project board
- Tracks clients, leads and other connections, with a visual project board organized by stage and a built-in calendar.
- Contracts, quotes and questionnaires
- Branded documents with e-signatures, with templates for documents and emails and reminders for unsigned items.
- Booking site
- A booking page where clients see availability, book sessions and pay a full amount or retainer; includes a mini-sessions creator.
- Invoices and payments
- Online payments by card and digital wallet, payment schedules and reminders, tips, and Tap to Pay in the mobile app.
- Client Gallery and Store
- Separate Client Gallery plans for delivering photos, with a gallery storefront; free accounts pay 15% commission on store sales.
- Mobile app
- A Studio Manager app for iPhone and Android for tracking bookings and payments.
Pixieset pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pixieset has a free plan, and paid plans start at $12 per month for Studio Manager Plus, billed annually ($15 billed monthly).
- Starts at
- $12 per month for Studio Manager Plus, billed annually ($15 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Studio Manager Free: unlimited invoices, 3 contracts, 3 quotes or questionnaires, 1 session type, a booking site and online payments.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Manager Free | $0 | Unlimited invoices, 3 contracts, 3 quotes or questionnaires, 1 active session type and basic booking. |
| Studio Manager Plus | $12per month, billed annually ($15 billed monthly) | Unlimited contracts and quotes, 3 session types, custom branding, booking intake forms and reminders. |
| Studio Manager Pro | $18per month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly) | Unlimited session types, booking reminders, retainers and tips at booking, manual booking approval. |
| Pixieset Suite | $28per month and up | Client Gallery, Studio Manager, Website, Store and Mobile Gallery App in one package, up to 37% off. |
Read from pixieset.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Pixieset before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Annual discountDiscount for yearly billing
Annual billing lowers Studio Manager Plus to $12 and Pro to $18 a month, against $15 and $24 billed monthly.
Stated on pixieset.com - Other savingsSuite bundle saves up to 37%
The Pixieset Suite bundles the essential apps from $28 a month with up to 37% off buying them separately.
Stated on pixieset.com
How people rate the Pixieset app
4.9
out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app
2,460 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Nov 13, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing
Pixieset alternatives
- Pixieset vs HoneyBook
Free trial · from $29/mo
- Pixieset vs 17hats
Free trial · from $60/mo
- Pixieset vs Studio Ninja
Free trial · from $16/mo
- Pixieset vs Dubsado
Free trial · from $335/yr
- Pixieset vs ShootProof
Free plan
Common questions
Does Pixieset have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Pixieset is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Pixieset have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Pixieset is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Pixieset open source?
Pixieset is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.