You might not win any money. But posting your images on the competition’s website has a lot of benefits. We’ve updated our page for the best daily, monthly, and yearly photo contests. Check back often for updates!

Try our Effortless Editing With Lightroom course to ensure your photos look their best. We provide step-by-step edits for magazine-quality images. Or try one of our many creative photography eBooks or courses to help you submit your best shots!

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What Are the Best Photography Contests to Enter in 2024?

These 23 best photography contests feature impartial judging, clear criteria, and diverse categories. These best photo contests for 2024 all encourage creativity, originality, and technical skill. For your convenience, we have split this list into multiple categories: 

• Beginners
• Black and White 
• Portrait
• Wildlife and Landscape
• Professional

Read the fine print for photo submission guidelines. You want to be sure you’re sending photos in the proper size and format. Most contests don’t accept purely AI-generated images but may allow AI edits.

You can enter Guru’s daily and Life Framer’s monthly contests as much as you like. And we’ll update the 2024 photo contest deadlines as they come up. Don’t miss out on competing for prestigious awards and prizes! We hope you are inspired and have fun with them.

Contests for Beginners 

1. GuruShots Photography Contests

• Deadline: New challenge every day
• Fee: Less than $10
• Prizes: $2 – $2000

GuruShots takes a unique approach to photography contests. A new photo challenge is posted daily, and it’s up to each individual to decide how many challenges to enter.

Some of the winning artworks are exhibited in galleries worldwide. For a fee (less than $10), you can enter the exhibition challenge and submit four images.

The GuruShots website and application also lets you connect with photographers worldwide. Besides winning prizes, you can gain exposure and feedback from other artists, which can help you improve as a photographer.

2. Life Framer Competitions

• Deadline: End of each month
• Fees: $20 to $100
• Prizes: A $24,000 prize fund is shared between the monthly winners. Each month, the 1st and 2nd prize winners have their images exhibited and published.

Life Framer competitions are suitable for photographers from all photo niches.

Every month, a new photo category is introduced. These include black-and-white, street photography, nightlife, world travelers, and animal kingdom. Industry-leading photographers judge each category individually.

Entering one image costs $20, three costs $30, and four costs $40. But you can enter up to 10 images when you upgrade to a premium membership ($100).

The membership also allows you to receive detailed feedback on your photos. This can significantly help to improve your photography.

The Amateur Photographer of the Year Competition provides a great platform for beginners and amateur photography enthusiasts. Its unique format encourages experimentation in different genres of photography. 

You will have ten subjects over ten months to submit work for. There will be winners for each subject and overall winners who have scored high points consecutively across each competition. These categories include black and white, travel, macro, landscape, and more. 

This format is ideal if you need an extra boost to try new genres of photography. It is also perfect for photographers who have a lot of creativity but find it hard to direct. 

5. Anthology Creative Awards

• Early Deadline: July 2024
• Final Deadline: 30th November 2024
• Fees:  €12 (earlybird), €18 (standard) 
• Grand Prize: €500 and publication opportunity 

Anthology Creative Awards is open to photographers working at any level. Therefore, it is a great platform for beginners to test their favorite photos. Themes are kept open and broad, so your strongest images will likely be eligible. 

There are also no restrictions on eligibility for photographers. You can enter if you work from anywhere in the world, and there is no limit to how many photos you can enter. 

Anthology suggests looking at previous winners and their magazine, Anthology, before entering. This will give you a good idea of the kind of work they like and the type of photography that is likely to win in the future. 

Contests for Black and White Photographers

6. MonoVisions Black & White Photography Awards

• Early Deadline: January 21, 2024
• Final Deadline: May 19, 2024
• Fees: $20 or $25 (single), $25 or $30 (series)
• Black-and-White Series of the Year: $3,000 award
• Black-and-White Photo of the Year: $2,000 award

This photo contest is meant to discover the best black-and-white photographers. (Only monochromatic submissions are allowed.) You can enter photos taken with both digital and analog cameras.

Apart from the two main categories (single and series), there are 12 subcategories. These include abstract, conceptual, and nude photography and other standard subcategories.

The entry fee for a series is $30, and for a single image, it is $25. There is an early-bird discount for entries submitted before January 21.

7. Monochrome Photography Award

• Early bird Deadline: July 7, 2024 (cheaper fee)
• Deadline: TBD (November 2024)
• Fees: $17 to $27
• Professional Section Prize: $2,000, certificate, and exhibition
• Non-Professional Grand Prize: $1,000, certificate, and exhibition
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Category Winners: Certificate and exhibition

Are black-and-white photos your thing? Then this is the photo competition for you. There are 13 categories to enter, including landscape, fashion, and abstract photos.

If you are in the top three of any of them, you will receive a certificate and an exhibition of your work. All winners and honorable mentions will also be included in the Monochrome Photography Awards Annual Book.

Before the early bird deadline, each image costs $22 for professionals and $17 for amateurs; after that, the submission price jumps by $5.

The only rule is that the image must be black-and-white in film or digital. Toned images like selenium or sepia are also accepted. So start getting creative. This is your time to shine.

Contest for Portrait Photographers

8. LensCulture Portrait Awards

• Deadline: February 14, 2024
• Series Award Winners 1st Place Prize: $3,500
• Series Award Winners 2nd Place Prize: $2,000
• Series Award Winners 3rd Place Prize: $1,000
• Single Image Award Winners 1st Place Prize: $2,000
• Single Image Award Winners 2nd Place Prize: $1,000
• Single Image Award Winners 3rd Place Prize: $500

LensCulture’s mission is to discover talented photographers. They look for creative photographs from worldwide. You can submit one entry for free and more with various fees. Plus, enrolled students receive a 30% discount.

This photo contest is open to every type of portrait photography. That includes studio, candid, conceptual, or self-portraits. They appreciate every approach to portraiture. But it has to be executed in an imaginative and refined way.

The winners are offered professional visibility. Their photos are featured at international photo festivals like Photo London 2025.

They also receive press coverage from magazines worldwide. This includes The Telegraph, The Guardian, Washington Post, and The British Journal of Photography.

Read our Creative Portrait Concepts eBook to see how to take your portraits to another level.

9. Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2024

• Deadline: 7th May 2024
• Fee: TBA
• Professional Grand Prize: TBA and exhibition
• Non-Professional Grand Prize: TBA and exhibition
• 6 Professional Category Winners: TBA and exhibition
• 6 Non-Professional Category Winners: TBA and exhibition

The Taylor Wessing Photography Portrait Prize is the leading international photo contest. As the name suggests, it focuses on portraiture.

This Prize promotes and celebrates the very best in contemporary portrait photography. It does so through its established reputation.

Talented professionals, amateurs, and emerging artists can submit their work. The jury selects the best images—many of which are being shown for the first time.

They touch on ideas and concepts surrounding portraits. But they also explore other themes. A range of moods, settings, characters, and expressions are present.

All submissions become an exhibition. This year’s exhibition features 59 images from the winners. Besides first, second, and third place winners, they have introduced an £8,000 commission.

You can view the 2023 portrait winners’ photos and buy the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize book.

Contests for Wildlife and Landscape Photographers

10. BigPicture Natural World Photography Awards 2024

• Deadline: March 1, 2024
• Fee: $25 (up to 10 images), $15 (story submissions)
• Winner: $5,000 and is featured in the California Academy of Sciences annual exhibit
• Category Winners: $1,000

This natural photo award focuses on the world’s natural diversity. And it aims to inspire action to conserve it. The contest accepts nature, wildlife, and conservation images from all around the world. They’re organized into seven categories.

This includes abstract expressions of nature, such as photos from under a microscope. Aquatic life, landscapes, wild animals, and human interactions with nature are also welcome.

You can enter up to 10 single images or six to eight images in the Photo Story category. Entrants are limited to up to 10 photo submissions per email address.

Check out our Wonderful Wildlife eBook to capture those decisive moments in nature.

11. International Landscape Photographer of the Year

• Deadline: TBA (November 2024)
• Fee: $25 per image (every 5th one free)
• Photographer 1st Prize: $5,000, trophy, NiSi 100mm V7 Professional Filter Kit and Explorer EX-ACPROKIT Ascent tripod
• Photographer 2nd Prize: $1,000, trophy, NiSi 100mm V7 Advance Filter Kit, and Explorer EX-EXPPRO Expedition Pro tripod
• Photographer 3rd Prize: $500, trophy, NiSi 100mm V7 Starter Filter Kit, and Explorer EX-EXP Expedition tripod
• Photography 1st Prize: $2,000 and a trophy
• Photography 2nd Prize: $1,000 and a trophy
• Photography 3rd Prize: $500 and a trophy
• 5 Category Special Awards: Special photo print
• Top 101: Certificate and PDF of awards book

If you shoot landscapes, enter the International Landscape Photographer of the Year award. This will be their eleventh year, and it’s still going strong.

The limitations are set to four images per applicant. This is so the experience gained from the competition is easily accessible.

The jury rates the images between 1 and 100 from all these submissions. They choose the top 101 images and move to the second round of judging. First, they find the best images and search for the best landscape photographers.

There is a Photographer of the Year, a Photo of the Year, and five special subject awards. The special categories are black and white, aerial, snow and ice, desert, and seascape.

Each section undergoes a rigorous selection process. The top winners are published and receive a copy of the Landscape Photographer of the Year publication.

The cost is $25 per image, so the maximum you can spend is $125. The images also have to be captured within a year of submission.

The best thing about this photo contest is that you are not restricted in photo manipulation. Just make sure you do it yourself. No AI-generated images are allowed.

Take our Epic Landscape Editing course to ensure your photo entries look stunning.

12. World Nature Photography Awards

• Deadline: March 30th, 2024
• Fee: £30 (6 images)
• Grand Prize: $1,000

In its fifth year, the World Nature Photography Awards continues to provide a great platform for wildlife photographers of every skill level. They provide a wide range of categories, so whatever your niche is in nature photography, you will find a space here. 

This competition also has an ecological approach. They ask that none of the images feature captive or restrained animals. They also plant one tree for every entry, a great way to aid the planet using their platform. 

There are also professional and amateur categories. This means anyone of any difficulty can enter, even photographers who may have gone on their first safari trip. 

13. The Nature Photography Contest

• Deadline: November 15th, 2024
• Fee: €10 each photo
• Grand Prize: €1,000
• Category Winners: €100

The Nature Photography Contest aims to ‘raise awareness of how crucial it is to protect our planet.’ It does this by selecting and displaying beautiful images from around the world. The top images are selected by working photographers at the top of their field. 

Like the previous competition, this contest plants a tree for every submission. The difference here is that the winner gets to pick the location where all the trees get planted. This is a great way to promote a sustainable future. 

There is a Funny Nature category for wildlife’s comical moments. You can submit your images in as many categories as you want. This competition is also open to landscapes and macro, encompassing all facets of nature. 

Contests for Professionals

14. International Photography Awards (IPA 2024)

• Deadline: TBD, open for 2024 submissions
• Fee: $20 to $65
• International Photographer of the Year Prize: $10,000, trophy, exhibition, and publication
• Discovery of the Year Prize: $5,000, trophy, exhibition, and publication
• 11 Professional Category Winners: $1,200, exhibition, and publication
• 11 Non-Professional Category Winners: $600, exhibition, and publication
• Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Prize Winners in Subcategories: Certificate, exhibition, publication, and ticket to the gala

The International Photography Awards is one of the highest-paying photo contests around. It is also the only place you can land a Lucie Statue. This year will see the 21st annual photo contest.

There are 11 categories to choose from for professional and non-professional photographers alike. They cover everything, including advertising, editorial, and sports. A “special” category also covers niche photography like AI.

The top winners receive a travel allowance and accommodation to collect their awards in New York.

This photo contest is the primary funding mechanism for the Lucie Foundation. It is a non-profit, charitable foundation to honor the masters of photography.

ND Entry fees range from $20 to $65 for single or multiple images. All winning images are published in a high-quality International Photography Awards book.

15. 2024 Aperture Portfolio Prize

• Deadline: January 5, 2024
• Fee: An Aperture Magazine subscription (starts at $9.99/month)
• 1st Prize: $3,000 cash prize, $1,000 gift card for camera gear, an exhibition in New York, feature, and publication
• 4 Shortlisted Artists: Feature and online publication
• All 25 Finalists: Virtual portfolio review

This contest is looking for new photography talents. It finds those who deserve recognition in contemporary photography.

After getting a magazine subscription, you must upload 10 to 15 photos you want to enter. This contest is unique because you must also submit a resume, a photographer’s bio, and a statement about your photo work.

The jury looks at consistency, fresh ideas, and technical aspects. They want a unique approach to the subject. The theme is not further specified. It is up to each person to be as innovative as possible with their photos.

17. Sony World Photography Award 2024

• Deadline: January 12, 2024 (professional and open) and January 5, 2024 (youth), January 5, 2024 (student)
• Fee: Free, $14.95 to $44.95 (optional multiple youth entries)
• Professional Photographer of the Year: $25,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, and more
• Open Photographer of the Year Prize: $5,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, and more
• Category Winners: Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, and more
• Professional 2nd and 3rd Place: Exhibition, publication, and more
• Student Photographer of the Year Prize: Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, and more
• Overall Winning University: Sony digital imaging equipment worth $30,000
• Youth Photographer of the Year: Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, publication, and more
• Shortlist: Exhibition, publication (student), and more

The Sony World Photography Award has four simultaneous photo contests. They are Professional, Open, Student, and Youth. Each one has a different prize combination of cash and Sony imaging equipment.

Who wouldn’t enjoy $25,000 or $5,000 and camera gear? That’s a lot to help you continue to take stunning shots.

One of the other great things about this competition is the traveling exhibition. No matter which country I find myself in, I always notice the Sony World Photography Award image.

The submitted images must have been taken within a year of submission. You can send at least five and up to 10 images, so don’t be shy.

We love this competition because it is free to enter. That’s right, free. You can also choose from 20 different categories. Youth entrants can buy image bundles to submit as many as they want.

18. Istanbul Photo Awards

• Deadline: January 17, 2024
• Fee: Free (professionals only)
• Prizes: $1,000, $1,500, and 3,000, $6,000 and Sony A7III body, depending on the category, two $1,000 awards for the contest’s 10th anniversary, exhibition, and publication

Anadolu Agency organizes this international news photo contest. The idea first came from capturing Istanbul’s diverse culture from different perspectives. Over time, the Istanbul Photo Awards has become a widely known news photo contest.

One of the biggest perks of this photo competition is that it’s free. You can take part in 10 categories with single photos or a photo series (consisting of 10 images). The jury comprises nine photographers involved in either photojournalism or news editing.

The winners’ works are published in a photobook and exhibited in several cities worldwide. This includes Istanbul, New York, and Tokyo. If you are a photojournalist, this contest is worth a try!

19. PhMuseum Photography Grant

• Deadline: February 15, 2024
• Fee: $25
• 1st Prize: $4,000, exhibition, and more
• 2nd Prize: $2,000 and exhibition, and more
• New Generation Prize: $2,000, exhibition, and more
• Other: Various exhibitions, residencies, portfolio reviews, and more

This competition focuses on the importance of visual storytelling. Photographers with both a classic approach and innovative projects are welcome to enter.

You can enter one or more photo projects centered around a specific theme. The entry fee is $39, but you get an early bird discount ($30) if you apply before the early bird deadline.

An independent jury with various photo backgrounds reviews the submissions. This contest is a great opportunity if you are outstanding in narrative photography. And who wouldn’t be happy about extra cash you can invest in your artwork?

20. Communication Arts Photography Competition 2024

• Deadline: March 1, 2024
• Fee: $20 to $80
• Category Winners: Personalized award of excellence and award certificate

Most photography contests come with cash prizes. The communication arts photo competition stands out as being one that doesn’t. But don’t let that put you off. It is still a revered photo contest.

Your images must have been captured or published between March 2023 and March 2024 to be eligible. Contest fees range from $20 to $80 for photos, depending on the category (nine total).

Besides winning a personalized excellence award, your image is distributed worldwide in digital and print formats. This is in the Communication Arts Photography Annual.

A distinguished jury of designers, art directors, and photographers choose the winning images. If you’re looking for one of the most coveted awards in the photo industry, you have found it. Submit today!

21. Nikon Small World 2025

• Deadline: April 30, 2025
• Fee: Free
• 1st Prize: $5,000
• 2nd Prize: $3,000
• 3rd Prize: $1,500
• 4th Prize: $800
• 5th Prize: $600
• 6th Prize: $400
• 7th to 10th Prizes: $300
• 11th to 20th Prizes: $200
• Honorable Mentions: $100

The Nikon Small World photo contest offers the greatest chance of winning a cash prize. Whether you place first or 20th, you’ll still win money. A video contest (Small World In Motion Video Competition) also exists.

This photo competition is about photomicrography (which differs from macro photography). This is the discipline of photographing through a light microscope.

As a long-standing camera manufacturer, Nikon has run this competition since 1975. That’s longer than I’ve been taking photos, let alone being alive.

Anyone can enter, and they do in droves. They receive submissions from almost every continent on the planet. There are no restrictions. And you don’t have to use Nikon cameras or microscopes.

Each participant can upload three images for free. Even if you don’t want to enter, check out the previous winners. The images are stunning, and they might motivate you to apply.

Maybe you’re not ready to invest in photomicrography. Our Macro Magic course can help you take the first few steps toward discovering the hidden beauty around you.

22. IPA One Shot Photo Contest: Searching for Peace

• Deadline: May 1, 2024
• Fee: $20 (20% discount for each extra category submission)
• Grand Winner: $2,500
• Category Winner: $500
• Total Cash Prizes: $4,500
• A curated collection of the submitted images will be showcased in an online exclusive e-book.

The IPA’s One Shot photo contest is an annual competition. It invites photographers worldwide to submit their best single image capturing a compelling moment or story.

The contest celebrates the power of a single image to convey emotion, provoke thought, or inspire action. This year’s photographers are invited to capture the essence of peace in various aspects of life. There are four categories:

1. Capturing peaceful moments in daily life
2. Showcasing the serene beauty of nature
3. Finding moments of peace amidst conflict and hardship
4. Expressing your vision of peace

Participants can showcase their creativity and skill across various genres. This includes landscape, portrait, documentary, and conceptual photography. The focus is on excellence and originality.

An esteemed IPA Jury Panel selects winners. The panel comprises over 80 recognized gallerists, photo editors, directors, and collectors. It also features photographers and other prominent photographers.

The One Shot contest serves as a platform for photographers to gain exposure and connect with fellow enthusiasts. Photographers can elevate their craft through the pursuit of visual storytelling excellence.

23. LensCulture Art Photography Awards 2025

• Deadline: TBA (December 2024)
• Fees: Free to $45 (30% discount for students), optional $25 for written review
• Series Award Winners 1st Place Prize: $3,500, exhibition, and more
• Series Award Winners 2nd Place Prize: $2,000, exhibition, and more
• Series Award Winners 3rd Place Prize: $1,000, exhibition, and more
• Single Image Award Winners 1st Place Prize: $2,000, exhibition, and more
• Single Image Award Winners 2nd Place Prize: $1,000, exhibition, and more
• Single Image Award Winners 3rd Place Prize: $500, exhibition, and more

The LensCulture Art Photography Awards recognize creativity. And it pushes the boundaries of traditional photography. It brings attention to diverse and thought-provoking art captured through the camera lens.

Both new and experienced artists can show off their work. You can enter one free image, up to 10 ($45).

They accept all sorts of photography styles. You can submit anything from portraits to experimental photos. This gives artists a chance to share their unique perspectives.

Experts in photography and art judge the awards. It highlights photographers who tell compelling stories through their images. Prizes include exhibitions, projections, and features to help kickstart or boost photography careers.

All entrants will receive benefits, including a LensCulture portfolio account and the opportunity to have their work shown to a wider audience through their website and the press.

Conclusion: Best Photography Contests

We hope you enjoyed our collection of the best photo competitions for 2024. Entering photography contests is not only fun. It’s a way to test your photos in a competitive environment.

It is also an excellent way to gain recognition and win cash prizes for your art. So enter one yourself! Or, if you don’t want to enter one, check out the winners for inspiration to propel your work!

If you want to improve your chances of winning, try our Wow Factor video course or master composition with our Intuitive Composition eBook! Or check out our Effortless Editing With Lightroom course to fine-tune your work.

Our Best eBooks and Courses for Photography Contests

Wow Factor Photography

Wow Factor Photography

Intuitive Composition

Intuitive Composition

Effortless Editing with Lightroom

Effortless Editing with Lightroom

The legalities of starting a photography business might seem daunting, but we’re here to help you get started. This article covers all the legal basics, from the must-know photography laws to the essential documentation. 

It isn’t the most glamorous aspect of being a photographer, but you have to run your photography business legally. Read reading to learn more, and remember to click on the links to see full, in-depth articles on each topic. 

How to Start a Photography Business Legally

When you imagine being a professional photographer, you’re probably thinking about high-spec gear and glamorous photoshoots. You’re probably not thinking about legal documentation. Unfortunately, legal forms play a vital role in any photography business. You’ll get to do the fun stuff too, but you can’t ignore the legal side.

Before you start any business, you need to have a good understanding of the legal framework relating to that industry. That means learning the laws of the country your based in. And if you’re a traveling photographer, you’ll need at least an introductory knowledge of the laws in each country you work in. 

This might sound complicated, but you don’t need a degree from Harvard Law School to start a photography business. You just need to know the industry dos and don’ts, and you need to know all the documents you’ll need and why. 

On the financial side, we recommend speaking to a bank or an accountant before you start your business. This professional advice is essential when starting any kind of business legally. They will help you setup business accounts and register as a business or as a self-employed worker.

Reaching out to other professional photographers is another great way to get started. The only thing better from your own mistakes is to learn from other people’s, so probe the pros for info on getting started. 

The majority of legal information you need to know relates to documents like model and property release forms. You also need photography licenses and insurance. This might seem dry and corporate, but we explain everything in this article. We break everything down so you can easily start a photography business legally. 

Legal Basics

The first step is to learn the legal basics. That means learning the photography laws of the country you’re working in. These tell you who and what you can and cannot take pictures of. And they also tell you what you can and cannot use those photographers for.

It’s important to remember photography laws are not the same in every country. Laws differ from country to country, so you need to know what’s possible legally when you take a job any country. This isn’t such a problem if you’re based in one country, like the UK for example. But you need to bear it in find if your photography involves travel. 

Copyright laws are another important aspect of running a photography business. Much like other laws, they vary from country to country, so you need to do your research. 

Let’s get stuck into the specifics of photography law. Remember, this is just an introduction, so please search for official legal information from the correct authorities in your country. 

Must-Know Photography Laws

Photographers must understand copyright law to protect their work. Copyright is automatically applied to photographs at the moment of creation, giving the photographer ownership and control over the image. This means clients can only use the photos with the photographer’s permission, even if they paid for the shoot.

However, photographers also have restrictions on how they can use their own images. If the photo contains recognizable people or private property, the photographer needs a release form to use the image commercially. Commercial use includes anything created for profit, such as selling prints or using the photo in advertising.

Photographers should also be aware of the legalities surrounding watermarks and sharing photos on social media. Watermarks can help identify the creator and deter theft, while understanding social media terms of service is important to protect your copyright.

If you’d like to learn more about photography laws, our full article is the best place to start.

UK Photography Laws

In the UK, photographers have the right to take photos in public spaces without needing permission. This includes taking photos of people, property, and government buildings. However, it’s important to respect people’s privacy and avoid being intrusive if they’re in a private place like their home.

If you’re on private property that’s open to the public, such as shopping centers or restaurants, you can take photos until the owner or management asks you to stop. Even if you’re asked to stop taking photos on private property, no one can force you to delete the photos you’ve already taken without a court order.

When it comes to dealing with confrontations, it’s best to ask questions and clarify your rights. Ask why you’re being stopped, who the person stopping you is, and what legal basis they have for their actions. Most threats related to public order, privacy rights, or terrorism are unfounded.

To learn more about UK photography laws, check out this in-depth article.

Copyrighting Photos

Copyright is a law that protects your ownership of the photos you create. This means you have the right to reproduce, sell, and do whatever you wish with your images. Copyright automatically applies to your work the moment you create it and lasts your entire life plus some time after your death.

While not required, registering your photos with the US Copyright Office provides extra protection. If someone uses your images without permission, having them registered makes it easier to take legal action. You can apply for copyright online or by mail for a fee.

If you find someone using your copyrighted images without permission, you have options. You can politely ask them to remove the image, give you credit, send a take-down notice, or even sue if they are profiting from your work.

To learn more about how to copyright photos, start with our full article before consulting with an attorney who specializes in intellectual property law.

Photography Insurance

Camera insurance is a must for any serious photographer, whether you’re a hobbyist or a seasoned pro. At the very least, it will help you replace a cracked lens, but it can also protect you from potential lawsuits.

When buying camera insurance, use a company that specializes in photography. General insurance brokers may be unable to tailor the policy to your needs. Make sure to discuss the fields you photograph in, as it may influence the final price of your policy.

Liability insurance is also important if you work with clients. It covers your business, property, employees, and anyone you come into contact with. Errors and omissions insurance protects your reputation and covers costs associated with lawsuits.

If you’d like to learn more about photography insurance, we have a detailed guide that covers everything you need to know.

Essential Legal Paperwork

Legal paperwork isn’t fun, but it’s something you’ll have to get used to as a professional photographer. You can’t operate without the correct legal documentation, so completing the forms is an important part of running your photography business legally.

You’ll need a contract for most photography jobs, so you need to know what to include when writing one. Model and property releases are also essential if you want to make money from your images. It’s best to take the time to get know know the documents and when you’ll need them so they become part of your professional workflow. 

Photography Contracts

A photography contract protects both you and your client. It sets clear expectations and consequences, making the transaction more professional. The contract also builds trust by ensuring there are no surprises.

At the very least, your photography contract should include your business name, the client’s full name, and contact information. Specify the photoshoot date, start time, location, and what each side will deliver. Outline your cancellation policy and any fees that may apply.

Detail the payment schedule and copyright ownership. You’ll typically want to keep the copyright while granting the client use rights. Get model releases to use the photos publicly, especially online. Finally, explain your editing process and any extra fees for travel or major changes.

A photography contract is a must to protect your business, and our in-depth guide has everything you need to know about them.

Photography License

A photography license is a legal requirement for professional photographers in some areas. The specific licenses and permits needed vary by country, state, and city. It’s important to check with local officials to determine what’s necessary for your photography business.

In the United States, most places don’t require a professional photography license. However, a few select cities may have this requirement at the city or state level. Contact your local city hall or state licensing board for more information.

Even if a photography license isn’t required, consider getting a certification from an organization like the Professional Photographers of America. This adds a layer of professionalism to your business and can help you stand out in today’s market.

Check out our full-length article on getting a photography license for everything you need to know.

Photo Licensing Agreement

A photo licensing agreement is a contract that outlines how a client can use your images. It grants specific usage rights to the client, and the images may only be used within the bounds of this agreement. The licensing agreement is a separate document from your main contract.

The agreement should specify if the license is exclusive or non-exclusive and describe the intended use of the images. Be very specific about how the client can use your photos. More clients are asking for “universal and unlimited rights,” but they should pay extra for this.

The agreement must also specify the time frame the client can use the image. You can allow longer use, but it should cost extra.

To learn more about the details to include in your photo licensing agreement, our in-depth post has everything you need to get started.

Photo Release Form

A photo release form is a contract between the photographer and the subject that grants permission to use the image. In the U.S., using someone’s likeness commercially without their consent is prohibited. The form can include usage limits and an expiration date.

There are different types of photo release forms. Model release forms are for photographing people, while property release forms cover buildings and objects. Print release forms allow clients to make copies of photos. Minor release forms require a parent or guardian’s signature for subjects under 18.

You don’t need a release form to take photos in public places, but you can’t use those images commercially without permission. Selling a photo is considered commercial use, as is using it to promote your photography services on social media.

See our full article on photo release forms to give yourself everything you need to know about this topic.

Model Release Form

A model release form is a legal contract between a photographer and the subject they photograph. It gives the photographer permission to use the photos in specific ways, such as for commercial purposes or in a portfolio. The form protects both parties by outlining the rights and responsibilities of each.

The details in a model release form can vary depending on local laws and the intended use of the photos. It’s important to research the requirements for your location and situation. In general, the form should include the subject’s name and contact information, a description of the photos, and the specific usage rights being granted.

Using a template can make creating a model release form easier. Customize it to fit your needs, and have it reviewed by a legal professional to ensure its validity.

A model release form is an essential tool for any photographer working with models or subjects, so it’s worth creating a thorough and legally sound document.

Model Release Form Apps

A model release app makes it easy to get permission from models to use their photos commercially. You can use your smartphone to have models sign the release digitally. This protects you from legal issues if you want to sell the photos later.

Popular model release apps include Model Releaser, Easy Release, and Releases by 500px. They offer customizable forms and useful features like attaching model photos to the releases. You can also back up your files to the cloud to always have a copy.

Some apps have free versions, while others require a purchase to unlock all the features. Try out a few to find the best model release app for your needs. Using one is an important step if you want to do professional photography.

Our guide on model release apps will give you all of your top options for ensuring you have valid model release forms.

Real Estate Photo Contracts

A real estate photography contract is an important document that outlines the terms and expectations between the photographer and the client. It should include information about both parties, the scope of the agreement, payment terms, property requirements, extra fees, image delivery, usage rights, and a property release.

The scope of the agreement is the most important part, describing your services in detail to avoid misunderstandings. Payment terms are also crucial, specifying the final price, deposit, and when payment is due. It’s best to ask for a deposit to secure the shoot date and receive the final payment before delivering the full-resolution images.

The contract should also outline the client’s responsibilities in preparing the property for the shoot. If you want to use the images for your real estate photography, include a property contract.

Property Release Form

A property release form is a written contract between a photographer and the owner of a property. It grants the photographer permission to use images of the property for commercial or artistic purposes. This form protects the rights of both parties and outlines the terms of the agreement, such as the time period, licensing regulations, and financial details.

To be legally binding, a property release form must include the names, addresses, dates, and signatures of both parties, in addition to the agreed-upon terms. Landscape, street, and architectural photographers often require these forms to use their images in magazines, advertisements, or other commercial contexts.

Even seemingly public spaces like shopping centers, city squares, and streets may be privately owned, necessitating a property release form for professional photography. While capturing images in these areas is generally allowed, using them for commercial purposes without permission can lead to legal issues.

Obtaining a signed property release form is essential if you plan to sell your images through a stock photography website or use them for a professional photo shoot.

A property release form can help you avoid potential problems and ensure that you have the necessary permissions to use your images as intended.

Making money from stock photos can be a bit of a nightmare. There are so many options out there for picture editors. And it might seem that no-one wants to pay for images any more. But the good news is, that there is always a market for top-quality, topically-relevant images. And we’re here to help you to navigate your way to taking (and selling!) your photos.

Taking the Right Pictures

Stock photography is a great way to make money from your images. To maximize your income, it’s important to take photos that sell. Research current trends and what clients are looking for by searching online, checking magazines, trade newspapers, and attending trade shows.

Planning your shoot with a shot list will help you capture all the angles and scenarios you need. Dedicate time specifically for stock photography to ensure you get the best possible shots. Shoot with the end product in mind, considering how clients might use the image.

Only show your best work and cover a range of topics within your chosen field. Follow current trends to increase your chances of making sales. Adding keywords and descriptions to your images is vital so potential buyers can find them. Photos that sell well can provide a steady income stream for photographers who put in the time and effort.

Selling

Selling stock photos can be a great way to make extra money from your photography. To get started, research what types of images are in demand and plan your shoots around popular concepts like business, lifestyle, and outdoor activities. Capture high-quality photos with perfect exposure, pleasing compositions, and natural-looking subjects.

After the shoot, edit your files and choose only the best images to market. Keep your photo library organized with programs like Lightroom or Capture One. You can also use Photoshop to create unique images that would be impossible to photograph in real life.

To sell your stock photos, you can join a stock photo agency or market them yourself. Agencies handle hosting, marketing, and sales, but take a percentage of each sale. If you sell on your own, create a website or use a platform like Photoshelter to showcase your work. Set your pricing based on licensing models like Rights Managed or Royalty Free. With focus and planning, you can turn your stock photography into a profitable business. If you’d like to learn more about selling stock photos, there are many helpful resources available.

Business Tips

To improve your stock photography business, consider licensing your images through premium stock agencies like Shutterstock and Adobe. While you may sell fewer photos, you’ll earn more per sale compared to microstock agencies. Premium agencies have higher standards, but your images don’t have to be exclusive.

Diversifying your stock offerings is key to making money. Work with multiple agencies to increase exposure and cross-submit to non-exclusive ones. Study the stock photography market to understand what types of images are in demand, and submit every viable photo from your shoots.

Use relevant keywords to help buyers find your images in large databases. Consistency is crucial, so make time to regularly shoot and submit new photos. Let your unique photography style shine to stand out from the crowd. You can also sell through your own website to keep all the profits, but remember to get model releases and treat your stock photography as a serious business.

Best Stock Photo Sites

To help you get an idea of the types of images that sell, check out the most popular stock photo sites. They are a great resource for finding high-quality images quickly. They have a range of photos for website, document, or creative project needs.

Shutterstock is one of the largest stock photo sites with over a billion images. iStock by Getty Images also offers a wide selection of professional photos, illustrations, and videos. For those on a budget, free stock photo sites like Unsplash and Pexels provide beautiful images at no cost.

We’ve reviewed the most popular stock photo sites to help you check them out.

Becoming Profitable

Selling stock photos can be a profitable way to make money as a photographer. To get started, create a portfolio of your best images that are likely to sell well. Focus on capturing photos that are in demand, such as popular travel destinations, rather than just what you enjoy shooting.

Choose the right stock agency to represent your work. Research their commission rates, submission process, and the types of photos they sell. Make sure your images are a good fit for their collection.

When submitting your photos, include only your best work. Check every image at 100% for technical issues like dust, chromatic aberration, and sharpness. Add relevant keywords and metadata to help potential buyers find your images.

Building a successful stock photography business takes time. Continuously work on selling stock photos and stay up to date with trends in your genre to maximize your sales.

Shutterstock

Shutterstock is a popular stock photography website where photographers can sell their photos. To become a Shutterstock contributor, you need to create a free account and upload your photos. The photos must be JPEGs that are at least 4 megapixels in size.

Once uploaded, add details to your photos like the image type, description, and keywords. This helps customers find your photos more easily. Shutterstock pays contributors a percentage of each photo’s sale price, ranging from 15-40% depending on how many photos you sell per year.

You can track your earnings and see which photos are selling well. To become a shutterstock contributor, focus on creating a large, diverse portfolio of high-quality, well-edited photos. Use Shutterstock’s contributor resources to stay on top of trends and give your photos the best chance of selling.

Travel Photos

Selling your travel photos can be a great way to make money with your photography. To get started, make sure your photos are high-quality and error-free. They should be well-lit, beautifully composed, and better than what already exists.

There are many ways to sell your travel photos, such as through stock photography agencies, directly to clients, or as prints. Choose the method that aligns with your goals and the types of photos you capture.

Actively promoting your work is key to maximizing sales. Use social media, email lists, and collaborations with stock agencies to market your photos. Keep in mind that the destinations you want to visit may not always be the ones that sell well. To learn more about how to sell travel photos, check out this in-depth guide.

What Equipment Do You Need?

Different stock picture agencies will have different requirements. But in general you will need a good quality camera to meet their specifications. The key is to buy wisely, and expand your gear as you are able. Then you can increase the range of niches you can shoot.

Camera, Lenses, and Accessories

To take great stock photos, you need the right equipment. A high-quality camera is essential. Look for a DSLR or mirrorless camera that meets the requirements of stock agencies.

The lens you choose is just as important as the camera. Wide-angle lenses are great for landscapes and interiors. Telephoto lenses work well for wildlife and sports. And macro lenses are perfect for food photography.

Lighting equipment is a must for indoor studio shoots. Options include studio strobes, continuous lights, and flashes. Accessories like tripods, filters, and reflectors are also useful. Build up your collection over time as you need them. And don’t forget about props to add interest to your shots. If you want to learn more about stock photography equipment, there are many great resources available.

Best Sellers, What to Avoid, and FAQs

If you want to dip your toe in the water, then what are the best places to start? We’ve looked at some best-selling stock photo ideas, and some you really should avoid. We have also chosen some FAQs to answer your queries too.

Top Sellers

We’ve gathered together 20 of the best-selling stock photo themes to inspire your next photography project:

They range from modern aging, which shows older people staying active and adapting to new trends, to DIY projects like baking bread or growing herbs. Mental health awareness and time spent in nature are also in demand.

Wanderlust is back as people travel more. Environmental consciousness and sustainability are important trends. Buyers want real-looking models, not photoshopped perfection. Social responsibility and mindfulness are respected behaviors.

Healthy food alternatives are here to stay. Home office setups with houseplants are a hit. Moving images like cinemagraphs and stop-motion are trending. These are just some of the trends that can point you in the right direction.

Quality photos that tell stories and connect to what’s important never go out of style. Adding your own personality can make your stock photos stand out. If you’re interested in selling stock photos, these themes are a great place to start.

Ones to Avoid

There are many types of stock photos to avoid using. Over-exaggerated emotions and unnatural activities in strange settings look funny and make it hard for people to connect with the subjects. Low-quality or poorly edited images will make your business look bad.

Instead, use high-quality images that are timeless and can’t be outdated by the changing world. Avoid cliches, stereotypes, and outdated references that might even offend your customers. Focus on organic and natural-looking photos that tell your story.

If you want to learn more about the bad stock photos to avoid using, there is a lot of helpful information available.

FAQs

What are stock photos? You’ll find answers to this and other questions in our article. You can find stock photos of nearly any subject to illustrate websites and publications.

Stock photography agencies have vast catalogs of images online. Photographers contribute their work to the catalog voluntarily. The agencies then make the photos available for people to use on their websites, blogs, and publications.

Using stock photos is much easier and cheaper than hiring a photographer. Stock photo companies have already handled the legal aspects, so you can use the images without worrying about copyright issues. If you want to learn more about what stock photos are, there are great resources available with further information.

We’ll take you through 13 of the best free image hosting sites. We compare what they offer and look at the features that make each site helpful for photographers. By the end of this article, you will have plenty of information to decide on the best free image hosting site.

Our Top 3 Choices for Free Image Hosting

SmugMug

SmugMug

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

Wix

Wix

Why You Need to Consider Paid or Free Image Hosting

Image hosting is vital for all photographers. Whether you’re a professional photographer or an enthusiastic hobbyist, it doesn’t matter. Data loss because of a hardware malfunction is painful and frustrating.

There’s a saying that it’s not a question of if your hard drive will fail, but when. The solution to this is image hosting.

Having your photos stored in a cloud service gives you that extra assurance. If something happens to your computer, you won’t lose your photos.

Uploading your images to the cloud also frees up space on your computer, allowing it to work faster. And finally, your images are available across devices. You can share pictures with family and friends and access them anywhere, at any time.

13 Best Paid and Free Image Hosting Websites

Here are our top 13 picks. We list the file size limits for images, supported file types, editing tools, and if they have paid options.

Our Top Pick

SmugMug

SmugMug

• A range of free and paid plans
• Large 3 GB file size limit
• Unlimited space available
• Editing tools included

Best for Prime Subscribers

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

• Comprehensive list of compatible files
• Generous 2 GB maximum file size
• Editing tools included
• Paid plans up to 2 TB storage

Best Website Builder Option

Wix

Wix

• Excellent range of templates
• Very user-friendly site
• No coding required
• Up to unlimited storage space available

Best for Cross-Platform Sharing

Dropbox

Dropbox

• Huge 2 TB maximum file size
• Apps available for Mac, iOS, PC and Android
• Up to 5 TB paid storage
• Very flexible storage arrangements

Best for Google Workspace Users

Google Photo Prints

Google Photo Prints

• Up to 200 MB image size
• Editing tools included
• 15 GB of free storage
• Cross-platform compatibility

Best for Social Networking

Flickr

Flickr

• Free storage for up to 1,000 items
• 200 MB maximum image size
• Comes with editing and sharing tools
• Unlimited storage with paid plans

Best for Showcasing Images

500px

500px

• Up to 21 free uploads per week
• 50 MB maximum image size
• Editing tools are included
• Follow other photographers' portfolios

Best for Free Unlimited Storage

ImgBB

ImgBB

• Unlimited storage even on free plans
• 32 MB maximum image size on free plans
• Comes with editing tools
• Simple drag-and-drop upload process

Best Option for Reddit Users

Imgur

Imgur

• Unlimited storage
• Maximum 20 MB image size
• Upload up to 50 images per hour
• Good range of compatible file types

Best for Easy Image Resizing

PostImage

PostImage

• Up to 24 MB file size in free plan
• Unlimited storage
• Tailored resizing for different uses
• Editing tools included

Best Option for Pinterest Users

ImageShack

ImageShack

• Up to 10 GB storage on a free trial
• Comes with editing tools
• 25 MB maximum file size
• Unlimited storage space

Easiest to Use

imgbox

imgbox

• Unlimited storage space
• Maximum 10 MB image size
• Free to use
• Simple drag-and-drop uploads

Best for Remote Uploading

Uploads.im

Uploads.im

• Unlimited storage space
• Good range of compatible file types
• 10 MB maximum file size
• Easy Pinterest and X (Twitter) sharing

1. SmugMug

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 3 GB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, GIF, PNG, HEIC
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited except RAW (512 GB, 1+ TB plans)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free 14-day trial, monthly and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Photographers wanting a website and storage solution

×

SmugMug

SmugMug

$1.00

Buy Now!

SmugMug is one of the most popular platforms for photographers. It’s a great site to display your photos and sell prints and other products.

No one who takes photos is left behind. There are features for everyone, whether you are a pro, an enthusiast, or a “memory maker.”

The basic plan is relatively cheap, and you can pay an annual subscription. This gets you the secure photo storage that you need.

You get more storage and increased features with the pricier plans. These include the ability to create a customizable portfolio site with your own domain. There are 21 design options. And there are editing tools that allow you to tweak the templates.

They have also introduced RAW file storage services. You can pay for RAW file storage starting at 512 GB. Plus, they have plugins for Adobe Lightroom and Capture One. And there are apps for mobile and desktop for easy organization.

Another bonus of SmugMug is that you can set up an eCommerce store to sell prints or photos. And sharing on social media is also an option. You can try SmugMug with a 14-day free trial.

2. Amazon Prime Photos

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 2 GB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, PNG, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space 5 GB, 100 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free with Amazon Prime membership, paid storage upgrades
Best For	Best For Anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription

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Amazon Prints

Amazon

$1.00

Buy Now!

Prime Photos is Amazon’s photo storage solution, available free for Prime members. You can store and share unlimited high-resolution photos on your desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. And it includes 5 GB of storage for videos. The full list of compatible file types is quite extensive.

The service also lets you order photo prints, cards, custom wall decor, and other products. And it includes free shipping.

With a Prime membership, you can invite up to five people to receive unlimited photo storage. With “groups,” you can share images with anyone, even if they’re not a Prime member.

You can use iOS or Android mobile apps to auto-save your photos. Then safely delete them from your phone to free up space on your device. As with the other options, you can pay to upgrade Prime Photos to a complete suite of services.

3. Wix

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 25 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF+, and others
Storage Space	Storage Space 500 MB (free), 2 GB, 50 GB, 100 GB, Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a combined website builder and image storing solution

×

Wix

Wix

$1.00

Buy Now!

Wix is well known for being one of the biggest website hosting platforms on the internet. They have been around for many years. And they have solidified themselves as an easy-to-use, cheap way to have a professional website. But you can also use Wix for free image hosting.

It doesn’t offer a fully dedicated service specifically tailored for free image hosting. Instead, you have to set up a website with Wix in a way that shares your photos easily. This is both a negative and a positive, depending on why and how you share your photos.

It’s negative because you must spend time setting up and organizing an efficient way to present your images. But this isn’t too much of an issue because Wix provides many great website templates.

It’s a positive because you get to share images exactly how you want to present them. This could be particularly useful for people who want to share their work as a portfolio.

Wix allows you to upload in JPEGs and PNGs with an image size limit of 25 MB.

4. Dropbox

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 2 TB (desktop and mobile)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, PDF, GIF, HEIC+
Storage Space	Storage Space 2 GB (free), 2 TB, 3 TB, 5 TB+ (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a comprehensive online storage solution

×

Dropbox

Dropbox

$1.00

Buy Now!

Dropbox is a simple and efficient way to store your photos. The best way to understand this platform is as a virtual box where you can “drop” your photos. They’re saved in the cloud and available for you to access anytime.

You can also upload images from your computer to Dropbox as you would with any other files. Or you can upload them from its Android and iOS apps. File sizes are limited to 50 GB through the Dropbox website and 350 GB through the Dropbox API.

Dropbox supports a broad range of image files. You can organize your folders and sub-galleries and share links to individual files or folders. You can also sync your photos to a folder on your desktop.

Once photos are in the cloud, you can share the files directly with other Dropbox users. It also backs up photos automatically. So you don’t have to worry about losing data.

To share a photo, right-click on the image and then copy and paste the link to your desired sharing location. You can also share this link via email. Plus, your contacts or visitors can download your photos if you provide them with access.

Dropbox doesn’t provide specialized tools for photographers. But it’s an excellent option for storing original or edited versions of your photos. And Dropbox is free up to 2 GB of storage.

5. Google Photos

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 200 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, HEIC, ICO, WEBP, and some RAW files
Storage Space	Storage Space 15 GB (free), 1 TB (Google Workspace), 100 GB, 200 GB, 2 TB (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Google Workspace users

×

Google Photo Prints

Google

$1.00

Buy Now!

Google Photos is an excellent service for uploading high-quality images. And you can do so in large quantities, which many other sites don’t offer. The platform also offers automatic backups, unlimited space, and uploads.

You can store photos at a maximum resolution of 16 MP. Videos can have a maximum resolution of 1080p. To save a bigger image or video file, you must pay for space on Google Drive.

To get started, download the Google Photos app or go to Google Photos. You can automatically upload your photos and sync them with your Google account.

You can store images using your free 15 GB storage space from your Google account. Or you can pay for 100 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB storage plans. You can upload JPEGs, PNGS, and GIF images, as well as some other file formats.

Google Photos provides an easy way to share and upload images. A lot of people have a Google account. So if you don’t want to create a new account on a different platform, this might be the photo-sharing platform for you.

6. Flickr

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 200 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF (non-animated)
Storage Space	Storage Space 1,000 items (free), Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, yearly, and two-year paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for good social media integrations

×

Flickr

Flickr

$1.00

Buy Now!

A lot of photographers have forgotten about Flickr. But it has been around for a long time, and it’s still trendy to use. Flickr offers free image hosting. And you can organize your images into albums and edit them from within the app.

One of the main draws of Flickr is social networking. You can share your photos with the community and join groups for different types of photography.

Photographers can mark their favorite images and also leave comments. And you can edit your privacy settings to control who sees your photos.

Flickr offers a large amount of storage and an interface that’s simple to use. You can upload up to 1,000 high-resolution images on their free plan.

If you upgrade to the Flickr Pro plan, you get unlimited storage, 6K photo display, and access to advanced statistics. You also receive discounts for SmugMug, Blurb, PHLEARN, and Priime.

7. 500px

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 50 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, HEIC, TIFF
Storage Space	Storage Space 21 images per week (free), Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for online storage with easy sharing options

×

500px

500px

$1.00

Buy Now!

Created with professional photographers in mind, 500px offers a platform to display your images. The free version lets you upload 21 photos per week. But if you buy any of the membership options, you can upload unlimited photos. Plus, you’ll receive priority customer support.

The primary function of 500px is showcasing images, not social media sharing. And you can’t link to other sites.

The most significant benefits are displaying your photos and networking. You can share your pictures and make comments on other photos. You can also follow your favorite photographers.

You can build a profile on 500px and license your photos as stock photography. You’ll get paid up to 60% commission for any sales.

8. ImgBB

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 32 MB (free), 64 MB (paid)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, WEBP, HEIC, PDF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, yearly, and three-year paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for unlimited storage online

×

ImgBB

ImgBB

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImgBB is one of the best free image hosting sites because it’s easy to upload, organize, and share photos. It has a minimalist approach to its design. And I am a big fan of it. This simple layout makes it easy to identify and upload your images.

One of the best points about ImgBB is that it doesn’t restrict the number of images you can upload, even using its free service. You will get an image size restriction of 32 MB. But you can upload images up to 64 MB in the paid monthly plans.

Once your account is set up, you can drag and drop your files onto the page to upload images. Another strong point of ImgBB is the quick access to a range of links. These include direct links to a full-size image or thumbnail HTML links for integration with different sites.

I would say ImgBB is one of the best free image hosting sites on our list. You can read our review of ImgBB for more information.

9. Imgur

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 20 MB (non-animated)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited, 50 images per hour
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone who wants unlimited online storage for free

×

Imgur

imgur

$1.00

Buy Now!

With Imgur, you don’t have to worry about your photos expiring. You can also store as many images as you want. Plus, they have features to add captions to your photos or upload them via email.

Unlike some of the other image hosting options, Imgur allows direct linking. Each image can have a link posted in forums or embedded in HTML.

You can upload many different file formats to Imgur besides the standard ones like JPEG and PNG. These include BMP, TIFF, GIF, APNG, PDF, and XCF. It supports non-animated files up to 20 MB and GIFs up to 200 MB.

You can share your images on most social networking sites. Imgur is often used for uploads to Reddit.

10. PostImage

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 24 MB (free), 48 MB (paid)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG+
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to tailor the size of their photos according to usage

×

PostImage

postimage

$1.00

Buy Now!

PostImage is another free image hosting site that provides a simple way to send your photos over the web. My favorite feature of PostImage is when you upload photos. Before you even select your images, it gives you two options.

The first is to resize your image. PostImage has made this amazingly helpful by providing the resolution. It also tells you what these resolutions are best for. This ranges from a thumbnail to a 21-inch monitor.

The other option you get is to set an expiry date for your photo. You still have the option for no expiration. But having an expiry date could suit your needs, especially if you don’t want your images lurking around the web.

Apart from this initial resizing tool and the expiration date, PostImage has no other editing features. But you do get the opportunity to upload your photos in bulk.

The free version downscales “hot link” images to 1280 pixels. Their premium plan shows these images in their original resolution.

PostImage is a great free image hosting service if you want a simple, fast way to share your images. It’s specifically meant to share images on websites, blogs, message boards, and eBay.

11. ImageShack

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 25 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space 10 GB (free trial), Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options 30-day free trial, monthly and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Pinterest users wanting online storage

×

ImageShack

ImageShack

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImageShack is another of the more familiar image hosting sites on our list. It may not be a free service anymore. But you do get a free 30-day trial. This may be beneficial for a particularly busy time when you have to use an image hosting site for a short period.

will prefer using this site as it has a similar layout. This layout style makes it extremely easy to quickly sift through large amounts of imagery.

ImageShack is now a primarily paid service. But you still get all the extra bells and whistles of an image hosting site during your free trial.

These features include great mobile app integration, image stats, and many photo editing methods. It even has a useful watermark option that can save you lots of time.

The ImageShack free trial allows you to upload up to 10 GB of images during that month. Paid versions have unlimited photo storage. Each image can have a maximum size of 25 MB. And you can upload all the major image formats. These include JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, and GIF.

12. ImgBox

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 10 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for an easy-to-use online storage solution

×

imgbox

imgbox

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImgBox is a free, easy-to-use platform for sharing your images. This platform has unlimited storage space and lets you store your photos permanently. JPEGs, PNGs, and GIFs are all supported.

The platform offers several features. These include image galleries, drag-and-drop uploads, and direct links.

You don’t even need to create an account to upload your images. But having an account gives you the ability to access your photos later. It also allows you to upload your images quicker with preset settings.

You can even share your photos via social media and allow comments from others through ImgBox. You can learn about current social media image dimensions here.

13. Uploads.im

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 10 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, PSD, PDF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone wanting to upload from remote websites

×

Uploads.im

uploads.im

$1.00

Buy Now!

With Uploads.im, you can upload various image file types via their main page. You can upload directly from your computer by clicking the “local” button. Or you can click on the “remote” tab to upload from a URL.

This platform supports uploading several images at one time. The size limit for a single image is 10 MB. There are no restrictions on the number of image files you can upload. And images won’t be deleted after a certain amount of time.

You can share your image on Pinterest or Twitter or post it to a forum or blog with links and codes. And they also provide a hyperlink shortener.

Uploads.im isn’t your traditional image hosting site where you can easily view your images. But it can be useful if you only share images occasionally or need to share an image in a pinch.

Conclusion: Best Paid and Free Image Hosting Sites

These paid and free image hosting websites offer some great features. The file size and type of files you can upload determine how much you can utilize them. You also want to watch out for included editing tools that can be a huge time saver.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution that is perfect for everyone. You may need to use a couple of services that complement each other to meet all your image hosting needs. But after looking through our list, you should see what services will work best for you.

Our Top 3 Choices for Free Image Hosting

SmugMug

SmugMug

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

Wix

Wix

In this article, we look at 20 of the best places to sell photos online. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each platform. And we’ll provide tips on making the most of each one. Finding ways to sell your photos is essential for building a successful photography business.

Our Top 3 Choices for Selling Photos Online

Picfair

Picfair

SmugMug

SmugMug

Alamy

Alamy

What Are the Best Places to Sell Photos Online?

Starting a business taking portraits or covering weddings can be fun. But but clients and paid gigs can be inconsistent and fleeting. But if you set up a platform for selling photos online, you can create an evergreen source of income. 

There are plenty of options out there. The most popular ones are stock photo agencies. There are also a few websites where you can sell your pictures directly to clients or even as artwork.

Stock photography sites are significant in two ways. First, stock websites sell your work for you. After you upload the photos, all you have to do is sit back and watch your profits grow.

But apart from helping you sell photos online, stock photo agencies also provide information on current stock photo trends. In other words, they give you ideas and hints on what images will likely make you money.

The problem with these sites is they provide a lot of content, which grows every minute. That means your photos compete with millions of other options on the internet.

Another downside is that it can take a long time to edit and work on images to upload. Stock photo websites have strict guidelines when selling photos online. You must follow plenty of rules around the quality and information needed for every image.

We’ve also included other types of photo selling websites, like those dedicated to selling art by independent artists. The downside is that these sites cover all types of art, not just photography. But it means you can sell the work you love to make, not only photos that relate to popular stock niches. 

Before we look at our recommendations in more detail, here’s a summary of our top picks.

Our Top Pick

Picfair

Picfair

• Set your own prices
• Payments are handled by Picfair
• Use your own custom domain name

Best Portfolio Platform

SmugMug

SmugMug

• Works well as a photographer's portfolio website
• Set your own prices for your work
• You get to keep 85% of the sale price

Best for Non-Exclusive Commissions

Alamy

Alamy

• 50% royalty payments
• More than 60 million photos
• Non-exclusive contracts

Best Standard Stock Site

iStock Stock Photos

iStock Stock Photos

• Part of Getty Images
• Up to 45% royalties
• High recognition for increased traffic

Best Integrated eCommerse

ShootProof

ShootProof

• Wide range of portfolio templates with customizable options
• Excellent eCommerce tools with automated invoicing
• Integrated print selling options

Best for Videos

Shutterstock Stock Photos

Shutterstock Stock Photos

• More than 91 million videos
• In excess of 184 million pictures
• Up to 30% royalties

Best Shopfront

Etsy

Etsy

• World's largest online marketplace for creatives
• More than 30 million users
• You keep 96.5% of the sale price

Best Creative Space

Canva

Canva

• Very popular design platform
• Allows users to upload and sell their images
• Always evolving with new features

Multimedia Creators

Zenfolio

Zenfolio

• Excellent security with watermarks and password-protected galleries
• Displays images, videos, and other media
• Integrated eCommerce and print selling programs

Best for Integration

Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock

• Works seamlessly with the Adobe Creative Cloud
• Immediate royalty payments
• Used by more than four million buyers

Best for Artistic Photography Work

Artfinder

Artfinder

• Sells art of all kinds from independent artists
• Full control over your online store
• Seller forum for sharing information and strategies

Best for Self-Curating

Dreamstime Stock Photos

Dreamstime Stock Photos

• Royalties up to 49.5%
• Self-curated content
• Excellent starting package

Best for Selling to Multiple Sites

Wirestock

Wirestock

• Sell to multiple stock sites quickly and easily
• Automatically handles keywords and captioning
• Simple to use

Best Instagram Integration

Instaproofs

Instaproofs

• Easily upload your images from your Instagram account
• $10 a month lets you keep 100% of the sale price
• Free plan takes 12% commission

Best Print-on-Demand Option

Fine Art America

Fine Art America

• Printing and shipping handled by the site
• You set your prices
• You keep 35% of the sale price

The Best Places to Sell Photos Online

Let’s look in more detail at the best places to sell your photos online.

1. Picfair

Service Offered	Service Offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features Direct selling to clients
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a quick and easy way of selling their photos

×

Picfair

Picfair

$1.00

Buy Now!

Picfair is our top recommendation to photographers looking to sell photographs online. It’s one of the most popular platforms for photographers, and with good reason. The account is easy to set up and use, the portfolios look professional, and Picfair helps you out with invoicing and accounting.

Picfair allows you to upload as many as 10,000 images and sell them through their systems. The platform gives you your own site where you can create different portfolios and galleries, allowing you to display your work in a professional way. 

You set your own prices on your work, and Picfair doesn’t add any extra or hidden prices. They also don’t take a commission from your sales, so all the money goes straight in your pocket.

Handling money and organizing earnings is one of the most stressful parts of being a professional photographer. But Picfair makes that part of the business super easy.

Picfair handles all payment processing, streamlining the transfer so it goes directly into one of your financial accounts. UK users can have the money sent directly to their bank account, while international users can use apps PayPal and Wise.

If you’re worried about theft, Picfair take security very seriously. Their platform is completely secure, and they add watermarks automatically so viewers can steal you images. And don’t fear, the watermarks only appear on the images when being viewed by website visitors. They don’t touch the original image and buyers get a clean version. 

Their photo licensing rules favor photographers, so you know they have your interests at heart. They provide you with all the licensing information you need, so it’s totally transparent. There’s also no exclusivity agreement with Picfair, so you can publish, promote, and sell your images on other sites too. 

We mentioned that Picfair doesn’t take a cut of your sales revenue, which is true, but users do have to pay a subscription fee. All the plans are reasonably priced, but it does mean you can make a loss if you don’t sell any pictures. Thankfully, they have plenty of advisory material to help you sell more photos.

2. Smugmug

Service Offered	Service Offered Portfolio site
Key Features	Key Features Simply choose your website design and add sales functionality
Best For	Best For Photographers who want to add photo sales to their portfolio

×

SmugMug

SmugMug

$1.00

Buy Now!

SmugMug is an excellent site for those photographers with an entrepreneurial mindset. It allows you to create a professional portfolio to display and sell your work, making it a central hub for your photography business. 

They don’t offer the biggest selection of templates portfolios, but what they do have is excellent. Sleek, professional designs give you an impressive store font presents your work in its best light. 

There’s no limit to the number of JPEG images you can store, allowing you to display all your best work. RAW file storage, however, is an additional extra you need to purchase. 

They provide guidance on pricing your work, but you have final say on how much you charge. You need to bear in mind that SmugMug takes a 15% commission on all sales through the platform, so that might influence your prices. 

Integrated payment systems for the likes of Paypal make the financial side of the business super easy. There are no credit card processing fees, and tax calculations and receipts are generated automatically. 

You can also sell prints as well as digital images, and the printing services are integrated into your account. The number of printing services available depends on your location, but the streamlined process gives you more options for making money from photo sales. Shipment and delivery are also taken care of. 

The 24/7 support channels are a godsend, especially when you’re setting up your account. Both phone and chat are manned by real people, so you always get the answers you need. 

SmugMug makes it easy to run a photography business. Your account becomes a portfolio, a sales hub, an accounting center, and a creative community. 

Check out our full SmugMug Review if you want to learn more. 

3. Alamy

Service offered	Service offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features More than 60 million images
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for generous royalty payments

×

Alamy

Alamy

$1.00

Buy Now!

Alamy is a British stock photography website that was started in 1999. To date, it has over 60 million photos and videos. There is a reason for this tremendous amount of content. And it’s partly because of the 50% royalty payment on each photograph it sells.

Despite the large commissions, exclusivity agreements are optional, so you can still sell the same images on different platforms. That’s why this is one of the first choices for selling photos online.

And they don’t just accept images. You can also upload stock video footage to help broaden your appeal and generate more sales. Their catalog is extensive, and they have curated galleries to help users find what they need. 

Alamy doesn’t make any changes to your work once the images are uploaded, and the copyright stays with you. You still own the work even if you have an (optional) exclusive agreement. The platform is also completely secure, so no one can steal your work from their platform without paying. 

Alamy‘s pro-creator attitude influences its ban on AI-generated images and videos. Everything on their site has been created by a real-life artist, which is great news for sellers and buyers. 

4. iStock Stock Photos

Service Offered	Service Offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features 15-45% royalties
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a comprehensive, high-traffic site

×

iStock Stock Photos

iStock

$1.00

Buy Now!

iStock photo is Getty Images’ microstock branch. It’s a great place to sell stock photos if you are starting because it’s a well-known site with millions of users all looking for stock images and content to illustrate their media. 

iStock has a massive library, which means you work can get drowned out. But with the right research, you can find popular yet under-represented niches.

iStock also includes popular forums and resources that help you understand how to sell photos online. This information is especially useful if this if you’re first experience selling stock images. 

The royalty payment starts at 15% per download. It can increase to 45%, depending on how popular your photos are. If a customer purchases an image using their subscription credits, you only receive 15%.

If you are into exclusivity, iStock Photo will give you 22 to 45%. This rate works on a contract with a 30-day notice period.

You never have to work about your work being stolen or used illegitimately. iStock has excellent security and no one can use your images without making a purchase first. They also use temporary watermarks in the viewer, so people can’t screenshot the images and use them illegally.  

5. ShootProof

Service Offered	Service Offered All-in-one photography business tool
Key Features	Key Features Website templates and integrated sales features
Best For	Best For Photographers looking for a bright, stylish website to sell their photos

×

ShootProof

ShootProof

$1.00

Buy Now!

ShootProof is another platform that works as a central hub for your online photography business. It’s a portfolio website with galleries to display your best images. It’s a sales platform that allows viewers to buy your work. It also offers file storage and invoicing and accounting support. 

The galleries and portfolios are simple yet stylish, and you have options to customize the templates to make them more personal and unique. You can also make password-protected galleries for specific clients, allowing you to share your work privately and securely. 

The platform provides contract templates with personalized logos, which is a big help if you’re new to the legalities of professional photography. These include model and property release forms, which can be a pain when you’re starting out. You can also upload contract templates if you already have your own.

eCommerce is simple with ShootProof. You can set prices, create pricing packages and bundles, and arrange discounts. They also help you sell prints of your images, working with several US-based and European printing companies. 

ShootProof offers several subscription plans. They are all reasonably priced, so it’s a case of finding the plan that matches the needs of your business at this time. You can also upgrade at a later date if business picks up.

Read our full ShootProof review for more information. 

6. Shutterstock Stock Photos

Service Offered	Service Offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features Huge repository and non-exclusive use
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to sell their photos in several locations

×

Shutterstock Stock Photos

Shutterstock

$1.00

Buy Now!

Shutterstock houses 184 million images and 91 million videos. They have been enjoying steady growth in sales since its founding in 2003. In 2017, people downloaded 172,000,000 images from this website.

Uploading to the marketplace will net you up to 30% of the sale price of your image. This percentage depends on the size of your image, with payouts falling between $0.25 and $28.

The best thing is that you keep the copyright. So you can still sell the images elsewhere.

7. Etsy

Service Offered	Service Offered Storefront
Key Features	Key Features Set up your own store to sell your images
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to sell directly with full control over prices

×

Etsy

Etsy

$1.00

Buy Now!

Etsy is the biggest marketplace on the internet for handmade products. The items you can sell can be physical prints or digital photography downloads. Most of the products are unique. And many are one-off items the creators won’t make again.

With over 30 million users, Etsy is a great platform to sell your photos.

You can also recreate your brand on Etsy. You set the price for your images and even design a page that best displays your photos.

Etsy keeps 20 cents for each product you upload and 3.5% of the sale price. Selling items here can be a challenge. But they offer a helpful handbook to teach you all about branding and marketing. The information they share includes how to price your items, how to sell your photos, and how to succeed.

8. Canva

Service Offered	Service Offered Design website
Key Features	Key Features Sell your images to Canva users in their designs
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for an extra outlet for their photos

×

Canva

Canva

$1.00

Buy Now!

Canva is one of the most user-friendly graphic design editing platforms. It has drag-and-drop features that allow anyone to create anything from posters to Instagram Story animations.

A lot of the graphics and photos that Canva offers are free. But they also sell other services, including stock photography.

Unlike some traditional stock photography agencies, this stock website makes it easy for people to buy pictures. Users have to drag and drop the photos. Then they click to purchase them to remove the watermark.

Canva’s ease of use means lots of potential to earn money. Many people don’t usually use stock agencies but regularly buy photos from the platform.

With millions of users, Canva continually expands and looks for new stock photos to sell. You can apply and post your stock photos on the website. But they also regularly ask their contributors to photograph custom projects for them.

9. Zenfolio

Service Offered	Service Offered Portfolio and eCommerce platform
Key Features	Key Features Hosts video media and has integrated eCommerce features
Best For	Best For Multimedia creators

×

Zenfolio

Zenfolio

$1.00

Buy Now!

Zenfolio is another fantastic portfolio and eCommerce platform for photographers. It’s easy to set up and use, streamlining many processes that can be a pain when running a photography business. 

While the templates look fantastic, Zenfolio doesn’t have a wide selection, unlike some competitors. That’s not a problem if you want your work to speak for itself, but it is more difficult to make a truly unique portfolio. 

Security is excellent, with Zenfolio adding in-viewer watermarks and preventing viewers from copying images without purchasing. You can also apply specific security settings to individual galleries.

Zenfolio is a great portfolio option for multimedia creators, as the platform allows you to host videos as well as images. They get the same security treatment as the images, and clients are able to download and redeem prepaid videos. 

As an eCommerce platform, you can sell digital images and physical prints. Thanks to the embedded print partners, selling physical pictures is just as easy as selling digital files. Although, printing options are limited outside the USA.

The easy of use, reasonable pricing, and professional built-in features make Zenfolio a great option for selling photos online.

10. Adobe Stock

Service Offered	Service Offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features Integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud
Best For	Best For Any Creative Cloud users

×

Adobe Stock

Adobe

$1.00

Buy Now!

Adobe Stock (formerly Fotolia) is another microstock photography website. It represents over 57 million images. Adobe repurchased this site in 2014, integrating it into its Creative Cloud service. Here, you can receive royalties between 20 and 46%.

The best part about this site is that your royalties come immediately. Other sites wait until you reach a financial threshold or after 30 days.

Four million buyers use this site, so showing them your images is in your best interest.

11. Artfinder

Service Offered	Service Offered Platform for artists and artisans to sell their work online
Key Features	Key Features Self-managed curation
Best For	Best For Photographers wanting to sell prints outside of stock photography niches

×

Artfinder

Artfinder

$1.00

Buy Now!

Artfinder is one of the best website for independent artists to sell their work online. The site isn’t exclusive to photography. In fact, most of the sellers are not photographers, but Artfinder is becoming more and more popular with those selling photographs. 

Artfinder has over 450,000 active users worldwide and is growing quickly. That means it has 450,000 potential buyers of your work. And all the users are art lovers. They aren’t businesses looking for stock images, which allows you to display and sell your passion projects, not just the in-demand niches. 

Signing up and becoming a seller is completely free. You set your own prices and Artfinder provides you with performance stats and other handy insights to help your online store. They also give you tips on making attractive listings and attracting more buyers. 

A sellers’ forum is another great feature, allowing you communicate with other artists on the platform. You can ask questions, find interesting insights, and make friends. It’s an open, positive, and support community of artists from all over the world. 

There are no exclusivity agreements when listing your work on Artfinder. That means you can use Artfinder as one part of a bigger online sales strategy, incorporating several platforms to maximize exposure and sales. 

12. Dreamstime Stock Photos

Service Offered	Service Offered Photo gallery site
Key Features	Key Features Self-managed curation
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for more control over how their images are presented

×

Dreamstime Stock Photos

Dreamstime

$1.00

Buy Now!

Like iStock and Shutterstock, this agency is a perfect starting point if you want to sell online photos. It’s user-friendly. And the requirements aren’t as strict as its rivals.

What makes Dreamstime different is that you get to create and curate your galleries. That way, you have more control over selling photos online. In that respect, you can think of this agency more as a hosting site.

But, of course, that doesn’t mean you can post just anything. Your submissions will still undergo screening to ensure you don’t violate the site rules. For instance, you can’t upload violent or copyrighted content. But if you follow all the guidelines, you can expect to make money once your images are online.

Your commissions start at 25% for a non-exclusive image and 27% for an exclusive option. But as you sell more photos, that can go up to 45% and 49.5%, respectively.

13. Wirestock

Service Offered	Service Offered Image syndication
Key Features	Key Features Lets you upload to multiple platforms easily
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for maximum reach for their images

×

Wirestock

Wirestock

$1.00

Buy Now!

Wirestock is a handy tool to help you sell your photos on multiple platforms. You can upload the images to Shutterstock, Depositphotos, and more… All at the same time! And all with just a few clicks of a button.

Another benefit of Wirestock is that the platform handles captioning and keywording. Your future sales and commissions depend on how easy it is to find your images. As well as how well the keywords capture their essence. Using Wirestock to take care of this tedious process is a real time-saver!

Wirestock allows creators to focus on creating instead of juggling multiple platforms.

14. Instaproofs

Service Offered	Service Offered Storefront
Key Features	Key Features Integrates simply with your Instagram account
Best For	Best For Selling images with interest generated via Instagram

×

Instaproofs

Instaproofs

$1.00

Buy Now!

Instaproofs is an online photo storefront. The “Insta” part of the name comes from the ease of taking images from your Instagram account to the website.

You define the print sizes and the price tags that come alongside them. The free account lets you create 15 galleries with a 3 GB storage capacity. The site will also take a 12% commission from your sales if you’re not a paying member.

But if you think it’s worth it, you can also subscribe for $10 per month. Doing so lets you sell images without commission, which helps if many people buy your photos.

15. Fine Art America

Service Offered	Service Offered Direct printing and sales
Key Features	Key Features Site handles all the sales, printing, and delivery
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to sell their printed images easily

×

Fine Art America

Fine Art America

$1.00

Buy Now!

Fine Art America is a print-on-demand site. That means they only print and ship your images when a buyer buys one. Their focus is on fine arts, such as photography and digital images of painting, etc.

You can set your prices on Fine Art America, and the website will add its markup. You keep 35% of the final price, and they get the other 65%. So if you demand $10 profit, they will price your piece at $47.

But it isn’t bad since you control how much you want to earn per image. Not to mention that you don’t need to print the photos yourself.

FAQs About the Best Places to Sell Photos Online

Here are answers to three questions we get asked about the most. We hope they help you decide where to sell your photos online.

Can I Build My Own Website?

Yes, absolutely. In fact, building your own website is one of the best ways to create an online portfolio and sales hub without fees and commissions. 

There is nothing like selling your work on your own site. If you are tech-savvy, you can find a way to do this for “free” (not counting domain and hosting fees).

If you aren’t proficient in web design or programming, you can join Wix or Square Space. They do all the background work for you.

Once you set up your website, you can offer as many photos as you want! There is no fee or commission to pay third-party sites after each sale.

A quick Google search can help you find the best website builder. Then you can start selling your own high-quality photos.

It’s a great option if you get a lot of traffic to your site.

What Is the Difference Between Microstock vs Regular Stock Sites?

Microstock is a pretty new term in photography. It was born with the introduction of sites such as iStock and Shutterstock. Traditional stock agencies generally sell stock photography at a higher price. In contrast, microstock sites offer a low-cost alternative.

The average price that microstock photo sites sell ranges from a few cents to about $5. The photographer then receives a percentage of that sale price. These sites often offer monthly subscriptions to customers for several downloads a month.

Regular stock photography sites, on average, charge a higher price for photos. But it is not unusual for them to sell a photo for a few dollars. So while you may sell more photos on a microstock site, your average sale price will usually be higher on a traditional stock website.

What Is the Difference Between a Managed vs Unmanaged Stock Photo Site?

Some managed stock photography companies have an editor who reviews your photo submissions. And they select the photos that they will want to represent.

So the chosen photos then go through a quality control (QC) process. And this ensures they are good enough for that agency.

An unmanaged agency is one where all the photos you submit are accepted as long as they pass QC. For example, Alamy Stock Photo is an unmanaged stock photo site.

There are pros and cons to using either. The more photos you have online, the more chance of selling one. But on the flip side, the more photos the agency has on its site, the more yours will be lost amongst the crowd.

The other advantage of a managed stock site is that only your best photos will be on sale.

What Should I Look For in the Fine Print?

There are several details to look for. It’s important that after you choose the company that will sell your work, you read and understand the terms and conditions.

There will often be a minimum term that they will want the photo for. So if you decide to pull your images from one agency and move to another, it might be months, if not years, before you can.

You should also be clear on the exclusivity that the agency will need regarding your work. Some stock photography sites will allow you to send the same images to other sites. But some will want exclusive rights to the photos they accept.

That means you won’t be allowed to send those photos to other stock photography sites. This would include similar photos taken that are considered “sister images.”

The other important factor is the commission that you will receive. While one agency might sell your photos at a higher price, they may offer a lower commission.

This could range from 20% to 50% or more. So ensure you check how much you will make from each sale.

Conclusion: Best Places to Sell Photos Online

Stock photography websites are perfect because they take the workload off your shoulders. You can make money just by sharing your portfolio. You can try all the websites we mentioned in this article. Most of them are non-exclusive, so you can add the same image to different platforms and widen your audience.

Non-stock websites will make you more money per image. But they may need more work. For instance, Etsy requires that you print and ship the photos yourself. That process takes time, effort, and energy. But if you stick with it, the long-term payout can be better than stock photography.

So which is the best site to sell photos? We think Picfair is the best choice for selling photos online. This is due to its extensive and varied customer base and worldwide presence. It also has a user-friendly eCommerce features that streamline the accounting process. 

Our Top 3 Choices for Selling Photos Online

Picfair

Picfair

SmugMug

SmugMug

Alamy

Alamy

Wix is the best website builder for photographers. It’s a well-priced website builder anyone can use. It’s a no-code platform with drag-and-drop design tools. So you don’t need web design experience.

There are thousands of design capabilities. And you can develop your own branding. It even uses AI features for streamlined website building.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Website Builder For Photographers

Wix

Wix

Squarespace

Squarespace

Elementor

Elementor

What Is the Best Website Builder For Photographers?

The best website builders let you create a personal and professional website. And the result should be an online space that shows your work at its best.

They should be easy to use. And no computer design or coding experience should be necessary. Thankfully, there are plenty of website builders that make it super easy.

The best website builders have easy-to-use tools. They have drag-and-drop tools and predesigned templates and widgets.

You want a website builder with a good selection of templates. And you’ll also want a way to customize your webpage. This helps you create a website that stands out from the crowd.

You don’t want a website that looks identical to everyone else’s. You want something eye-catching and original. Plus, websites are now more than pages with text and images.

They’ve become fully interactive experiences. So you need a good landing page to grab the viewer’s attention. And you need good navigation tools are vital for helping visitors browse your website.

All the website builders in this article have these features. But finding the best one is about picking the one that matches your objective, style, and budget.

You can see all the website builders in the table below. Then we look at each one in more detail in the section after.

Our Top Choice

Wix

Wix

• High storage capacity on higher plans
• Drag-and-drop editing
• Logo design tools
• 24/7 customer service

Best for Simple Websites

Squarespace

Squarespace

• Fantastic template selection
• Mobile-optimized websites
• Custom domain name
• Popup guides to help you design your website

Best for WordPress Sites

Elementor

Elementor

• 30-day money-back guarantee
• 100+ designs and widgets
• Drag-and-drop design tools
• Custom popup builder

Best for Portfolios

Format

Format

• Large photo and video hosting capacity
• Templates designed for photographers
• eCommerce features for businesses
• 14-day free trial on all plans

Most Affordable Portfolio Site

Zenfolio

Zenfolio

• Shareable client galleries
• Automated workflows for faster website building
• Built-in payment system for selling prints and downloads
• Decent amount of digital storage on all plans

Best for Storage

SmugMug

SmugMug

• 14-day free trial on any plan
• Password-protected galleries for clients
• Unlimited storage on all plans
• SmugMug apps for managing your site from your mobile

Best for eCommerce

ShootProof

ShootProof

• Fantastic storage options on all plans
• Built-in tools for invoicing
• Can draft contracts for clients
• 14-day free trial on any plan

Best for Blogging and Social Media

Pixpa

Pixpa

• Custom features for blogging and sharing on social media
• 14-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee
• Wide range of portfolio templates for photographers
• Drag-and-drop editing tools

Best for Adobe Subscribers

Adobe Portfolio

Adobe Portfolio

• Creative Cloud subscription gives you Photoshop and Lightroom
• Professional portfolio templates
• Custom domain names
• Custom formatting for laptops, tablets, and smartphones

9 Best Website Builders for Photographers

All photographers need an online space to display, promote, and sell their work. And the website builders in this article have been handpicked for photographers.

They have everything a photographer needs to create a digital hub for their business. And we’ve included sites for all levels and budgets. You just need to select the one that suits your needs.

1. Wix

Brand	Brand Wix
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan 14-day refund window
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 4
Key Features	Key Features Large storage capacity, 24/7 customer service, drag-and-drop editing, custom domain, logo design tools
Best For	Best For Creating a unique website

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Wix

Wix

$1.00

Buy Now!

Wix isn’t designed for photographers specifically. But it comes at a reasonable price and excellent results. So it still scores high on our list of the best website builders for photographers.

With this site, you can build a fantastic-looking website with little trouble. It’s a website builder for professionals in the creative industries.

It’s not exclusive to photographers. But it does have superb galleries and portfolios photographers can use to showcase their work.

The extra creative elements help you build an online space uniquely yours. And the templates make it easy to build a website. But you get enough creative control to make it personal.

Their sites can be used as online galleries or as a hub for your photography business. It also gives you logo design tools to help you expand your brand.

Plus, it has built-in SEO tools to help you boost traffic. And there’s 24/7 customer service if you encounter problems.

Usability

Wix is beginner-friendly with a straightforward workflow. Even if you’ve never designed a website, you’ll quickly get the hang of Wix.

There are a ton of tools and features that allow you to customize any of the templates. And the drag-and-drop system makes page design easy.

The number of templates is impressive, almost verging on overwhelming. But while having a good selection of templates is a good thing, Wix may have gone overboard.

This means you can choose a unique design. But you are spoiled for choice.

If you want to opt out of the design process, leave it to Wix ADI (artificial design intelligence). This uses your social media information to construct a website for you.

It’s a nifty feature. But if you want a smart photography website, it’s best to put in the extra effort.

Pricing Options

Its prices make Wix one of the top competitors for website builders. There’s no free subscription option. But they offer a 14-day refund window if you don’t like the service.

The Connect Domain plan is the cheapest option. And it’s one of the cheapest basic plans of any website builder. That’s why it’s a good option for photographers with a young business.

The VIP is the top plan. It gives you plenty of features like 35 GB of storage and 5 hours of video. But the price is still reasonable. You also have the Combo and Unlimited plans in between.

You’ll get much more in return if you stretch your budget a bit. And the plans offer excellent value. So you never have to stretch it that far.

Wix has more business and eCommerce plans to grow your enterprise. But the four website plans are perfect for a fledgling photography business.

2. Squarespace

Brand	Brand Squarespace
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan 14-day free trial on all plans
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 4
Key Features	Key Features Mobile-optimized websites, drag-and-drop editing, 100+ templates, custom domain name
Best For	Best For Sleek and simple website designs

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Squarespace

Squarespace

$1.00

Buy Now!

Squarespace is one of the most popular website builders in the creative industries. You can’t watch a YouTube video these days without seeing their advert.

But their popularity isn’t only due to their advertising campaign. It’s an excellent builder for simple yet sleek photography websites.

Their product is aimed at artists of all kinds. And photographers fit perfectly into that demographic.

The Squarespace portfolio templates are excellent in general. But they have templates specifically tailored for photography portfolios.

Squarespace is a website builder with an excellent array of designs. And all the designs give you professional results.

They have an elegant minimalism that is attractive but easy on the eye. Plus, the templates enhance your photos, not overshadow them.

Usability

The best website builders are easy for anyone to use. And Squarespace fits into that category.

Nothing is hidden within a maze of menus. And the drag-and-drop interface makes web design as simple as moving your mouse.

With Squarespace, you can jump right in. You don’t need to watch any tutorials before you get started.

And if you do get stuck, some popups guide you along. Just hover your mouse over an area, and an info box appears. You can take it as fast or as slow as you want.

The site provides customer support if you do get stuck. There’s 24-hour email support and a live chat line. The chat is open Monday to Friday from 4:00 am to 8:00 pm EDT (eastern daylight time).

Pricing Options

Squarespace offers a free trial period for all new subscribers. It gives you full access to any of the plans for 14 days. But once the trial ends, you’ll be asked to hand over your billing information.

With a monthly subscription cost, Squarespace is more expensive than some of its rivals. But judging by this web builder’s popularity, many think it’s worth the price.

There are different Personal and Business packages. And the two top plans are Commerce (Basic) and Commerce (Advanced).

The Personal package gives you everything for a smashing photo website for an individual photographer. But you can upgrade if you’re running a company or agency.

Squarespace is the best website builder for photographers if you have the money to spend.

3. Elementor

Brand	Brand Elementor
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan 30-day money-back guarantee
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 4
Key Features	Key Features Drag-and-drop tools, 100+ designs, 100+ widgets, form builder, popup builder, motion effects
Best For	Best For Photographers and creatives of all levels

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Elementor

Elementor

$1.00

Buy Now!

Elementor is a web builder designed with creatives in mind. It has templates for media, eCommerce, and photographer bios. And it has specific portfolio templates for photographers.

You don’t need to worry if you lack computer skills with Elementor. The interface is intuitive and easy to use.

Plus, many of the features work with an easy drag-and-drop system. So it’s perfect as your first website builder.

The program is beginner-friendly. But the final results are suitable for any professional photographer.

The page designs are classy with a contemporary aesthetic. The final pages are slick, smart, and stylish. And your photos will look great in Elementor’s photographer templates.

Usability

Elementor is a WordPress plugin. So you need an account before downloading Elementor. But if you’re familiar with WordPress already, there aren’t many surprises.

The menus are clear. So you can always find what you need. And it’s easy to apply the features you want to your photography website.

The drag-and-drop interface gives you incredible freedom to structure your page. And there are very few limitations.

You can use the templates they provide. But you can also make adjustments to create a unique visual experience.

So you can display your portfolio however you wish. And you can create a memorable photography site that puts your work at the forefront.

Pricing Options

Elementor has no free subscription plan. The Basic plan is their cheapest option.

This gives you one WordPress-hosted site and access for one member. It also gives you 10 GB of digital storage. It’s decent value. And it has everything someone early in their career would need. 

If you find that restrictive, you can upgrade to one of Elementor’s higher plans. The Business plan is their next offer. Then they have the Grow and Scale plans above that.

Each step comes with increased storage, monthly visit limits, and bandwidth. You can also have more users and more websites under one account. 

The plans are well structured. And the price increases match what you get in return. They allow you to start small with space to grow as your business develops.

We are disappointed there’s no free plan. But Elementor does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. It lets you get a feel for the builder. And if it’s not to your liking, you can quit without losing anything.

4. Format

Brand	Brand Format
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan 14-day free trial
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 3
Key Features	Key Features eCommerce features, video hosting, photography-specific templates
Best For	Best For Photography portfolios

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Format

Format

$1.00

Buy Now!

Format is the best website builder if you want a professional photography portfolio. They have hundreds of template designs. And they have a whole collection dedicated to photography portfolios.

You can create sleek and professional galleries. And the eCommerce tools help you make money online.

This doesn’t give you the most diverse and interactive website. But it’s the perfect option for displaying and selling photos online.

Usability

The wide selection of smart templates makes Format easy to use. You can have something that looks professional with very little input. It also has the tools to make it unique to your photography brand.

The site allows you to upload photos directly from Adobe Lightroom or Capture One. And you don’t need to worry about online image theft.

You can turn off the right clicks on your site. So no one will be able to download your images without permission.

The “client proofing” is another bonus. You can create client-specific galleries that are password protected.

Not only is it a safe way to share your work, but it’s much quicker than using email. And again, the eCommerce features are great for generating some extra income.

Pricing Options

Format doesn’t have a free plan. But you can start with a 14-day free trial. Then you can choose a paid plan—Basic, Pro, or Pro Plus.

The Basic plan gives you a 15-page website that can display up to 100 images. It’s a cheap option and a good place to start. But if you pay slightly more, you get much more for your money.

The Pro plan is excellent value for money. And you get so much more than the Basic plan.

There’s no limit to the number of pages your website can have. And you can display 1500 high-resolution images. You can also display 15 minutes of video. Plus, you get 100 GB of storage.

Pro Plus gives you unlimited pages and image displays. You can display 120 minutes of video. And you get 1 TB of digital storage.

It also lets you sell up to 1000 products in your online store. So it’s a great option when your business is fully up and running.

Format plans are very reasonably priced. But you get far more for your money with the Pro and Pro Plus plans. So we recommend either of those plans, even if you’re just starting.

5. Zenfolio

Brand	Brand Zenfolio
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan 14-day free trial
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 3
Key Features	Key Features Shareable client galleries, customizable temples, automated workflows
Best For	Best For Photographers looking for an affordable online portfolio

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Zenfolio

Zenfolio

$1.00

Buy Now!

Zenfolio offers one of the best opportunities for photographers to create an online portfolio. The platform has excellent photography templates and web design tools.

The website designs are classy and professional. And there are many photographer-specific features to help your online business thrive.

The web design tools couldn’t be easier to use. And the prices make Zenfolio a fantastic option for photographers with a tight budget.

Usability

Zenfolio‘s web templates are excellent. You can upload the photos to your portfolio with very little trouble, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy. Plus, you get unlimited storage on the higher plans.

You can create password-protected galleries for clients. And Zenfolio gives you a guarantee of total image security on all of their sites. This means viewers can’t download images without permission.

The eCommerce features are a strong point for this website builder. A built-in payment system makes it easy to sell prints and other products. So you get a gallery and photo store in one place.

Pricing Options

Zenfolio has a 14-day free trial on all plans. And when you start paying, there’s no big shock.

The prices are very reasonable for a photography website builder of this quality. The prices are some of the lowest on this list if you pay annually instead of monthly.

You can start with the Portfolio plan. It gives you 15 GB of storage and client-proofing features.

The PortfolioPlus plan gives you more storage and multi-page options. And the ProSuite gives you unlimited storage and all the features you could need.

We think the Portfolio plan is ideal for beginners. The price is excellent, especially if you pay annually. And you can move to higher plans with no heavy financial impact.

Zenfolio is an affordable website builder for photographers looking for a professional portfolio. You read our comparison between Zenfolio vs SmugMug, the next choice on our list.

6. SmugMug

Brand	Brand SmugMug
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan 14-day free trial
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 3
Key Features	Key Features Unlimited storage on all plans, privacy control, customer support, Lightroom integration
Best For	Best For Secure photo storage and eCommerce

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SmugMug

SmugMug

$1.00

Buy Now!

SmugMug is one of the best photo storage websites available. It’s also a great way to display, promote, and sell your work online.

You can create and share galleries with clients and other websites. And you can make money selling prints and downloads.

Usability

It doesn’t have the easiest interface when it comes to website building. And it’s not as smooth as Elementor or Wix. But the effort will be worth it.

SmugMug gives you password-protected client-proofing options. And you can disable downloads from your site, making it harder for people to steal your work.

It’s also easy to set up your online store with its eCommerce features. And you have custom pricing options for print and download sales.

When you sign up with SmugMug, you also get an app. It’s available for iOS and Android. And it lets you manage your site on the go. You can display brand-new shots when you’re still in the studio!

Pricing Options

SmugMug offers a 14-day free trial on all plans. The prices are at the higher end of the scale than others on this list.

But photographers with a large catalog of photos will appreciate the unlimited storage. And that unlimited storage is available on all three plans!

The Power plan is the cheapest option. This storage plan has very few options for displaying and selling your work.

That’s why we recommend the Portfolio or Pro plans for photography businesses. They have excellent eCommerce options. And you can create client galleries and professional portfolios.

You’ll need a bigger budget for a SmugMug subscription. But they have some of the best eCommerce options of any website builder.

They also give you unlimited storage. And they help you with invoices. So it’s ideal for any flourishing photography business.

Read our comparison between SmugMug vs Zenfolio, the previous choice on our list.

7. ShootProof

Brand	Brand ShootProof
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan 14-day free trial for paid plans and one free plan
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 5
Key Features	Key Features Custom branded galleries, payment and invoicing tools, and anti-theft features
Best For	Best For eCommerce and financial features

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ShootProof

ShootProof

$1.00

Buy Now!

ShootProof isn’t exactly a website builder like the previous ones listed. This is something a bit different. Rather than using a program for website building, it’s a host for your photography business.

You can create branded galleries and portfolios. You can have password-protected galleries for clients. And ShootProof gives you fantastic eCommerce tools for running your online business.

Usability

Rather than creating your own website, ShootProof hosts you on their site. And from there, you can make a portfolio and sell your products with your branding.

It’s quicker and easier than creating your own website from scratch. But it’s more restrictive than the previous options.

You’re not building your own website. So you need to work within their template. And you don’t have many options for customizing the pages and galleries. But the portfolios are professional and classy.

You can safely share images with clients using password-protected galleries. You can also protect your photos and add unique watermarks for further protection.

The main benefits of ShootProof are the eCommerce features. They help you create contracts for clients. Anyone running their own business knows how important that is.

All financial transactions can be arranged through them. And it’s easy to generate invoices through the platform.

Pricing Options

ShootProof has a free plan for beginners. It’s called the 100 Photo Plan. And it gives you free storage for 100 photos. This is a good place to start. But you’ll soon realize 100 photos isn’t a lot.

That’s why we recommend going straight for one of the paid plans.

You get a 14-day free trial with all the paid plans. And they offer excellent value. It’s worth the extra cost to sell photos and services through the website.

The plans are arranged by how many photos you can display. Above the 100 Photo Plan, you have the 1,500, 5,000, and 25,000 Photo Plans.

And the top plan gives you unlimited photo storage. This means you can upgrade as your portfolio grows and develops.

The plans are well-priced. But ShootProof is only a good option if you know you’ll make money through the website. It is an excellent website if you have an income from your photography business.

8. Pixpa

Brand	Brand Pixpa
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan 15-day free trial and 30-day money back guarantee
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 4
Key Features	Key Features Wide range of portfolio templates, preset and custom layouts, 24/7 customer service, eCommerce features
Best For	Best For Blogging and social media

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Pixpa

Pixpa

$1.00

Buy Now!

Pixpa is an all-in-one website builder for photographers and creative professionals. They have a no-code philosophy, making a platform accessible to all users. 

This is a dedicated photography website builder. And their template gallery pages are some of the best for displaying your photographs online.

They also have custom galleries for social media and smartphone displays. So this site gives you a professional photography portfolio without the stress of other website builders.

Usability

In Pixpa, changing the templates with the visual editor tools is easy. And editing the pages couldn’t be easier with the drag-and-drop tools.

It gives you eCommerce galleries for selling prints and other photo products. But their standout feature is their client-proofing platform.

This consists of password-protected galleries and gallery apps. And it simplifies the client-proofing workflow for photographers.

Pricing Options

You can try Pixpa before you pay for a plan. They give you a 15-day free trial on any plan.

Then you can continue with a paid plan. And if you change your mind later, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

There’s no free option aside from the 15-day trial. But the basic version is very reasonably priced.

You can upgrade to one of the higher plans if you need more. And with each upgrade, more templates and features become available.

Pixpa is one of the best website builders for photographers available today. Plus, it’s a great website builder on a tight budget.

It’s easy to upgrade when the money starts rolling in. And it’s also a perfect match if you like blogging and posting your work on social media.

Use the discount coupon code EP10 to save 10% on any plan.

9. Adobe Portfolio

Brand	Brand Adobe
Free Trial / Free Plan	Free Trial / Free Plan No
Number of Plans	Number of Plans 1
Key Features	Key Features Gives you access to Photoshop and Lightroom, custom domain, professional templates
Best For	Best For Adobe Creative Cloud subscribers

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Adobe Portfolio

Adobe

$1.00

Buy Now!

Adobe Portfolio is the best website builder for Adobe subscribers.

It’s fully integrated with Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. And you can create a custom website to display your photography work professionally.

Usability

Adobe Portfolio gives you a decent selection of website templates. They all look professional, smart, and elegant. And there’s a big enough range to find one that matches your photography style.

You don’t get many custom features or add-ons. But the galleries let your images do the talking.

You can choose from any of Adobe’s unique fonts for the website text. And you can use different photo grids to display your best images.

They have password-protected galleries and pages. And Adobe has excellent security settings. So viewers can’t steal your work.

Portfolio sites look fantastic on all devices. They automatically resize your pages and content to fit any device. So you don’t need to create different pages for laptop, tablet, or smartphone screens.

Pricing Options

Adobe Portfolio comes as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud package. This means it’s only worth it if you access Photoshop and Lightroom too.

The higher price means there isn’t much point in paying for Creative Cloud if you only want Adobe Portfolio.

But the Creative Cloud is excellent value in general. And that’s especially true if you want a website builder to create an online hub for your work. It does give you everything a photographer needs.

Best Website Builder for Photographers Buyer’s Guide (FAQs)

We answer a few frequently asked questions about website builders for photographers. You need to know it is the right one for your business. And these answers will help you find the perfect one.

Which Website Builder Is Best for Custom Designs?

Elementor is best for custom designs. It gives you incredible creative control. It’s a WordPress extension that takes your website to a new level. And you don’t need any web design skills.

The drag-and-drop tools mean anyone can create an eye-catching website. So you can build something truly unique with no prior experience.

Wix is another website builder with terrific custom design features. They have excellent templates and designs. There are so many options to choose from.

And you can customize every page with the drag-and-drop tools. So it is easy to create a personal and professional website in no time.

Which Website Builder Is Best for Selling Photos?

ShootProof has the best eCommerce features for selling photos. It isn’t exactly a website builder. But it’s the best option if you make a living by selling prints, downloads, or services.

Financial transactions are performed safely through the website. And they have tools to help you create contracts and invoices. They make it easy to run your business online.

SmugMug is another good choice for selling photos online. They have features for invoicing and pricing.

Plus, you can run your entire business from your account page. Your SmugMug page will become the center of your photography business.

Which Website Builder Is Best for Portfolios?

Format has the best options if you want an online photography portfolio. The templates are stylish, modern, and professional.

It has an excellent range of premade galleries. And you can customize certain elements. But they never distract from your work.

Zenfolio is another fantastic option for photography portfolios. It’s slightly more affordable than Format. But it still gives you all the tools you need for a professional photo gallery.

You can create large galleries that show your range as a photographer. And you can make client-specific portfolios for targeted promotion.

Do Photographers Need a Website?

Yes. A website isn’t only a photographer’s portfolio. It’s their business card, personal profile, and point of contact.

A website can also be a photographer’s shop window. It’s where you can display your best photography work. And anyone can check it out.

Some people may already be familiar with your work. But they may want to learn more about you. And the place to do that is your photography website.

These viewers might be admirers of your work. Or they could be potential clients.

Social media is a useful tool for photographers. You can post your favorite photos and gain a bit of exposure. But if you’re serious about photography as a career, you need a photography website.

A photography website is an online portfolio and gallery. And you can display your best work with separate sections for different projects and styles.

The strategy is up to you. You can show a wide range of styles. Or you can target the area of photography that makes you employable.

Building a website might seem like another financial drain. But it’s an investment that can turn into financial gain.

Many website builders have excellent eCommerce tools. And these help you sell prints and downloads online. So your photography website could become your main source of income.

Conclusion: The Best Website Builder for Photographers

The best website builder for photographers is a portfolio, contact card, and store. And all the websites listed here have strengths within those fields.

We’ve selected easy-to-use and accessible website builders. So you don’t need any web design experience to use any of them. And there’s a website builder for all budgets.

Wix is the best website builder for photographers. It gives you complete control over your website. And it empowers you to create an online space that’s totally unique. It’s easy to use, even for tech-shy users. And the subscription plans are well-priced, with plenty of room to grow. 

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Website Builder For Photographers

Wix

Wix

Squarespace

Squarespace

Elementor

Elementor

Having the right lighting can make all the difference. That’s why we’ve chosen the best lighting for Zoom calls to help you make that decision. Our top pick is the Lume Cube 18-inch Ring Light Kit. Its generous size, adjustable color temperature, and built-in power supply make it a great choice for Zoom calls.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Lighting For Zoom Calls

Lume Cube 18″ LED Ring Light Kit

Lume Cube 18″ LED Ring Light Kit

Neewer 18″ Ring Light Kit

Neewer 18″ Ring Light Kit

Razer Ring Light Kit

Razer Ring Light Kit

What Is the Best Lighting For Zoom Calls?

Before we look at some of the details of our recommended lights, here’s a summary of all our choices. We’ve also included a helpful guide to setting up lighting for Zoom meetings at the end of the article.

Our Top Pick

Lume Cube 18″ LED Ring Light Kit

Lume Cube 18″ LED Ring Light Kit

• Bright, adjustable LED light
• Compact and lightweight
• Easy to use and install
• Includes adjustable phone holder
• Ideal for professional quality selfies and videos

Most Comprehensive Kit

Neewer 18″ Ring Light Kit

Neewer 18″ Ring Light Kit

• Wired and wireless remote control
• Stepless dimming
• Three different lighting modes
• Multiple mounting options
• Runs by power adapter or rechargable batteries

Best Lightweight Kit

Razer Ring Light Kit

Razer Ring Light Kit

• Bright and adjustable lighting
• USB-powered
• Compact and lightweight
• Easy to use
• Adjustable tripod stand

Best for Laptop Calls

Lume Cube Kit

Lume Cube Kit

• Compact, powerful lighting kit
• Adjustable brightness and color temp
• Waterproof and dustproof
• Includes two Lume Cubes and accessories
• Wireless control via app

Best Ring Light for Phones

Neewer 10″ RGB Ring Light Kit

Neewer 10″ RGB Ring Light Kit

• 10-inch adjustable ring light with 160 RGB colors
• Three lighting modes for different effects
• Adjustable brightness and color temperature
• 360-degree rotatable phone holder and tripod stand
• USB powered, compatible with most devices

Best Tabletop Light

Rotolight NEO 2 LED Ring Light Kit

Rotolight NEO 2 LED Ring Light Kit

• Bright and adjustable LED lights
• Up to 10 levels of dimming
• 360-degree rotation for easy angles
• Universal phone holder included
• Lightweight and portable design

Best for Long-Term Use

Neewer Bi-Color LED Kit

Neewer Bi-Color LED Kit

• Bright and adjustable lighting
• Professional-grade quality
• Includes both softbox and reflectors
• Easy to set up and use
• Multi-angle lighting options

Best Folding Ring Light

Dracast Halo Plus LED Ring Light Kit

Dracast Halo Plus LED Ring Light Kit

• Professional-grade LED lighting
• Adjustable color temperature (2,500-9,900K)
• Adjustable brightness (0-100%)
• Compact and lightweight design
• Includes carrying case and power supply

Best Pocket-Sized Light

Manfrotto Lumimuse 8 Bluetooth LED

Manfrotto Lumimuse 8 Bluetooth LED

• Compact and lightweight design
• Rechargeable battery for up to 3.5 hours of lighting
• Bluetooth enabled for remote control and dimming
• Offers eight levels of brightness
• Includes diffuser, cold shoe mount, and pouch

Choosing the Best Lighting for Zoom Calls

First, consider if you’ll be setting the light up at home or need portability. Some of these lights slip easily into your laptop bag. This makes them perfect if you’ll be making calls in hotel rooms.

Others have main power only and substantial tripods. These are ideal if you’re Zooming or YouTubing on a more regular basis.

1. Lume Cube 18-inch LED Ring Light Kit

Brand	Brand LUME CUBE
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 3,200 to 5,600K
Power	Power Main and battery
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Camera, phone, and GoPro
Key Features	Key Features Supplied with tripod and carry bag
Best For	Best For Indoor and outdoor Zoom calls

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Lume Cube 18″ LED Ring Light Kit

Lume Cube

$199.99

Buy Now!

This Lume Cube 18-inch wireless LED is the ultimate ring light kit for Zoom meetings. It offers flatteringly diffused light and beautiful catchlights (or “doughnuts” at close range). But it’s not cheap.

It works best as a standalone solution rather than part of a three-point lighting system. And you can use it for other purposes, like streaming, vlogging, professional headshots, or even makeup tutorials.

It has an 18-inch diameter. But there’s also a cheaper 12-inch version. You get a bicolor temperature range of 3,200 to 5,600K to balance the ambient light. And it has an excellent CRI rating of 97+.

The controls are nice and simple. One knob sets the brightness, color temperature, and remaining battery. There’s also an LED readout to check the settings.

The head is adjustable. So you can rotate it 360 degrees and tilt it 180 degrees. But the plastic mounting bracket is a bit flimsy to work horizontally for too long. And take precautions outdoors as the rig isn’t weather-sealed.

It does come with a 6.5 ft (198 cm) stand. And mounts are provided for smartphones, GoPros, and digital cameras up to 10 lb (4.5 kg). You can even use the supplied shoe to add a microphone that weighs up to 2 lb (907 g).

The Lume Cube 18-inch LED Ring Light runs off plug-in power. Or you can use two NP-F750 lithium-ion batteries that work up to 1.5 hours at full brightness. And they’re pretty cheap batteries if you want to travel with a few spares!

2. Neewer 18-inch Ring Light

Brand	Brand Neewer
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 3,200 to 5,600K
Power	Power Main
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Phone and camera
Key Features	Key Features Remote control, tripod with gooseneck
Best For	Best For Adding some fun effects to your zoom call

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Neewer 18″ Ring Light Kit

Amazon.com

$88.99

Buy Now!

The Neewer 18-inch RGB Ring Light is a recently updated model. It offers a CRI rating of 97+ and stepless dimming. The 240 LEDs are set in a reflective silvered background, which helps to add a touch of glamor to your photos.

The stand is a generous 61 inches (155 cm). There’s also a soft gooseneck tube that fits on top. It measures 10 inches (25 cm) and is flexible. So you can twist and bend it into the optimal position. This means you should be able to find the optimum height for sitting or standing subjects.

There is a ball head with a cold shoe mount for digital cameras. And there’s a phone mount. Both sit in the center of the ring light. This Neewer ring light runs via plug-in power.

3. Razer Ring Light Kit

Brand	Brand Razer
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 3,000 to 6,500K
Power	Power USB
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Phone and camera
Key Features	Key Features Wired remote, tripod
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a budget ring light

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Razer Ring Light Kit

Amazon.com

$73.00 $79.99

Buy Now!

Ring lights are perfect for Zoom calls. And the Razer Ring Light Kit is one of the best and most affordable. The 12-inch model is large enough to remove most unwanted shadows.

It comes with a sturdy tripod and a wired remote. Plus, it has a mounting bracket to support a mirrorless camera or small DSLR in the center of the ring light.

The ring light is well-diffused. You can use the remote to adjust the brightness from 10 to 100%. And the CRI rating is also over 80+, which isn’t bad.

You can switch between three different color temperatures. These offer a range of colors:

• Warm White (3,000K)
• Balanced White (4,500K)
• Cool White (6,500K)

Power comes through a USB connection. This means the Razer is not as strong as lights powered by a main power supply. But it offers 500 lumens of brightness and 10 watts of power. And you can also connect it to your laptop or a power bank for extra flexibility.

The head of the tripod rotates. So you can turn the Razer ring light to face horizontally or vertically during Zoom meetings. And the tripod height ranges from 15.8 to 53.2 inches (40 to 135 cm).

4. Lume Cube Kit

Brand	Brand LUME CUBE
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 3,200 to 5,600K
Power	Power Rechargeable battery, USB
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Suction cup
Key Features	Key Features Attaches to laptop lid
Best For	Best For Anyone needing a compact, go-anywhere light

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Lume Cube Kit

Amazon.com

$69.28 $80.00

Buy Now!

Lume Cube

$99.99

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The Lume Cube video conference lighting kit consists of the following:

• A Lume Cube Panel Mini light
• A suction cup mount
• A white silicon diffuser
• A USB Type-C charging cable with USB-A to USB-C adapter

The controls are straightforward. It has a blue power button and an adjustment dial to change the brightness and white balance.

It has a 3,200 to 5,600K adjustable color temperature with a 96+ CRI. And you can control the brightness from 1 to 100%.

The LCD screen shows you the settings and remaining battery life. But it’s a shame this is on the rear of the panel. You can’t monitor everything directly during Zoom calls.

It’s very light and compact, though. And it’s a versatile solution to desktop lighting for Zoom calls. The suction cup mount lets you attach it to any convenient flat surface. This might be the side of a desk, a laptop cover, or even the back of a tablet.

But you must ensure it doesn’t overlap an edge, or it might fall off. There’s a latch you can press down to make sure the connection is solid.

There’s no stand included. But you can buy a stand separately from Lume Cube and attach it using the standard 1/4-inch thread.

This Lume Cube lighting kit has a built-in battery for 1.2 hours of use at full power. Or you can use it for 2.2 hours at half power. But you can also use the USB cable via a port in your laptop or a separate power bank.

5. Neewer 10-inch RGB Ring Light Kit

Brand	Brand Neewer
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 29 RGB color modes
Power	Power USB
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Two phone mounts
Key Features	Key Features Wired and wireless remote, tripod, gooseneck, and stand-mount phone clamps
Best For	Best For Adding some fun lighting to your video

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Neewer 10″ RGB Ring Light Kit

Amazon.de

$28.49

Buy Now!

Amazon.com

$29.99

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Amazon.es

$29.49

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Amazon.it

$29.99

Buy Now!

Amazon.sg

$130.56

Buy Now!

Amazon.com.au

$141.65

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Amazon.sa

$391.77

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If you do most of your Zoom calls on your smartphone, the Neewer 10-inch RGB Ring Light Kit is a good option. It has two smartphone holders and is compatible with most popular models up to 4.4 lb (2 kg).

It comes with a 10-inch ring light with a tripod stand. There are 16 dimmable colors, 10 levels of brightness, and 4 lighting modes:

• Flash
• Strobe
• Fade
• Smooth

You can control the ring light with your phone via Bluetooth. Or you can use wireless and infrared remote controls. These work up to the maximum operating range of 26 ft (8 m).

The tripod lets you work at heights of 15.7 to 54 inches (40 to 137 cm). And it folds it down to just 16.5 inches (42 cm).

This Neewer 10-inch ring light is USB-powered. This means you can plug it into your laptop, a power bank, or any device with a USB port.

6. Rotolight NEO 2 LED Ring Light Kit

Brand	Brand Rotolight
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 3,150 to 6,300K
Power	Power Battery
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Standalone unit
Key Features	Key Features Mini desk-tripod included, hot-shoe mount
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a stable, compact desktop lighting solution

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Rotolight NEO 2 LED Ring Light Kit

Amazon.com

$229.99

Buy Now!

This Rotolight video conferencing kit is a little expensive. But it includes a Rotolight NEO 2, a desktop tripod, a 360-degree ball head, and a four-piece set of diffusion filters.

The NEO 2 is a no-flicker, fully dimmable ring light. It has a color temperature range from 3,150 to 6,300K. The maximum output is 2,000 lux at 3 ft (0.9 m).

Apart from the power button, the only controls are two plastic knobs. These can be pressed and turned to adjust the brightness and color temperature. To access the main menu, you press both knobs together. All the options and settings show up on a red display.

You can also mount it as a flashgun in a camera’s hot shoe. It works in high-speed sync mode at up to 1/8000 s with no recycling time.

The Rotolight runs on six AA batteries (Li-ion or NiMh). They last up to two hours, which works for short Zoom meetings.

7. Neewer Bi-Color LED Kit

Brand	Brand Neewer
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 3,200 to 5,600K
Power	Power Main or optional battery packs
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Standalone unit
Key Features	Key Features Sturdy metal construction, carry bag
Best For	Best For Semi-permanent installation

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Neewer Bi-Color LED Kit

Amazon.com

$87.49

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This Neewer Bi-color LED Kit has a dimmable light panel with a 96+ CRI rating. It has a color temperature range from 3,200 to 5,600K. And it’s a powerful light source that can generate 3,360 lux. 

The aluminum alloy construction makes it sturdy yet lightweight. The control panel is at the rear, consisting of a power switch and two dials. One dial is for the yellow bulbs, and one is for the white ones.

It runs off plug-in power using the AC adapter. Or you can buy two Sony NP-F550 or NP-F970 Li-ion batteries. They fit in the slots at the back.

Unfortunately, this Neewer Bi-color kit only comes with a U-mount bracket rather than a stand. So you have to buy a stand separately. And it has a diffuser, but it’s a bit tricky to put on.

The power cable is also a bit short if your workspace doesn’t have a nearby power socket. But it’s well worth considering as a long-term solution for lighting for Zoom calls.

8. Dracast Halo Plus LED Ring Light Kit

Brand	Brand Dracast
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 2,700 to 5,600K
Power	Power USB
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Phone, camera
Key Features	Key Features Foldable stand, touch-sensitive slider control
Best For	Best For Taking a compact light with you everywhere

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Dracast Halo Plus LED Ring Light Kit

Amazon.com

$69.00

Buy Now!

The Dracast Halo Plus Kit has a neat, portable ring light. The light itself folds in two, making it easier to carry. And the tripod has a gooseneck holder to help you position your phone easily. There’s also a hot shoe mount if you don’t want to use the tripod.

Bi-color LEDS mean you can adjust the temperature of the light. Touch-sensitive sliders on the side of the unit adjust color temperature and brightness.

Power is via a USB cable. It isn’t the brightest of lights. But it’s easily powered by various sources.

The Dracast has a CRI of 96+, making it a great choice for natural color rendition. And at this price, you’ll find the Dracast a tempting option.

9. Manfrotto Lumimuse 8 Bluetooth LED

Brand	Brand Manfrotto
Color Temperature	Color Temperature 5,600K
Power	Power Rechargeable battery
Mounting Options	Mounting Options Standalone unit
Key Features	Key Features Built-in Bluetooth, can be tripod-mounted
Best For	Best For Anyone needing a compact, bright light for occasional use

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Manfrotto Lumimuse 8 Bluetooth LED

Amazon.com

$140.88

Buy Now!

The Manfrotto Lumimuse 8 LED has a rounded, rectangular body. And it is light and portable if you need to make Zoom calls on the go.

The light source consists of eight LEDs in a circular pattern. They generate a maximum of 550 lux. This means it’s a bright light for Zoom meetings.

It has a fixed color temperature of 5,600K. But two snap-on Color Temperature Orange (CTO) filters allow you to adjust this. There’s also a diffuser. And you can buy other filters separately.

The light has built-in Bluetooth. And you can control it using an Apple app. Or you can use the button on the side to cycle through the four dimming levels.

There’s no stand. But there’s a 1/4-inch threaded mounting hole on the ball head. So you can attach it to any of the stands in Manfrotto’s range or a third-party product.

It runs off an internal, rechargeable, lithium-ion polymer battery for around an hour. There’s a USB cable so that you can recharge it. But the Lumimuse 8 takes three hours to recharge, and you can’t use it while charging.

FAQs for Setting Up Zoom Meetings Lights

What kind of light is best for Zoom calls? And should the light be in front or behind for Zoom? Here are answers to the most asked questions about how to set up lights for Zoom meetings. We also go over how to improve lighting for Zoom calls.

Should I Use a Ring Light or a Panel Light?

Either is fine, but it’s important to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Both are LED lights. But the shape makes all the difference.

The idea behind a ring light is to center yourself right in front of it. This means it’s almost impossible for shadows to be on your face. That’s because they are filled in by the light coming from all sides.

But if you place it right in front of your face, there will be nasty highlights. And it may make you squint!

A panel light might cast shadows if it’s too small or not diffused. But those are factors in your control. It’s also likely that a panel light will be smaller and more portable than a ring light. This might be important if you do a lot of traveling for work.

How High Should the Light Be?

The best result comes from a light roughly at the same level as your hairline. This means the light is pointing slightly down toward you.

If the light is too low, you get a spooky “Halloween effect” with lots of shadows. If it’s too high, you again get shadows. But this time, it’s under your nose, chin… and perhaps even eyelashes!

At What Angle Should I Place the Light?

The light should be off to one side—up to 45 degrees to your left or right. This creates “dimensionality.” This means slight shadows show the three-dimensional quality of the subject.

Here are problems with other possible positions:

• A light right in front of you makes you squint. It might also create ugly and distracting reflections if you wear glasses.
• Light at 90 degrees creates the deepest, darkest shadows on the opposite side of your face.
• Light directly behind you only provides rim lighting. It lights the edges of your hair but leaves your face completely dark.

How Big Should the Light Be?

The bigger the light source, the softer the light. Soft light is important because it casts fewer, gentler shadows on your face. This means it’s more flattering.

The size of the light is linked to how far away it is. As you bring the light nearer and nearer, it appears to get bigger and bigger. This means the light gets softer and softer (and vice versa).

How Strong Should the Light Be?

The light must be strong enough so the other people on the call can see your face properly. But it should not be so strong that you look washed out.

Fortunately, almost all the lights on this list let you smoothly adjust the brightness from 1 to 100%. So you can play around with it until it’s just right.

What Does Color Temperature Mean?

Broadly, the color temperature (or white balance) tells you how “warm” or “cool” the light is. It’s measured in Kelvin (K). And this is degrees centigrade above absolute zero.

Color temperature is measured on a scale from 1,000 to 10,000K. Most light bulbs and LEDs fall somewhere between 2,000 and 6,000K:

• 2,000 to 3,000K: Warm white light that ranges from orange to yellow-white.
• 3,100 to 4,500K: Cool white or bright white light that’s broadly neutral or slightly blueish.
• 4,600K+: Daylight on a cloudy day that’s blue-white.

Color temperature is the temperature of a heated metal object that gives off a certain color of light. The higher the temperature of the metal, the less yellow and bluer the light will be. Funnily enough, that means warmer light is given off by cooler metal!

Should I Use Natural Light?

Daylight is a great starting point for a home office setup. Sitting in front of a window gives you nice, soft, natural lighting from the outside.

But ensure you don’t get direct sunlight, which will cause harsh shadows. You might need to pull the blinds down or close the curtains if you have them.

The downside of relying on daylight is it limits when you can take part in calls! Late evenings are out. And it gets dark a lot earlier in winter. So you may not even have enough light during a normal working day.

Why Are LEDs Good?

LEDs are the most suitable type of light currently on the market. This is because it can mimic the high color temperature of daylight. Fluorescent tubes and tungsten bulbs both have color casts. And they’re less controllable.

How Many Lights Do I Need?

The more lights you have, the better your lighting setup will be. At first, starting with just one light is fine. But you might want to add more over time. Most studio photographers would recommend three-point lighting:

• Key Light: The main and strongest light. It’s usually placed slightly above and around 45 degrees to one side of the subject.
• Fill light: The secondary and weaker light. It’s normally placed on the other side of the subject at eye level and at a similar angle. It’s there to fill in and soften shadows cast by the key light.
• Backlight: This is the third light that points at the head of the subject from behind. It’s supposed to add some highlights to the hair.

You can also add a background light to illuminate the background for Zoom meetings.

Conclusion: The Best Lighting For Zoom Calls

Lighting your Zoom call can make all the difference in how others perceive you. Many of us have video calls as a part of our work. That’s why getting the lighting right for meetings is important. The added professionalism of good lighting could even mean a raise!

We think the Lume Cube 18-inch Ring Light Kit is the best choice for raising the quality of your video calls. It has flattering light with excellent color rendering. Plus, it runs on batteries if you need a backup power system or need to use it without a main power supply.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Lighting For Zoom Calls

Lume Cube 18″ LED Ring Light Kit

Lume Cube 18″ LED Ring Light Kit

Neewer 18″ Ring Light Kit

Neewer 18″ Ring Light Kit

Razer Ring Light Kit

Razer Ring Light Kit

The Razer Kiyo Pro HD is the best webcam for Mac right now. It gives you high-definition footage with a super-smooth 60 fps frame rate. It’s the ideal solution for conference calls, remote work, and live streaming.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Webcam For Mac

Razer Kiyo Pro HD Webcam

Razer Kiyo Pro HD Webcam

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

Elgato Facecam HD Webcam

Elgato Facecam HD Webcam

What is the Best Webcam For Mac?

The best Mac webcam has to meet your needs. The best webcam for a team leader working remotely might not be the same as a webcam for professional streaming. Thankfully, there is a wide range of webcams for Macs available. The trick is finding the right one for you.

Video resolution and frame rate are the two most important specs when looking for a webcam for Mac. The field of view is another aspect your need to consider. And you need to think about how to mount the webcam. We have more information in our buyer’s guide below if you need it.

First, we’ll take a quick look at all the Mac webcams on our list. The next section looks at each webcam in detail. Then we have a buyer’s guide with more technical information. Then there’s a bonus section helping you set up your webcam for Mac.

Our Top Choice

Razer Kiyo Pro HD Webcam

Razer Kiyo Pro HD Webcam

• High definition 1080p video with a 60 fps frame rate
• Variable field of view settings
• Adjustable clip for easy mounting
• Compatible with most streaming apps including Zoom, YouTube, FaceTime, and Twitch
• Face-tracking autofocus features

Best Logitech

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

• 1080p/30fps streaming
• Built-in autofocus and light correction
• Background replacement technology
• Compatible with iMac and MacBook computers
• Includes tripod and 6-month XSplit license

Best For Low Light

Elgato Facecam HD Webcam

Elgato Facecam HD Webcam

• High-definition 1080p resolution
• Built-in stereo microphone
• Facecam Hub software has extra features for more pro streaming
• Automatic low-light correction
• Compact and lightweight design

Best 4K Webcam

Logitech Brio 4K Webcam

Logitech Brio 4K Webcam

• 4K Ultra HD video quality
• Offers high frame rate of up to 90 fps
• RightLight 3 technology for clear images in any light
• Built-in 5x digital zoom
• Compatible with Windows and Mac OS

Best Plug and Play Webcam

AUSDOM AW651 Full HD Webcam

AUSDOM AW651 Full HD Webcam

• 2K and high definition 1080p video
• Built-in stereo microphone
• Plug and play, no drivers needed
• Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Android
• Rotatable clip a d tripod stand

Best Built-in Lighting

Razer Kiyo HD Webcam with Ring Light

Razer Kiyo HD Webcam with Ring Light

• 1080p HD video for clear visuals
• Built-in ring light for flattering lighting
• Adjustable brightness for any environment
• Compact and portable for easy transport
• Works with all popular streaming software

Best Adventure Webcam

GoPro Hero10 Black

GoPro Hero10 Black

• Full HD video for live streaming
• 23 MP photos when used as a standard camera
• Waterproof up to 33ft / 10m
• Advanced image stabilization
• Voice control for hands-free operation

Best Frame Rate Webcam

Logitech StreamCam

Logitech StreamCam

• 1080p / 60 fps video quality
• Built-in stereo mics for directional sound recording
• Flexible mounting options
• Automatically adjusts exposure/white balance
• USB-C connection for easy setup

Best Noise-Reduction Webcam

Anker PowerConf C300 Smart Webcam

Anker PowerConf C300 Smart Webcam

• 1080p HD video quality
• Crystal clear audio with noise-reduction technology
• Field of view auto-adjust feature
• Hands-free autofocus feature
• Plug-and-play setup with no additional software

Best Stereo-Mic Webcam

EMEET Jupiter Full HD Webcam

EMEET Jupiter Full HD Webcam

• Crystal clear audio and video
• 360-degree voice pickup for directional sound recording
• Compatible with various platforms
• Easy to set up and use
• Adjustable field of view

Best Tilting-Head Webcam

Kensington W2000 Full HD Webcam

Kensington W2000 Full HD Webcam

• Full HD resolution for clear images
• Built-in dual microphones for clear audio
• Compatible with Windows and Mac
• Plug-and-play setup for easy installation
• Wide-angle lens for capturing more of the scene

Best Tripod with Mini Tripod

Hrayzan Full HD Webcam

Hrayzan Full HD Webcam

• 1080p HD video quality
• Autofocus and low-light correction
• 360-degree rotation and adjustable clip
• Built-in dual stereo microphones
• Compatible with multiple platforms

Best Budget Webcam

Wansview 1080p Webcam with Microphone

Wansview 1080p Webcam with Microphone

• 1080p HD resolution
• Built-in dual microphones
• Plug-and-play setup with USB connection
• Compatible with Mac and PC computers
• Wide-angle lens for larger view

Best For Video Calls

Logitech C930e HD Webcam

Logitech C930e HD Webcam

• HD video quality for clear visuals
• Pan, tilt, and zoom for flexible viewing
• Built-in microphone for crisp audio
• RightLight™ 2 technology for optimal lighting
• Compatible with Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, etc

Best Specialist Gaming Webcam

AVerMedia PW513 Live Streamer CAM

AVerMedia PW513 Live Streamer CAM

• 1080p / 60 fps resolution for high-quality game streaming
• Built-in ring light for perfect lighting
• Microphone and headphone ports for sound control
• Tripod mount for easy setup
• Plug-and-play for fast streaming

The Best Webcam for Mac in 2023

There’s no problem if you have a Macbook or an iMac. We have plenty of options for both. And we have a variety of different webcams to suit every need. Whether it’s conference calls, streaming, or vlogs, we have all the best Mac webcams.

1. Razer Kiyo Pro HD Webcam

Brand	Brand Razer
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 60 fps
Field of View	Field of View 80 to 103 degrees
Connection	Connection USB 3
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Auto light correction, HDR mode, face tracking AF
Best For	Best For Conference calls, live streaming, game streaming, vlogging

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Razer Kiyo Pro HD Webcam

Amazon.com

$92.25 $199.99

Buy Now!

The Razer Kiyo Pro tops our list of the best Mac webcams. It’s compact and discreet. And it gives you professional-quality video. You’ll look like a consummate professional on your next video call with your associates. And you’ll gain more viewers at your next live streaming event.

It gives you Full HD (1080p) video quality for a clear transmission on conference calls. And it films with a frame rate of 60 fps. That gives you super-smooth recording with no lagging or jerks. It’ll clip onto anything that’s a similar size to a laptop screen. And it’s easy to adjust for the perfect angle.

The Razer Kiyo Pro adapts to your lighting conditions. It’ll change to a brighter setting if natural light is low. And it’ll dim down if it’s too bright. The automatic light correction operates when you’re recording. It’s a specialist in low light, reducing graininess for optimal quality in all conditions.

You can adjust the field of view to meet your needs. The range goes from 80 to 103 degrees, giving you plenty of options. The camera also has a sophisticated autofocus system. It’ll lock onto a face and track you as you move. That’s handy for the impassioned speakers out there. There’s also a high dynamic range (HDR) mode for extra clarity. But you need to drop down to 30 fps to use this feature.

You can purchase the Razer Kiyo Pro webcam with different accessory combos.

2. Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

Brand	Brand Logitech
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30 / 60 fps
Field of View	Field of View 78 degrees
Connection	Connection USB-A
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Built-in stereo speakers, tracking AF, light detection
Best For	Best For Conference calls, live streaming, vlogging

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Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

Amazon.com

$75.46 $99.99

Buy Now!

The Logitech C922x Pro is the best Mac webcam for Zoom meetings and general webcam use. It’ll give you crisp and clear video chats. And it’ll boost your professionalism for those important business calls. The Logitech C922x Pro is a versatile dedicated webcam for all Mac users.

The Logitech C922x Pro gives you Full HD resolution. And that’s 1080p picture quality shot at 30 fps. You’ll look fantastic on video apps and streaming platforms. You also have the option of 60 fps for smoother footage. But that’s only available when filming in standard HD video (720p).

You don’t need to fork out on additional audio equipment. The Logitech C922x Pro has two built-in microphones for stereo sound recording. That gives you high-quality audio without external microphones or headsets.

The 78-degree viewing angle gives you a wide field of view. This gives you a natural image in video conferences. It’s not too cramped or close up. This Mac webcam also has an autofocus system to keep you in focus. You can move your head while you speak and the camera will keep your face in focus. The light correction system also keeps you perfectly exposed when the light changes.

The Logitech C922x Pro connects to your Mac with a USB-A cable. You don’t need any additional Mac software. And it clips onto your computer or laptop screen. It’s a high-quality webcam for any conference call or business meeting.

3. Elgato Facecam HD Webcam

Brand	Brand Elgato
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 60 fps
Field of View	Field of View 82 degrees
Connection	Connection USB 3.0 / USB-C
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Wide f/2.8 aperture, reliable AF, Facecam Hub software
Best For	Best For Conference calls, live streaming

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Elgato Facecam HD Webcam

Amazon.com

$110.52 $129.99

Buy Now!

The Elgato Facecam is one of the best Mac webcams for streaming apps. It’s small, but it gives you fantastic picture quality. And the advanced features make it a popular choice with pro streamers. You can also use it for high-level video conferencing.

The Facecam offers Full HD video with a 60 fps frame rate. That’s high-quality video with super-smooth playback. It’ll look fantastic on any social media platform. There’s no video compression so the footage is free of artifacts and pixelation.

The camera lens quality is very high for a webcam. And it has a wide maximum aperture of f/2.4. That gives you outstanding low-light performance so your face is always illuminated. The autofocus feature also works well and keeps you in focus even when you move.

You’ll need the Elgato Camera Hub app to get the most out of the Facecam. It gives you excellent camera control. You can change the field of view and exposure settings. And you can adjust contrast and saturation. The Camera Hub allows you to get the type of shot you want. It’s ideal if you’re building a brand on social media.

4. Logitech Brio 4K Webcam

Brand	Brand Logitech
Video Resolution	Video Resolution 4K (2160p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30, 60, 90 fps
Field of View	Field of View 90 degrees
Connection	Connection USB-A / USB-C
Other Key Features	Other Key Features 5x HD zoom, noise reduction microphone, auto light adjustment
Best For	Best For High-quality streaming, game streaming, conference calls, presentations, vlogging

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Logitech Brio 4K Webcam

Amazon.com

$144.90 $199.99

Buy Now!

The Logitech Brio Ultra HD Pro gives you the best video quality of any Mac webcam. The 4K quality makes it perfect for serious video game streaming. It’s ideal for livestreaming on YouTube, Twitch, or Instagram. And remote professionals will see the Logitech Brio as a worthy investment.

The Logitech Brio gives you 4K resolution for excellent image quality. The frame rate is limited to 30 fps when recording video in 4K. That’s smooth enough for most Mac users. But you can change the resolution settings to open up more frame rate options. You get 60 fps in Full HD. Or you can go to HD resolution for a 90 fps frame rate. That gives you plenty to play with.

The optical quality of the lens is very high. It has a wide 90-degree viewing angle. And it gives you a 5x HD zoom to help you frame the perfect shot. It also has automatic light adjustment. This keeps you perfectly exposed in changing conditions.

The Logitech Brio is armed with two omnidirectional noise-reduction microphones. They give you stereo sound recording. And they cancel out background noise so everyone can hear your voice loud and clear.

The Logitech Brio is pricier than many other webcams. But it gives you unparalleled quality. It’s a professional piece of kit for your Mac. And it’s one of the best Mac webcams for high-standard streaming.

You can see our full list of the best 4K webcams by clicking the link

5. AUSDOM AW651 Full HD Webcam

Brand	Brand AUSDOM
Video Resolution	Video Resolution 2K
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30, 60 fps
Field of View	Field of View 75 degrees
Connection	Connection USB-A
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Noise-reduction dual microphones, tracking AF
Best For	Best For Conference calls, video calls

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AUSDOM AW651 Full HD Webcam

The Ausdom AW651 combines quality with affordability. It offers excellent value for money. But you’ll also see a marked improvement in your conference and video calls. It’s one of the best Mac webcams if you’re working from home.

The AW651 gives you 2K image quality. 2K isn’t very common in any device. But it sits between Full HD and 4K for picture quality. That means you’re getting a bright image with excellent detail. There’s very little video compression.

The 2K video operates at 30 fps. You also have the option of 60 fps when shooting in Full HD. For many, the extra smoothness is worth the drop in quality. And even in Full HD, you’re getting high-quality video.

The lens gives you a bright 75-degree field of view. Ausdom chose that angle specifically for conference calls and Zoom meetings. The autofocus is fast and reactive to changes. And the camera has dual mics for stereo sound recording. They reduce background noise to make sure you’re heard loud and clear.

You don’t need any additional software for this Mac webcam. That saves you time. But it means you have to change the settings in the video app you’re using.

6. Razer Kiyo HD Webcam with Ring Light

Brand	Brand Razer
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30 fps
Field of View	Field of View 90 degrees
Connection	Connection USB 2.0
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Built-in ring light, built-in microphone
Best For	Best For Vlogging, video Calls

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Razer Kiyo HD Webcam with Ring Light

Amazon.com

$45.53 $99.99

Buy Now!

The Razer Kiyo is an all-in-one webcam for Mac. It gives you everything you need to thrive on the most popular video services. You get sound, light, and high-resolution video. It’s popular with streamers of all kinds.

The Full HD video is fantastic. And the 30 fps frame rate gives you smooth and professional footage. You also get an extra smooth 60 fps at 720p. It has the performance for gaming, live streaming, and work meetings.

Much of the Razer Kiyo’s popularity comes from the built-in ring light. It gives you 5600k power illumination. The light has been balanced to emulate daylight. And it gives you even face lighting with no additional equipment.

The Razer Kiyo also has a built-in mic for audio recording. It’s a complete webcam setup in one. And it has a fold-away design for easy storage. It’s no surprise the Razer Kiyo is so popular with social media stars. The Razer Kiyo is perfect for vlogs, makeup tutorials, and TikToks. You’ll be able to video chat with your friends and colleagues too.

7. GoPro Hero10 Black

Brand	Brand GoPro
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30 fps
Field of View	Field of View 73 degrees
Connection	Connection USB
Other Key Features	Other Key Features 5.2K Video recording, 23 MP photos, waterproof, built-in stabilization
Best For	Best For Adventure and travel vlogging, live streaming, extreme sports videos

×

GoPro Hero10 Black

Amazon.com

$0.99

Buy Now!

Adorama

$399.00

Buy Now!

KEH

(second hand)

$332.79

Buy Now!

You might be surprised to see the GoPro Hero 10 on our list. A GoPro is an action camera. It isn’t a dedicated webcam for Mac. But the GoPro Hero 10 can be used as a webcam for Macs. And it’s a good one. It’s a popular choice with many content creators.

The streaming resolution is 1080p, so it can compete with other dedicated webcams. And it’s a multimedia creation tool. You can record videos in stunning 5.3K. It also has a time-lapse feature. And there’s an image stabilizer to reduce camera shake. You can also take still photos with 23 MP image quality.

The GoPro has a good aperture range, so it’s a good webcam for all lighting conditions. And there’s a built-in mic for sound. But you will need something to mount it on.

You’ll need the GoPro Webcam software on your Mac. Watch this video to get your GoPro setup as a Webcam for Mac.

8. Logitech StreamCam

Brand	Brand Logitech for Creators
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 60 fps
Field of View	Field of View 78 degrees
Connection	Connection USB-C
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Auto exposure settings, auto framing, built-in microphone
Best For	Best For Conference calls, streaming, vlogging

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Logitech StreamCam

Amazon.com

$135.34 $169.99

Buy Now!

As you might guess from the name, the Logitech Streamcam is one of the best webcams for streaming apps. It’s a huge step up from standard Macbook webcams. And it’s ideally suited to YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram. It’ll also make you the most professional employee in your next Zoom meeting.

Full HD at 60 fps makes the Streamcam a contender for the best Mac webcam. It doesn’t have the best resolution on the list. But the quality and frame rate combine to make it a must-have for streamers.

The Logitech Streamcam uses intelligent exposure to maintain the perfect light levels. It adjusts to any change in light, so you look your best at all times. It also has auto-framing that keeps your face in the center of the frame. The built-in mic is clear and records well. The Logitech Streamcam is a dream for streamers.

9. Anker PowerConf C300 Smart Webcam

Brand	Brand Anker
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 60 fps
Field of View	Field of View 115 degrees
Connection	Connection USB-C
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Noise-reduction dual microphones, field of view auto adjust
Best For	Best For Live streaming, game streaming, vlogging, conference calls

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Anker PowerConf C300 Smart Webcam

The Anker PowerConf C300 is an excellent all-around webcam for Mac. The 1080p at 60 fps footage is good enough for game streaming and professional work conferences. Teachers can also use it for remote teaching.

The dual microphones pick up clear sound. And the camera reduces excess noise from your environment to give you more clarity. It also has low-light correction programs that give you better illumination even in dark conditions.

The PowerConf C300 also has an auto-adjust field of view mechanism. It knows if you’re speaking alone or in a group. And it’ll change the angle to fit everyone in the frame.

10. EMEET Jupiter Full HD Webcam

Brand	Brand EMEET
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 60 fps
Field of View	Field of View 60 to 96 degrees
Connection	Connection USB
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Adjustable field of view, built-in stereo microphones, eMeet software
Best For	Best For Conference calls, game streaming, live streaming, vlogging

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EMEET Jupiter Full HD Webcam

The EMEET Jupiter has two built-in mics with noise-reduction technology. They give you stereo sound recording. And they cancel out unwanted background noise. They also have echo-reduction effects that help your voice carry clearly.

You need the EMEET software if you want the most out of the Jupiter webcam. The software gives you more creative control. You can adjust the field of view, change the brightness, and set audio controls. The EMEET is one of the best webcams for conference calls.

11. Kensington W2000 Full HD Webcam

Brand	Brand Kensington
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30 fps
Field of View	Field of View 75 degrees
Connection	Connection USB-A / USB-C
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Omnidirection microphone, 2x digital zoom, tilting head
Best For	Best For Conference calls, vlogging

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Kensington W2000 Full HD Webcam

Amazon.com

$43.53

Buy Now!

The Kensington W2000 is one of the best Mac webcams if you’re working from home. It delivers good-quality footage for video calls, meetings, and conferences. It’s a basic webcam. But it’s an affordable solution to your home office problems.

The 1080p resolution gives you Full HD quality. And the 30 fps frame rate ensures there are no lags or jerks. There’s no video compression, so you get a clear picture every time. You also get a 2x digital zoom. The Kensington app gives you more options with camera settings.

The camera lens gives you a 75-degree field of view. And you can tilt the camera head vertically and horizontally to get the perfect angle. The W2000 also has an omnidirectional microphone built-in. And the noise reduction technology makes sure your words are heard. The Kensington W2000 is a no-thrills Mac webcam for remote workers.

12. Hrayzan Full HD Webcam

Brand	Brand Hrayzan
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30 fps
Field of View	Field of View 110 degrees
Connection	Connection USB 2.0
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Built-in microphone, mini tripod included
Best For	Best For Vlogging, streaming, video calls

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Hrayzan Full HD Webcam

Amazon.com

$23.99 $27.99

Buy Now!

The Hrayzan HD webcam is the best Mac webcam if you need an ultra-wide-angle lens. The video quality is fantastic. And it has all the specs you need for video calls and live streaming. It’s also a budget-friendly webcam for Mac.

This webcam gives you excellent Full HD video at 30 fps. But the field of view is the main selling point for this Mac webcam. It gives you an incredible 110-degree field of view. That includes more of your environment in your shot. Many streamers prefer that kind of composition.

The built-in mic provides excellent sound quality. And there’s no need for additional software. All you have to do is plug it into your Macbook and it’ll run. The camera has a clip for your computer screen. But it also comes with a mini tripod for more mounting options.

13. Wansview 1080p Webcam with Microphone

Brand	Brand wansview
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30 fps
Field of View	Field of View 90 degrees
Connection	Connection USB 2.0
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Reliable AF, noise-reduction microphones, auto light correction
Best For	Best For Conference calls, live streaming, vlogging

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Wansview 1080p Webcam with Microphone

Amazon.com

$22.99

Buy Now!

The Wansview HD Webcam for Mac is a cheap and cheerful option for casual streamers. It’s a good budget option if you’re working from home. And it’ll do a good job with video calls to family and friends. It’s simple, easy, and works well.

We’ve seen 1080p quality with a 30 fps frame rate a few times now. And each time, we’ve said you’ll get excellent image quality. That’s because it’s true. And the same is true of the Wansview Mac webcam. The camera lens gives you a nice 90-degree viewing angle. And the autofocus keeps you in focus while you speak.

The camera has dual microphones with noise-reduction technology. The mics also have subject recognition. Once they know your voice, they’ll cancel out other noise. The camera also has automatic light correction for videos. It’ll keep you well-lit in dark situations. And it’ll adapt to changes automatically. You don’t have to change the camera settings manually.

14. Logitech C930e HD Webcam

Brand	Brand Logitech
Video Resolution	Video Resolution Full HD (1080p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 30 fps
Field of View	Field of View 90 degrees
Connection	Connection USB 2.0
Other Key Features	Other Key Features 4x digital zoom, stereo microphones
Best For	Best For Video calls, vlogging

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Logitech C930e HD Webcam

Amazon.com

$68.99 $69.50

Buy Now!

It’s another fantastic webcam for Mac from Logitech. It’s one of their more basic webcams. But you still get the same Logitech quality you’d expect. It’s ideal for remote work and streaming.

You won’t be disappointed with the Full HD quality shot at 30 fps. The lens gives you a 90-degree angle of view. And the C930e has a 4x digital zoom to help you get the perfect composition.

The Logitech C930e has stereo microphones for superb sound quality. And they also cancel out unwanted background noises. It has plug-and-play compatibility, so it’s easy to get started on Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime. The Logitech C930e isn’t fancy. But it delivers what you need the most.

15. AVerMedia PW513 Live Streamer CAM

Brand	Brand AVerMedia
Video Resolution	Video Resolution 4K (2160p)
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 60 fps
Field of View	Field of View 94 degrees
Connection	Connection USB 3.0 / USB-C
Other Key Features	Other Key Features Swivel mount, plug-and-play technology
Best For	Best For Game streaming, Live streaming, vlogging

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AVerMedia PW513 Live Streamer CAM

Amazon.com

$149.99

Buy Now!

The AverMedia PW513 is a perfect Mac webcam for gamers and live streamers. The quality is high-resolution 4K, so your transmission will be crisp and clear. And the 60 fps frame rate is fast enough to keep up with any computer game. It’s also Skype-compatible for keeping in touch with friends and family.

The 94-degree lens gives you a wide, environmental field of view. The camera can also swivel 360 degrees on its mount. The PW513 webcam has plug-and-play technology. Once it’s plugged into the USB-C port, it’ll work with video calls or streaming apps.

Best Webcam for Mac— Buyer’s Guide

The best Mac webcam has to meet your needs. The best webcam for a team leader working remotely might not be the same as a webcam for professional streaming. Thankfully, there is a wide range of webcams for Macs available. The trick is finding the right one for you. Here’s some information to help you replace your native webcam.

Do All Webcams Work on Macs?

No. Not all webcams on the market are compatible with Mac computers. You need to make sure the webcam you buy is Mac-compatible. Some are compatible with both PC and Mac computers. And others are only compatible with one system type.

Do Logitech webcams work with Mac? That’s another common question. And the answer is yes. And that’s a good thing because Logitech has some of the best webcams on the market. You’ll see a few of them on our list.

Video Resolution

The video resolution determines the video quality of the camera. Ideally, you want Full HD quality. That gives you a video resolution of 1080p. That’ll give you enough clarity for conference calls and video chat apps. That should be enough for casual game streaming. But professional YouTubers and Twitchers will need 4K.

720p is best avoided if you’re doing anything of a professional nature. That includes video calls for work. This quality does look dated. And it doesn’t give you much of a boost from your native Mac webcam. 720p is fine for casual video calls with family and friends. But it won’t serve you much more than that.

Frame Rate

The frame rate is measured in frames per second (fps). A faster frame rate gives you smoother video. 30 fps will serve most people well, especially with 4K video quality. But 60 fps gives you an extra smooth video. You’ll have no lagging or jerks when using the webcam. But 60 fps is rarely seen with 4K quality.

Field of View

The field of view tells you how much of the scene the camera sees. A wide field of view gives you a wide-open shot. A narrow field of view gives you a tighter, cropped shot.

A Mac webcam usually has a field of view between 60 and 90 degrees. That’s a fairly wide and open shot. But some cameras give you the option to change it. That allows you to get the perfect shot.

Webcam Mount

Many webcams have a clip for mounting on your computer. That’s a handy feature. But it doesn’t give you many framing options. You might want something less direct. Many streamers prefer a side shot or a position above their line of sight.

You can buy other mounts like tabletop tripods if you prefer. Some Mac webcams come with additional mounting options. Again, how you mount your webcam depends on what you’re using the camera for.

Setting Up Your Mac Webcam

Setting up a new tech device can put some people in a cold sweat. But setting up your Mac webcam doesn’t have to be like that. In fact, it’s easy. Whether you’re using a Logitech or a Razer webcam, there’s an easy setup process. We’ll give you some tips on how to get set up and get the best results.

Mac Webcam Setup

Many of you will be happy to hear you don’t need to install software to use a new webcam for Mac. Simply connect your webcam to your Mac computer using the cable provided. This is usually a USB cable. But some webcams now use a USB-C cable. Most webcams use the computer as a power source, so you won’t need other power cables.

Once connected, open a video conferencing app like Zoom or FaceTime. Go to the video settings and you’ll see your webcam listed as one of the camera options. Select the webcam and the app will change to the camera’s view. You’ll see the jump in image quality straight away.

If you still need to know how to use a Logitech webcam on Mac, watch this video. You can also get the Logitech Capture video software if you need more creative options.

Audio Settings

If your webcam doesn’t have a built-in microphone, the computer will continue to use its native mic. That doesn’t give you the best audio quality. If the webcam has a microphone, go to the app’s audio settings and select the webcam.

Webcam microphones don’t produce the best audio. That’s no problem for casual video calls. But professionals and streamers might want a better microphone. You can get a microphone as part of a headphone set. The Logitech H930 is an excellent choice. Or you can get a standalone mic for premium sound quality. The Rode Podcaster is popular with podcasters and streamers.

Using Lights with Your Webcam

Not everyone needs additional lighting for their Mac webcam. If you’re in a bright room with plenty of natural light, you’ll have no problem with video calls. But if you’re struggling for light, you might need some extra. The glow from your computer can be unflattering. And professionals and streamers need to look their best.

We’ve listed a couple of webcams that have built-in lights. This is handy for conference calls. But you still might need something more powerful. Ring lights are very popular with content creators of all kinds.

A ring light gives you an even brightness that removes shadows on the face. You can see our top ring lights here. You can also see our list of LED lights if you want something funkier.

Conclusion: The Best Webcam For Mac

The best webcam for Mac in 2023 is the Razer Kiyo Pro Webcam. Its high-definition video quality and wide-angle lens make it a fantastic webcam for Mac computers. It’s also easy to set up and use and offers great value for money.

There are plenty of other great webcams you can use with your Mac computer. There are high-resolution 4K webcams for professional conference calling and streaming. You can find high frame-rate cameras for video game streaming. And we’ve included basic options for Skype and FaceTime calls. Everyone can find the perfect webcam for Mac.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Webcam For Mac

Razer Kiyo Pro HD Webcam

Razer Kiyo Pro HD Webcam

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

Elgato Facecam HD Webcam

Elgato Facecam HD Webcam

Your all-in-one probably does a decent job of printing the occasional photo. But it’s almost certainly not the best photo printer for your photography needs.

There are specialist photo printers that a photography studio might have. And there are specialist portable printers or ones for printing from your iPhone. Our top pick for a photo printer is an all-in-one that will deliver crisp photos, has a scanner, and has separate ink tanks to cut costs.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Photo Printer

Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank: Print, Copy, Scan

Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank: Print, Copy, Scan

Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

Which Is the Best Photo Printer?

Before we look in detail at the printers we’ve selected, here are our top picks at a glance.

Our Top Pick

Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank: Print, Copy, Scan

Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank: Print, Copy, Scan

• Ink tanks save money
• Panoramas up to 47" (1.2 m)
• Doubles as a scanner
• Especially good on glossy paper

Best Top-of-the-Range Printer

Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

• 10 pigment inks plus chroma optimizer
• Vacuum platen for precise feed
• 10/100 Ethernet
• Panoramas up to 10' 9" (3.3 m)

Most Versatile Printer

Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

• All-in-one printing and scanning
• Prints on DVDs
• Small footprint and motorized input and output trays
• Two input cassettes

Best for Documents

Canon Pixma TS6320 Wireless All-In-One

Canon Pixma TS6320 Wireless All-In-One

• Pigment black ink for printing documents
• Internal cassette and rear path
• Works with Google Assistant and Alexa
• All-in-one scanner and printer

Best for Heavy Paper Stock

Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000

Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000

• Handles media up to 0.9" (2.3 cm) thick
• Internal cassette and rear path
• Color touchscreen
• Impressively quick

Best for Monochrome

Canon PIXMA PRO-200 Wireless Photo Printer

Canon PIXMA PRO-200 Wireless Photo Printer

• Three black/gray cartridges for impressive monochrome printing
• Downloadable ICC profiles
• Works with 380 gsm paper stock
• 10/100 Ethernet

Best Allrounder

Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550

Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550

• Low running costs
• Up to 6'6" (2 m) panoramas
• Works with 300 gsm stock
• Two paper cassettes

Best for Extra-Large Panoramas

Epson SureColor P700

Epson SureColor P700

• Accepts roll-feed paper
• Prints up to 33' (10 m) panoramas
• Works with 1000 gsm stock
• Downloadable ICC profiles

Best for Pros

Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300

Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300

• 10 pigment-based inks, including chroma optimizer
• Adobe integration and downloadable ICC profiles
• Prints on DVD and stock up to 380 gsm
• 10/100 ethernet

Best for Gallery Prints

Epson SureColor P900

Epson SureColor P900

• Excellent quality printing
• Maximum 17 x 22" prints
• Downloadable ICC profiles
• 10/100 ethernet

Now let’s look in more detail at each of the printers. And we’ll start with the top pick.

1. Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 8.5 x 14 inches (Panoramas up to 47 inches)
Ink Type	Ink Type 6 dye-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Tank
Scanner	Scanner Yes
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 2.0, Wi-Fi
Display	Display Mono LCD

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Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank: Print, Copy, Scan

Amazon.com

$249.00 $329.99

Buy Now!

You refill the Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank inks from 60 ml bottles. This reduces printing costs to roughly 10% of equivalent cartridge printers. If you print a lot, the money you save on ink will cover the upfront cost of the printer.

The six ink cartridges comprise CMYK plus gray and red. Filling tanks could be a messy process. But the Canon bottles don’t need squeezing and stop flowing when the tank is full. They also have nozzles that will only fit in the appropriate tank.

The Pixma G620 MegaTank is clearly aimed at photographers rather than as a multi-function printer. There is no pigment ink for ordinary printing or built-in paper cassettes. This probably isn’t the printer for you if you switch frequently between printing photos and letters. Paper up to 47” (1.2 m) can be loaded from the single top-rear paper feed to print panoramas. The maximum weight of the paper is 105 gsm, which is much lower than some others.

It has a scanner that allows you to copy and scan. There is no touchscreen, but there’s an LCD readout and user-friendly buttons.

Print quality is very good, especially on glossy paper. There are printers with better print speeds, from Canon and others. But the G620 has low running costs. If you find yourself eating through cartridges and your bank balance, the Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank should be near the top of your list.

2. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 17 x 22 inches (panoramas up to 17 x 129 inches)
Ink Type	Ink Type 11 pigment-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Cartridge
Scanner	Scanner No
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet (10/100)
Display	Display 3.0-inch LCD screen

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Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

Amazon.com

Check Price

Buy Now!

This is just about the biggest photo printer you can get that is designed to go on a desk or table. And it weighs 71.2 lbs (32 kg), so that desk needs to be sturdy. Canon has aimed the imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 at the serious photographer. It has 10 pigment-based inks and Canon’s chroma optimizer for reducing bronzing and gloss discrepancies.

You would expect top-class prints at this price, and this Canon will easily produce exhibition-quality prints. One clever feature is that the paper is held firm on the platen by a vacuum system. This overcomes any slight curl in the medium. It is perhaps surprising that a printer this substantial can’t produce longer landscape prints. If that’s a big part of your work, then this probably isn’t for you.

Ink costs are quite low per print, but a complete set will come to more than $600. It also doesn’t make sense to use a photo printer this size for a large number of smaller prints. After each print, a small amount of ink is used for maintenance tasks. This is the same for big or small prints. The imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 is most likely to find a place in a photographer’s studio alongside a more compact photo printer for print runs of smaller photographs.

3. Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 8.5 x 14 inches
Ink Type	Ink Type 6 dye-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Cartridge
Scanner	Scanner Yes
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 2.0, Wi-Fi
Display	Display 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen

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Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

Amazon.com

$294.49

Buy Now!

The Epson Expression Photo XP-8600 is a US letter/A4 photo printer. Epson emphasizes its compact form factor by referring to it as a “small-in-one.” But its small size is packed with a lot of features.

The touchscreen is a very handy addition for accessing the controls. You can print from SD cards or via USB 2.0 or Wi-Fi. The scanner allows you to scan directly to the cloud or a memory card. The Epson Smart Panel App turns your mobile phone into a controller for the printer.

Using the rear paper path, you can print on special media, including DVDs. Both input and output trays are motorized. It’s not a portable printer in the strictest sense. But it is very compact.

Along with the rear paper path, there are two cassettes. You can keep plain paper in one and photo paper in the other. This really helps if you find yourself printing letters and photos in roughly equal measure.

Epson’s Claria Photo HD inks are particularly good at maintaining subtle details in the highlights. This is down to the light magenta and light cyan inks. There is no separate non-photo black cartridge. However, text document printing is still impressively rich and clear.

Print speed is not the best, but the Epson Expression XP-8600 offers a great set of features for the price. It could be the best photo printer for you if you’re looking for reliability.

4. Canon Pixma TS6320

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 8.5 x 14 inches
Ink Type	Ink Type Black pigment, 5 dye-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Cartridge
Scanner	Scanner Yes
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Display	Display 1.44-inch OLED screen

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Canon Pixma TS6320 Wireless All-In-One

Amazon.com

$399.99 $427.00

Buy Now!

The Canon Pixma TS6320 has five separate ink cartridges to provide a good balance between printing documents and photos. The black pigment ink takes care of your document needs. And the dye-based color inks handle photos.

The TS6320 keeps plain paper in the internal cassette, and you feed photo paper from the rear input tray. This keeps the paper path flat and helps to avoid incorrect insertion. The paper output tray opens automatically when the printer powers on.

The integral scanner allows you to scan or copy paper up to US letter/A4. The OLED screen provides information about the printing status. And you can connect it to your mobile device and even control the printer with Alexa or Google Assistant.

Canon Pixma printers always impress with their best photo quality, and this is no exception. It combines quality with good printing speed. It is also one to consider if you want to retain the flexibility of an all-in-one printer and scanner.

5. Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 13 x 19 inches
Ink Type	Ink Type 6 dye-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Cartridge
Scanner	Scanner No
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet (10/100)
Display	Display 2.4-inch screen

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Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000

Amazon.com

$426.49

Buy Now!

The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 offers larger prints than the XP-8700. But it doesn’t have the roll-feed option of the more expensive SureColor P700. Print speed is also impressive.

It is also another printer that recognizes that you might not have room for two printers on your desk. So it has an internal paper cassette and a rear-loading paper tray. This means you can have your standard office paper in one and use the rear feed for photo paper. It will also cope well with thick media up to 0.9 of an inch.

Photo quality is as you would expect from Epson. It’s very good for color. Black and white prints are good after some tweaking. As with all cartridge-based photo printers, running costs will be higher than with tanks. This is a photo printer that suits the photographer needing occasional prints and a general printer as well.

6. Canon PIXMA PRO-200

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 13 x 19 inches (panoramas up to 13 x 39 inches)
Ink Type	Ink Type 8 dye-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Cartridge
Scanner	Scanner No
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet (10/100)
Display	Display 3.0-inch LCD screen

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Canon PIXMA PRO-200 Wireless Photo Printer

Amazon.com

$490.00 $599.99

Buy Now!

The Canon PIXMA PRO-200 has specifications similar to the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300, but it’s a bit cheaper. It has only one paper feed, compared with the two of the PRO-300. It is a dye-based photo printer that holds eight inks. It adds two gray cartridges to its one black and is particularly impressive in its monochrome glossy output.

Like its more expensive cousin, you can download ICC profiles for a range of specialty papers. Also like its cousin, the heaviest weight you can use is 380 gsm. So you can do some serious gallery-quality prints. A fast print speed will mean you’re not waiting all day either.

7. Epson Ecotank ET-8550

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 13 x 19 inches (panoramas up to 13 inches x 6 feet 6 inches)
Ink Type	Ink Type Pigment black and 5 dye-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Tank
Scanner	Scanner Yes
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet (10/100)
Display	Display 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen

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Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550

Amazon.com

$745.00 $799.99

Buy Now!

You could think of the Epson Ecotank ET-8550 as an all-in-one on steroids. It offers decent photo printing and normal printing in one unit. And it has six ink tanks that will save you lots of money on ink.

The ink tanks mean that printing costs are 10% of cartridge-based photo printers (by Epsom’s calculations). Plus it benefits the environment. On the downside, this is not a cheap printer. It is nearly as much as the Canon imagePROGRAF reviewed here and slightly more than Epson’s own SureColor P700.

The calculation is whether the compromises involved in making an all-in-one are worth it. A dedicated photo printer lives and dies by its photo quality. Here, Epson makes those compromises seem worth it. It makes its limited number of inks work well. Both color and black and white prints are rich and vibrant.

With the ability to print panoramas up to 2 m long, you begin to see why people might choose the ET-8550. There are two paper magazines. One of them allows up to 300 gsm paper. The rear straight pass facility allows the printing of paper up to 1/20th of an inch (1.3 mm) thick. Print speed is a little slow at higher qualities.

The low running costs and overall flexibility make the Epson Ecotank ET-8550 an interesting proposition. Not everyone has room for a separate scanner, for instance. Or one printer for photos and another for printing documents. In these circumstances, it’s definitely worth considering.

8. Epson SureColor P700

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 13 x 19 inches (panoramas up to 13 inches x 32 feet 10 inches)
Ink Type	Ink Type 10 pigment-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Cartridge
Scanner	Scanner No
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Display	Display 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen

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Epson SureColor P700

Amazon.com

$829.00

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There are some attractive features on the Epson SureColor P700. For instance, there’s a clear panel above the print head so you can see your print’s progress. It has a roll-feed attachment that allows prints of up to nearly 33 feet (10 m) in length. And the front feed tray allows the use of paper stock of up to 1000 gsm.

You can set the printer to use the light gray cartridge to help equalize levels of gloss. ICC profiles can be downloaded from manufacturers such as Hahnemuhle. Although Epson only provides profiles for their own papers. So you’ll need to experiment a little to establish which profiles work with non-Epson papers.

The quality of the prints is impressive in both color and black and white. Print speed is quite slow at the best quality.

One possible cause of complaint is that the initial setup will consume almost a complete set of inks. Most photo printers come with stingy initial ink supplies, but this is a full set. It is to do with the path from tank to print head. A set of refills will cost you about $300, so it’s a major consideration.

9. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 13 x 19 inches (panoramas up to 13 inches x 39 inches)
Ink Type	Ink Type 10 pigment-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Cartridge
Scanner	Scanner No
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet (10/100)
Display	Display 3.0-inch LCD screen

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Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300

Amazon.com

$899.00

Buy Now!

The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 is a serious color photo printer. It uses pigment inks, comprising two blacks, six colors, and a gray. The tenth ink is a “chroma optimizer,” which applies a surface coat when printing on glossy media. This ensures that no color is glossier than the others for a smooth, professional finish.

This photo printer is aimed at the professional photographer and is bigger than the others we have seen so far. It also offers flexible control over print functions. These include advanced options such as soft and hard-proofing and integration with Photoshop and Lightroom. ICC profiles are available for non-Canon specialty papers, like those from Hahnemuhle and Ilford.

There are two angled paper feed trays at the rear of the printer. You can use paper of up to 380 gsm, which includes the finest gallery-quality papers. You can also print on DVDs and even nail stickers.

The imagePROGRAG PRO-300 won’t break records for print speed, but it’s unlikely that you would buy it for that. Its strength is in printing excellent quality color and monochrome prints on a wide range of media.

10. Epson SureColor SC-P900

Maximum Paper Size	Maximum Paper Size 17 x 22 inches (panoramas up to 17 x 129 inches)
Ink Type	Ink Type 10 pigment-based inks
Cartridge or Tank	Cartridge or Tank Tank
Scanner	Scanner No
Connectivity	Connectivity USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet (10/100)
Display	Display 4.3-inch color touchscreen

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Epson SureColor P900

Amazon.com

$1,229.99 $1,349.00

Buy Now!

The Epson SureColor SC-P900 is the big sibling to the P700 we reviewed above. It uses the same array of ink tanks. The range of four black or gray inks produces rich and deep monochrome prints. Print longevity is rated as 400 years for black and white and 200 for color.

The 17 x 22” maximum size produces prints that won’t get lost on the wall. You can download ICC profiles for many specialty papers. Paper as thick as 1/20th of an inch load via the completely flat front path.

The quality of prints from the SC-P900 will not disappoint, in both color and black and white. But this is another example of a printer with a large initial setup cost. This is a pretty expensive photo printer. And it won’t be long before you spend another $300 or so on replacement inks.

If you factor in those costs and are looking for that extra print size, then the Epson SureColor P900 will deliver exhibition-quality prints.

Is it Worth Printing Your Own Photos?

As I said, you’ll get OK print quality from most all-in-one inkjet printers for the occasional photo. There are often some drawbacks, though. The most obvious is probably ink.

It’s more common to find dedicated photo printers that use refillable tanks instead of cartridges. This makes a lot of sense if you’re printing photos that consume lots of ink. I have an aging Canon PIXMA photo printer. The XL cartridge contains 21 ml of ink. Compare that with Canon’s Megatank photo printers, where the ink refill bottles contain 60 ml.

What are the Connectivity Options?

All these photo printers come with USB connectivity. Some support USB 3 for improved speed. All have Wi-Fi connectivity. And some have Bluetooth, which is useful for printing photos from mobile devices. Some also come with ethernet. You might want to consider this if you want to share the printer on an office network.

The Different Types and Amounts of Inks

You will find up to ten separate inks with all the best photo printers. Sometimes this allows you to use different black ink for photos or normal printing. Others will have gray ink to improve photo quality when printing monochrome photos.

What is the difference between dye-based and pigment inks? Dye-based inks work better on glossy media due to their smaller droplet size. Pigments are better for matte or plain paper. This is why some of the best photo printers reviewed here have black pigment ink for plain paper, while the colors are dyes.

Conclusion

There’s a $1000 difference between the cheapest and most expensive printers on this list. The main considerations as you choose will be budget, overall printing needs, and printing quantity.

You will find more inks, larger paper sizes, and improved print quality as you move up the price range. At the same time, scanners will disappear, and everyday printing capabilities will take a back seat.

For top-of-the-range printing, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 is a solid choice. Exceptional print quality, chroma optimizer, and build quality make this one of the best photo printers for professional results. The only negative is the lack of panorama printing.

If you want a printer that you can still use for letters and leaflets but with excellent photo printing, the Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank is a great choice. The ink tanks and flexible paper handling are great bonuses.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Photo Printer

Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank: Print, Copy, Scan

Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank: Print, Copy, Scan

Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

Laser printers have become a must-have for small businesses and at-home enterprises. They no longer have the hefty overheads. They’re more efficient and cost-effective than other printing alternatives. So they’re the best solution to your printing needs!

If you’re looking for the best color laser printer, we suggest the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw. Its performance and ease of use solidify the top spot, and all this for a great price!

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Color Laser Printer

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw

Brother Color Laser Printer HL-L8360Cdw

Brother Color Laser Printer HL-L8360Cdw

Canon Color imageCLASS MF741Cdw

Canon Color imageCLASS MF741Cdw

The Best Color Laser Printers

These are our recommendations for the best color laser printer this year. We’ve considered the needs of different amateurs, professionals, and companies. There is something for everyone on this list. We have printers for one-person home operations and growing small businesses and offices.