The 8 Best Client Gallery Platforms for Photographers in 2026
We ranked Terracotta, Pic-Time, Pixieset, ShootProof, CloudSpot, Zenfolio, SmugMug and Sprout Studio on real-world price, storage, commission and features.
By the Terracotta team · Updated · 11 min read
Your client gallery is the last thing clients see from you, and for a lot of photographers it is also where the print and album money comes from. Picking the wrong one means paying for storage you never use, or finding out the feature you need lives two plans up.
We compared the eight most popular client gallery platforms on what actually matters day to day: price at real storage levels, which features are locked behind higher plans, commission on sales, and how the galleries look to clients. Prices are published monthly rates checked in October 2026.
| Platform | Free plan | ~100 GB costs | Print sales commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terracotta | 3 GB | About $15.60/mo | You set the markup |
| Pic-Time | 10 GB, then 3 GB | $25/mo | 15% on Free and Beginner |
| Pixieset | 3 GB | $20/mo | 15% on Free |
| ShootProof | 3 GB | $19.99/mo | 0% on all plans |
| CloudSpot | 5 GB | $17/mo | 15% on Free and Entry |
| Zenfolio | None | $23/mo | 7% commerce fee |
| SmugMug | None | $20/mo (annual) | Not published |
| Sprout Studio | None | $46/mo | Commission-free |
How we ranked them
- Real cost at real storage levels. Not the starting price, but what you pay at 25, 100 and 250 GB, where most working photographers live.
- Feature gating. Whether print sales, custom domains, branding and watermarks require an upgrade.
- Sales and commission. What the platform takes from print and product orders.
- Client experience. How the gallery looks and works on a phone, which is where most clients open it.
Terracotta
Best for Photographers who want every feature without paying for storage they don't use
Full disclosure: Terracotta is our product, so weigh this pick with that in mind. We built it because every other platform on this list sells storage in tiers and saves its best features for the top plans. Terracotta does neither. You get the full feature set from your first gallery and pay only for the storage you actually keep.
Galleries come in seven design styles with 29 templates, clients can keep multiple favorites lists and leave notes, and the print store sends orders straight to a pro lab. Under 250 GB, it costs less than the smallest paid Pic-Time or Pixieset plan that fits, and we put a first-year promise behind that.
What we like
- Usage pricing, prorated to the day, with lower rates as you grow
- Print store, custom domain, branding and watermarks on every account
- Curated setup: answer a few questions and the gallery configures itself
- Cold storage (the Cellar) for finished galleries at a lower rate
Watch out for
- Newer platform with a smaller community than the big names
- No native mobile app yet
Pricing Free up to 3 GB, then billed by the GB you keep (about $15.60/month at 100 GB). Every feature on every account.
Try Terracotta freePic-Time
Best for Wedding and portrait photographers focused on print and album sales
Pic-Time is the platform most wedding photographers measure everything else against. Its galleries look great, and its sales tools (scheduled campaigns, abandoned cart reminders, album upsells) genuinely earn money. The trade-off is cost: storage jumps from 20 GB to 100 GB between tiers, and commissions on the lower plans eat into print profit.
What we like
- Polished, fast galleries clients love
- Strong automated sales campaigns
- Print store and lab fulfillment on every plan, including Free
- Mobile gallery apps included
Watch out for
- 15% commission on Free and Beginner, 6 to 8% on higher plans when Pic-Time collects payment
- Custom domain and removing Pic-Time branding start at Professional
Pricing Free (10 GB, dropping to 3 GB after a few months) · Beginner $8/mo (20 GB) · Professional $25/mo (100 GB) · Advanced $50/mo (unlimited)
Pixieset
Best for Photographers who want galleries, a website and a studio manager in one place
Pixieset is the friendliest place to start, and its ecosystem is a real advantage if you also want it to run your website and bookings. Storage is the catch: Basic's 10 GB holds roughly one wedding, so the realistic entry point for a busy photographer is the $20 Plus plan. See our full Pic-Time vs Pixieset comparison.
What we like
- Clean, minimal gallery design
- Website builder and studio manager from the same company
- Store and mobile apps available on the free plan
Watch out for
- Only 3 GB free and 10 GB on Basic, so most working photographers land on Plus or higher
- 15% commission on the free plan
Pricing Free (3 GB) · Basic $10/mo (10 GB) · Plus $20/mo (100 GB) · Pro $30/mo (1 TB) · Ultimate $50/mo
ShootProof
Best for Portrait and volume studios that want commission-free sales from day one
ShootProof has been around a long time and it shows, in good and bad ways. It is dependable, it never takes a cut of your sales, and it bundles contracts and invoicing. The galleries are less striking than Pic-Time or Pixieset, which matters more for wedding work than for school or sports.
What we like
- 0% commission on every plan, including Free
- Lab sales, watermarks and email marketing on the free plan
- Contracts and invoicing on paid plans
Watch out for
- Interface feels dated next to newer platforms
- No video on the free plan
Pricing Free (3 GB) · Starter $9.99/mo (20 GB) · Standard $19.99/mo (100 GB) · Professional $31.99/mo (1 TB) · Premium $60/mo
CloudSpot
Best for Budget-minded photographers who want galleries plus a light CRM
CloudSpot competes hard on price and adds a basic studio manager, which makes it a good fit if you are starting out and want one inexpensive tool. Watch the commission on the two lowest plans if you sell prints.
What we like
- Low entry price
- Storefront on every plan
- Studio Manager with contracts, invoicing and scheduling on paid plans
Watch out for
- 15% commission on Free and Entry
- Removing CloudSpot branding requires a paid plan
- Smaller ecosystem
Pricing Free (5 GB) · Entry $7/mo (15 GB) · Lite $17/mo (100 GB) · Pro $34/mo (500 GB) · Unlimited $50/mo
Zenfolio
Best for Event and school photographers who sell a lot of orders
Zenfolio is an all-in-one website and store with deep roots in event and school photography. If you sell to a lot of parents or attendees, its ordering tools are a good fit. For wedding and portrait delivery, the fees and older design make it a harder sell.
What we like
- Unlimited JPEG storage on Advanced
- Website, store and marketing campaigns in one
- Built for high-volume ordering
Watch out for
- 7% commerce fee per order, plus download and processing fees
- Store and lab fulfillment start at Professional
Pricing Basic $9/mo (15 GB) · Professional $23/mo (150 GB) · Advanced $40/mo (unlimited JPEG). No free plan.
SmugMug
Best for Hobbyists and pros who want unlimited storage and a portfolio site
SmugMug is a photo host first and a client gallery tool second. Unlimited storage is the draw. If you need a place to keep and show everything, it is a solid choice. If your main job is delivering sessions to clients, the dedicated platforms above do it better.
What we like
- Unlimited photo storage on every plan
- Portfolio website included
- RAW storage add-on available
Watch out for
- Not built around client delivery workflows
- Client favorites and full download control need the Pro plan
- Annual billing only
Pricing Direct $20/mo · Portfolio $23.50/mo · Pro $37/mo (billed annually). Unlimited photo storage. No free plan.
Sprout Studio
Best for Studios that want CRM, workflow and galleries in a single system
Sprout Studio is a business management platform that happens to include galleries. If you were going to pay for a CRM anyway, getting galleries in the same login is convenient. If you only need delivery, you are paying for a lot you won't use.
What we like
- Full CRM: leads, contracts, invoices, workflows
- Galleries and sales built in
- Commission-free
Watch out for
- Costs more than gallery-only tools
- Lower plans cap you at 10 or 20 active galleries
Pricing Lite $24/mo (50 GB) · Basic $46/mo (100 GB) · Pro $66/mo (200 GB) · Unlimited $89/mo
How to choose the right client gallery platform
Start with how you actually work, not with the feature list:
- Your storage swings with the seasons? Usage pricing (Terracotta) beats a tier sized for your busiest month. Our storage cost breakdown runs the numbers.
- Prints and albums are a big part of your income? Look hard at sales automation and commission. Pic-Time and Terracotta both include a print store on every plan.
- You want one login for everything? Pixieset or Sprout Studio bundle websites or a CRM.
- You shoot schools or events? Zenfolio and ShootProof are built for high-volume ordering.
Most of these platforms have a free plan or trial, so upload a real session and send it to a friend before you commit. How a gallery feels on their phone will tell you more than any comparison chart.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best client gallery platform for photographers?
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It depends on how you work. Terracotta is the best value because every feature is on every account and you pay only for the storage you use. Pic-Time is strongest for print and album sales, Pixieset for an all-in-one ecosystem, and ShootProof for commission-free sales.
What is the cheapest way to deliver photos to clients?
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For small accounts, free plans from Terracotta (3 GB), Pixieset (3 GB) or Pic-Time (10 GB at first, then 3 GB) cost nothing. Past about 20 GB, usage-based pricing like Terracotta's is usually the cheapest, because you pay for the GB you keep instead of a whole tier.
Do client gallery platforms take a commission on print sales?
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Some do. Pic-Time takes 15% on its Free and Beginner plans and 6 to 8% on higher plans when it collects payment. Pixieset and CloudSpot take 15% on their free plans, Zenfolio charges a 7% commerce fee, and ShootProof charges 0% on every plan.
