The 6 best client gallery platforms for photographers

Taking the photos is half the job. The other half starts when the client receives them: how they view them, how they pick their favourites, whether they can download them without fighting an expired link and whether, while they are there, they order prints or an album. That is what client gallery platforms for photographers are for.

We compared six platforms on what actually matters to a working professional photographer: whether they take a cut when you sell, whether there is a free plan, whether they also handle booking, contracts and invoices, and whether you get a website in the same account.

A note before we start: we are Arcadina and we are on this list, so this is not a neutral comparison. What we do is explain the criteria, say where each one wins and date the facts so you can check them. Details for the other platforms were taken from their own websites on 15 October 2026.

Quick summary: which one to choose

• You want galleries, a commission-free store, a website, booking and contracts in one account: Arcadina.
• You want to start free with beautifully designed galleries: Pixieset.
• You already have a website and want the most polished gallery and album experience: Pic-Time.
• You want galleries with contracts and invoices included: ShootProof.
• You want a free start, a mobile client app and AI highlights: CloudSpot.
• You want a low price and commission-free galleries: Pixpa.

1. Arcadina: galleries, store and your whole studio in one account

Arcadina is built for photographers from the ground up. Your private client galleries live in the same account as your photography website, your store, online booking and quotes and contracts with e-signature.

• Best for: photographers who want the whole client journey in one place: the client asks for a quote, books and pays a deposit, signs the contract, receives a private gallery, picks favourites and orders prints. No commission on sales on any plan, plus AI face and race-bib recognition so event guests find their own photos. Its Lightroom plugin lets you upload photos and create website or client galleries without leaving Lightroom.
• Worth knowing: there is no permanent free plan (there is a 30-day trial, no card). Our AI-assisted chat answers around the clock in English, but the human team works European hours, which matters if you are in the Americas.
• Price: galleries and store from $10 a month (€10 in the EU). The Suite, with website, galleries and studio management, starts at $24 a month billed annually, and annual Website or Suite plans include your domain free for the first year. See all prices.

2. Pixieset: beautiful galleries and a free plan to get started

Pixieset is a Canadian company and one of the most widely used gallery platforms in the world. It sells galleries, a store, websites and studio management as separate products, each with a free plan.

• Best for: gallery design, ease of use and a free plan that lets you start without paying.
• Worth knowing: on the free gallery plan it takes a 15% commission on sales, and contracts, invoices and booking sit in a separate product with its own subscription. We cover it in Pixieset alternatives for photographers.
• Price: free plan. Paid gallery plans start at $8 a month billed annually.

3. Pic-Time: the most polished gallery, if you already have a website

Pic-Time is arguably the most refined gallery platform on the market: covers, animations, an album builder and face search. It focuses on galleries and the print store, and connects to other tools for everything else.

• Best for: delivery and print sales, with dozens of partner labs and automated campaigns to sell prints.
• Worth knowing: there is no website builder (only a portfolio page) and no quotes, contracts or invoices of its own. On the Free and Beginner plans it takes 15% of sales; on Professional and Advanced you can sell commission-free if you collect payments yourself. More in Pic-Time alternatives: what you still need beyond galleries.
• Price: free plan, then $7, $21 and $42 a month billed annually.

4. ShootProof: galleries with contracts and invoices included

ShootProof is a long-established US gallery platform that, beyond delivering and selling, includes contracts and invoices on every paid plan.

• Best for: no commission on sales, unlimited contracts and invoices on paid plans, branded mobile gallery apps and galleries available in thirteen languages.
• Worth knowing: there is no website builder, and online booking is a paid add-on on top of your plan.
• Price: free plan with 100 photos. Paid plans start at about $11 a month billed annually and mostly differ in photo count and storage.

5. CloudSpot: a free start and a mobile app for your clients

CloudSpot is a US gallery platform built around mobile delivery: clients get notified when their gallery is ready and can favourite, share and download from their phone.

• Best for: a genuinely free plan to start, a modern mobile-first gallery and AI that picks a highlights selection from each gallery.
• Worth knowing: the Free and Entry plans take a 15% commission on print store sales, with commission-free sales from the Lite plan up. Contracts, invoicing and scheduling sit on the higher plans, invoicing and online payments are only available in the US, and there is no website builder.
• Price: free plan with up to 3 galleries and 5 GB. Paid plans change often with introductory offers, so check their pricing page for the current figures.

6. Pixpa: commission-free galleries at a low price

Pixpa is an Indian platform that combines websites, client galleries, a store and a blog. Galleries can also be subscribed to on their own.

• Best for: low price, no commission on gallery sales, favourites with notes, download PINs and an expiry date for each gallery.
• Worth knowing: it does not include quotes, booking, contracts or invoicing, and the lowest prices require two-year billing.
• Price: galleries from about $10 a month. 15-day free trial.

What about Google Drive or WeTransfer?

They are fine for sending files, but they are not galleries. The client gets a folder or a link with none of your branding, cannot shortlist favourites in an organised way, cannot order prints from you and, on free plans, links expire or storage runs out fast. If you deliver shoots regularly, a private gallery saves you time and opens the door to selling more.

At a glance

How to choose: five questions before you decide

• Will you sell prints, albums or downloads? Check the commission on each plan, not just the monthly fee.
• Where will you handle quotes, booking and contracts? Every extra tool is another subscription, another dashboard and another place to look for a client.
• Do you need a website too? If so, count what it costs separately and how much work it takes to keep it connected to your galleries.
• How do your clients want to receive their photos? Send yourself a test gallery and open it on a phone, the way they will.
• What will you really pay per year? Add up the plan, website, domain and any tools you are still missing.

If you want to try Arcadina with your own work, you get 30 days free, no card. Upload a real shoot, send it to a client and compare.