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Nations Photo Lab Review

Monday, December 2nd

2024 Photo Card Company Reviews

Nations Photo Lab Review 3.5 Star Rating

Nations Photo Lab

3.5 Star Rating
  • Thousands of design options
  • Prices start at $0.52 per card
  • Design-your-own cards available
  • In-depth design tools
  • Site is designed by photographers, for photographers
  • "A+” rated by the BBB

Nations Photo Lab is the option built by photographers, for photographers. Their staff of over 150 photo enthusiasts has helped more than half a million customers to preserve (and share) their special moments via photos. Naturally, this includes photo cards.

You'll have to hunt down the photo-specific designs

Shopping for photo cards with Nations Photo Lab is a little more labor-intensive than with some of its competitors. They don't have a page on the site dedicated strictly to photo cards: instead, you'll need to have an idea of the occasion (like Christmas or Adoption Announcements) or the type of card (such as a postcard or accordion fold) and go from there.

Reasonably-priced and lots of discounts offered

Pricing here varies widely, depending on the style of the card, how many you order, and what extras you include: that's pretty common everywhere. But, in general, you can find some smaller photo card styles with a starting price of $0.52, and most of the traditional ones are somewhere in the $1 to $2 range (when buying large quantities). Also, if you sign up for emails and texts when you see the pop-up, you can save 25% on your photo card order. Plus, at the time of our visit to Nations Photo Lab, there was a sitewide promo of 30% off on all cards, and a code for an extra 25% off. Since most of the designs we looked at came in minimum order packs of at least 25 photo cards, those savings are quite welcome.

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You'll need to make an account early on

The site itself is a little glitchy too. As we were scrolling through all of the types of photo cards, one style didn't have a "starting from” price, just some brackets. And, while not an error, we didn't love that we were required to create an account just to step into the design process: no pricing, no place to upload the photo, zero is shown to you until you let Nations Photo Lab know who you are. That's not our favorite way to interact with any business, not just those who offer photo cards.

Superlative design tools

On the other hand, once you get past that, well, annoyance, you'll find some of the most robust tools for creating photo cards that we've seen anywhere. Best of all, it comes with tips for how to best use the application as you work through the design process. By photographers and for photographers indeed! If having tons of hands-on tools is a top priority, you'll want to come to Nations Photo Lab first.

Very positive reviews for the company and the designs

How about customer feedback? You'll see a couple hundred reviews on each photo card you look at here. However, sometimes they're all for the same style of card (postcard or folded) and not necessarily for the specific design. We also found conflicts as we clicked on the reviews: one time, it showed the overall score (usually 4-something out of 5 stars across 200+ ratings), and another time it went to comments just for the design (and it was less than a 4-star average).

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Solid BBB rating

Fortunately, going beyond those inconsistencies and getting deeper into people's experiences, we found an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau and thousands of five-star ratings for Nations Photo Lab. Although those ratings are for the company as a whole and not focused solely on photo cards, it's reassuring that 75% of reviews on Google alone would give the company a perfect score.

Great photo cards if you've got some expertise

If you're just the average person wanting a cute family Christmas card or a quick-and-easy graduation announcement, the truth is that you might be a little overwhelmed by Nations Photo Lab. The design tools are complex and may be a bit much. On the other hand, if you know your way around cameras and/or design and are looking for the perfect online partner to make your photo cards come out picture-perfect, this is one of the best options out there.

What's the Best Place to Order Photo Cards?

Photo cards have been a timeless way to capture and share moments of significance in people's lives. While they were once primarily associated with graduation and wedding announcements, photo cards have evolved over the years to become a versatile and popular tool for personal expression, celebration, and communication. In this era of digital-everything, photo cards offer a somewhat nostalgic, tangible and heartfelt way to convey emotions and commemorate special occasions.

And in recent years, photo cards have seen a surge in popularity. In this visual age, where swift info consumption is key, photo cards shine. Visual stories are mightier than just words, and appeal to our quick-paced lives. These cards crystallize moments, capturing feelings for both the sender and the receiver.

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Photo Card Company FAQ

Photo cards take your images and turn them into mailable greetings. Some of the most popular types of photo cards are wedding announcements, graduations and holidays.
That depends on the photo card shop you choose. Many of them have a minimum number of cards to place an order, usually 10 or 25, but some let you buy a single card. Of course, you'll pay more per card for a one-off purchase than you will for an order of 100.
Not necessarily. Again, if you're ordering multiples of the same card, you can easily get them for less than $1 each. You'll also find single-card options for less than $2. And, as you'd expect, the more premium options you include - like foil, embossing, and so on - the more you'll pay per card.
Yes, most of the time. A standard white envelope is usually included, but you'll often find options for color-coordinated or pre-addressed ones too (for an extra fee).
How much time do you have? You can personalize most photo cards to your heart's content, playing with shapes, fonts, colors and image placement until you have the design you're excited to send out.
Definitely. Most photo card sites have thousands of options ranging from casual to elegant, classic to whimsical, and everything in between. Just upload the photo you want to include, enter the accompanying text, and you're ready to go - no artsy tweaking required.
That varies. You could get them as quickly as two or three days from when you placed your order. Most print shops estimate a one-week turnaround on photo cards.
Don't panic. Many photo card stores have generous satisfaction guarantees in place. You can usually get a reprint (with expedited delivery) at no cost. If the error was on your side, like misspelling a name or putting in the wrong date, you might have to pay a fee for the new order - but less than the price of the original purchase.
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Continued from above...

As proof, you can look no further than social media. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and the rest have blossomed because of pictures. People sculpt their online selves, turning stories into visual timelines. Photo cards extend this digital tale into the tangible realm, offering a physical side to the online identity. They let people share treasured moments beyond the fleeting nature of digital posts.

Naturally, you may be looking at photo cards exactly for those two typical occasions: weddings and graduations. There's no shame in that game. People love receiving pictures of the happy couple or the accomplished graduate, especially if it's someone they don't get to see in real life as often as they'd like. But, there are plenty of other occasions where a photo card could lend just the right touch.

For example, custom holiday photo cards have become a beloved tradition, allowing families to share their joy and highlight memorable moments from the year. New parents often choose photo cards to introduce their newborns to family and friends, adding a personal touch to the announcement. The same goes for birthday invitations and thank-you cards (and those might be the perfect follow-up to those wedding invitations and graduation announcements).

Aspiring creatives can also make great use of photo cards. They're a terrific way to share art prints, inspirational quotes, or as a platform for showcasing photography.

If you're on board with the notion that photo cards are a great way to share your holiday or special occasion, do you know where to buy them? There are many online stores that cater to photo card production - but they vary widely in cost and quality.

When selecting a platform to create photo cards, here are some criteria that can help you get the best product and experience:

  • Price. Compare the pricing structure, including card options, sizes, and quantity discounts. Look for hidden fees like shipping costs. And, if you need a large quantity of cards for events like weddings or corporate functions, inquire about bulk ordering discounts.
  • Editing tools. You want a site that doesn't give you a headache when you're putting together your photo cards. The ability to customize layouts, add filters, text, and adjust colors can significantly impact your final product.
  • Integration with social media and cloud storage. If you have photos stored on social media or cloud platforms, consider whether the service allows easy access to these sources for card creation.
  • Reputation. Read reviews to see what customers say about the quality of the final product, including paper type, color accuracy, and image clarity. High-quality printing is essential for a professional look. Also, what do they say about the availability of customer support, including live chat, email, or phone? That can be crucial if you encounter issues or have questions during the design and ordering process.
  • Satisfaction guarantee. Look for a satisfaction guarantee or return policy that provides peace of mind in case you're not satisfied with the final product.

Photo cards continue to be a beloved means of commemorating life's milestones and expressing creativity, so the experts at Top Consumer Reviews have researched and ranked today's most popular platforms. We're confident that this information will help you get photo cards that exceed your expectations and deliver a meaningful way to share your cherished moments with others.

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