Tuesday, January 21st
2025 Photo Card Company Reviews
Picaboo
- Around 450 photo card designs to choose from
- Create-your-own option
- Prices from $1.29 per card
- 30-day satisfaction guarantee (but no refunds)
- In business since 2002
Picaboo transforms memories into personalized keepsakes, providing a wide range of customization choices for photo cards, calendars, home decor, photo books, and beyond. This creative endeavor began in 2002 when Howard Field and Kevin McCurdy, both alumni of Babson College, came together in Palo Alto, California. Their mission was to harness the power of photo editing tools to enhance a diverse array of products.
Just 400 photo card styles
Picaboo is most widely used for creating photo albums, and not necessarily for photo cards. You'll get that impression right off when you notice that there are only about 400 photo card designs to choose from: a much smaller selection than many of its rivals, who tend to offer thousands upon thousands of styles. But, like most competitors, Picaboo also has a design-your-own-card option, so you can always get creative and make exactly what you have in mind.
Filters will make life easier
Here's what you can expect when you click on the "create card” button. You'll be taken to a page that lets you scroll through all 400+ designs, so we recommend that you use the filters on the left side to get a little more specific. The category types are fairly standard: winter holidays (Christmas, Holiday Greetings, Hanukkah, New Year's), graduation, baby, thank you, and birthday invites (but notably, no wedding announcements or invitations, though as we browsed we did find options for "save the date”).
Start by uploading a photo
And, before you get too far down the track, we want to point out a tool that we love with Picaboo: the ability to start by uploading a photo and preview all card designs specifically with that image. Most services make you get a little further down the design path first, which can waste your time.
Not the smoothest design experience
But from there, the tools on Picaboo aren't quite as slick. When you click on a card design that piques your interest, it doesn't keep the photo in the preview. We also noticed that the pop-up with the design didn't fit well on the screen; it was hard to click the X (and we even had to hide our bookmarks bar to get to it at all). You'll want to jump to the design phase pretty fast, but even there you'll still have to upload your photos again. Everything else is relatively straightforward: enter the text (including the return address on the envelopes, for most designs), and so on.
Higher-than-average prices
Most cards at Picaboo start at $1.29 each - but that's only if you order 500 of them. Picaboo doesn't come right out and make it easy to see how much you'll pay based on the size of your order, but it's on their main Pricing page: for a minimum order of 10 cards, the price ranges from $2.09 each for Signature Flat designs to $2.79 each for Premium Folded cards.
Satisfaction sort of guaranteed
Picaboo says they offer a "100% Satisfaction Guarantee”, but it definitely comes with restrictions. If the cards you receive don't match what you saw during the creation process, they'll make it right by sending you a corrected product at no charge within 30 days. However, beyond this guarantee, there isn't a return policy in place. If you're unhappy with a product, you'll receive store credit in the form of "Picabucks," which you can apply toward future orders.
Reputation isn't what we'd like to see
That's important to know, because despite having ratings from the Better Business Bureau in the "B-” to "A+” range (it depends on which arm of the company you're looking at), Picaboo doesn't get the best feedback with respect to quality - especially that of the photos themselves. Both professional feedback from places like PC World and reviews from everyday customers say that photos can be perfectly fine at upload but come out grainy in print, printed photos turn black over time (maybe not a big issue with cards but certainly a problem with albums and books), and so on. Plus, Picaboo recently made the decision to eliminate their customer service phone number, leaving frustrated clients with nothing but live chat (during weekday business hours) and email to get help.
Some room for improvement
Picaboo isn't the worst place you could buy photo cards. The preview tool is helpful, the selection is decent, and the BBB isn't totally against this company. But that doesn't exactly make Picaboo the best, either. At the end of the day, you're going to find more overall - more designs, more options, more useful design tools, and more attention to customer happiness - with the higher-rated print shops on our list.
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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.
Photo Card Company FAQ
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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