Vintage Photo Lab's Top 10 Photo Book Companies for 2024: An Independent Review

Your newly digitised analogue photos are safely preserved for posterity – now what?

Your newly digitised analogue photos are safely preserved for posterity – now what? Happily, here comes the fun part: celebrating and sharing them. In a time dominated by fleeting digital images, a photo book offers a joyous and heartfelt way to share special moments from history with the wider family and friends, a treasured keepsake that can be printed in multiple if necessary and will be cherished by future generations too. What could be a more special gift than a carefully compiled collection of precious special photos, replicated albums, letters, scrapbooks and print memorabilia.

Research shows that revisiting old photos can boost your mood, reduce stress, and foster a deeper connection with your roots, and it goes without saying that flicking through a book together beats sitting at a screen.
 

With this in mind, selecting the right photo book company becomes all the more important, but so many out there where do you start? To help, here’s our review of our favourite photo book companies in the UK for 2024.

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1. Bob Books

Best for: High-quality, professional-grade photo books, independently owned

One of the first UK-based platforms for designing, printing and publishing photo books Bob Books was founded by the publisher John Brown and graphic designers Mireille Burkhardt and Lexi Burgess in 2006 with a mission to create an intuitive platform allowing everyone to make beautifully crafted, customised photo books. Based in Notting Hill, London, Bob Books has since established itself as one of the leading photobook providers in the UK, renowned for its premium materials and professional-quality printing. A favourite of both amateur photographers and professionals alike.

  • Pros:
    • Exceptional print quality with accurate colours and sharp images
    • Wide range of customisation options
    • Available in hardcover, softcover, and premium lay-flat formats
    • Minimal branding, with an option to remove logos entirely
    • Monthly photo book competition and a bookshop where customers can sell their own photo books
  • Cons:
    • Higher price point compared to other options, although this reflects the quality
    • Longer production time
    • Support (for advanced technical issues) could be improved


2. PhotoBox

Best for: Budget-friendly photo books with frequent discounts

PhotoBox is a popular choice for those looking to create a photo book without breaking the bank. With a straightforward online editor and frequent discounts, PhotoBox provides a reliable and cost-effective option, especially for those looking to create multiple copies.

  • Pros:
    • Affordable pricing with regular promotional offers
    • Easy-to-use online editor
    • Fast turnaround time
  • Cons:
    • Print quality is good but not as high-end as some competitors
    • Limited customisation options
    • Visible branding which cannot be removed


3. Papier

Best for: Stylish and personalised photo books

Papier is renowned for its chic and modern stationery, often collaborating with illustrators and designers to create popular letter writing sets and invitation cards. Its photo books reflect their fresh and fashionable high-end aesthetic. The company uses quality materials, and unlike some competitors, Papier does not add any branding to their photo books, making them a clean and stylish choice. While the design options are beautifully curated, they are somewhat limited, and there is less flexibility for those looking to heavily customise their photo book.

  • Pros:
    • Elegant and modern design templates
    • High-quality paper and binding
    • No visible branding on the photo books
  • Cons:
    • Fewer advanced customisation options
    • Limited size and format choices


4. WhiteWall

Best for: Gallery-quality photo books and prints

WhiteWall is the go-to choice for those looking to create beautiful, gallery-quality photo books. The company is highly regarded for its precision in colour accuracy and the impeccable quality of its materials, including options like acrylic covers and fine art paper. WhiteWall does not include any branding on its photo books, which may be important for those looking to create a professional presentation. However, the premium pricing and longer production times are considerations for those working within a budget or tight timeline.

  • Pros:
    • Museum-grade printing and archival-quality materials
    • Exceptional colour accuracy and detail
    • No branding on the photo books
  • Cons:
    • Premium pricing
    • Longer delivery times due to high-end production


5. CEWE Photoworld

Best for: Versatile photo books with extensive customisation

CEWE (pronounced ‘see-wee’) was founded by Heinz Neumüller in 1961, who named the company after the initials of his father-in-law, Carl Wöltje. Whilst the group’s headquarters are located in Germany, its UK production, customer service, sales and marketing teams are based in Warwick, UK. Cewe Photoworld offers a comprehensive service catering to a broad range of needs, from simple photobooks to more elaborate creations with extensive customisation options – and it’s a popular choice for photographic professionals. That said, their design software may be overwhelming for those less tech-savvy or who would like more guidance with their choices.

  • Pros:
    • Offers a wide range of sizes, formats, and finishes
    • High-quality print options, including lay-flat binding
    • Comprehensive software for advanced customisation
  • Cons:some text
    • Slightly higher prices for premium options
    • The design software can be overly complex for quick home projects
    • Cewe adds subtle branding on the spine, the back cover and the inside back cover


6. Vistaprint

Best for: Business-oriented photobooks and corporate gifts

Vistaprint is a familiar name in business printing, and their photobooks offer a good balance of high quality and low price, ideal for corporate gifts or business portfolios. Vistaprint's photobooks do come with visible branding, which cannot be removed. Customers rate the efficient customer service, and Vistaprint is certainly quick and reliable, however the print quality is more utilitarian compared to the premium options available from other providers.

  • Pros:some text
    • Affordable pricing with frequent deals
    • Integrated marketing tools for business use
    • Simple and straightforward design process
    • Great customer service
  • Cons:some text
    • Limited to standard photobook sizes and styles
    • Print quality may not match that of premium providers


7. Milk Books

Best for: Luxury photobooks with high-end finishes

Milk Books, headquartered in New Zealand, is specialised in making beautiful luxury photobooks, making it a good choice for special occasions like weddings, milestone anniversaries or travel books. With over 60 years of publishing experience and a passion for bookmaking, founder Geoff Blackwell is part of the team behind publishing house Blackwell & Ruth which has won awards for its coffee table books on Princess Diana, Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu among others. Milk Books has an easy to use online Design Studio and offers a clean and professional finish and although this high-end service comes at a cost, and production times are longer due to the bespoke nature of the products, it’s unlikely you’ll regret it.

  • Pros:some text
    • Exceptional craftsmanship with luxurious materials
    • Premium options like archival paper and bespoke design services
    • Lay-flat binding for seamless panoramic spreads
  • Cons:some text
    • Very expensive compared to other options
    • Longer delivery times due to bespoke production


8. Snapfish

Best for: User-friendly photobooks for everyday occasions
San Francisco-based global tech giant Snapfish is possibly the biggest in the business, founded in 1999 and sold multiple times for multiple billions of dollars. That’s by the by though, and if you are looking to create a photobook for everyday occasions, like holidays or family gatherings, it’s a great option. The platform is easy to navigate, making it a good choice for beginners.

  • Pros:some text
    • Simple and intuitive design process
    • Affordable pricing with regular deals, keep an eye out for offers and vouchers
    • Fast production and delivery
  • Cons:some text
    • Limited options for professional-quality finishes
    • Design templates are somewhat basic
    • You'll be constantly bombarded with upsells for books, mugs, and more. Some of these may be fun, but others might find it annoying.


9. Blurb

Best for: Custom photobooks with a focus on storytelling

Based in San Francisco with offices in London, Blurb is a self-publishing and marketing platform whose platform intends to make it easy to design, publish, promote, and sell professional-quality printed books and ebooks yourself. With a team of design and media veterans who want to help you bring your stories to life, Blurb is targeted squarely at budding authors and artists: storytellers who want to create a truly custom photobook. With professional-grade materials and the option to sell your resulting tome.

  • Pros:some text
    • Wide range of customisation options for creatives
    • Professional-quality paper and printing
    • Option to publish and sell your photobook
  • Cons:some text
    • Steeper learning curve with more complex software
    • Higher costs for premium options


10. Saal Digital

Best for: High-end, professional-grade photobooks
Saal is a German based company that ships to the UK and is renowned for its premium photobooks, particularly favoured by professional photographer. The company offers an impressive range of customisation options, including leatherette covers, acrylic finishes, and a luxe presentation box, while their layflat binding is perfect for showcasing panoramic images, with pages available in matte, gloss, or silk finishes. While the design software is more advanced, it allows for a lot of flexibility, and users can even upload their designs as PDFs if they prefer to create them independently.

  • Pros:some text
    • Exceptional print quality with accurate colours and fine details
    • Customisation options include leatherette and acrylic covers
    • Layflat binding for seamless panoramic images across spreads
    • No visible branding, offering a clean, professional finish
  • Cons:some text
    • Premium price point 
    • Design software has a steeper learning curve but supports PDF uploads for custom designs
    • Longer production times due to premium finishes and hand-finished products



Know someone who might find this guide useful? Share it with them and help them choose the perfect photo book provider. 

Here at Vintage Photo Lab, we would also be delighted to help you create the photo book of your dreams. Message us to find out more about our 'Done For You' photo book design service.

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