Why do I rate Blurb as the best photo book service? Check out these comparison photos to see

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See the results for yourself

Front cover of Printerpix photo book, positioned on the right and Blurb photo book, positioned on the left
(Image credit: Future)

I’m hardly a stranger to the best photo book services. Not only have I reviewed multiple photo book services first hand, but I created TechRadar’s testing process, and I head up the team that reviews them.

My personal highlight of all the photo book services we’ve tested to date is Blurb, thanks to its excellent design tools and great print quality. But why explain my reasoning to you when I can show you, with the help of these comparison photos?

In my Blurb photo book review, I made no secret of how much of a fan I am of the service’s design tools. Not only can you upload your own PDFs that you’ve made in design software like InDesign, the platform’s downloadable app is staggeringly comprehensive.

Whether you’re creating captions, adding photo frames or dropping shapes on the page, Blurb’s BookWright software gives you precise control over every element. You can select the exact dimensions you want, punch in precise color hues using hex values, and create linked text boxes that automatically flow your words from one frame to another. And on top of its already impressive range of 188 pre-made layouts, you can save each page you design as additional bespoke layouts, massively increasing your efficiency as you work.

However, that level of creative freedom wasn’t the clincher for me. What really sold me on the strengths of Blurb as a photo book service is the quality of its printed products.

When I received the sample photo book I had created, I was blown away by how accurately it had reproduced my designs. Elements were perfectly aligned, the snaps I’d placed looked crisp and detailed, and colors were both gorgeously vibrant and yet impressively accurate. The printed book was also pleasingly tactile, with the pages and cover feeling both soft to the touch and yet suitably durable.

But I don’t expect you to just take this all on trust. That’s why I’ve put together these side-by-side comparisons to show you just how Blurb’s photo books measure up against some of their closest rivals.

The Blurb photo book compared side-by-side with rivals

The print in the Blurb book is noticeably warmer and smoother, whereas posterization can be seen in the sky of the Snapfish print, as the colors have noticeable steps rather than smoothly blending.

Blurb, on the left, compared to Snapfish (Image credit: Future)

Blurb vs Snapfish
Contrasting Blurb’s photo book with our testing sample from Snapfish, it’s easy to see how much more the former’s colors pop. Not only do they look warmer, but the Blurb book features significantly less color banding, where usually smooth gradients feature abrupt changes from one tone to another.

Read our full Snapfish photo book review.

Image of tree in Printerpix photo book, positioned on the left and Blurb photo book, positioned on the right

Printerpix, on the left, compared to Blurb (Image credit: Future)

Blurb vs Printerpix
While Printerpix’s premium photo book service is capable of bold, punchy colors and offers thick, durable paper stock, it falls short of Blurb’s books in one key area. We found its prints also showed quite a bit of color banding – something that wasn’t anywhere near as prominent on Blurb’s much cheaper photo books.

Read our full Printerpix photo book review.

Comparing twilight scenes in the Papier photo book at the front and the Blurb photo book at the back.

Papier, at the front, compared to Blurb (Image credit: Future)

Blurb vs Papier
I’m not the biggest fan of the Papier’s design tools. But one area where it definitely redeems itself is in its print quality, making it another good yard stick to measure Blurb against. Papier’s photos come out crisp and detailed, with accurate and rich color – yet Blurb manages to best it too, thanks to its more dynamic contrast and deeper blacks.

Cewe photo book on left showing a tree, with Blurb photo book showing the same image on the right

Cewe, on the left, compared to Blurb (Image credit: Future)

Blurb vs Cewe
A tough comparison here, as Cewe definitely offers a print quality that comes close to Blurb’s. There’s next to no noise or color banding visible on its book, while the hues of your snaps are lusciously vibrant. Cewe’s prints are brightened a little more than Blurb’s though – personally I prefer the slightly more loyal luminance of Blurb, as it’s more accurate to our original snaps, but this may be down to taste.

Read our full Cewe photo book review.

Josh Russell
Josh Russell
Reviews Editor

Josh is Reviews Editor at TechRadar. With over ten years of experience covering tech both in print and online, he’s served as editor of T3 and net magazines and written about everything from groundbreaking gadgets to innovative Silicon Valley startups. He’s an expert in a wide range of products from Spatial Audio headphones to gaming handhelds. When he’s not putting trailblazing tech through its paces, he can be found making melodic techno or seeking out the perfect cold brew coffee. 

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