Mixbook Versus Vistaprint
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- The Good
- Large selection of templates and designs
- Fast image uploader
- Superb editing tools
- The Bad
- Limited paper selection
Mixbook has a large selection of templates and designs that make it easy for you to put together a photo book. It also has a fast image uploader to save you time and a superb editing tool so you can customize your projects. Unfortunately, Mixbook doesn’t have as many paper options as some other companies.
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- The Good
- Various themes, layouts and colors available
- Single-print and collage photo books available
- The Bad
- Limited options to personalize photo books
Vistaprint has the ability to make basic photo books with over 80 design options. You can choose to place a single image on each page or make a collage book with six photos per page. When compared to some of its competitors, though, Vistaprint doesn’t offer many opportunities to personalize your photo books. For instance, you can’t choose leather or crushed silk covers.
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- Price
- Starting at $15.99
Landscape photo books start at $15.99. Square photo books start at $19.99. Portrait photo books start at $24.99. Premium lay-flat photo books start at $59.99. The more features and pages that you add to your photo book, the more expensive it will be.
- Price
- Starting at $10
Vistaprint has a low price that will make its photo books attractive to some buyers. A 5.5×7.5 book with up to 20 pages only costs $10. You pay 50 cents more for each additional page. The more photo books you buy, though, the less you spend on each one. For instance, you can save $3 by purchasing five books at once. Bulk sales come with even bigger discounts.
- Book Creation
- Upload photos from social media accounts
- Photo auto-fill
- Simple layout tool
Mixbook has several features that help you create your own photo book. You can access photographs from a variety of sources, including social media websites such as Facebook and Instagram. Mixbook also has a simple layout tool that will save you time while making sure your book meets all of your expectations.
- Book Creation
- Simple book creation tool
- Free online photo storage
- Ability to add images from social media sites
- Graphic design services available
Vistaprint has a very simple book creation tool that shouldn’t intimidate first-time users. You start by browsing the company’s catalog of designs and choosing one that appeals to you. Then, you upload your pictures to the website. Once you submit your pictures, you can layout the images and add text. You can also have a graphic designer do the job for just $5.
- Book Options
- Soft, glossy, matte and leather book covers
- Lay flat or regular pages
Mixbook has an impressive number of options that you can choose for your book. For instance, you can choose from soft, glossy, matte and leather book covers. You can also choose from a variety of papers to make the pages inside your book. Mixbook even has lay-flat pages that don’t use spiral bindings. The lay-flat option helps books look more professional than books with regular pages.
- Book Options
- Hard or soft cover
- Spiral binding available
Vistaprint makes two types of photo books. You can get a 5.5×7.5 book with one picture per page or a 5.5×7.5 book with up to six images per page. The company has a few cover options, but choosing them will add to your book’s price. You can have your book spiral bound so that it lays flat.
- Quality
- A- rating
Mixbook uses high-quality materials to make photo books that you will want to keep for a lifetime. Compared to other companies that offer similar services, Mixbook rates an A-. A handful of publishers get higher grades because they offer lower prices, additional features and professional printing options. Some customers have complained about printing and paper quality, so Mixbook can’t receive an A or A+ since there’s some risk you might receive a subpar book.
- Quality
- B rating
Vistaprint offers a durable, reliable product. Compared to other companies, though, Vistaprint merits a B rating. A B rating certainly isn’t bad. It just isn’t the best.
- Support
- Live chat, email and tutorials
Mixbook offers customer service through email, online tutorials and live chat. Live chat is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to noon (Pacific Time) and Saturday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Pacific Time).
- Support
- Phone, email and live chat
You can contact Vistaprint’s customer service reps via email, live chat or phone. The customer service center is open from 7 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Mixbook: User Reviews
Vistaprint: User Reviews
Mixbook: Comments
Vistaprint: Comments
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Mixbook started producing photo books in 2006. While it doesn’t have as much experience as the companies that started making photo books in the 1990s and early 2000s, it has managed to create a wide range of options for customers to choose from.
For instance, Mixbook has about 350 themes that you can use to decorate your photo book. When you visit the company’s website, you’ll see that the themes have been divided into four categories: Family, Wedding, Travel and Everyday. This approach makes it simple for you to design your own book without browsing themes that don’t fit your photographs.
Mixbook also has thousands of stickers and backgrounds that you can add to photo books. If you want to personalize your photo book, then you’ll enjoy working with the tools available on Mixbook’s website.
How Does Mixbook Photo Books Work?
Mixbook gives you step-by-step instructions so you can make a personalized photo book that you can’t wait to show friends and relatives. When you start putting together your book, you choose whether you want to make a square, portrait or landscape book.
After you choose the book’s shape, Mixbook will narrow your theme options so you can pick one that you love. The company has about 350 themes, so you will find something that matches the feel of your photographs.
Once you choose the book’s shape and theme, you can start adding photos. Mixbook lets you submit images from several locations. If you have the images saved to your hard drive, then you can upload them to the website. You can also get images from Photobucket, Flickr, Picasa, SmugMug, Facebook and Instagram.
Mixbook’s graphic design software makes it easy for you to add images to your photo book. Just select a photo and drag it to the place you want it to appear in your book. Mixbook’s auto-fill feature will immediately edit your image’s size so it fits the page and theme perfectly.
If you ever need any help with Mixbook’s graphic design software, then a tutorial will guide you through the process. Anyone who has used basic graphic design apps, however, can figure out the software quickly.
Once you’ve finished laying out your book, you can choose its size and cover material. You can also choose lay-flat pages instead of regular pages. As the name suggests, lay-flat pages sit flat against the book. It’s a great option for people who have images that span two pages. Regular pages tend to form an arch near the binding. This arch disrupts the way two-page photos look. Lay-flat pages cost extra, but this option will add to the beauty of your project.
After submitting your photo book, you can expect it to arrive within a week or two.
What Makes Mixbook Photo Books Stand Out?
Mixbook stands out for its easy-to-use graphic design app and its lay-flat pages. It isn’t the only company that offers pages that lay flat, but it is one of few options for amateurs who don’t want to place bulk orders.
Common Reviews of Mixbook Photo Books
For the most part, Mixbook gets positive reviews from its customers. Most people who use the company’s photo book service say that they enjoy using the online graphic design application. Some reviewers state that they find the software easier to use than those offered by other photo book companies.
Mixbook customers also like how many options they have to personalize their photo books. By choosing your book’s size, cover, paper quality, text, stickers and other features, you get a photo book that’s unlike any other. As long as you spend a little time putting your book together, you’ll get a professional item full of your personality.
Happy customers praise the quality of Mixbook’s photo books. Some people, however, complain that Mixbook doesn’t meet their expectations. A handful of unhappy customers describe the paper as “cheap” and the images as “pixelated.” This is a minority opinion, though. The vast majority of people seem happy with the photo books they receive from Mixbook. Still, it’s wise to pay attention to the minority before you spend money on a photo book. If you’re concerned about quality, then you may want to look for a company that offers a guarantee or gives you more control over what type of paper is used.
Is Mixbook Photo Books for Me?
Mixbook has a lot of great features that make it a good service for most people who want to create unique photo books. Mixbook works especially well for people who like variety. If you like projects that let you choose from a lot of features, then you will probably enjoy making your photo book with Mixbook.
Of course, Mixbook isn’t the perfect option for everyone. If you want a cheap photo book without any frills, then you should probably find another company. Mixbook gives you a lot of options, but it stays away from cheap features that could make your photo book look amateurish.
You also need to take a slight risk when you choose Mixbook. Enough people complain about the quality of Mixbook’s printing and paper that you should take the negative reviews seriously. If the reviews make you feel anxious, then try another company. If you think that the reviewers are blowing their complaints out of proportion, then you might as well give Mixbook a try. If you like the results, make sure you post a positive review to counter the negative comments.
What Is Vistaprint?
Vistaprint is a business that can help create photo books, business cards, and more. This organization has been around since the late 1990s, so it has had plenty of time to develop its services. Instead of expanding this service, Vistaprint has decided to stick to the basics. This approach means that practically anyone can design an attractive book using Vistaprint. Unfortunately, it also means that you have limited options when creating your book. Don’t expect to find a lot of extras. Instead, you’ll get a straightforward photo book with high-quality prints and a sturdy build.
How Does Vistaprint Photo Books Work?
Vistaprint makes it very easy to create photo books. Once you navigate to the site, you choose a layout that appeals to you. You then upload images that you want to add to your Vistaprint photo book. You can also get images from your Facebook timeline. You can choose to place one image on each page, or you choose the collage option that lets you place up to six images on each page.
Vistaprint has a very simple layout feature. Even newcomers should find it relatively easy to use. If you don’t want to spend time putting your book together, though, you can pay $5 to have someone at Vistaprint do the work for you.
Once you complete your book, Vistaprint makes your copies and sends them to you via the mail or another courier service.
Vistaprint Return Policy
If you are unsatisfied with your product, the Vistaprint return policy is to either reprint your product or issue an account credit to completely refund the customer. Shipping for new products will be covered by Vistaprint. To ensure requests are properly handled, Customer Support should be contacted by phone at 1-866-614-8002, email, or live chat on the Vistaprint website. Make sure you contact Vistaprint within 30 days of receiving your order.
What Makes Vistaprint Photo Books Stand Out?
Many people like Vistaprint because it charges low prices for its photo books. You can buy a basic, 20-page book for just $10 plus shipping and handling. You won’t find many companies that offer deals like that.
The prices do go up a bit depending on what you want to add to your basic photo book. Even with extras, you still get a good price. Vistaprint only charges 50 cents for each extra page that you want to add to your book. You could barely print a photo on a home printer without spending 50 cents. Vistaprint photo books keep the price low without sacrificing the quality of its product.
Common Vistaprint Reviews
Consumers have a lot of mixed emotions about photo books from Vistaprint. Many people praise the company for keeping its costs so low. Some people also point out in Vistaprint reviews that the site works well for them because they feel intimidated by design software with too many options. Vistaprint makes graphic design as easy as possible, so you can understand why those people prefer using Vistaprint.
Happy customers say that Vistaprint has friendly customer service representatives who want to solve problems. It helps that Vistaprint gives you three ways to contact customer service. It’s also nice that the company has a customer service center that stays open seven days a week. As long as you call during the right hours, you should get to speak to someone within a few minutes. No one complains of lengthy wait times.
On the other side, you have Vistaprint reviews that complain everything is kept too simple. The online software won’t let them develop creative designs that use different camera angles, image filters and a variety of materials. Instead, you get a plain book with pictures in it. While some people love this aspect, others hate it. They want to find an option that will let them get more creative. In fact, many customers say that they would rather pay higher prices if it meant getting more options.
Unfortunately, you may have to accept that Vistaprint’s low prices force the company to offer limited services and products. The publisher could give you more options, but it would have to charge more money. While some people say that they wouldn’t mind paying more, the company clearly wants to target budget-conscious consumers who like taking advantage of good deals.
Some people complain that Vistaprint often misses delivery dates. This may not matter much to you if you just want to have a book that preserves some of your favorite photographs. It will matter a lot more if you plan to give the photo books away as gifts. If you have a deadline to meet, then you should make sure that you give Vistaprint plenty of time to make your book and put it in the mail. Also, you should choose a shipping option that matches your expectations. Some people get upset when they choose the cheapest shipping option but don’t get their packages within a few days.
Are Vistaprint Photo Books for Me?
Vistaprint photo books aren’t for everyone. If you want a highly creative, professional-looking book, then you may want to try a different company. Extremely creative people who find joy in unique items probably won’t love the photo books that Vistaprint makes. Luckily, there are plenty of publishers that are willing to let you do just about anything for enough money.
On the other hand, Vistaprint is an excellent option for people who want basic photo books that don’t cost much money. You’ll have a hard time finding a better deal than the one Vistaprint gives you. If you don’t care about fancy upgrades, then you should check out Vistaprint’s photo book site to see if it’s the right option for you.
Vistaprint has found a niche audience of consumers who want to save money without sacrificing quality. Think of it as going to a nice restaurant with affordable prices instead of going to a gourmet restaurant with outrageous prices. You’ll still get a good product, you just won’t pay as much for a unique experience.
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