Online photo storage is a useful addition to traditional photo collections on your computer. You can copy images from PC to a web cloud and have a spare backup copy at your disposal anytime. Here I’m talking about dedicated to photo sharing websites where you can upload your images and send a link to your relatives or friends who live far away from you. Let’s put aside privacy and security concerns, it’s a different topic for discussion. We will take for granted that you do need to share travel photos online with your best friends. So follow me and see top 10 photo storages:
Picasa
Picasa is a famous Google photo organizer that keeps your photos on your desktop and stores images in web albums. Recently Picasa has been enriched with photo editing features. So now and on Picasa turns into a universal photo application which organizes, edits and shares your photos. Picasa web albums enable you to choose public or private account settings. Here you can make a personal web album and generate a unique link for each friend or open all your pictures to the whole world.
Flickr
Flickr is an old Picasa rival from Yahoo! Flickr is a real photo sharing community. It’s a well-known web destination for professional and amateur photographers to demonstrate their works. As an amateur, you can create a free account with Yahoo ID, upload photos and share them with friends or display photos publicly. Unlike Picasa, Flickr has no desktop software, thus you have to perform all tasks via web. But if you plan to get feedback from photographers, Flickr’s photo sharing community is what you need.
Photobucket
Photobucket is a respected photo sharing website. Like Flickr, Photobucket is an ideal place to search for photos and store own picture collections. There many optional apps that help you upload images from almost any device: iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7 and, of course, your computer. Besides, Photobucket allows you to edit pictures quickly, create slideshows and collages.
SmugMug
SmugMug is a paid photo sharing service. Nevertheless, its services deserve the price. You can store, share, and organize your images. Upload pictures from mobile devices like iPhone or Android. Moreover, SmugMug is suitable for professional photographers. Here you are able to create professional photo portfolio website, sell your professional photos, enjoy full photo resolution and absence of ads.
Kodak Gallery
For those who are still in love with Kodak photography inventions, Kodak Gallery is a must-have photo album place. It’s a full featured web service. Here you upload your pictures, store, share them and order prints. Plus, you can create slideshows; buy calendars, cards and custom gifts made with your photos.
ImageShack
ImageShack used to be a top photo sharing website several years ago. The account registration is free, so just upload your photos and store them on the web. But it seems like tech progress has bypassed this service. ImageShack looks dull and unattractive. However, it has Dropbox Sync integration and iPhone app, ImageShack fades away from the photo sharing market.
Shutterfly
Shutterfly is a photo sharing service with a solid offline support. Here you can create a free account, upload your pictures, share them with friends and order prints. Unlike other online photo printers, Shutterfly’s prints can be grabbed at the real world stores like Target, Walgreens, or CVS. It’s a convenient way if you don’t want to deal with delivery services.
DropShots
DropShots is a paid web service like SmugMug, but it’s more consumer-oriented than professional. Here you can create a lifetime account for about $100 and store unlimited number of photos and videos. In fact, your DropShot web album will look like a website with additional photo printing capabilities. If you are interested in such private photo sharing website, you should take a look at free Google websites as a cheaper alternative.
Keep and Share
Keep and Share is the only website that drops out dedicated photo sharing websites line. This web service lets you store and share personal photos, videos, documents and much more. It’s even has a to-do list and a calendar inside. In reality, Keep and Share is your personal file storage where you can keep files you like. With a free account you can host up to 1500 photos online! That’s a good portion of web space for a photo amateur; so keep it in mind.
Snapfish
The last but not the least, Snapfish is a child of HP computer corporation. Like Kodak, it helps you upload, store and print photos. You can securely share images with your family and friends. You can order photo prints and get them at any of 10 000 locations worldwide like Walmart or Meijer.
So take your time and select a photo sharing website to your taste!
Blog’s Freebie of the day:
Nice review .. helpful. I am currently considering to move out of flickr.
Thanks for sharing this great post!It really helps me a lot!
I received a notice this morning that Kodak Gallery is folding, and all accounts will be migrated over to Shutterfly. So you might as well take Kodak out of your list.
Still trying to determine which is the better option: Photobucket or Flickr.
Either one is good, really. Photobucket has unlimited storage even with the free version. Flickr has a limit to what you can upload each month and you are only allowed 200 pictures total for the free version.
Just depends on what you want.
Photo bucket does has a limit of storage… Which is why I’m looking for a new photo site… How is pics a?
I’m currently with Kodakgallery because it allows me to download my photos to my computer again. but it has been sold to Shutterfly and now I need to make a decision in the next few weeks. Do any of these online storage sites store photos in the original size and allow them to be downloaded to my computer?
I just had a look at a new private photo sharing app sherish.com, any one else tried it out?
Hi Karen,
I think SmugMug let you upload and store photos in original size and format, including RAW camera files. Besides, you can always download your photos and backup them. However, this service might charge fees.
Flickr can store original photos too and allow you to download your photos onto your computer.
I hope these photo sharing services will help you.
Thank you,
Anna
Editor of Photo Software & Design Blog
Thank You for posting this information. I have been on Flickr for years and love it but now want to add an additional site where I can sell some of my best images. Some of my contacts have their images in other web based galleries not mentioned here as well as information on Google+. Personally I don’t want to dedicate my time to having multiple sites to load my images to and get involved with all these communities and discussion boards.
My take on all of this is simple….take pictures, edit, post and then do it all over again. If I sell some along the way then that is great! I can put that money back into the cost of a web site or camera equipment.
Flickr will always be where I hang my hat but I am 98% sure I will go with SmugMug to add the shopping cart ability to my images. I understand that I can register a .com name and link it to the SmugMug account and make it look like a web site complete with my bio…..this is the last 2% that I have to finalize.
Once again thank you for this information as it has strengthened my decision to go with SmugMug!
flickr.com/photos/the_kav
Sincerley,
Pat.
I think that Mejuba.com is far better – completly free and unrestricted – than Flickr, Photobucket and Picasa.
Hate all the restrictions on these sites – Mejuba is the only site where one can upload a video without thinking about the length or size of the video. Simply love that!
Is this selection independent or written on an order? I want simply to know independent opinion.
Hi Devona,
You see an independent opinion of Photo Software & Design Blog editors. We are not sponsored by any of this photo storages.
Thank you,
Anna
Editor, Photo Software & Design Blog
Instagram would have to be the end all of image sharing now days. Sometimes I just upload touploadpic.net which is a general image host.
These sites have great features – but are all too busy. I use inmyphotofolder.com – It’s free and simple. No limit to number of Photos or Folders. Their PhotoSync application takes care of uploading pictures and folders – and it keeps your online Photos in Sync with your Photo collection on your computer. Add new folders, pictures, resize some, delete some, rotate others – and the photosync sorts out what needs to be uploaded. The PhotoSync app works on PC and MAC. Add a list of friends e-mail addresses to your account and when you Sync up your photo collection – the system will e-mail them with list of your new Photo Folders.
I would expect Mejuba.com would be among the winners – this is the only free site that offers unlimmited video and photo-sharing. No restricions on size or length.
Mejuba.com gets my wote!
Photobucket freezes up ALL THE TIME! It is a total pain. It loads slowly, is not user friendly. I came to this page to try to find a replacement site for my photobucket account. I will be moving ALL ten years worth of photos to a different site.
Be aware that Keep&Share will delete your account without any warning to you, if you do not access it regularly on their terms.
WOW just what I was searching for
Thanks Gale! I appreciate your kind feedback!
Best regards,
Anna, Photo Software & Design Blog team