When you’re searching for the best photo book maker, it helps to look at how independent publications evaluate different options. Many review sites test photo books by creating their own projects and comparing quality, design tools, and overall experience.
One recent evaluation from Travel + Leisure highlighted Shutterfly for its flexibility, quality, and overall ease of creating photo books.
Here’s what their testing found and why Shutterfly stood out.
Travel + Leisure Named Shutterfly the Best Photo Book Maker
In its review of online photo book services, Travel + Leisure named Shutterfly the best overall photo book maker, citing its flexible creation options, high-quality materials, and intuitive design process.
Their editors tested the full creation process—from building the photo book to reviewing the final product—to evaluate both ease of use and overall quality.
Flexible Creation Options for Every Type of Project
One of the biggest reasons Travel + Leisure chose Shutterfly is the level of flexibility it offers when creating a photo book.
You can choose how involved you want to be with three different approaches:
- Make It Manually for full creative control over layouts, colors, and details
- Make It Fast with auto-fill, design suggestions, and quick edits
- Make It For Me with a designer who creates your photo book for you in 24 hours
This range makes it easy to create a photo book whether you want to design everything yourself or save time with guided tools.
High-Quality Materials and Print Results
Travel + Leisure also noted Shutterfly’s high-end materials and strong print quality, which help photo books feel polished and long-lasting.
From paper types to cover options, you can choose details that match your style, including:
- Glossy or matte finishes
- Soft fabric or premium cover materials
- Multiple page styles and thicknesses
These options make it easier to create a photo book that feels like a finished album, not just a collection of printed pages.
Designed for Travel and Everyday Memories
In testing, Travel + Leisure highlighted Shutterfly’s travel photo book templates and layouts, which make it easy to turn trip photos into a cohesive story.
With a range of sizes, layouts, and design styles available, you can create photo books for:
- Travel and vacations
- Weddings and events
- Family yearbooks
- Everyday moments
The ability to customize both the structure and style of your book helps each project feel personal and complete.
A Photo Book Maker That Balances Control and Convenience
Creating a photo book doesn’t have to be all or nothing. One of the reasons Shutterfly stood out in Travel + Leisure’s testing is its ability to support both detailed customization and faster, guided creation.
Whether you want to design every page or let tools and designers handle the layout, the process is built to adapt to your timeline and preferences.
Their testing ultimately found that Shutterfly delivers a strong overall experience, combining flexibility, quality, and ease of use in one place.
How to Choose the Best Photo Book Maker
When deciding on the best photo book maker, it’s important to consider how much control you want over the design process, along with the quality of the final product.
A strong photo book service should offer:
- Flexible creation options
- High-quality printing and materials
- A range of templates and customization tools
- An intuitive, easy-to-use design experience
Travel + Leisure’s testing found that Shutterfly delivers on these qualities, making it a reliable option for creating photo books for any occasion.
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