With the high rate of technological advancements, more photographers are embracing the use of personalized websites to save and, at the same time, share their creativity with the world.
Thankfully, there are several image-hosting websites serving that purpose like SmugMug. Now, photographers can build their portfolios and share their works with their audience worldwide.
SmugMug, for the longest time, has been a one-stop online image-hosting platform for photographers looking to upload, save, share, and sell their photos and videos online.
However, the platform isn’t without its flaws. One of its major problems is that it isn’t free to use. Plus the fact that the platform isn’t intuitive, which can be a struggle for amateur photographers.
Fortunately, there’s a vast selection of other image-hosting platforms like SmugMug that you can use to build your online portfolio. I am going to review them in this article and hopefully, you find a great alternative.
Best SmugMug Alternatives
1. Zenfolio
You can use Zenfolio in place of SmugMug. The platform prides itself on helping photographers create stunning websites and galleries that will surely attract clients.
There are currently over 500,000 photographers from over 130 countries, steadily creating unique and exciting portfolios on the platform. With a Zenfolio account, you not only create a portfolio but also have the opportunity to sell your photographs at the best prices.
Best of all, you don’t have to worry about building the website from scratch, as there are thousands of customizable templates and designs available for you to choose from.
I also like that each site has automated workflows that make it easy for photographers to keep in touch with clients from the negotiation to the booking stage.
With Zenfolio, you can add a shopping cart to your portfolio site, create customized shoot packages, and even process instant payments with ease.
This platform also provides visual creators with integrated eCommerce tools to make sales easy, and there’s 24/7 customer support available to answer all your inquiries.
Sign up on Zenfolio requires your first name, last name, and email address. Its mobile app is available on Google PlayStore and App Store.
2. 500px
500px is another fascinating platform you should consider using if you want to grow in your photography career. This image-hosting and image-sharing platform allows you to sell your pictures to your audience.
From your first upload, 500px uses its smart Pulse algorithm to ensure that new photographs are discovered immediately, improving your chances of being hired by prospective clients.
One of the reasons why I like 500px is that it doesn’t just let you upload and share your photos; you also get to monitor its performance.
With its statistics and Pulse feature, you can easily get insights on how well your media is faring and how you rank compared to other photographers on the platform.
Unlike SmugMug, 500px offers what’s described as ‘Quests,’ which are photography challenges that allow creators to participate and win prizes.
The mobile app is available for download on iOS App Store and Android’s Google Play. To sign up, you must use your Google, Facebook, Apple, or Email ID and agree to the platform’s terms of service.
3. Lightfolio
This SmugMug alternative is a must-try for photographers as it lets you create stunning and unique photo galleries that people will love and purchase if they want.
It is also a proofing platform with unique cover themes, font selections, and thumbnail styles to help you customize your photo gallery and help you stand out. It lets you save and share these images with private groups or potential clients.
I like that the platform offers a chat function that allows seamless communication between the client and the photographer.
Another impressive benefit of using Lightfolio is that you can always enable watermarks on your images and restrict access to your works via a personalized password.
The platform also offers an SEO setting to help you to improve your search engine ranking whenever clients search for your work. SmugMug lacks in this area which is a plus for Lightfolio.
There is also a visitor analytics feature that lets you monitor which images have been viewed or downloaded and the overall traffic on your gallery.
It’s easy to signup on Lightfolio. You only need to input your company name, first name, email address, and password.
4. Unsplash
Unsplash is easily one of the most popular image-hosting platforms for photographers to share their photos with the world. It boasts over three million high-resolution images sent in by a community of 293,995 photographers worldwide.
Unsplash is dedicated to proprietary stock photography, which supplies photographs for specific use.
Whether you’re a hobbyist, emerging, or professional photographer, Unsplash is a great online platform to help you build your portfolio.
Unsplash is receptive to any photographer regardless of their niche, as you can find portfolios focused on nature or animal photography, commercial photography, textile, architecture, and even business photography.
All you need to do is upload pictures to the platform, which will then be saved to the Unsplash library. After that, you’ll get notified when people download your images or send ‘thank you’ messages via your email.
The icing on the cake is that, unlike SmugMug, Unsplash is free to use. You must sign in using your email address and already have an account that lets you upload or download images on the site.
5. iStock
iStock is another online image hosting site like SmugMug that allows photographers and other creatives to upload and save their images, illustrations, videos, and audio tracks to its server.
It is a subsidiary of Getty images and easily ranks as one of the most famous image-hosting websites because it is the perfect site for creatives who want to create a business portfolio and earn at the same time.
Whether your works are exclusive or non-exclusive, the platform helps to facilitate the sales of your photos or videos, in which you can earn between 15 to 40 percent royalties on each sale.
One thing to like about using iStock is that you only need to create an impressive portfolio without going through the hassle of sourcing for prospective clients.
To apply, you must send your images, videos, and illustrations for approval. And it’s also free to join, unlike SmugMug where you have to purchase a subscription plan.
The iStock app is available for download on both App Store and Google PlayStore. Once Getty Images has selected your media, you’ll be offered an iStock agreement that helps you maximize your reach as a recognized contributor.
6. Pexels
Pexels is another great alternative to SmugMug. It is a nice image-hosting platform that lets photographers save, create an impressive photo collection, and share these with other creatives.
With over 18 million monthly visits, Pexels is the perfect platform to showcase your portfolio to millions of people worldwide.
The platform gives you the needed exposure as your photos and videos can be accessed and downloaded by millions of people.
Pexels also offers a stat feature that lets you know how many people have viewed, liked, and downloaded your media. You don’t get this feature on SmugMug.
Also, you don’t have to worry about where your images are being used, as Pexels offers you a list of sites and outlets where your media have been featured.
Regarding the monetary benefits, Pexels lets you receive donations from users who have downloaded your media and are impressed with your works.
I like that Pexels offers a leadership board feature that lets photographers rank high by how much of their work is uploaded.
From there, you can even become a Pexels hero, which comprises a community of the most trusted photographers on the platform. The platform is free to use.
7. Pixabay
Pixabay is another amazing image-hosting platform suitable for both amateur and professional photographers or videographers looking to build an online portfolio to share with prospective clients.
It allows creators to create a free account, after which they can upload photos, videos, illustrations, GIFs, sound effects, and even vectors to the platform.
I like that the platform is easy to navigate and creators must follow the quality upload guidelines. For instance, all images uploaded to Pixabay must be of high resolution with at least 3,000 pixels at its maximum capacity.
While Pixabay isn’t targeted at facilitating media sales on behalf of photographers or visual creators, you may get donations as a form of appreciation from users for your contribution.
If you’re an amateur photographer focused more on building your brand via a professional portfolio, then Pixabay comes highly recommended.
Signing up on the platform only requires your email address and a password. The app is available on App Store on iOS devices and Google Play for Android devices
8. Google Photos
Google Photos is another platform that you can use in place of SmugMug. You’ll be able to upload, save, and share your media content with people.
Image or video upload is as easy as pie and they are automatically stored on Google drive, so you never have to worry about storage space issues.
One thing to like about Google Photos is that it automatically organizes your photos and videos, so finding them isn’t difficult. It also offers a variety of editing features and smart filters to help give your media the perfect touch.
An interesting thing about the platform is that you can easily share your portfolio or image collection with anyone as long as they’re granted access.
You don’t need to worry about losing valuable images or videos, as Google Photos offers unlimited backup for your media, contrary to what you’ll get with SmugMug.
Another thing I like about Google Photos is that it can be accessed from any device or computer and even has a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices.
As long as you have a Google account, you can easily access the platform.
9. PhotoShelter
PhotoShelter is a lot like SmugMug and is also another platform you should check out. It is a renowned digital asset management platform that acts as a collaboration, management, and marketing tool for visual creators who want to showcase their work.
With that platform, you can effortlessly save, organize, and share your work with people around the world. I like that it allows creators to easily tag and keyword their images via the platform’s AI tagging feature.
One core feature that SmugMug lacks but is present in PhotoShelter is your ability to integrate your favorite tools, like Slack, and WordPress, among others, with the platform to create a seamless workflow.
Best of all, the platform lets you sell your works through various eCommerce tools. It also provides a very secure database, so you can be assured that your portfolio and media gallery is protected.
Signup is simple and requires an email address and a password to create an account. It has a mobile app for iOS devices (iOS 7.0 and above) and Android devices from version 4.1.
10. Adobe Portfolio
Adobe Portfolio is another amazing alternative to SmugMug. With this platform, you don’t necessarily need to be a tech nerd to create a simple yet highly responsive and functional portfolio website that showcases your skills and work.
Adobe Portfolio comes with customizable themes, thousands of fonts, and display media in grids to help you create the most aesthetically pleasing yet professional portfolio or one-page website.
Another thing to like about Adobe Portfolio is how it is also ideal for creating landing pages and even digital business cards for your business.
The platform also features Behance and Lightroom integrations which let you import your project across multiple platforms in just minutes.
Once you publish any project on the platform, it immediately syncs with your Behance account. The best part is that you can be assured that your portfolio website is highly secured, as Adobe Portfolio provides a password protection setting.
You can use Adobe Portfolio for free by creating a Creative Cloud account via your Apple ID, Google, or Facebook ID.
11. Amazon Photos
Amazon Photos is a simple yet highly functional platform that works like SmugMug. It allows visual creators to upload, save and share their media by providing storage for these images and videos.
With the advanced search feature on the platform, you can always find whatever images you need in seconds.
You’ll also love that it comes with unlimited storage which means that you don’t necessarily need to store images and videos on your phone once they’ve been backed up to Amazon photos.
You can also easily access your Amazon photos from any device or computer, regardless of location. With just a few clicks, you can share your Amazon Photos profile with small groups and clients without hassle or limitations.
Unlike SmugMug, you don’t have to worry about media theft, as all media files uploaded to Amazon Photos are encrypted and can only be viewed by those who are allowed to.
12. Photobucket
If you’re searching for a SmugMug alternative that will provide you with a secure database to showcase your media collection, you should check out PhotoBucket.
With this platform, you can easily upload, store high-resolution images, and share your portfolio at any time, any place. You can even embed your photo and share it on different websites, sites, or online forums.
The platform also provides useful tools like filters, crop features, stickers, and even annotations to add the perfect finish touch to your images. One thing I also like about PhotoBucket is that it is a highly secure platform with an optimum emphasis on privacy and security.
With its visibility control and privacy protection feature, you can control who has access to your pictures and videos. This feature isn’t available on SmugMug.
Best of all, there is a PhotoBucket EXIF data deletion feature that also ensures that you don’t have to worry about your personal information or media getting into the wrong hands.
To sign up on the platform, you only need an email address, username, and password. There’s a mobile app version available on App Store and Google Play.
13. Flickr
Flickr is another photo-sharing platform like SmugMug that’s not just targeted at helping photographers reach their target audience but also helps with sales. The platform boasts of being the best online photo management and sharing service worldwide.
Whether you’re interested in building a photography portfolio, creating a photography blog, or saving and sharing your cherished images, Flickr has all you need to make this possible.
One of the most common reasons why many photographers enjoy using this platform is the organization the platform affords them. Contrary to SmugMug, Flickr lets you permit friends, family, and other photographers to help you organize your media collection if you are overwhelmed.
Aside from these, Flickr provides tools and features to help photographers increase their following and even land high-paying clients to grow profits.
Creating an account is free on Flickr, and you can do this on the website or mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.
14. Lychee
Lychee is an impressive photo-management platform that is self-hosted like SmugMug. It runs on your personalized web servers and only requires a simple installation.
The platform allows you to upload, save, share and manage your images via the tool. It is specifically great for photographers looking for simpler ways to store and manage their albums.
With Lychee, you don’t have to worry about storage limits, data loss, or compression issues. You can also decide who can view your album by choosing to either make your profile a public or private one.
If you use EXIF or IPTC metadata, be rest assured that Lychee supports this, which means you can always get the most out of images without losing quality. Lychee also allows for easy integration and sharing from either a URL, Drive, Dropbox, or even another site.
15. Img.vision
If you need a simple and functional platform that lets you upload bulk images and videos for whatever purpose, consider Img.vision. I love that this platform is perfect for budding or amateur photographers looking to grow their careers.
It lets you upload and share your photos directly from your device, PC, Google Drive, or Dropbox. You also get to create different galleries, each with its unique website, for optimum organization.
You can also share these galleries easily across multiple sites and forums with an embedded link on your social media accounts and other external websites. Like SmugMug, you will get to sell and make profits from your work.
Img.vision also offers photographers an image-editing picture which ensures that whatever image is uploaded is of top-notch quality. You don’t necessarily have to sign up to start uploading images or videos to the platform.
Conclusion
Now that you know several alternatives to SmugMug, it becomes easier to find which platform works best for you.
Each offers valuable services to visual creators, but my number one pick would be iStock.
I like that it carefully screens what is uploaded to the platform, ensuring that every portfolio created is high quality while allowing the contributor to earn simultaneously.
