Amazon Photos gives Prime members unlimited full-resolution photo storage, free, plus 5 GB for video. That part works well. Amazon Prints, the printing side, is a different story: a basic template editor, standard sizes, and layouts you build page by page yourself. If you've been searching "amazon prints" hoping for something that turns a year of photos into a book automatically, that tool isn't Amazon's.

This guide covers what Amazon Photos actually stores, what Amazon Prints can and can't do for a yearly photo book, and where to go if you want the whole thing built for you instead of clicked together one page at a time.

First: what does Amazon Photos actually give you?

If you're a Prime member, Amazon Photos stores your full-resolution photos with no cap, plus 5 GB of video. Non-Prime users get 5 GB total. A "Family Vault" feature lets a Prime member invite up to five family members or friends into one shared library, still under free Prime storage.

That's a solid backup. It is not a photo book. Amazon Photos organizes by date and lets you search photos with natural language, but it doesn't turn those photos into a printed, chronological story on its own. For that, you move into Amazon Prints, the separate print-on-demand storefront, and start building manually.

Amazon Prints photo books run from 20 to 150 pages, in a regular hardcover starting around $19.99 for 20 pages (roughly $1 per extra page pair), or a premium layflat cover starting around $44.99. You pick a template, drag photos in, arrange each spread, and order. Nothing about the process pulls captions, likes, or locations from anywhere -- you're working from files you already have on your device or in Amazon Photos.

What to look for in an Amazon Prints alternative

• Does it build the book for you, or do you lay out every page? Amazon Prints is fully manual. If you want a year's worth of photos turned into a finished book without touching a layout grid, you need something automated.
• Where does it pull photos from? A folder of files, or a live connection to Facebook, Instagram, or a cloud drive. The second option skips exporting entirely.
• Does it keep captions, dates, and locations? Most manual editors don't carry over anything beyond the image itself. If your captions matter, check this before you start.
• Page count and format range. Amazon Prints tops out at 150 pages. If you're covering a full year of family life, you may need more room than that.
• Price and how often it's discounted. Photo books rarely sell at list price anywhere in this category. Check current deals before comparing sticker prices.

7 best Amazon Prints alternatives in 2026

1. My Social Book

Best for: an automatic yearly book from Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox, no manual layout

My Social Book connects to Facebook, Instagram (business account), or Dropbox and builds a complete, chronological photo book on its own -- dates, captions, likes, and locations included when the source is Facebook or Instagram. You still get an editor to preview every page, remove a post, or change the cover, but you're not placing every photo by hand.

It's been in business for 12 years, has printed more than 700,000 books, and holds a Trustpilot TrustScore of 4.6 / 5 (2,700 reviews, September 2026). Books range from 25 to 500 pages, well past what Amazon Prints allows.

This is the pick if your best year-in-review material already lives on social media. It's not the pick if your photos are scattered across your phone with no social posts behind them -- for that, Amazon Prints still makes sense.

Pros:

• Automatic, chronological book from Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox
• Keeps dates, captions, likes, and locations from the source
• Preview every page before ordering
• 25 to 500 pages, hardcover or softcover

Cons:

• Doesn't connect to Amazon Photos directly -- upload a folder to Dropbox instead
• One source per book (Facebook and Instagram need separate books)

See your book in minutes -- start from Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox

2. Shutterfly

Best for: the widest range of sizes when you're uploading manually anyway

Shutterfly needs a manual upload, same as Amazon Prints, but offers far more sizes, cover materials, and add-ons, plus an optional "Make My Book" auto-layout tool. Discounts run almost every week.

Pros:

• Huge range of sizes and formats
• Optional auto-layout inside a manual upload
• Frequent discounts

Cons:

• Manual upload only
• Editor gets cluttered with upsells

3. Mixbook

Best for: full creative control over every page

Mixbook's drag-and-drop editor is one of the strongest manual tools around. Softcover books start around $14.99 for a 6x6, 20-page book, with premium layflat options climbing toward $180.

Pros:

• Best-in-class manual editor
• Wide range of sizes and paper types

Cons:

• Manual upload only
• A full-year book takes real time to build

4. Chatbooks

Best for: small books that build themselves from Instagram over time

Chatbooks connects to Instagram or your camera roll and mails a small softcover book on a recurring schedule. Its Monthbooks line runs $15 to $34 per book, minis start around $10.

Pros:

• Connects to Instagram automatically
• Affordable, especially for minis

Cons:

• Small format, limited customization
• No Facebook or full-year single-book option

5. Snapfish

Best for: the lowest price on a standalone book

Snapfish sits closest to Amazon Prints on price. An 8x8 softcover starts around $20, with frequent promo codes pulling that lower. Fine for a casual book, not a milestone one.

Pros:

• Very low prices with frequent sales
• Many size and cover options

Cons:

• Dated editor and average print quality
• Manual upload only

6. Printique

Best for: professional print quality on a manual book

Printique (formerly Adorama Pix) focuses on color accuracy and lay-flat binding. Manual upload, same as Amazon Prints, with better output.

Pros:

• High print and color quality
• Lay-flat binding options

Cons:

• Manual upload only
• Higher price than budget options

7. Artifact Uprising

Best for: a premium, minimalist look

Artifact Uprising leans into clean design and heavier paper stock. Costs more than Amazon Prints, but the finished book reads as a design piece.

Pros:

• Strong paper quality and cover materials
• Clean, minimalist templates

Cons:

• Manual upload only
• Pricier than most alternatives on this list

Amazon Prints alternatives comparison table

Related photo book comparisons

Comparing a few more options before you commit? These cover the other photo book brands people check against Amazon Prints.

• Shutterfly alternatives
• Mixbook alternatives
• Chatbooks alternatives
• Snapfish alternatives
• Blurb alternatives
• Artifact Uprising alternatives
• Photo books from Instagram

Frequently asked questions

Does Amazon Photos storage count as a photo book?

No. Amazon Photos is storage, unlimited and free for Prime members. Turning those photos into a printed book is a separate, entirely manual step through Amazon Prints.

How much does an Amazon Prints photo book cost?

A regular hardcover starts around $19.99 for 20 pages, roughly $1 per extra page pair. A premium layflat cover starts around $44.99. Books run from 20 to 150 pages.

Can Amazon Prints build a book automatically from my photos?

Not on its own. You choose a template and place each photo yourself, with no option to auto-generate a chronological book.

Can My Social Book pull photos directly from Amazon Photos?

Not directly. My Social Book builds books from Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox. Download what you want from Amazon Photos, upload that folder to Dropbox, then build your book from there.

What's the best way to make a yearly family photo book?

If your year is documented on Facebook or Instagram, My Social Book turns that into a finished book automatically. If your photos live only on your device or in Amazon Photos, a manual editor like Amazon Prints or Shutterfly is the more direct route.

Is there a page limit to worry about?

Amazon Prints caps out at 150 pages, tight for a full year. My Social Book goes up to 500 pages, more room for a busy year in one book.

Facts about competitors checked on September 9, 2026. Prices and features change; confirm on each company's site before ordering.

Create your book from Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox