If you’re searching for Shutterfly reviews before ordering your first photo book, you’re in the right place. Shutterfly is one of the most popular photo printing services online especially for custom photo books, holiday cards, and gifts. But how does it actually perform in real life? Today, I’m sharing a complete, honest Shutterfly reviews for their photo book service, what other users are saying, and the pros and cons you should know before you order.
My Personal Shutterfly Photo Book Review
Over the course of last year, I documented my memories by creating custom Digital Scrapbooking Pages. I recently created a Shutterfly Photo Book to preserve these pages and here’s what I learned:
📸 Design & Customization
I put my book together using Shutterfly’s Custom path. It is simple and intuitive and quick to use.
- select different sizes and cover options
- choose page layouts and templates
- drag and drop photos
- add text captions
While it’s full of creative possibilities, the editor software takes a bit of time, especially if you want a really custom layout or storyboard.
I uploaded all of my images at 300 dpi resolution.

How Many Pages Can A Shutterfly Book Have?
The default number of pages is 20 but you can add more pages. The more pages you add the chunkier you book will be, so I would try not to go above 40 to 50 pages.
My favorite go to size is the 12 by 12 inches size. I prefer this size as the photos are large and dramatic. The 8.5 by 11 inch size is also a good option.
Then I selected a matte finish, for photos, hardbound book option and placed my order. Shutterfly will print my photos on matte paper, trim and bind them into a book for me and it will be delivered via mail! It arrived in about 7 to 10 days.
🖨️ Print Quality
I ordered a 12 by 12 inch hardcover Photobook with a glossy cover
The printed quality of the book was solid. Photos were crisp, colors looked true to what appeared on screen, and the photo paper felt sturdy. Hardcover is durable, making them great keepsakes or gifts.
Here is how the front cover of my Yearly Photo Book.


The paper quality of the interior pages is great, not too glossy.

The hardcover is super strong! This book is really thin, just about 0.5 inches wide, which is great and makes it really compact to store.

🚚 Delivery & Customer Service
My book arrived quickly, and the packaging protected it well. One page in my book had a tiny print issue but after contacting customer service, I received a replacement with no hassle.
What Other Shutterfly Reviews Say (Users & Experts)
Here’s a snapshot of common feedback from other Shutterfly reviews:
Pros (What People Love)
- Great print quality and paper thickness
- Tons of customizable design options and layouts
- Easy to upload photos from multiple sources
- Helpful customer service that can fix mistakes or reprint order
- Coupon codes for discount are available
Cons (Challenges Reported)
- Editor interface isn’t always intuitive, sometimes feels clunky
- Can be pricier if you add lots of pages or extra
- Occasional software glitches reported by some user
Overall user ratings across dedicated review sites tend to land around 4 out of 5 stars, indicating solid satisfaction with the product and experience.
Conclusion:
After perusing many shutterfly reviews, their reliability for hardcover books is solid. Calendars is another popular item. I also love their holiday card and wedding designs.
We now have 2 copies of the same book, and I let the girls to read and enjoy a copy for themselves. This has become her favorite book as she knows all of the people in it 😉

(she loves reading this Shutterfly Photo book- because it has pictures of people she knows!! Love her messy hair)




Your book turned out great! I also love how thin and easy to store the digital printed books are.
Your 2012 book is awesome, love the cover & the back 🙂 !
These quote cards are great. Thanks for the freebie.
Love your book! In a few years you won’t be concerned about longevity. My girls are older (11 and 14) and they are always looking through last year’s book. I think the mini album idea is great – can’t wait to see what you do 🙂
Thanks for the freebie as well.
You are a very talented lady, and I really appreciate all the freebies you give us. Thank you.
Your 2012 album turned out great!.. looking forward to your take on the mini album..
thank you for all the beautiful printables and for making it so easy to download them 🙂
Lovely quotes on your free downloadables! Thank you for sharing these =D
How many pages were in your book? I’m trying to determine the thickness of the book I am making before I order it.
I used the basic 20 pages for this book and did not add any extra pages at all.