Image Depot vs SmugMug
Both let you deliver and sell photos to clients online. Here's how the two actually differ, on the specifics that affect your bottom line -- not a marketing spin.
| Image Depot | SmugMug | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on sales | 0% on every paid plan (Starter and up); 3% on Free | SmugMug keeps 15% of your markup on every sale (you keep 85%), and selling starts on its Portfolio plan ($23.50/mo billed annually) -- there's no commission-free option |
| Storage | A generous real quota per plan (2GB–1TB), plus a $5/mo flat archive option instead of forced deletion | Unlimited on every plan, including its entry tier -- a genuine SmugMug strength worth acknowledging directly |
| Payouts | Connect your own Stripe account (PayPal coming soon); purchases settle straight to your bank -- Image Depot never touches the money | Sales run through SmugMug's own checkout and commission structure |
| Export of every original photo | Guaranteed on every plan, including Free -- in writing | Not offered as a standing guarantee |
| Custom domain | Solo plan and up | Portfolio plan and up ($23.50/mo billed annually) -- not on its entry Direct plan |
If unlimited storage at any price point is what you need most, that's SmugMug's real advantage -- it's genuine and worth being upfront about. If keeping 100% of what you charge matters more to your bottom line, that's the gap Image Depot is built to close.
See how Image Depot stacks up against every other option at once in photography gallery software alternatives, or the sports-specific case at best gallery software for sports photographers.
Figures for SmugMug are pulled from their own public pricing page as of September 2026 and may have changed since -- confirm current numbers directly at www.smugmug.com/plans.
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