Compare · Pixieset alternative
A Pixieset alternative for photographers who'd rather not subscribe.
Pixieset is a mature, widely used studio suite — galleries, store, CRM, website. If you're here, something specific probably isn't fitting: the monthly bill in slow seasons, the video meter, or the limits of the free tier. Here's the honest comparison, sources included.
Why photographers go looking for an alternative
01
You pay every month, whether you deliver or not
Pixieset’s Client Gallery is subscription-only: $8–40/month billed annually ($10–50 month-to-month). Deliver eight galleries a year on the $16 tier and each one quietly costs you ~$24. There is no per-gallery option for slow seasons.
02
Video is metered — and 4K starts at $24/month
On Pixieset’s published plans, the Free tier has no video at all, Basic includes 30 minutes “up to HD”, Plus one hour up to HD, and “up to 4K” arrives only from the Pro plan ($24/mo annual, 2 hours). Extra hours can be bought as a Video Add-On ($5/month per additional hour), but the resolution ceiling stays with the plan. If you deliver films, the plan you actually need is the one near the top of the ladder.
03
The free tier can’t deliver originals
On Pixieset’s published plans, “Full resolution download” is listed from Basic up — it is not among the Free plan’s features — and the built-in store charges a 15% commission on Free (paid plans are commission-free). It’s a demo of the workflow, not a professional delivery.
04
No face search for your clients
Pixieset does have AI — in the Photo Editor add-on ($12/month), for culling and editing on the photographer’s side. What isn’t listed on their Client Gallery plans is face search for the people in the gallery. For weddings and events, guests finding themselves in seconds instead of scrolling 800 thumbnails has become one of the features clients actually remember.
What Galerist does differently
Galerist is delivery-focused and priced like a tool, not a membership: €9.99 one-time per gallery — 500 photos, 8 GB, 120 minutes of true-4K video and AI face search included — or subscriptions from €14/month with caps written in numbers (150 GB → 5 TB), never in adjectives. Your clients browse full-screen galleries under your brand and your subdomain, and always download the originals.
| Galerist | Pixieset | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay-per-gallery option | €9.99 one-time per gallery (500 photos, 8 GB, 30-day link renewable to 60) | Not offered — subscription plans only |
| Entry paid plan | €14/month, or €11.99/month billed annually (€144/year) — 150 GB, ~15,000 photos | $8/month billed annually — $10 month-to-month (10 GB) |
| Video on entry tiers | 120 min included even on the €9.99 one-time gallery | None on Free; 30 min up to HD on Basic |
| 4K video streaming | Up to true 4K on every paid tier | Up to 4K from Pro ($24/mo annual) — HD below |
| AI face search for clients | Included on the €9.99 one-time gallery and Plus/Pro/Studio — self-hosted, GDPR-first | Not listed on their Client Gallery plans |
| Full-resolution delivery on the lowest tier | Yes — every published gallery delivers originals | Not on Free (full-resolution download starts with paid plans) |
| Free tier honesty | Free = preview workspace; publishing starts at €9.99 (we say it upfront) | Free publishes, but: 3 GB, no video, no full-res download, 15% store commission |
| Storage ladder | 150 GB → 400 GB → 1 TB → 5 TB (declared caps, no "unlimited") | 10 GB → 100 GB → 1,000 GB → Unlimited |
| Platform branding on galleries | A discreet "made with Galerist" footer line on all plans | Removable from Basic ($8/mo) up |
Full feature-by-feature table on the Galerist vs Pixieset page.
Who should stay on Pixieset
Honestly: if you sell prints through an integrated store, run your CRM and website in the same suite, or rely on their mobile apps, Pixieset earns its subscription — Galerist doesn't offer a store, a CRM or a website builder, on purpose. And if you deliver galleries every single week, a subscription (theirs or ours) beats pay-per-gallery math. Where Galerist wins is delivery itself: per-gallery pricing, 4K video everywhere, face search your clients will actually use, and caps that are written down.
The 30-second math
Count last year's real deliveries. Multiply by €9.99. Compare with 12 months of the subscription you're considering. Under ~2 galleries a month, pay-per-gallery wins; above it, subscribe — with us or with them. Whichever number is smaller, take that deal.
Frequently asked
Is Galerist a free Pixieset alternative?
Partly. Galerist has a free workspace where you build and preview galleries, but publishing starts at €9.99 one-time per gallery — we say that upfront instead of shipping a limited free tier. If you deliver only a few galleries a year, that one-time price usually ends up far below a yearly subscription.
Can I keep my subscription workflow?
Yes. Galerist also has subscriptions (€14–€79/month) with declared caps — 150 GB to 5 TB — for photographers who deliver every week. The difference is you can also NOT subscribe and pay per gallery in slow seasons.
Does Galerist support 4K video like Pixieset?
Galerist streams adaptive HLS up to true 4K on every paid tier, including the €9.99 one-time gallery (120 minutes included). On Pixieset’s published plans, 4K playback starts with the Pro plan and lower tiers are HD.
What does Pixieset have that Galerist doesn’t?
A print store with checkout, a CRM (Studio Manager), a website builder and mobile apps — a whole studio suite. Galerist is deliberately delivery-focused: galleries, proofing, video and face search. If you need the full suite in one place, Pixieset is a fair choice.
Can I try Galerist with a real client first?
Yes — sign up free, build the gallery, preview everything, and pay €9.99 only when you publish. No card required to start, and the demo galleries on our site are real deliveries you can browse.
Pixieset details from their public pricing page (pixieset.com/pricing), Client Gallery plans, annual billing — last verified September 9, 2026. Prices shown in each platform's listed currency. Pixieset is a trademark of its owner; Galerist is not affiliated. Spotted something outdated? Tell us and we'll fix it.