Which is better among SmugMug Vs Flickr in 2022? If you are looking for a professional photo sharing platform to host your pictures and create a virtual gallery for promoting and selling your pictures then this article will help you for sure.
This article will compare Flickr and SmugMug, two top-rated platforms where users can upload photographs & videos and eventually either store them or share them with different clients. Both platforms offer almost similar features, so they are direct competitors.
In the primary section of this article, we will compare both platforms on the basis of a few standard features/characteristics. Finally, at the end of this comparison article, we will reveal the overall winner’s name depending on the result of each category.
However, before moving into the primary section of this article, we will briefly describe SmugMug and Flickr so that users can get a basic idea regarding the products.
What is Flickr?
Flickr is a social network platform where users upload their photos for other users to see. It can also be defined as a photo-sharing platform where users can create a free account and eventually upload the images to share with friends and followers online.
What is SmugMug?
SmugMug is a top-class photo-sharing platform where users can upload photos & videos and eventually share the images and videos with clients. This company started way back in 2002, but still, it is one of the best photo hosting platforms for photographers.
SmugMug is a wonderful host for your site if you’re looking to create a portfolio site only. With low costs for the basic plan, you can have a website for under $50 per year!
Basic comparison between SmugMug Vs Flickr
SmugMug Vs Flickr: Ease of Use
SmugMug: SmugMug offers several exciting features, so new users often get confused initially in handling SmugMug’s interface. With time, beginners get used to the interface and can eventually work smoothly without facing any trouble.
After completing the signup procedure, users will get helpful tips on how to go through the web design steps with maximum efficiency so that users can pick the most suitable design and eventually can upload the best content.
Flickr: Flickr comes with a simple interface so users can easily upload photos and videos even if they are using Flickr for the first time. Users can effortlessly go through the signup procedure and eventually upload photos instantly after signing up into the platform.
Winner: Flickr
Flickr easily wins in this category since it offers an interface that can be handled easily by both beginners and experienced users. In contrast, on the other hand, SmugMug’s interface is initially a bit tricky for beginners.
SmugMug Vs Flickr: Storage
SmugMug: All pricing plans of SmugMug provide unlimited photo storage, which is one of the main advantages of this exceptional online platform. Furthermore, users can upload everything on this platform, including the RAW files.
Flickr: The free version of Flickr allows users to upload a maximum of 1000 files. On the other hand, the premium membership pricing plans allow users to upload unlimited files like SmugMug. This platform supports JPG, PNG, and GIF file formats.
Winner: Draw
We cannot declare a clear winner in this category since the premium pricing plans of both SmugMug and Flickr come with unlimited storage capacity.
SmugMug Vs Flickr: Integration
SmugMug: SmugMug flawlessly integrates with the Woocommerce plug-in so users can easily set up small/medium online stores and eventually sell their photos and videos to their clients.
Furthermore, SmugMug provides image editing options, using which users can adjust photo parameters, connect the Lightroom plug-in, and add watermarks/location parameters to the selected photos. While using SmugMug, users can use the widgets collections to create the required gallery output.
Flickr: Flickr flawlessly integrates with Zapier so users can connect Flickr with thousands of popular apps. Flickr also connects perfectly with several other third-party apps and add-ons like Pinterest, Buffer, Dropbox, Tumblr, Discord, etc.
Winner: SmugMug
SmugMug easily wins in this category since, unlike Flickr, it flawlessly integrates with the WooCommerce plug-in, enabling users to set up a small or medium online store and eventually sell their products to clients.
SmugMug Vs Flickr: Customer Support
SmugMug: SmugMug provides a 24/7 customer support facility through email or by filling up a contact form mentioning all the issues they face while utilizing the platform. The support agents check all the issues one by one and come up with an appropriate answer as soon as possible.
Users who subscribe to the Portfolio Plan and the Pro Plan can seek help from the support staff via live chat support. SmugMug also provides an official YouTube channel from where users can take help as it contains several help guides and experimental videos.
This platform also comes with a robust community forum where users will find hundreds of other users. Whenever users encounter any issues, they can post that within the community forum to seek help from other users.
Flickr: Unlike most of its competitors, Flickr does not come with a 24/7 customer support facility. However, users can seek help from the help center present within the official website of Flickr. Users can also take help from the extensive documentation section containing helpful guides, video tutorials, and how-to guides.
Winner: SmugMug
SmugMug easily wins this round since, unlike Flickr, SmugMug provides a 24/7 customer support facility via email and live chat support facility.
SmugMug Vs Flickr: Pricing Structure
SmugMug: SmugMug offers four different premium pricing plans, including the Basic Plan, Power Plan, Portfolio Plan, and Pro Plan. The Basic Plan and the Power Plan cost $9/month and 13/month, respectively, whereas, on the other hand, the Portfolio Plan and the Pro Plan cost $28/month and $42/month, respectively.
Flickr: Flickr is generally a free platform where users can easily upload photos without investing a penny. However, if users want, they can also go for the premium membership of Flickr, known as Flickr Pro. Flick Pro comes with three different Pricing Plans.
The three different pricing Plans of Flickr Pro include the Monthly plan, the 2-year plan, and the Annual Plan. The Monthly plan and the Annual plan cost $8.49/month and $6.67/month, while on the other hand, the price of the 2-year plan is $5.99/month.
Winner: Flickr
It is pretty clear from the information mentioned above that Flickr easily wins this round since it offers a free version, unlike SmugMug. Moreover, the premium membership of Flickr is also cheaper than that of SmugMug.
SmugMug Vs Flickr: Free Trial
SmugMug: Unfortunately, SmugMug does not come with a free plan like some of its competitors, which is a slight drawback of this platform. However, to compensate for this drawback, it comes with a 14 day free trial period.
During the 14-day trial period, users can test out all the premium features without investing a single penny. After testing out all the features, if they are satisfied with the product, they can go for any of the premium pricing plans.
Flickr: On the other hand, Flickr comes with a free pricing plan, but its premium member pricing plan does not come with a free trial. Due to this reason, users cannot test out the premium features before opting for any of the premium pricing plans.
Winner: SmugMug
SmugMug easily wins this round despite not offering a free pricing plan since, unlike Flickr, it provides a 14-day free trial period during which users can test out all the premium features before going for a premium pricing plan.
Frequently Asked Questions: SmugMug Vs Flickr
Do SmugMug and Flickr come with a free pricing plan?
Flickr comes with a free version where users can upload a maximum of 1000 files without investing a single penny. On the other hand, SmugMug does not offer a free version nor comes with any free pricing plan. However, as mentioned earlier, SmugMug provides a 14-day free trial period during which users can test out the premium features before selecting any premium plans.
Does Flickr owns the user’s photo?
According to Flickr’s terms and conditions page, even after uploading the photos onto the platform, users will retain all intellectual property rights to their content, including the copyright on their photos and videos.
Can users make money from SmugMug?
Yes, the profit from the download sales is 85% of the price users set above the base cost for downloads. SmugMug retains the remaining 15% as the credit card payment fees, customer service fees, and the cost required for administering the program.
Is Flickr copyright free?
Yes, the profit from the download sales is 85% of the price users set above the base cost for downloads. SmugMug retains the remaining 15% as the credit card payment fees, customer service fees, and the cost required for administering the program.
Conclusion: Which Is Best Among SmugMug Vs Flickr in 2022?
As promised at the beginning of this article, we have unbiasedly compared SmugMug Vs Flickr on the basis of a few standard features/characteristics. Finally, at the end of this article, we declare SmugMug as the overall winner since it has won in most of the above categories.