Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of services we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Digital Photo Printing.

Ratings

Ease of Use - Ordering Process

Placing orders with digital photo printing services is often a multi-step process. Digital photo services should offer online steps that are simple enough for a computer novice to follow.

Quality of Prints

The prints received back from digital photo printing services should look just like the original digital camera photos or better, if retouching options are available.

Pricing

Online digital photo printing services should keep costs to a minimum, offering discounts for large-volume orders and pre-paid plans.

Service and Site Features

Digital photo printing services that offer multiple options and services meet more of your needs. We looked for online photo developers that provide services beyond basic digital photo developing, such as canvas prints, poster prints and custom calendars.

Shipping Costs/ Turnaround Time

Digital photo printing services should keep shipping charges to a minimum. The best digital photo services offer low per-print prices, inexpensive shipping, and ship in rigid packaging to protect your prints. (Lower-grade services offer low per-print prices to attract customers, but artificially inflate shipping charges.)

Pricing

4 x 6

A print size you can order-the price reflects per print cost.

4 x 5.3 (TrueDigital)

Digital pictures are usually more square than traditional film prints. The 4x5.3 aspect ratio minimizes cropping and retains an image closer to the one taken.

5 x 7

A print size you can order-the price reflects per print cost.

8 x 10

A print size you can order—the price reflects per print cost.

Photo CD (DVD)

An index CD or DVD with digital copies of your order.

Volume Discounts

When a digital photo printing service offers price breaks based upon the number of prints you order; typically the more you order, the cheaper the price per print.

Ordering

Glossy Finish

A type of photo finish that's shiny and smooth, a thin glass-like finish. This type of finish is generally acceptable for normal snapshots.

Matte Finish

A type of photo finish that's dull, non-reflective and fingerprint-resistant. This type of finish is generally preferred by portrait and professional photographers for a softer look that offers less contrast than glossy paper.

Luster

A type of photo finish used by select developers. It is a slightly textured paper that produces brighter colors and is fingerprint resistant.

White Borders

The photo is produced with a 3/20 of an inch, white border around the photograph's edge. Bordered prints look more antique and traditional, and are preferred by some professional photographers.

Service and Site Features

Print Camera Phone Pictures

An option offered by the digital photo printing service to make prints of digital photos taken with camera phones.

Upload Video

The digital photo service has the ability to upload video on to their website. They cannot transfer that video to a tangible media like DVD.

Film Printing

The photo printing service develops and ships standard 35mm film and will post the images on your online account.

Webware Editing Tools

The printing service provides minor photo editing tools online.

Free Online Album Sharing

An option offered by the online photo developer to upload your digital photos to a server so that others—such as distant family members—can assess and print at their leisure. Some developers offer "forever sharing," where others only offer limited-time sharing.

Group Rooms

Hosted storage space or rooms where multiple users can post pictures and albums.

High Resolution Downloads

High quality digital downloads of your uploaded pictures most commonly used as screen savers, walpaper or for personal websites. Most digital printing services include this for free, but some charge a small fee.

Photo Organizing Application

Some printing services provide free software to download that allows you to organize your digital photographs on your hard drive, without requiring you to upload them online.

Additional Upload Application

The service has a small free application that helps the uploading process, and allows the user to upload images in bulk.

Unlimited Online Storage

The online photo developer offers a sharing service that allows you to post as many digital photos as you wish on their website.

Inactive Account Expiration

Most services will erase your digital photographs after the account has been inactive for an extended period. Usually, if the user hasn't bought anything from the service over the course of one year.

Order Online-Pick up Same Day at Store

A service offered by online digital photo developers that also have retail outlets nationwide. This option allows you to place your order online, then you can pick up your finished prints later that day at your local retail store. You can also have the prints mailed to you directly from the online developer.

Photo Gifts

The digital photo printing service offers additional gifts like mugs, shirts, mouse pads, calenders and more.

FREE - Initial Purchase Offers

A special offer made by the digital photo printing service where first-time customers receive part of their initial digital photo order developed at no cost.

Pre-Pay Discounts

When the online photo developer reduces the price per print cost if you pre-pay for your order.

Money Back Guarantee

A guarantee made by the digital photo printing service that allows for a full refund on prints that are poorly produced by the developer. These guarantees are usually limited to a 30-day time period.

Shipping

USPS

United States Postal Service

2-Day Delivery

The service offers 2-day print delivery.

Overnight Delivery

The printing service offers an overnight delivery option.

Average Delivery Time of Prints

The number of days from order placement to shipment receipt.

Canada

The digital photo printing company ships to Canada.

International

The digital photo printing company will ship internationally, but there are typically limitations required by some countries.

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