Best Pixieset Alternative for Modern Photographers & Videographers (2025)

Why Photographers Are Leaving Pixieset

Pixieset defined the client gallery era for years, replacing USB drives with elegant web galleries. It works well for selling prints to retail clients like wedding couples and families. But as the industry shifts toward hybrid coverage, where photographers deliver both stills and video, Pixieset's limitations are becoming friction points.

The primary issue is video support. While Pixieset now allows video uploads, it often treats them as second-class citizens compared to images, with file size limits and compression that can degrade quality. For commercial photographers delivering RAW files, TIFFs, or large video assets to agencies, a standard gallery platform often fails.

If your business involves commercial work, video production, or delivering uncompressed assets, you likely need a Pixieset alternative that prioritizes file integrity and transfer speed over print sales features.

Top 5 Pixieset Alternatives Compared

We tested the leading platforms to see which ones handle the demands of modern media delivery.

1. Fast.io: The Hybrid Shooter's Choice

Fast.io takes a different approach. Instead of building a "storefront" for prints, it builds a professional delivery engine for assets. It allows you to create branded portals that look just as polished as a gallery but can handle any file type.

Why it's better: You aren't limited to JPEGs. You can deliver 500GB of ProRes video, a folder of RAW images, and the final JPEGs all in one link. Clients can stream video instantly without downloading, thanks to HLS streaming technology.

2. ShootProof: The Direct Competitor

ShootProof is the closest direct alternative to Pixieset. Its main selling point is "no commission on sales" for paid plans, which can save high-volume wedding photographers thousands of dollars.

Why it's better: It includes contract signing and invoicing tools built directly into the platform, making it a lightweight studio management option.

3. Pic-Time: Strong Marketing Automation

Pic-Time is known for its marketing features. If your primary goal is to upsell prints and albums to brides and grooms, Pic-Time's automated email campaigns are hard to beat.

Why it's better: Its algorithms suggest products to clients automatically, potentially increasing passive income.

The Problem with 'Gallery-Only' Platforms

Most Pixieset alternatives like CloudSpot and Zenfolio are built on the same premise: the final deliverable is a JPEG image. This model breaks down when you need to deliver the source files or heavy video content.

Commercial clients (agencies, brands, and magazines) don't want to browse a gallery to buy prints. They need a direct download link to the high-resolution assets. Using a retail gallery tool for commercial delivery can look unprofessional and frustrate art directors who just want a "Download All" button that works reliably for 50GB of data.

Fast.io bridges this gap. It offers the visual appeal of a gallery (branded portals, custom domains) with the power of an FTP server. You get a polished presentation for your client and a reliable transfer engine for their production team.

Delivering Video Without Compromise

Video is the new standard. Whether it's a wedding highlight film or a brand commercial, clients expect to view it instantly on their phones.

Pixieset and others often require clients to download large video files to view them properly, or they compress the stream heavily. Fast.io uses HLS (HTTP Live Streaming), the same tech used by Netflix, to stream your video content instantly in high quality regardless of the user's bandwidth.

This means a client can review a 4K drone shot on their iPhone over 4G without buffering, and then download the full-resolution original when they get back to the office.

How to Choose the Right Alternative

Your choice depends on your business model.

Choose a Gallery Tool (ShootProof, Pic-Time) if:

• You primarily shoot weddings and families.
• Your main income stream is selling physical prints to consumers.
• You only deliver JPEG images.

Choose a Delivery Platform (Fast.io) if:

• You shoot commercial work, events, or brand photography.
• You deliver video, RAW files, or mixed media.
• Your clients are businesses or agencies who need efficient downloads.
• You want a branded portal without the "storefront" clutter.

For many creative agencies, the solution is a split approach. Use Fast.io for the heavy lifting (delivering raw assets, video rushes, and final campaigns) and keep a simple gallery tool for retail clients who need to order prints.