Chatbooks and Shutterfly both print photo books, but they solve different problems. Chatbooks is built around small, automatic books pulled from your phone on a schedule. Shutterfly is a full print shop with big books, many formats, and a lot of design control.

This guide compares price, formats, editing, delivery, and photo sources. Then it gives a plain verdict for common cases. We also cover one option for people whose photos already live on Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox.

Chatbooks vs Shutterfly: the short verdict

• Pick Chatbooks if you want small books that build themselves from your camera roll and arrive on a schedule.
• Pick Shutterfly if you want one big, polished book with full control over layout, size, and cover.
• Pick neither if your story is on Facebook or Instagram and you want a full-year book without placing photos by hand.

What to look for in a photo book service

• Real price after discounts. List prices rarely match what you pay at checkout.
• Book size and page count. A 20-page or 30-page book is thin for a full year.
• Photo source. Phone camera roll, Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox all behave differently.
• Time you'll spend. Hand layout takes hours. Auto layout takes minutes.
• Subscription or one-off. Some services bill you again and again until you cancel.

Price

Shutterfly publishes its list prices. An 8x8 softcover starts at $24.98 for 20 pages, and an 8x8 glossy hardcover starts at $39.98. Extra pages cost about $1.09 each on the softcover. Layflat books begin around $96 in 10x10. Shipping, tax, and upgrades come on top. Sales are frequent, so the final price is often well below list.

Chatbooks keeps the entry price lower for small books. A review of the service puts its 6x6 hardcover Classic Photo Books at about $25, with 8x8 near $35 and 10x10 near $50. Its subscription Monthbooks bill on a recurring cycle. We couldn't confirm a current official Monthbook price, so check the checkout screen before you sign up. Watch the billing schedule too. A cheap book that renews every month adds up.

Formats and page counts

Chatbooks sells Classic books in 6x6, 8x8, and 10x10. Monthbooks come in 5x7, 6x6, and 8x8, in soft or hardcover. Chatbooks says a Monthbook holds up to 60 pages, and you can print one with 30 to 60 pages. The pocket sizes are cute and easy to gift.

Shutterfly goes much wider. Its site lists 8x8, 8x11, 10x10, 11x8, 11x14, and 12x12 books. Cover options run from softcover to leather layflat. Optional professional six-color printing adds about $15 to $20. If you want a large wedding album, Shutterfly is the clear winner here.

Editing and design control

Chatbooks is deliberately light on editing. The app collects photos, lays them out, and you swap or remove what you don't like. That's the point. Many parents never open a design tool.

Shutterfly gives you themes, templates, and detailed layout tools. It also pushes upsells at nearly every step. If you enjoy designing, you'll like it. If you only have twenty minutes, you may not finish.

Photo sources and Instagram

Chatbooks used to pull from Instagram automatically. That has ended. Chatbooks says Meta shut down the Instagram connection it relied on, so Instagram can no longer feed an automatic book. Its automatic books now draw from your camera roll and a few other sources, or you add photos by hand.

Shutterfly connects to Facebook and some other photo libraries, and you can upload from your computer or phone. In both services, bringing in photos is not the same as bringing in the story. You still choose and place each image, and the original captions, likes, and locations don't shape the page.

Delivery and turnaround

Shutterfly says production usually takes 3 to 5 business days. Shipping then depends on the method you pick, from economy to super rush at 1 to 2 business days for photo books. Holiday orders run slower, so order early for gifts.

Chatbooks ships on its own schedule for subscriptions and by your order date for Classic books. It doesn't promise a date until checkout. We couldn't verify a current published turnaround, so confirm it in the cart.

Chatbooks vs Shutterfly: which one should you pick?

• Hands-off kid photo books: Chatbooks. The automatic series is its strength.
• Lowest price for a small gift book: Chatbooks, especially the 6x6.
• Wedding, large format, or layflat: Shutterfly. Chatbooks doesn't compete here.
• Full control of layout and cover: Shutterfly.
• Cards, mugs, and prints from one account: Shutterfly. Its catalog is far bigger.

Neither one is made to turn a whole social media archive into a book on its own. That's the gap the next option fills.

If your photos already live on Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox

My Social Book works differently. You connect your Facebook, Instagram (professional account), or Dropbox, and the service builds a full photo book automatically. Your content lands in chronological order, like a journal of the year, with the original dates, captions, likes, and locations. It's one source per book. If you want both Facebook and Instagram, you make separate books from Facebook AND Instagram.

You preview every page before ordering. You can add or remove content, delete a post, and change the cover. You can't reorder sections or rewrite captions. Books run from 25 to 500 pages, in hardcover or softcover, at 21 x 25 cm (about 8.3 x 9.8 inches). Pricing is affordable, with frequent discounts of 40% or more. Shipping is charged separately, and a PDF version is optional. Production takes 2 to 5 business days, then delivery takes 3 to 5 business days express or 7 to 14 standard in the US.

My Social Book has been in business for 12 years and has printed more than 700,000 books. It holds a Trustpilot TrustScore 4.7 / 5 (2,716 reviews, October 2026).

See your book in minutes -- start from Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox

Chatbooks vs Shutterfly vs My Social Book comparison table

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• Make a book from Facebook

Frequently asked questions

Is Chatbooks cheaper than Shutterfly?

For a small book, usually yes. A 6x6 hardcover Chatbooks Classic book starts around $25, while a Shutterfly 8x8 hardcover starts at $39.98 for 20 pages. Subscriptions renew on a cycle, so compare the total over time, not one book.

Can I still connect Instagram to Chatbooks?

Not for automatic books. Chatbooks says Meta ended the Instagram connection it used, so Instagram can't feed an automatic series anymore. You can add photos by hand instead.

Which is better for a baby or kid photo book?

Chatbooks is easier for ongoing kid photos because the books build from your phone on a schedule. Shutterfly is better if you want one large, designed keepsake book at the end of the year.

Which has better print options, Chatbooks or Shutterfly?

Shutterfly. It offers more sizes, cover types, layflat tiers, and optional professional printing. Chatbooks focuses on small square and pocket-size books.

Is there a faster way to make a book from social media?

Yes. My Social Book builds a book automatically from your Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox, in chronological order with dates, captions, likes, and locations kept. You preview and edit before ordering, with no manual layout.

Facts about competitors checked on October 19, 2026. Prices and features change; confirm on each company's site before ordering.

Create your book from Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox