Capturely does one job: it delivers your photos in a fast, private gallery your clients can pick from and download, then closes and deletes it when the job is done. Every SmugMug fact below comes from SmugMug's own pricing and features pages.
SmugMug alternative
Capturely vs SmugMug: which one fits client delivery?
A side-by-side for photographers weighing a SmugMug alternative: what you pay, what you store, and what your clients can do with their gallery. Where SmugMug does more, we say so.
- Start free, no card
- 14 days of Pro first
- Then Free, or Pro at €10 a month
- Free plan with 15 GB, no card
- Pro €10 a month for 120 GB
- Client picks and downloads on every plan
- Galleries that close and delete themselves
The short version
SmugMug is a long-running home for photographers' whole archives: unlimited photo storage on every plan, a portfolio site, and print and download sales with order fulfillment from its Portfolio plan up.
Side by side
Capturely and SmugMug, line by line
| Feature | Capturely | SmugMug |
|---|---|---|
| Price and storage | ||
| Free plan | 1 active gallery, 15 GB, no card needed | None listed: every plan starts with a 14-day free trial |
| Paid plans | Pro €10 a month or €70 a year; Studio €25 a month or €180 a year | Direct $20, Portfolio $23.50, Pro $37 a month, billed yearly |
| Free trial | 14 days of Pro with no card; Studio asks for a card | 14 days, with every feature |
| Storage | 15 GB on Free, 120 GB on Pro, 500 GB on Studio, plus 100 GB add-on blocks | Unlimited photo storage on every plan; RAW files are a paid add-on |
| What your clients get | ||
| Client favorites and selections | Every plan: favorites up to a pick limit, notes on photos, a submitted selection | Client favoriting and download limits on Pro |
| Downloads | Every plan: full resolution, one photo or a zip, RAW files too; on a phone, saved to the photo library | Digital delivery on every plan |
| Protection and your brand | ||
| Password protection | Every plan | Password-protected galleries |
| Watermarks | Every plan: center, corner or tiled | From Portfolio up |
| Beyond the gallery | ||
| Lightroom | Client picks exported for Lightroom or Capture One | Lightroom integration on every plan |
| Print and product store | No | Yes, from Portfolio up: print and digital download sales, with order fulfillment |
| Mobile app | No app: galleries open in any phone browser, with nothing to install | Apps for iOS and Android |
Prices and features checked in November 2026 on each company's own pricing and feature pages. Plans change, so check theirs before you decide.
Capturely lists its prices in euros, SmugMug in US dollars. A yearly price is shown per month, billed once a year.
Sources: smugmug.com/plans, smugmug.com/features
Which one fits
Pick the gallery that fits how you work.
When SmugMug is the better choice
- You want one home for every photo you have ever taken: SmugMug lists unlimited photo storage on every plan, where Capturely plans have a fixed size, up to 500 GB on Studio plus add-on blocks.
- You sell prints and downloads: SmugMug's Portfolio and Pro plans sell them from your galleries and fulfill the orders; Capturely has no store.
- You want your portfolio and your client galleries on one site: SmugMug's Portfolio and Pro plans include portfolio site templates, and Capturely delivers galleries only.
- You want an app on your phone that uploads for you: SmugMug has apps for iOS and Android, and Capturely works in the browser.
When Capturely is the better choice
- You want to start without paying: Capturely has a free plan with 15 GB and no card, where SmugMug lists a 14-day trial and then a paid plan.
- Your clients pick the photos you retouch: favorites up to their package limit, notes and a submitted selection come with every Capturely plan, Free included, where SmugMug lists client favoriting on its Pro plan.
- You deliver jobs and move on: Capturely Pro is €10 a month for 120 GB, and galleries close on a date and then delete themselves, with a reminder to your client first.
- Your clients speak other languages and download on their phones: galleries come in 13 languages, and Download saves a photo straight to the photo library.
Switching
Switching from SmugMug
There is no importer from SmugMug, so nothing moves on its own. This is how photographers usually switch:
- 01
Start on Pro
Create an account with no card, then add your studio name, logo and accent color once in the Brand kit.
- 02
Deliver your next shoot with Capturely
Upload the new photos and send your client the link. They need no account and no app.
- 03
Let your SmugMug galleries run out
Leave the galleries you already sent where they are until they expire, then cancel there. To bring one over sooner, upload its photos from your own files.
- 04
Ask us for help
Moving a lot of galleries at once? Write to hello@capturely.me and we will help you plan it, personally.
Can I import my SmugMug galleries into Capturely?
Not automatically: Capturely has no importer. Upload the photos from your own files into a new gallery, or deliver new shoots with Capturely and keep your SmugMug archive where it is. If you have a lot to move, write to hello@capturely.me and we will help you plan it.
Is Capturely cheaper than SmugMug?
For delivering client galleries, usually yes. Capturely Free costs nothing, Pro is €10 a month for 120 GB and Studio €25 a month for 500 GB. SmugMug lists Direct at $20, Portfolio at $23.50 and Pro at $37 a month, billed yearly, each with unlimited photo storage. If you need unlimited storage, SmugMug gives you more for the money.
Does Capturely sell prints like SmugMug?
No. Capturely delivers galleries and does not sell prints or products. If print sales are a real part of your income, SmugMug's Portfolio and Pro plans are built for that.
Can I use Capturely for delivery and keep SmugMug as my archive?
Yes. Many photographers keep a long-term archive in one place and deliver each job in another. A Capturely gallery can close on the date you set and delete itself afterwards, so delivered jobs do not pile up in your storage.
Start free today
Try Capturely with your next shoot.
Every new account starts with 14 days of Pro, no card needed. Your SmugMug account can keep running while you decide.
Pro
€10a month
or €5.83/mo billed yearly14-day free trial, no card- Unlimited galleries
- 120 GB of storage
- Any expiry date, or never
- Custom domain
- No Capturely branding
- Video delivery (MP4, MOV)
The Pro trial needs no card. Add one to stay on Pro: nothing is charged before day 14.
Compare
Other comparisons
- PixiesetCapturely vs PixiesetPixieset adds a print store, client gallery apps and a wider suite of studio tools. Capturely gives you 15 GB on Free, client picks on every plan and galleries that delete themselves.Read the comparison
- Pic-TimeCapturely vs Pic-TimePic-Time adds a print store with labs worldwide, albums, and video on its free plan. Capturely has client selections on every plan, a custom domain from Pro and galleries that delete themselves.Read the comparison
- ShootProofCapturely vs ShootProofShootProof adds commission-free print sales, contracts, invoices and custom gallery apps. Capturely gives you storage instead of a photo count on Free, 13 gallery languages and galleries that delete themselves.Read the comparison
- ZenfolioCapturely vs ZenfolioZenfolio adds a portfolio site, print sales with lab fulfillment and tools for volume photography. Capturely has a free plan, RAW downloads and galleries that delete themselves.Read the comparison
- CloudSpotCapturely vs CloudSpotCloudSpot adds a print store, a mobile app for each client and studio tools like contracts and invoices. Capturely gives you 15 GB and full-resolution downloads on Free, and galleries that delete themselves.Read the comparison
- PicdropCapturely vs PicdropPicdrop adds team accounts, feedback with color markers and scribbles, and plans from 500 GB up. Capturely gives you 15 GB on Free, a pick limit for each client and galleries that delete themselves.Read the comparison
- PixpaCapturely vs PixpaPixpa is a portfolio site builder with client galleries, a store and a blog built in. Capturely is the gallery alone: a free plan, client picks on every plan and galleries that delete themselves.Read the comparison
- WeTransferCapturely vs WeTransferWeTransfer moves big files of any kind with a link. Capturely is a client gallery: your client browses, picks favorites, downloads on a phone, and the link stays open until the date you set.Read the comparison
- Google DriveCapturely vs Google DriveGoogle Drive stores and shares any file, with 15 GB free in every Google Account. Capturely is a client gallery: favorites with a pick limit, a password, your brand, and a link that closes on a date.Read the comparison
- DropboxCapturely vs DropboxDropbox syncs and backs up your files and shares folders by link. Capturely is a client gallery: favorites with a pick limit, a password and watermarks on every plan, and a link that closes on a date.Read the comparison
Photo proofing galleriesClients pick favorites within your package limit, note a frame and submit. You export the list to Lightroom or Capture One.See how it works
Photo deliveryPhotos sized for every screen, originals untouched, single and zip downloads, RAW files included.See how it works
Expiring galleriesEach gallery closes on your date, reminds your client first, then deletes itself with every original.See how it works
Watermarks and passwordsWatermark proofs in Center, Corner or Tiled, put a password on the gallery and keep some folders for the client only.See how it works