# MakeAlbum vs Blurb — photo books compared

> MakeAlbum next to Blurb on their own numbers: Blurb's BookWright and ImageWrap layflat, MakeAlbum's AI-curated 30 × 30 layflat with shipping included. Who picks the photos, price, shipping, turnaround. Read on their site on 2026-09-17.

Source: https://makealbum.com/compare/blurb · MakeAlbum, Lisbon, Portugal

Blurb is the self-publisher's tool: BookWright places every element yourself or suggests layouts, prints in many formats and ships to over 70 countries. MakeAlbum is the opposite bet: one format, and the choosing, laying out and captioning done by our own AI from the whole upload. 300 × 300 mm square layflat hardcover, 26–80 interior pages, €199–€349, shipping included.

Product compared: Blurb — Large Square 12 × 12 in Layflat, ImageWrap hardcover (https://www.blurb.com/pricing), read on 2026-09-17.

| | MakeAlbum | Blurb |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Who picks the photographs | MakeAlbum's own AI: you upload the whole set, it drops blur, bursts and duplicates and picks the frames to fill the book. You heart a few must-haves and can swap anything. | You choose; BookWright offers “auto-layout suggestions or place every element yourself”. |
| Who writes the titles and captions | The AI, from a two-line brief with names, places and dates; you rewrite or re-roll any of them. | Yours to add. |
| Square layflat hardcover, about 30 × 30 cm | Yes, the only format: 300 × 300 mm square, layflat, acrylic front, leatherette spine. | Yes: “Large Square 12 × 12 in (30 × 30 cm)”, layflat. |
| Pages | 26–80, any even number. | 20 to 110 (layflat). |
| Price of the smallest square book | €199 for 26 pages in Europe, about $295 in the United States. Linear per page. | 12 × 12 layflat, Premium Lustre, ImageWrap: $110.00 for 20 pages, $2.52 a page. |
| Shipping | Included in the price, tracked. Express is an optional extra. | Extra; shipping calculator at checkout. |
| Production time | Typically 4–6 working days after you approve; the AI draft itself takes minutes. | “Printing and binding requires 4-5 business days.” |
| Delivers to | 25 EU countries, the United States and the United Kingdom today; Canada and Latin America next. | “Over 70 countries and territories.” |
| Someone does it for you | Done-for-you: MakeAlbum’s editors build the whole book from your brief; you approve an emailed preview. | “Hire an Expert” through BlurbNation, independent designers. |

## When one of them is the better buy

- You want to design every page yourself, from a blank spread. MakeAlbum's editor moves, swaps and re-rolls what the AI laid out; it is not a page designer with free placement. Blurb's BookWright and Saal's desktop software are.
- You want a small or cheap book. There is no softcover, no 20 × 20 and no €40 option here; one 300 × 300 mm layflat hardcover from €199. Mixbook and Journi start much lower with smaller formats.
- You need it printed tomorrow. Saal and Mixbook quote one to three days of production; MakeAlbum's book typically takes four to six working days after approval, plus delivery.
- You live outside the EU, the US and the UK. Until the next markets open, Blurb and Mixbook reach further.

## Sources

- Who picks the photographs: https://www.blurb.com/bookwright
- Who writes the titles and captions: https://www.blurb.com/bookwright
- Square layflat hardcover, about 30 × 30 cm: https://www.blurb.com/pricing
- Pages: https://www.blurb.com/photo-books
- Price of the smallest square book: https://www.blurb.com/pricing
- Shipping: https://www.blurb.com/shipping
- Production time: https://www.blurb.com/shipping
- Delivers to: https://www.blurb.com/shipping
- Someone does it for you: https://www.blurb.com/bookwright

## FAQ

### Does Blurb lay out the book for me?

BookWright offers auto-layout suggestions or lets you place every element yourself, from the photos you chose. MakeAlbum's AI selects the frames from the whole set, builds chapters and writes the titles and captions; you adjust rather than design.

### Which is cheaper?

Blurb's Large Square 12 × 12 in layflat, Premium Lustre, ImageWrap is $110.00 for 20 pages plus shipping. MakeAlbum's 300 × 300 mm layflat is €199 for 26 pages in Europe and about $295 in the United States, shipping included. Blurb's other formats and softcovers are cheaper still.

### Can someone design the Blurb book for me?

Blurb points to independent designers through BlurbNation. MakeAlbum's done-for-you service is in-house: its editors build the book from your brief and you approve an emailed preview.