Blurb and Mixbook both make good photo books. They just serve different people. Blurb started as a self-publishing platform, so it's built for photographers, authors, and anyone who wants to sell a book. Mixbook is built for families who want a heavily designed book and a long list of themes.
This guide compares price, formats, paper, editor, and selling options. We give a plain verdict for each use case. We also cover a third route if your photos already live on Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox.
Blurb vs Mixbook: quick verdict
- Blurb -- better for print quality choices, portfolios, and books you want to sell. It offers four paper grades, a free desktop tool, and links to Amazon and Ingram.
- Mixbook -- better for family books you design by hand. Its editor is more playful, with stickers, themes, and shared editing.
- My Social Book -- better when the photos are already on Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox and you don't want to design anything.
What to look for in a photo book service
- Real price after discounts -- list prices rarely match what you pay at checkout.
- Paper and binding -- layflat shows panoramas well but costs more.
- Editor effort -- hand layout can take an evening or a weekend.
- Photo source -- phone, computer, or social media?
- What you plan to do with it -- keep it, gift it, or sell it.
Price
Blurb's site lists softcover photo books from about $12, hardcover from about $32, and layflat from about $60. Those are base prices for a small book. Larger sizes cost much more. Blurb's own FAQ puts a 13x11 inch hardcover around $68. Extra pages are billed on top.
Mixbook's entry price is lower on paper, with softcovers reported from roughly $15 to $20. Hardcovers and layflat cost more, and a layflat can pass $60 quickly. Mixbook runs sales constantly. Its homepage recently advertised up to 55% off almost everything with a seasonal code. Sales end fast, so check the cart total on the day you order.
Our take: Mixbook is usually cheaper once a sale is running. Blurb rarely advertises deals, so its list price is closer to what you pay.
Formats and paper
Blurb lists sizes from 5x5 up to 13x11 inches. It has four paper options: standard semi matte, premium lustre or matte, Mohawk Superfine Eggshell, and Mohawk ProPhoto Pearl, a heavier photo gloss. Photographers like this range. It's the stronger choice for a portfolio or an art book.
Mixbook sizes run from 6x6 to 14x11 inches, with 8.5x11 the most popular. It offers semi-gloss, matte, and lustre finishes. Layflat books are limited to under 100 pages. For a normal family album, the paper difference is small.
Editor and design
Mixbook's editor is the more fun of the two. You drag pages around, pick from themed layouts, add stickers and borders, and let collaborators edit or order their own copies. It also has an auto-layout tool and an AI story mode that suggests a design from your photos.
Blurb gives you a browser editor aimed at beginners. It also offers BookWright, a free desktop program, and plugins for Adobe InDesign and Lightroom Classic. If you already edit photos in Lightroom, that's a real advantage. If you just want cute pages, Mixbook feels easier.
Selling and self-publishing
This is where Blurb stands apart. You can list a book in the Blurb Bookstore, and the company also lists Amazon and Ingram as sales channels. It also has volume discounts that start at 20 copies. Mixbook is built for personal books and gifts, not for retail sales.
Blurb vs Mixbook: which one should you pick?
- Portfolio, art book, or a book to sell: Blurb.
- Best paper range: Blurb.
- Family album with themes and stickers: Mixbook.
- Shared book that relatives can edit or order: Mixbook.
- Lowest price during a sale: Mixbook.
Neither one builds a book for you from a social media archive. You pick, sort, and place the photos yourself. 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, 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 rearrange sections or rewrite captions, so it's not the tool for a designed portfolio. 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. 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
Blurb vs Mixbook vs My Social Book comparison table
| Service | Starting price | Photo source | Automation level | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blurb | From ~$12 softcover, ~$32 hardcover | Upload, desktop software, Lightroom, InDesign | Manual layout, templates | Portfolios, paper choice, selling books |
| Mixbook | From ~$15 to ~$20, with deals | Upload and photo libraries | Auto-layout and AI story mode, then manual edits | Designed family books, shared editing |
| My Social Book | Affordable, frequent discounts | Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox | Fully automatic, editable preview | Social media photo books, no design work |
Related photo book comparisons
- Blurb alternatives
- Mixbook alternatives
- Shutterfly vs Mixbook
- Artifact Uprising vs Mixbook
- Best photo book apps
- Best photo book from Instagram
- Make a book from Facebook
Frequently asked questions
Is Blurb or Mixbook cheaper?
Mixbook usually is during a sale. Its softcovers start around $15 to $20, and it often advertises up to 55% off. Blurb lists softcovers from about $12 but rarely runs big promotions. Compare the final cart total.
Which has better paper, Blurb or Mixbook?
Blurb has the wider range, from standard semi matte to heavy ProPhoto Pearl photo gloss. Mixbook offers semi-gloss, matte, and lustre. For a gallery-style book, Blurb wins. For a family album, either is fine.
Can I sell a book made with Blurb?
Yes. Blurb lists its own Bookstore, Amazon, and Ingram as sales options, plus your own website. Mixbook is aimed at personal books and gifts rather than retail sales.
Which editor is easier, Blurb or Mixbook?
Mixbook for most families. It has auto-layout, themes, stickers, and shared editing. Blurb's browser editor suits beginners too, but its strength is the desktop and Adobe tools for people who design in detail.
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.
