Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Format VS Zenfolio

Compare Format VS Zenfolio and see what are their differences

Format logo Format

Online portfolio platform for creatives; photographers, designers, artists and more.

Zenfolio logo Zenfolio

Building your Home page and site navigation, designing and sharing Themes.
  • Format Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21
  • Zenfolio Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-17

Format features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Format offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible for users of all technical skill levels.
  • Customizable Templates
    A variety of visually appealing, customizable templates are available, allowing users to create unique, professional portfolios.
  • Responsive Design
    Websites created with Format are responsive, ensuring they look good on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
  • Client Proofing
    Includes built-in client proofing tools, enabling photographers and creatives to share their work with clients easily and receive feedback.
  • E-Commerce Integration
    Offers e-commerce capabilities, allowing users to sell prints, digital downloads, and other products directly from their site.
  • SEO Tools
    Includes SEO tools to help improve site visibility and ranking on search engines.
  • 24/7 Customer Support
    Provides round-the-clock customer support to assist users with any issues they encounter.

Possible disadvantages of Format

  • Cost
    Format is a subscription-based service, which might be expensive for some users compared to free or cheaper alternatives.
  • Limited Blogging Features
    While it offers basic blogging capabilities, it lacks the advanced features found in dedicated blogging platforms like WordPress.
  • Limited Custom Code
    Advanced users may find the platform limiting as it offers restricted access to custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
  • Performance Rate
    In some cases, users may experience slower loading times compared to other web hosting services.
  • Template Lock-In
    Switching templates is not as seamless, and might require re-adjusting content and layout.
  • Storage Limits
    Some plans come with storage limits, which can be restrictive for photographers and creatives with extensive portfolios.

Zenfolio features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Zenfolio offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy for photographers to set up their portfolios, manage galleries, and sell their work online without extensive technical knowledge.
  • E-commerce Integration
    Zenfolio provides integrated e-commerce tools that allow photographers to sell prints, digital downloads, and products directly from their website, making it easy to monetize their work.
  • Customizable Templates
    The platform offers a variety of customizable templates that enable photographers to create visually appealing websites that reflect their unique brand and style.
  • Client Proofing Galleries
    Zenfolio includes client proofing galleries which allow photographers to share private galleries with clients for selection and feedback, streamlining the proofing process.
  • Unlimited Storage
    Higher-tier plans offer unlimited storage, allowing photographers to upload and manage large quantities of high-resolution images without additional costs.

Possible disadvantages of Zenfolio

  • Pricing
    Some users find Zenfolio's pricing to be on the higher side, especially for advanced features which may not be affordable for all photographers.
  • Customization Limitations
    While Zenfolio offers customizable templates, some users feel the customization options are limited compared to other platforms, constraining their ability to fully personalize their site.
  • Learning Curve
    New users might experience a learning curve when first using Zenfolio, due to the breadth of features and tools available.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users report that the platform can occasionally be slow or experience performance hiccups, which can affect both the photographer's workflow and the client’s experience.
  • Customer Support
    There are mixed reviews about Zenfolio’s customer support, with some users experiencing delays in getting responses or finding the assistance not as helpful as expected.

Analysis of Format

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Format is generally considered a good platform for creatives who want to showcase their work online. It provides excellent design flexibility and is praised for its clean and professional-looking templates. The platform is particularly well-suited for photographers, artists, and designers who want to create an impressive digital portfolio.

Why this product is good

  • Format is a popular website builder specifically designed for creative professionals such as photographers, artists, and designers. It offers a wide range of customizable templates, a user-friendly interface, and tools tailored for showcasing visual work effectively. Format allows users to create stunning online portfolios without needing extensive technical skills. Its focus on visual storytelling and easy-to-use design tools make it an appealing choice for creatives looking to build an online presence.

Recommended for

  • Photographers
  • Visual artists
  • Designers
  • Illustrators
  • Creative professionals looking for an easy-to-use and visually appealing online portfolio solution

Format videos

WHY I switched from FORMAT to SQUARESPACE | Photography Portfolio

More videos:

  • Review - Format Website Builder Review

Zenfolio videos

Best Website Maker for Photographers: Squarespace? Zenfolio? Wordpress? Wix?

More videos:

  • Review - This is how I use Zenfolio to make money!
  • Review - Zenfolio - For Your Photography Business

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Format and Zenfolio)
CMS
73 73%
27% 27
Website Builder
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging
65 65%
35% 35
Photography
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Format and Zenfolio

Format Reviews

The 10 Best Portfolio Website Builders in 2023
Format is one of the new-generation website-building platforms that specialize not only in solutions but also education. The Format Magazine has hundreds of published articles about Format as a platform and how to grow your digital business as an individual. However, one of the major features of Format is its Workflow service.
Source: stackdiary.com

Zenfolio Reviews

We have no reviews of Zenfolio yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Format should be more popular than Zenfolio. It has been mentiond 9 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Format mentions (9)

  • Help with CFCard adapter and 486 system BIOS 504MB limit...
    C:\ has format.com, D:\ can write test.txt, E:\ can write test2.txt, F:\ can. Source: about 2 years ago
  • File size of C1 TIFFs
    I exported a bunch of 8-bit TIFFs from C1-21 today. The Finder reported them all around 92Mb (Sony A7r3 files). I tried to upload them to my site at format.com only to have half rejected for being "over 100Mb". Source: over 2 years ago
  • When I send my site to people (Facebook, discord, whatever) this is the screencap and description people see. This image is nowhere on my site. My domain name is through google, and it isn't on google domains. Where is this likely cached and how do I reset it? Frankly, it is a boring image.
    I am using format.com. What sort of metadata should I be setting? Source: over 2 years ago
  • I think web station made it so I can't connect via IP?
    I usually connect by quick connect, but my website host is coming to an end. It is currently on format.com, a photography site. I started to make a site in php, and rather than configure mamp, I thought I'd put my images on synology. Ever since installing web station, maria, phpmyadmin, I can't connect via 192.xx.xx.xx, only quick station. For a while I could connect by localip/phpmyadmin/index.php. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Got an email from Thetypefounders regarding a font i'm using on my website, need advice
    I got an email from The Type Founders about a font that I'm using on my website, wich is made in format.com, using their available fonts. The email says I'm using a font on my website without license... I don't understand, I'm using one of the fonts that format lets you choose, so it would be more of a problem from format than from me right? I would like to get some help on this regard. Is this a normal situation... Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Zenfolio mentions (2)

  • What is the best way to deliver photos to a client
    A better choice might be something like Zenfolio (there are lots of these types of services). Some of these services do that processing for you, and also give you a marketplace for people to buy prints / photo books / etc. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Best online platform to sell photos?
    I think Zenfolio https://zenfolio.com is great! You can create a website of your own, as well as have password protected client galleries. It also integrates seamlessly with MPIX and Bay Photo which both have great products! I build websites and it’s so not worth trying to do your own site when you look at the features and the prices and integration of the labs you get with Zenfolio. Source: almost 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Format and Zenfolio, you can also consider the following products

Pixpa - Pixpa is an all-in-one platform to create beautiful, professional portfolio websites, client galleries and online stores without any coding knowledge.

Pixieset - Beautiful photo galleries for photographers and their clients.

SquareSpace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included.

Cargo - Cargo Collective is a web publishing platform that creates and offers accessible tools online.

SmugMug - SmugMug is a platform that allows amateurs and professional photographers to host their pictures and create a virtual gallery for promoting and selling their work.

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.