Smugmug Review

File sharing has been a popular concept on the internet for sometime. SmugMug is one of the latest phenomenons, an online service that allows you to easily share digital photos. Experts and users having been raving about the service but does it really live up to the hype? This in-depth review will let you know if SmugMug is worth a closer look.

Features and Ease of Use

SmugMug offers a variety of ways to upload your photos to the internet. You can use the Windows drag-and-drop function, batch upload via Internet Explorer, batch upload for Mac OS X and batch upload for Linux and other operating systems. Each option offers a user-friendly process that gives you the ability to get your files online with ease. What separates SmugMug from many other photo sharing services is that is lets you upload MPEG video clips up to 8 MB in size. These clips are displayed in high-quality resolution and rival most of the videos you will find on YouTube.

One of the most unique features of SmugMug is the ability to order prints of your photos and have them directly mailed to you. This really comes in handy if printing them yourself isn’t an option. If you do have a printer, your photos can be accessed and easily printed out right at home. Additionally, SmugMug provides you with URL links so you can share your photos without users being required to set up an account to view them.

Customer Service and Technical Support

SmugMug towers over competing services by delivering exceptional support to its customers. Although there is no phone number to call, SmugMug does provide several ways to get the assistance you need. Directly on the website you will find step-by-step tutorials, an extensive FAQ page and an active community forum where customers help one another. Support is also available via email where the average response is very respectable. When considering that support is often non-existent with other photo sharing services, the help you get from SmugMug is quite refreshing.

Cost of Service

The SmugMug photo sharing service is available in three different variations. There is also a 7-day free trial period that allows you to test out the service before signing up. The Standard account is $39.95 per year, providing you with unlimited storage space, unlimited data transfer to compensate for traffic and a generous amount of pre-designed templates. The Power account is $59.95 per year, giving you the ability to brand your photo galleries by replacing the SmugMug header and default designs with your own. For example, you can incorporate custom colors, footers and much more. Keep in mind that advanced customization requires that you have a working knowledge of programming technologies such as HTML, Javascript or CSS. The Professional SmugMug account is available for $149.95 a year, allowing you to actually use the service to sell your photos online.

Conclusion

All in all, SmugMug is a quality service that makes it easy to share photos of various types and sizes. Because there’s a cost to sign up with SmugMug, this service is best suited for professional photographers and graphic designers who need to sell and share digital images with clients. If you simply want to share photos with family or friends, we recommend a free service such as Photobucket.