Platform comparison
Galerly vs SmugMug
SmugMug's standout feature is unlimited full-resolution storage on every plan, paired with a customizable portfolio and print sales through its lab partners. Galerly caps storage per tier, but bundles invoicing, contracts, quotes, and AI culling into the subscription, plus Swiss QR-bill and EU VAT support SmugMug does not offer.
Free plan · No credit card
What Galerly bundles in one subscription
- Client galleries with favorites, downloads, proofing
- Multi-currency invoicing, MwSt / TVA, Swiss QR-bill
- Contracts and e-signatures
- AI photo culling, 9-dimension engine (Pro/Business)
- Portfolio website with custom domain
Comparison
Feature comparison
Based on publicly published feature and pricing pages for both platforms as of July 2026. Verify current details at smugmug.com.
| Feature | SmugMug | Galerly |
|---|---|---|
Unlimited full-resolution storage Galerly caps storage per plan, 3GB Free up to 1TB Business, verify at smugmug.com for SmugMug's current terms | ||
Client galleries with favorites and downloads | ||
Customizable portfolio website | ||
Print sales with lab fulfillment Galerly focuses on digital delivery. No print store. | ||
Invoicing included in plan Not published as a feature of SmugMug's photographer-facing plans, verify at smugmug.com | ||
Contracts with e-signatures Not published as a feature by SmugMug, verify at smugmug.com | ||
Client quotes | ||
AI photo culling (built-in) Not part of SmugMug's published feature set as of July 2026, verify at smugmug.com | ||
Swiss QR-bill invoicing | ||
EU VAT / MwSt / TVA calculation | ||
RAW file backup included at base price SmugMug charges extra for RAW storage (starting around $10/month for 1TB), verify at smugmug.com. Galerly includes RAW support only on the Business plan. | Partial | Partial |
Legend: check = included in base or entry plan, "Partial" = available at extra cost or on select tiers, X = not published as a feature.
Pricing
Pricing at a glance
SmugMug has no free plan. Its three tiers run roughly $20 to $53/month depending on tier and billing cycle (monthly billing runs higher than annual). Every tier includes unlimited full-resolution photo and video storage, but only the Portfolio and Pro tiers add print-sales tools. RAW file backup is a separate add-on starting around $10/month for 1TB. Verify current prices and tier details at smugmug.com/plans.
Galerly's Free plan ($0) covers 3 galleries and 3GB storage. Invoicing, contracts, e-signatures, quotes, bookings and multi-currency invoicing with EU VAT are all included on the Free plan. Starter ($9/month) raises storage to 50GB and drops the fee on client payments to 0%. Pro ($29/month) adds AI culling and a custom domain at 250GB. Business ($79/month) adds RAW support and 1TB storage. Storage is capped per tier, not unlimited.
SmugMug
Source: smugmug.com/plans, verify current rates and billing cycle.
Galerly
Source: galerly.com/pricing
Assessment
Strengths and trade-offs
SmugMug
Strengths
- Unlimited full-resolution photo and video storage on every plan, no photo-count or storage caps
- Deep portfolio and website customization, long-established platform
- Print sales through established lab-fulfillment partners on Portfolio and Pro tiers
- Good fit for photographers who need a long-term photo archive as well as a delivery gallery
Trade-offs
- No free plan, entry tier starts around $20/month billed annually
- No published invoicing, contracts, or client-quote tools for the photographer's own business
- No published AI photo culling feature
- No Swiss QR-bill or EU VAT invoicing
- RAW file backup is a separate paid add-on, not included in the base price
Galerly
Strengths
- Invoicing, contracts, and quotes on every plan, including Free (3 each on Free, unlimited on paid)
- Swiss QR-bill and EU VAT / MwSt / TVA / IVA invoicing built-in
- AI photo culling engine (9 dimensions, up to 10,000 photos per pass) on Pro and Business
- Free plan available, no credit card required
- Galleries, AI culling, invoicing, contracts, and portfolio under one login
Trade-offs
- Storage is capped per plan (3GB Free up to 1TB Business), not unlimited like SmugMug
- No built-in print store with lab fulfillment, Galerly focuses on digital delivery
- Newer platform, smaller existing user community than SmugMug
- Free plan limited to 3 galleries and 3GB storage
Fit check
Which platform fits your workflow?
Consider SmugMug if:
- –Unlimited full-resolution storage matters most, you want a single place to archive your entire photo library, not just deliver to clients
- –Lab-fulfilled print sales are a meaningful part of your income and you want that built into your gallery platform
- –You already use a separate tool for invoicing, contracts, and AI culling, or don't need them
Consider Galerly if:
- You want invoicing, contracts, and quotes bundled with your gallery platform, not a separate business tool
- You photograph clients in Switzerland or the EU and need compliant invoicing (QR-bill, MwSt, TVA)
- You want AI photo culling bundled with your delivery platform instead of a separate tool
- You want to start on a free plan before committing to a paid tier
AI culling
AI culling: what each platform offers
SmugMug's published feature set (as of July 2026) does not include a built-in AI photo culling tool. Photographers on SmugMug who want automated culling typically pair it with a separate desktop tool before uploading to their SmugMug archive. Verify SmugMug's current feature list at smugmug.com.
Galerly's AI culling engine (galerly-cull) runs a 9-dimension score on every photo, sharpness, exposure, composition, color, dynamic range, face quality, eye sharpness, blink detection, and aesthetics. It handles burst detection, side-by-side compare overlays, and per-shoot-type weighting. The engine is browser-based, no desktop install required, and handles up to 10,000 photos per pass. It is included in Pro ($29/month) and Business ($79/month) plans.
The meaningful difference: Galerly's culling result lives in the same gallery you deliver to clients. There is no export step or separate subscription for a culling tool.
Invoicing
Invoicing for Swiss and EU photographers
SmugMug is a US-based platform, and its published feature set does not include Swiss QR-bill generation or EU VAT (MwSt / TVA / IVA) calculation. Photographers in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands who use SmugMug for their portfolio and archive typically pair it with a separate accounting tool for compliant local invoices. Verify SmugMug's current feature list at smugmug.com.
Galerly's invoicing includes Swiss QR-bill (Zahlteil) generation, MwSt / TVA / IVA rate application, and invoicing in USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, CAD, or AUD. These are built into every plan, including Free, without a third-party integration.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does SmugMug really offer unlimited storage?
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Yes, based on SmugMug's published plans (verify at smugmug.com, as of July 2026), every SmugMug subscription tier includes unlimited full-resolution photo and video storage. This is SmugMug's standout feature versus most of the market, including Galerly, whose storage is capped per plan (3GB Free up to 1TB Business).
Does Galerly include invoicing in its base subscription?
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Yes, on every plan including Free, 3 each on Free and unlimited on paid. Invoicing, contracts and quotes are part of the product. The fee on client payments taken through Stripe is 15% on Free and 0% on every paid plan, applied to invoices, booking deposits and store sales before shipping and tax; bank transfer is never charged. SmugMug's published feature set does not include built-in invoicing or contracts for the photographer's own business, verify at smugmug.com.
Can I sell prints through SmugMug or Galerly?
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SmugMug has a developed print-sales system through its lab partners, available on its Portfolio and Pro tiers (verify current tier requirements at smugmug.com). Galerly does not currently have a print store or lab-fulfillment partnership, it focuses on digital delivery, AI culling, and business tooling.
Does Galerly offer AI photo culling?
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Yes. AI culling is included on Pro ($29/month) and Business ($79/month) plans. The engine scores each photo across 9 dimensions, sharpness, exposure, composition, color, dynamic range, face quality, eye sharpness, blink detection, and aesthetics, and handles up to 10,000 photos per pass in the browser. SmugMug's published feature set does not include a built-in AI culling tool, verify at smugmug.com.
Which platform should I choose if I photograph clients in Switzerland or the EU?
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Galerly includes localized invoicing features for Swiss and EU photographers: Swiss QR-bill generation, MwSt / TVA / IVA tax calculation, and multi-currency support (USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, CAD, AUD). SmugMug is a US-based platform, and its published feature set does not include Swiss QR-bill generation or EU VAT calculation, verify at smugmug.com. If your clients expect a compliant local invoice, Galerly covers that without a third-party tool.
Keep reading
Galleries, invoicing, and AI culling in one subscription.
No separate modules. No add-on pricing for invoicing. Free plan available, no credit card required.