The Best Portable Photo Printers Bring Memories to Life On Paper
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In the same way that vinyl record players have found new life among millennials and Gen Z, the best portable photo printers are making a comeback as well. And let’s be honest, there’s something about a physical photo that makes an image feel like a true moment captured forever in time. With the best phone photo printer, take those moments and put them in an album or proudly hang them on the fridge or wall to serve as a reminder of some good memories.
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The idea of printing photos might seem archaic, and frankly, printing photos used to be a pain in the rear end. In the days before apps, developing photos meant driving to the store and waiting several days to get the pictures.
Even in the digital era, the first home photo printers were clunky and awkward. The photos might be cropped incorrectly, everybody in the photos might have demon-red eyes, the color might be off, etc. With the best portable photo printers, say goodbye to all of those frustrating photo issues and get great looking photos printed practically instantly.
Phone photo printers can connect directly to a smart phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. And they aren’t big and bulky like the printers of old. In fact, many of them can slide into a back pocket so users can have a printer available to whenever and wherever. There are also a lot of cool things that can be to photos through the accompanying apps. Spice things up by adding graphics, borders, and text to photos; no need to learn Photoshop. Portable phone printers are a clever and convenient solution to taking photos off of the phone and having physical printed copies of them.
To help find the right product for personal photo needs (or holiday gifting needs), we tested 10 of the best printers for your phone to find the best mix of print quality, print speed, size, and convenience.
These are our picks for the best portable photo printers.
A note on photo size: Before we jump into our favorite portable photo printers, It should be noted that there are restrictions by the size of the printer and the photo paper. So if the intended outcome is big portrait prints, or even 5″ x 7″ prints, it would be best to choose a dedicated printer that can handle that size paper. Only two of the printers below print 4″ x 6″ prints, but one of them (Epson PM400) will print BOTH 5″ x 7″ and 4″ x 6″ prints. Many of the others produce much smaller, classic Polaroid-style photos or stickers.
BEST OVERALL
Fujifilm Instax Link Wide
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Best For: Those looking for a portable phone photo printer that produces great Polaroid-style prints.
Why We Chose It: It’s incredibly easy to use, the picture quality is great, and the price is right.
Cost of Film: $18 for 20 prints
Print Size: 4.25″ x 3.39″
We were impressed by the picture quality produced by Fuji’s Instax Link Wide. Not only do the pictures look sharp and have good color accuracy, but the printer also prints quickly, averaging about 10 seconds per print (of course, the photo needs time to develop).
At that speed, it’s possible to print 10 photos before the HP Sprocket Plus prints just one. It’s also super portable and lightweight, weighing less than a pound, and operating on a rechargeable battery. All things considered, this has the best balance of features and photo quality, and it’s our top pick for the best portable photo printer available right now.
Pros
Good photo quality
Prints fast
Portable
Cons
Print cost can add up
BEST PHOTO QUALITY
HP Sprocket Studio Plus
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$150 at best buy
Best For: Getting great 4 x 6 photos without sending them to a one-hour print shop.
Why We Chose It: The prints are sharp with great color saturation without any additional editing required.
Cost of Photo Paper & Ink: $46.99 for two ink cartridges and 108 prints
Print Size: 4″ x 6″
After testing all of the best portable photo printers, the HP Sprocket Studio Plus had the highest quality photo prints, and that’s why it made our list. The detail and color saturation were *chef’s kiss*. The quality was comparable to what one would expect from a professional photo studio back in the day.
It’s worth noting that the printer needs about six to eight inches of free space behind it, as the photo paper protrudes out the front and back of the printer during the printing process. Speaking of printing, it also takes about two minutes to print every photo.
If searching for the highest quality 4″ x 6″ photo prints, this printer is worth the investment. But for portability and convenience, we would recommend the Kodak Mini 3 Retro or the Instax Link Wide instead.
Pros
Highest quality photo prints
Excellent color saturation
Cons
Glitchy connections
Long print time
USER RECOMMENDED!
Epson PM400
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Best For: Those who want traditional 4″ x 6″ or 5″ x” 7″ prints in bulk, fast.
Why We Chose It: This printer is recommended by one of our readers who uses it constantly for projects like scrapbooking, and she swears by it.
Cost of Prints: Under $1 each with photo paper at 100 sheets for about $10
Print Size: 4″ X 6″ and 5″ X 7″
This printer came to our attention after it was flagged by a user who loves the Epson experience. It’s a dedicated photo printer designed to print traditional photos, but unlike micro or mini printers, it prints standard sizes. Unlike using a regular home office printer, it’s made to print lots of photos quickly and easily. Our user tells us she was looking for a printer that would be portable and fit on a desk with minimal space.
“I am a scrapbooker and in the past I used to send out photos to be printed in large volumes. Uber cheap, but time consuming when thinking about project preparation,” shares Genny V of Calgary, Canada. “Because this took lots of work in advance, (photoshopping, resizing to fit multiple per 4″ x 6″ or 5″ x 7″), I would lose my creativity mojo. With the Epson, I am able to print on demand as many or as few photos as I’d like when feeling creative, and maintain my creativity.”
“The only other option would be the Canon Selphy, but it only does 4″ x 6″ (and not true to size), and the quality is not nearly as good.”
Pros
Prints fast
Good quality
Two sizes of standard photos
Portable
Compact
Cons
Uses only Epson ink cartridges
BEST FOR SQUARE PHOTOS
KODAK Mini 3 Retro
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Best For: People that prefer square photos and modern quality rather than retro vibes.
Why We Chose It: This Kodak photo printer lets users create beautiful photo prints quickly and easily.
Cost of Prints: $18 for 60 sheets
Print Size: 3″ x 3″
Kodak still makes some great instant and disposable cameras, not to mention some of the best portable photo printers for sale today. This compact and colorful photo printer is unique in that it prints square photos, which could be a positive or a negative.
The Kodak Photo Printer app allowed us to edit photos on our phone before printing, and it connected easily to iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth. If high quality photo prints are the goal (or the plan is to give a photo printer as a gift), then this is a great option.
Pros
Great design; makes a great gift
Editing ability before printing
Great quality
Cons
Small prints may not work for everyone
MOST PORTABLE
Polaroid Hi-Print
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$130 at target
Best For: Having a printer everywhere on the go thanks to the slim and light design.
Why We Chose It: Not only does this printer go everywhere, but photos can be placed anywhere thanks to the sticky back.
Cost of Film: $21.95 for 20 prints
Print Size: 2″ x 3″
Polaroid is the O.G. when it comes to instant cameras. Today, the camera company is still innovating, and this cute retro printer makes photos on 2″ x 3″ prints that can be peel off the back and stuck to any surface.
As one would expect from Polaroid, the prints have a retro look and feel to them, and take about 55 seconds to print. The printer also comes with a free app that allows users, to quickly make edits and even take a picture from an iPhone or Android phone and immediately send it to print. With the Polaroid Hi-print, we got the best of both new and old. At around $100, it’s also one of the more affordable photo phone printers available.
Pros
Retro look & feel of photos
Can edit before printing
Affordable price
Cons
Pricey prints
Very small photo size
BEST FEATURES
Fujifilm Instax Square Link
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$140 at best buy
Best For: Creating cool animations and augmented reality that can be seen using a smartphone.
Why We Chose It: This portable printer can print classic photos, but also offers fun AR technology for a unique photo-sharing experience.
Cost of Film: $24.95 for 20 prints
Print Size: 3.4″ x 2.8″
This photo printer gave us the, “Wow, it’s so cool what technology can do nowadays,” moment. With the Instax Square Link, add AR effects like text, a doodle and special effects to any photo. When it’s time to print it off and view it through the phone’s camera, the AR effects will appear.
Beyond the synergy between tech and tradition, the photos are good quality and the Square app is about as easy as it gets to use — heck, it’s programed to swipe up on a photo to print. It’s a little bit on the pricey side at $140, but this is one of the coolest and easiest-to-use phone photo printers we’ve tested.
Pros
Add Augmented Reality effects
Good quality
Easy to use
Cons
On the expensive side for printer & photo prints
BEST FOR PARTIES
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11
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Best For: Receptions, house parties, etc., where friends and family can capture moments during the night.
Why We Chose It: It’s a fun and nostalgic camera and printer combo that gives users an instant souvenir (though it’s more of a camera than it is a printer).
Cost of Film: $13.98 for 20 prints
Print Size: 2.12″ x 3.38″
Earlier this year, one of our resident photographers tested the best instant cameras, and this camera was far and away the best option. Admittedly, this camera wasn’t the cream of the crop in terms of photo quality – but it doesn’t really matter because it gave our photos a real vintage look and feel that’s just plain fun.
And that’s really the whole point of Fuji’s Instax Mini 11 — it’s a fun experience with an old-school feel. Snap a photo and instantly get a vintage-style photo print. To find out if this instant camera is the right choice, read our full Instax Mini 11 review.
Pros
Authentic vintage look
Photographer’s fave
Unique prints
Cons
Not the greatest photo quality
GREAT FOR 4X6 PHOTOS
Canon Selphy CP1500
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$99 at walmart
Best For: Printing detailed and bordered 4″ x 6″ prints.
Why We Chose It: It’s easy to print larger 4″ x 6″ photos from anywhere in the home thanks to Wi-Fi connectivity.
Cost of Ink & Paper: $37.31 for 108 prints
Print Size: 4″ x 6″
It’s only fair to compare the two 4″ x 6″ printers in the group. While we felt the HP Sprocket Studio Plus prints produced better color saturation and accuracy, the Canon Selphy CP1500 prints were more finely detailed and sharper.
The HP printer also printed the photos edge to edge, while the Canon printer left a small border around all four sides. The borders are rather nice for framing and it kept all the contents of the picture within the frame. It took about 44 seconds per print (much faster than the HP) and costs about $10 less than the HP.
And finally, we had fewer connectivity issues and it used the same app as the Selphy QX10. Whether \ choosing between this Canon or the HP, the result will be great quality prints.
Pros
Best for larger 4″ x 6″ prints
Great for detailed, colorful prints
Prints traditional bordered photos
Affordable prints
Cons
Utilitarian design
BUDGET PICK
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2
Buy Now at walmart
Buy Now at target
Best For: The most affordable way to get instant prints of photos stored on the phone.
Why We Chose It: It’s compact, affordable, and simple to use.
Cost of Film: $13.39 for 20 prints
Print Size: 2.12″ x 3.38″
Coming in at around $100, this is the most affordable way to get instant prints from smartphone photos. Beyond quick prints (it spat out prints in 11 seconds per photo), we really enjoyed how the app added unique borders, gave us the ability to draw on photos, created mini collages from multiple photos, and even took a still frame from a video and printed it.
The print quality wasn’t as sharp as the other photo phone printers, or even the other Instax printers, but it was fast and good enough. If quick prints without all of the AR extras will do the trick, you can save yourself some coin by going with the Mini Link 2.
Pros
Affordable price
Super-fast prints
Effects can be added
Cons
Quality isn’t as sharp as some other printers
BEST CONNECTIVITY
Canon Selphy Square QX10
Buy Now On Amazon
Buy now at best buy
Best For: Quickly connecting to a printer and printing detailed mini photos.
Why We Chose It: Considering the size of the printer, it prints rather detailed and sharp photos.
Cost of Film: $14 for 20 prints
Size of Prints: 2.7″ x 2.7″
The extra size of the prints compared to the likes of the Instax Mini Link 2 and also the extra detail and clarity from the prints makes the Selphy Square worth the extra money. The colors of prints were darker and more saturated on the Instax Square, but are more detailed and sharp on the Selphy Square.
With this Canon printer, users can connect to Wi-Fi and print from wherever in their homes. When it comes to printing, add borders, text, and overlays to photos in the app. It’s a little more expensive than others, but the extra detail and connectivity was worth it for us.
Pros
Inexpensive prints
Effects can be added
Great quality prints
Cons
More expensive than some other printers
HONORABLE MENTION
HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer
Buy Now On Amazon
Buy now at target
Best For: Anyone looking for a decent portable photo printer for under $100.
Why We Chose It: This highly giftable portable printer can be used to create photo collages and 2″ x 3″ photo prints.
Cost of Prints: $12 for 20 sheets
Size of Prints: 2″ x 3″
Finally, we have the HP Sprocket, the 2″ x 3″ version of the Sprocket Studio Plus we already featured above. While the larger version of this printer offers the best possible quality, the same isn’t true with the pocket-sized Sprocket.
While it’s cute and affordable (and thus makes a good gift for teenagers or college students), the photo quality is just so-so. It’s more like a retro Polaroid than a modern photo print. We also found that the battery drained quickly. With an $80 price tag, it’s an economical option if creating a photo collage and picture quality isn’t a priority.
Pros
Inexpensive photos
Compact design
Cons
So-so photo quality
Battery dies quickly
How We Tested The Best Photo Phone Printers
Our goal at SPY is to find the best tech available and hopefully save readers some coin in the process. We wouldn’t necessarily call these photo phone printers inexpensive, so we tested each printer using the criteria below to uncover which printers are the best performers and best value.
Print Quality: We printed the same three photos and compared the prints from each printer. We looked for color accuracy, sharpness and details and any inaccuracies or artifacts created by the printer. The printers with the best photo quality received higher scores.
Print Speed: Printing photos takes time, but we awarded printers that print quickly. Instax printers have a massive advantage here as they spit out photos quickly (around 10 seconds) and leave the photo to develop. Essentially you can print several photos from one of the Instax printers before the HP Sprocket Studio Plus prints a single photo.
Connectivity: We favored printers that offered Wi-Fi connectivity as opposed to Bluetooth, but we also took into account how easy it is to connect to each printer. Printers with connectivity issues were docked.
Additional Features: We also looked for standout features that make each printer unique. For example, some Instax photo phone printers have cool AR capabilities to add special effects to each print, while Polaroid photos have a sticky back to place photos on any surface. These special features help differentiate printers and add extra value.
Frequently Asked Question About Photo Printers
How do I Choose A Photo Printer?
Choosing the right photo printer is about knowing why you need it. If you are looking for some thing to print, great quality, standard size photos for gifting in frames, you’ll want a photo printer that can deliver the goods. If you’re just looking for some thing to make, cute additions to your scrapbook, some of the smaller format sticker printers might be a better choice. You’ll also need to keep your budget in mind, both for the printer itself, and for how much she will end up spending overtime in photo printer paper. A good plan is to narrow down your choices to your top three photo printers, and then check buyer or expert reviews.
Which is The Best Printer For Photos?
There is no one single answer to this question. The best printer for photos for you might be different than it is for your best friend or neighbor. As we noted above, it all comes down to how you want to use it, the size and resolution of the photos you were looking for and how much you want to spend. You can certainly take our recommendation for best overall photo printer above as a great starting point.
Is It Worth Getting Your Own Photo Printer?
The short answer to this question is yes! If you think about how you might otherwise go about getting printed copies of some of your favorite photos, you can imagine it could be quite the hassle. While dedicated photo printing businesses called Fotomats used to be on every corner and in every drug store, they are extremely hard to find nowadays. Is it worth getting your own photo printer? If you have more than a handful of photos, you’re looking to print, then we say absolutely!
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