Gelato Reviews

Gelato operates the world’s largest print-on-demand network, with over 140 production hubs spread across 32 countries. This local production model means faster delivery and reduced carbon emissions, which is something the company is proud to announce.

Thanks to its user-friendly editor, creating photo books with Gelato is an engaging and seamless experience. With drag-and-drop functionality, users can easily upload photos, adjust layouts, and add captions to create personalized photo books.

The editor lets you make precise adjustments, including resizing and cropping images and rearranging pages. It also includes a vast selection of font styles, colors, and backgrounds to match your desired aesthetic. However, keep in mind that while creating a photo book and accessing the editor can be done without any subscription, most of those customizable tools are available only for Gelato members.

Gelato understands the need for flexibility, offering a mobile-friendly website and dedicated apps for designing and managing orders on the go. Users can upload images directly from their smartphones, edit their projects, and place orders seamlessly.

But beyond creating photo books, Gelato also provides comprehensive photo storage options, letting users organize and save their images securely. Sharing is also a breeze — whether previewing designs or sending finished digital photo books, the company offers simple options to connect with others.

Integrations

The combination of a straightforward editor, mobile compatibility, and integrated services makes Gelato an excellent choice for anyone looking to create professional-quality photo books without hassle.

Due to the provider’s nature, its services are more tailored to businesses’ needs. For example, users can print copies of a custom storybook, yearbooks, or even photography portfolios to sell.

Entrepreneurs can easily integrate Gelato with platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce, streamlining the process of selling custom photo books.

Print-on-demand products

Gelato goes beyond photo books, offering a wide array of customizable products designed for personal use and businesses alike. From wall art like canvas prints and posters to stationery, clothing, mugs, and phone cases, Gelato allows users to bring their creativity to life.

With a focus on print-on-demand, these products are crafted using the company’s global network of local printers, ensuring high quality and lower carbon emissions.

From capturing cherished memories to showcasing and designing a product for a business, Gelato offers a rich variety of styles to help users create photo books that perfectly suit their purpose.

However, while users can choose from 42 different layouts, from bold and image-focused spreads to clean text-heavy pages, and customize them as they see fit, there are no templates available. This means creativity must take the lead in creating a good-looking book.

Nonetheless, Gelato does have many custom items that can help. It’s easy to add stickers, choose different font styles, position shapes, and even create custom collections (their own templates!).

Customers can create layers, adding different backgrounds, textures, and whatever else their heart desires. Plus, the autofill image tool saves time and lets users focus on what matters most — crafting a photo book with full creative freedom.

Gelato's photo books follow a more standardized variety of sizes and cover types. Users can choose from compact sizes like 5.5’’ x 5.5’’ for a sleek, portable design to larger 8 x 11’’ formats ideal for more impactful visuals.

Each photo book can be printed on either a softcover or a hardcover, ranging from 30 to 200 pages. While softcovers are lightweight and flexible, perfect for casual albums or travel diaries, hardcovers provide a sturdier and more premium feel, ideal for special occasions or a professional look.

Both options are finished with coated silk and matte lamination. The inner pages are also crafted from coated silk using FSC/PEFC-certified or equivalent paper, which guarantees pages have vivid color reproduction and a smooth texture. Unfortunately, no different shapes are available, so users must stick with the traditional book-shaped look in this case.

Gelato's pricing might be a little complicated to grasp at first glance. Users who take advantage of the free platform pay higher prices for photo books. However, subscribers to the Gelato+ and Gelato Gold plans can get up to 25% off the regular price of the photo books. The subscriptions start at $20.75 and are worth it for those who intend to sell personalized photo books through ecommerce or just order several books at once.

For softcover books, prices start as low as $6.92 per unit for subscribers. Hardcover photo books, on the other hand, start at $11.85 per unit for subscribers.

With the provider’s global print-on-demand network, the cost of production and delivery is kept low while still maintaining exceptional quality. Users can also use the 30-day free trial to explore the platform’s advanced features and gain access to the discounts associated with a Gelato membership.

Gelato offers 24/7 live support via live chat and email, enabling users to connect with experts at any time. During our testing, we found the support agents responsive and helpful, answering our questions in less than five minutes.

Gelato's help center further expands its offerings, with articles covering troubleshooting, detailed product guides, and an FAQ section, making it easy to work out all kinds of issues yourself.

Since the products are made locally, delivery times are also faster, usually between 4-6 days. Users can track their orders inside the platform’s dashboard, which is organized in an intuitive and user-friendly way.

Although the fact that some customization features are limited to Gelato+ subscribers may be a drawback for casual users, Gelato's integrations with several e-commerce platforms make it a versatile option for entrepreneurs.

The photo book options include sizes ranging from compact 5.5’’ x 5.5’’ to larger 8’’ x 11’’ formats, with choices between softcover and hardcover finishes. It’s worth noting that there’s a lack of varied shapes and templates for further photo book personalization, but Gelato compensates with flexibility through creative tools and layered designs.

With pricing starting from $6.92 per unit for softcover books and $11.85 per unit for hardcover books, Gelato is an affordable solution for anyone looking for a reliable and efficient provider. Plus, going for a membership can get users discounts of up to 25% off regular prices.