How do you make a virtual scrapbook?

You only need a few items on hand to assemble a digital scrapbook: A computer, tablet, or mobile device, digital photos (which can be pulled from social media platforms, a cloud service, or a scanner), and photo editing software. Then, select an online platform with templates to upload your photos into. Most platforms use drag-and-drop technology for ease of use, and some offer basic photo editing tools, too.

Can you print a digital scrapbook?

Some digital scrapbook platforms offer an option for printing and sharing in a hardcopy format. And most sites will automatically create a book, or other product, that you can purchase. If you decide to print it yourself, make sure your printer can reproduce high-quality images and consider using photo paper.

What is the advantage of scrapbooking digitally?

Digital scrapbooking gives you the ability to place photos directly into a desired layout, and then adjust them accordingly. Digital templates offer numerous graphics and designs and give you the ability to "undo" mistakes. Additionally, by creating a digital product, you save the money and resources needed to produce a hard copy. Lastly, you can share your scrapbook instantly via social media or with an emailed link.

What is the difference between a digital scrapbook and a digital photo album?

These two types of treasure books are almost interchangeable. A digital photo album formats images on a page, complete with captions, whereas a digital scrapbook can include personalized text, written entries, and embellishments.

Best Online Scrapbook Makers of 2023

Online scrapbook makers allow users to preserve their most important memories using templates and other special customizations. Also called digital scrapbooking, this practice is a 21st-century update to photo albums or using scissors, glue, and stickers to embellish personal memories on a page.

Many online scrapbook and photobook platforms allow your memories to live in the digital space and be shared over email and social media. Most offer printed matter too, in the form of swoon-worthy, coffee table photo books. If your stack of digital photos is piling up, check out our list of the best online scrapbook makers to help you craft a family keepsake you'll cherish for years.

Best Overall: Mixbook
Best for Photo Books: Artifact Uprising
Best Printables: Canva
Best for Slideshows: Smilebox

Key Specs

Minimum Price: $10 for a 20-page book
Special Features: Fully customizable design, optional templates, paper and cover choices, font choices, and sticker and background choices
Discounts: Seasonal promotions, like 50% off additional pages, and volume discounts

Why We Chose It

Mixbook’s variety of customizations, ease of use, and the end quality of its printed product make it the best online scrapbooking service available.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Offers tons of photo and keepsake book templates
Provides an unlimited number of customization options
Also has personalized cards, calendars, and canvas prints

Cons

Charges for additional pages over 25

Overview

Mixbook is an online scrapbooking platform that makes it easy for users to turn their memories into beautifully curated books. This website offers themed templates that make compiling memories from a special occasion—like a birthday celebration or vacation—as easy as a drag and drop.

Mixbook allows users to import images from social media, phones, computers, and cloud storage to create digital scrapbooks. It also offers a mobile editor that helps users create masterpieces straight from their smartphones. The brand’s flexible layouts and collection of stickers allow for true customization. You can also opt to create a book from scratch, rather than using one of the premade templates.

Printed books start at $10 for a softcover, semi-gloss, 6-inch by 6-inch book, and go up from there. Mixbook offers a selection of different paper finishes, as well, like semi-gloss, premium matte, and premium luster.

Key Specs

Minimum Cost: $17 for a softcover mini photo book
Special Features: Custom linen covers, marbled end sheets, leather bindings, pre-designed cover layouts, unbending pages, and foil stamps
Discounts: Discount codes, seasonal promotions, and holiday sales

Why We Chose It

Artifact Uprising produces heirloom printed goods—like photobooks and framed wall prints—that are perfect for cherishing special moments.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Offers complete creative control
Provides a quality guarantee
Committed to using post-consumer waste materials
Paper marbling produced by fair-trade artisans

Cons

Books have a 30-page minimum
Expensive

Overview

Artifact Uprising’s selection of custom-printed photo books, cards, and other specialty prints rises to any memorable occasion. The brand is known for its high-quality softcover photo books (from $17), hardcover photo books (from $72), and layflat photo albums (from $165).

The brand’s user-friendly website makes it easy to create carefully curated photo books, albums, and scrapbooks. Its specialized editing software guides you through the process of uploading photos and organizing your book, while also giving you creative control over aspects like layout and text. The platform veers towards a sophisticated, minimalist style, letting the photos shine through.

Artifact Uprising offers its hardcover books in a variety of colors with the option of a full-photo or half-photo dust jacket. The books are made with 100% recycled, 100-pound Mohawk Options brand paper that lends a premium feel. Softcover books come with 100% recycled Mohawk Options paper in a matte finish.

Key Specs

Minimum Cost: Free for a basic membership
Special Features: Free templates, drag-and-drop editor, 5GB of storage (with free plan), AI-powered design tools
Discounts: None

Why We Chose It

Canva’s templates, fonts, and graphics help users easily create downloadable and printable scrapbook placards to document special moments.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Easy to create shareable, customized imagery
Cloud-based service
Creates a digital, downloadable end product

Cons

Cannot order printed products directly from the site

Overview

Online scrapbook maker Canva is the go-to for making beautiful, customized pages that can be downloaded or printed. Canva offers a range of scrapbooking templates that users can drag and drop photos into. In addition to the templates, stock images, illustrations, and icons can be animated to create lively digital memories.

Once an image is uploaded to Canva, it’s saved on your account and can be reworked over and over again. Completed pages are stored in the cloud so they can be accessed for future use.

Many of Canva’s features are free, but the site offers accounts with increased cloud storage and helpful upgrades, like a magic resize tool and the ability to schedule social media content. Choose from the Pro Plan for $120 per year, or Canva for Teams for $150 per year with access for up to five people.

Key Specs

Minimum Cost: Free for a basic membership
Special Features: Digital-only scrapbooks, specialized templates, holiday templates, customizable fonts and features
Discounts: None

Why We Chose It

Smilebox helps you create customized digital slideshows and offers extensive online sharing options.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Slideshow templates have themes for special occasions
Option to add animation and music
Platform also allows you to create digital cards, invitations, collages, and flyers

Cons

Hard to access basic information on the website

Overview

Smilebox is an easy and quick way to create online slideshows that can be shared with family and friends using the brand’s many templates. Smilebox pitches itself as a free service, but that’s not entirely true. The free plan includes only a few templates and doesn’t allow users to add custom features, like music. Free slideshows can only be shared in limited ways, as well.

For the perennial scrapbooker (or someone who likes to document every occasion) Smilebox’s Club and Pro accounts, billed monthly or annually, work great. For $5 per month or $60 per year, Club Smilebox gives users access to all of the platform's customization features. With a Smilebox Pro subscription ($140 per year), you'll have the ability to add personal logos or links.

We chose Mixbook as the best online scrapbook maker due to the platform's variety of themed templates and the ease with which its creations can be shared. Its drag-and-drop templates make it easy for novice users to create professional-looking scrapbooks and photobooks, and the variety of paper finishes offered gives the finished product a professional look. You can also use the platform to make cards, calendars, and canvas prints, as well.

Company	Minimum Price	Special Features	Discounts
Best Overall Mixbook	$10 for a 20-page book	Fully customizable design, optional templates, paper and cover choices, font choices, and sticker and background choices	Seasonal promotions, like 50% off additional pages, and volume discounts
Best for Photo Books Artifact Uprising	$17 for a softcover mini photo book	Custom linen covers, marbled end sheets, leather binding, pre-designed cover layouts, unbending pages, and foil stamps	Discount codes, seasonal promotions, and holiday sales
Best Printables Canva	Free for a basic membership	Free templates, drag-and-drop editor, 5GB of storage (with free plan), AI-powered design tools	None
Best for Slideshows Smilebox	Free for a basic membership	Digital-only scrapbooks, specialized templates, holiday templates, customizable fonts and features	None

FAQ

How do you make a virtual scrapbook?

You only need a few items on hand to assemble a digital scrapbook: A computer, tablet, or mobile device, digital photos (which can be pulled from social media platforms, a cloud service, or a scanner), and photo editing software. Then, select an online platform with templates to upload your photos into. Most platforms use drag-and-drop technology for ease of use, and some offer basic photo editing tools, too.
Can you print a digital scrapbook?

Some digital scrapbook platforms offer an option for printing and sharing in a hardcopy format. And most sites will automatically create a book, or other product, that you can purchase. If you decide to print it yourself, make sure your printer can reproduce high-quality images and consider using photo paper.
What is the advantage of scrapbooking digitally?

Digital scrapbooking gives you the ability to place photos directly into a desired layout, and then adjust them accordingly. Digital templates offer numerous graphics and designs and give you the ability to "undo" mistakes. Additionally, by creating a digital product, you save the money and resources needed to produce a hard copy. Lastly, you can share your scrapbook instantly via social media or with an emailed link.
What is the difference between a digital scrapbook and a digital photo album?

These two types of treasure books are almost interchangeable. A digital photo album formats images on a page, complete with captions, whereas a digital scrapbook can include personalized text, written entries, and embellishments.

We looked at many online scrapbook makers before coming up with our list of the best. We considered each platform's variety of free and paid features, its customer reviews, and its product offerings. We included websites that offered not just scrapbooks, but also photo books, cards, canvas prints, and flyers. We included brands to suit most budgets and tastes (from basic books to professional heirloom keepsakes), as well as those that offered both digital and printed final products.