Displaying photos around your home or office is a great way to decorate and cherish memories. With the rise of digital photography, printed photos are not as common anymore. This is where personalized photo products come in – they allow you to turn your digital photos into physical products you can proudly display.
Two popular companies offering such services are Mixtiles and Keepsake. But what exactly do they offer and how do they compare? Let’s take a detailed look.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Feature | Mixtiles | Keepsake |
| Product Type | Peel-and-stick photo tiles | Photo books, calendars, cards, prints |
| Print Process | Digital ceramic | Offset, dye-sublimation |
| Customization | Arrangeable tile layouts | Custom layouts and text |
| Photo Editing | Quick edits and filters | Robust desktop editing tools |
| Cost | $1/tile + subscription available | Varies, ~$20-$100 + subscription |
| Usage | Everyday photo display | Special occasion gifts |
| Photo Sourcing | Casual snapshots | Curated selections |
| Mobility | Mobile app for easy uploads | Desktop-focused online workflow |
Overview Of Mixtiles
Mixtiles are a unique photo display product offered by the company of the same name. The concept is simple – you upload your favorite photos through the Mixtiles app or website and select a quantity. Mixtiles then prints each photo on square ceramic tiles measuring 3″ x 3″. The back of each tile contains a strong adhesive that allows you to stick it directly on your wall and remove or rearrange it later without damage.
Some key features of Mixtiles:
- Custom sized tile order starting at $1 per tile
- One-click rearrangement on the wall
- Photo editing tools like crop, filter, and text
- Curated design ideas and style quizzes
- Tile samples and peel-and-stick wallpaper available
Mixtiles aims to make photos less static and brings flexibility and creativity to home decor. The adhesive tiles can be arranged in different layouts and patterns as you wish. You can constantly refresh your display with new photos on a whim.
Overview Of Keepsake
Keepsake offers a wide selection of personalized photo books, calendars, cards, displays, and other paper products. You select your photos then customize the layout and text for each product.
Some popular Keepsake products include:
- Hardcover and softcover photo books in various sizes
- Wall calendars with 12-24 customizable photos
- Folded cards like holiday cards, thank you cards, and announcements
- Canvas, acrylic, and metal prints in various sizes
- Desk calendars with personal photos
- Glass photo blocks and prints
Keepsake products focus on preserving memories in printed form. The high-quality printed and bound photo books especially make great gifts or mementos for all occasions.
Detail Comparison Of Mixtiles And Keepsake
- Print Quality
Mixtiles use a high-quality digital ceramic print process that embeds ink directly into the glazed tile surface. This results in vivid and durable photo tiles with a smooth finish. The square shape and semi-gloss texture add a modern feel.
Keepsake uses professional offset printing for most products. Photo books and paper prints have excellent color accuracy on thick, durable paper. The bookbinding lies flat for ideal photos spreads. For rigid products like acrylic and metal prints, dye-sublimation process gives beautiful photographic quality.
Both companies deliver excellent print quality that brings photos to life. Mixtiles have a more contemporary look, while Keepsake products appear more classic.
- Customization and Layouts
One of Mixtiles’ biggest perks is the ability to freely rearrange tiles on your wall. You can order matching quantities of multiple photos and change up the layout whenever you want. Tiles can be aligned in straight grids, clustered in organic patterns, or spread out randomly.
With Keepsake products, you customize the page layouts and text during the ordering process. Photo books allow you to mix portrait and landscape orientations and include multiple sizes. Photo numbers, captions, titles, and stories can be added to complement the images. The layouts are fixed once printed.
Mixtiles offer more fluid and interactive customization for display, while Keepsake has broader design options optimized for printed formats.
- Photo Editing
Both Mixtiles and Keepsake provide easy online editing tools to enhance your photos before printing. You can crop, adjust lighting, apply filters, and add text overlays.
Mixtiles includes more playful editing features like digital sticker overlays and tile-specific editing like side-by-side composites. The editing stays simple with automatic enhancement presets and slider adjustments done from your phone.
Keepsake has more powerful desktop photo editing tools. You can finesse every detail like exposure, contrast, shadows, highlights, and sharpness. It’s better for precision tuning of your photos before designing your product.
Casual everyday photo editing and experimentation works best with Mixtiles. For archival photo books, Keepsake tools help polish photos to perfection first.
- Costs
Mixtiles start at $1 per photo tile with discounts for bulk orders over 30 tiles. They have consistent pricing whether ordering just a few extra tiles or a large set. Shipping is free.
Keepsake products vary widely in price depending on the type, size, and quantity. Small photo books may cost $20, while large premium hardcover books run over $100. Extra features like more pages and fancier covers add cost. Shipping starts around $10.
Both offer subscription plans for regular orders:
Mixtiles Club – $9 per month for 5 tiles
Keepsake Premium – $9 per month for up to 50-80 photos depending on product
Mixtiles is more affordable for mixing up your photo display frequently. Keepsakegifts like calendars and large high-quality photo books provide lasting value at a higher price point.
Also Read: Comparison Between PhotoAffections And Shutterfly.
- Application and Uses
Mixtiles are designed specifically for decorating your walls with photos. The peel-and-stick application is easy and damage-free. Tiles can be rearranged on one wall or moved to different walls. It’s a photo display that can evolve over time.
Keepsake products have many personal and gifting uses. Send grandma a custom photo book of the grandkids. Design a wall calendar for your favorite vacation photos. Make an embellished photo memory book for a wedding or new baby. The keepsakes become treasured mementos.
Mixtiles handles casual everyday photo display needs. Keepsake gifts commemorate momentous life events and milestones.
- Sourcing Photos
Mixtiles and Keepsake both offer apps to upload photos from your phone, desktop, or online albums. Mixtiles also has a Safari extension that lets you upload any web image to a collection. Its product is designed around sourcing quick snapshots for display.
Keepsake’s publishing workflow is more optimized for thoughtfully curating and sequencing your best event photos, vacation pics, old family albums, and more. Plan your products around photo highlights and stories you want to preserve.
Mixtiles makes displaying everyday candid photos fun and affordable. Keepsake helps craft cherished photographic memories as collectible gifts and keepsakes.
Also watch this review of Mixtiles!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Whether something is “better” than Mixtiles is subjective. For peel-and-stick photo tiles, Mixtiles is one of the most well-known and highly-rated brands. Those looking for more permanent wall decor may prefer products like canvas or metal prints from other services.
And services like Artifact Uprising and Chatbooks offer high-quality printed photo books and cards that some may prefer to Keepsake. Ultimately, choose the photo product that best fits your needs and style.
Some top competitors to Mixtiles include Snaptiles, Piklio, Photostickies, Squarespace Photo Tiles, and other peel-and-stick photo tiles. However, none offer the exact same tile size, quantity flexibility, and design arranged options that Mixtiles does.
Yes, Mixtiles are known for having excellent print quality and durability. The tiles are printed on glossy, shatterproof ceramic using a durable print process. The ink bonds directly to the tile for vivid color and detail that last for years without fading or loss of adhesion. The tiles arrive well packaged and handle wear and tear well compared to paper prints.
Both Mixtiles and Snaptile offer peel-and-stick photo tiles, but have some key differences:
Mixtiles are 3″x3″ ceramic tiles while Snaptiles are 3.5″x2.75″ vinyl tiles
Mixtiles cost $1 per tile Vs. Snaptiles at $1.50-$2 per tile
Mixtiles has a mobile app for managing photos while Snaptiles works via web interface
Mixtiles has more decorative trim and accessory options
Snaptiles offers multi-photo collage tiles while Mixtiles has only single photo tiles
Mixtiles has more flexible order quantities while Snaptiles has set quantities
The Mixtiles ceramic and Snaptiles vinyl also have slightly different looks and feels. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference on the tile material, size, and ordering process.
Also Read: Comparison Among Nixplay, Skylight And Aura Carver
Final Verdict
Mixtiles and Keepsake serve different photo product needs, which makes choosing between them highly subjective.
For frequently changing out stylish photo wall decor, Mixtiles is the clear winner. Its tile system enables you to refresh your wall displays instantly with any snapshots you love.
Keepsake shines when you value reproducing photos in high fidelity on archival-grade print products. Nothing beats poring over a beautifully printed hardcover photo book showcasing special moments and milestones.
Both Mixtiles and Keepsake make excellent gifts for photo-loving family and friends. First decide if you want changeable photo decor or lasting keepsake mementos, then choose the service that best fits your needs and preferences.