The short answer
Choose GalleryLink if you want quick, good-looking client delivery from Drive at a low flat price. Choose SmugMug if you want one permanent home for a very large archive with unlimited JPEG storage, a portfolio website and print sales.
Feature comparison
| Feature | GalleryLink | SmugMug |
|---|---|---|
| Delivers from your Google Drive (no re-upload) | ✓ | — |
| Direct upload / hosted galleries | ✓ | ✓ |
| Storage | Drive: your own · Hosted: 10 GB Pro, 250 GB Studio | Unlimited full-res JPEG; RAW is a paid add-on |
| Live sync with your Drive folder | ✓ | — |
| Password protection | Yes (Pro) | ✓ |
| Client favorites / proofing | ✓ | Pro plan only |
| Full-resolution downloads | ✓ | ✓ |
| Watermarks | Yes (Studio) | ✓ |
| Video | ✓ | Up to 20 min, played at up to 1080p |
| Custom domain | Yes (Pro) | Portfolio and Pro plans |
| Sell prints | — | Portfolio and Pro plans |
| Guest photo wall + live venue slideshow | Yes (Pro) | — |
| Free plan / trial | Build 1 gallery free; share it with Pro or $10 once | 14-day free trial |
| Paid pricing | Pro $5/mo or $50/yr · Studio $15/mo (250 GB hosted) | $20, $23.50 or $37/mo billed yearly |
Where GalleryLink stands out
- • Far cheaper for delivery. $50 a year for unlimited Drive-linked galleries, against $240 a year for SmugMug's entry plan.
- • No re-uploading. Your exported folder in Drive is the gallery.
- • Favorites on every gallery, not only a top tier, so clients can pick their selections from day one.
- • Always in sync with the folder, plus a guest photo wall and live slideshow for events.
Where SmugMug may suit you
- • Unlimited JPEG storage on every plan, a strong fit for a lifetime archive.
- • Print sales and a portfolio website on the Portfolio and Pro plans.
FAQ
Is GalleryLink a good SmugMug alternative?
For delivering galleries to clients, yes, and at a fraction of the price. If you want SmugMug's unlimited archive storage or to sell prints from your galleries, SmugMug covers that and GalleryLink doesn't.
Does SmugMug have a free plan?
SmugMug offers a 14-day free trial on its plans. GalleryLink lets you build and preview a gallery free, then share it with Pro ($5 a month) or $10 once for that gallery.
Can clients pick favourites?
On GalleryLink, yes: favourites and album selection can be switched on for any gallery. On SmugMug, client favoriting is listed on its Pro plan ($37 a month billed yearly).
See GalleryLink for yourself
Paste a Google Drive folder link and share a beautiful gallery — free to start, no credit card.
Start freeCreate a galleryDisclosure: GalleryLink is our own product. SmugMug details are based on www.smugmug.com/plans (plans and prices as published October 2026 (annual billing)); pricing and features change often — please verify on their site. Pro pricing referenced as $5/mo or $50/yr. We aim to represent SmugMug fairly; tell us if anything is out of date and we’ll correct it.