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Photography · head to head

Google Photos vs ShootProof

Google Photos logo

Google Photos

Photography

Google's photo backup and organisation app, now billed against shared Google account storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ShootProof logo

ShootProof

Photography

Client proofing galleries, print store and studio billing with no commission on sales

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Photos unlimited free storage ended in June 2021, so an active phone photographer will hit the 15GB shared cap and be pushed into a paid Google One subscription within a year or two.; ShootProof storage is counted in photos rather than gigabytes, so a wedding photographer delivering three thousand frames per job crosses tier boundaries within a handful of weddings regardless of how small the files are.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Photos covers Automatic backup, ShootProof covers Proofing galleries.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Photos and ShootProof actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Photos and ShootProof differ
AttributeGoogle PhotosShootProof
Pricing modelFree tier plus paid storage add-onPer month by photo count
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Photography).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Google Photos

  • Automatic backup
  • Face grouping
  • Search
  • Shared albums
  • Magic Eraser and editing
  • Storage saver conversion

Only in ShootProof

  • Proofing galleries
  • Print store
  • Zero sales commission
  • Contracts and invoices
  • Studio automation
  • Client mobile app

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Photos

  • A household wanting automatic phone photo backup without plugging into a computernot ShootProof
  • Someone who wants to search old photos by what is in them rather than by filename or foldernot ShootProof
  • A family sharing a running album of a child or event across several phonesnot ShootProof
  • A person switching phones who wants photo history to follow them regardless of device brandnot ShootProof

ShootProof

  • A portrait studio whose print revenue exceeds its subscription cost, where a percentage based competitor would be the more expensive optionnot Google Photos
  • School and sports volume work where galleries are keyed to individual subjects and priced from a fixed sheetnot Google Photos
  • A photographer who wants contracts, invoices and gallery delivery billed to one vendor instead of threenot Google Photos
  • Wedding delivery where clients need a downloadable set and the parents need a print ordering routenot Google Photos

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Photos

  • Unlimited free storage ended in June 2021, so an active phone photographer will hit the 15GB shared cap and be pushed into a paid Google One subscription within a year or two.
  • The 15GB quota is shared with Gmail and Drive, so a full inbox can push someone into a storage warning that looks like a photos problem but is not.
  • Face grouping and search rely on Google scanning image content, which is a real privacy consideration for people uneasy with a US company indexing personal photos.
  • Pixel phones get extra editing features such as Magic Eraser variants that other Android and iOS users do not, so the experience is not equal across devices.
  • Downgrading storage or cancelling Google One after exceeding 15GB puts the account into a grace period and eventually restricts new uploads and can affect other Google services sharing the quota.

ShootProof

  • Storage is counted in photos rather than gigabytes, so a wedding photographer delivering three thousand frames per job crosses tier boundaries within a handful of weddings regardless of how small the files are.
  • Gallery presentation is plainer than Pic-Time and Pixieset, which matters at the high end where the gallery is part of the product the client is paying for.
  • There is no bundled website or blog builder, so photographers still pay a separate hosting subscription that competitors include in the same fee.
  • Print fulfilment is strongest with North American labs, and photographers outside that region face longer lead times, higher shipping and a shorter list of usable products.
  • Support is email and ticket based with no telephone line, which is awkward when a client gallery fails on the evening before a delivery deadline.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Photos

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 15GB shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos
    • Original quality uploads always counted
    • No storage cap on device, only on the account
  • Google One 100GB$1.99/month
    • 100GB shared storage
    • Extended by-family sharing with up to 5 others
  • Google One 2TB$9.99/month
    • 2TB shared storage
    • Additional Google One perks such as VPN in some regions

ShootProof

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 100 photos stored
    • Full store and download delivery
    • No commission on sales
  • Photo count tiers$undefined/month
    • Tiers set by the number of photos stored, not by file size
    • No sales commission at any tier
    • Contracts, invoices and studio automation included

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Photos if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want face grouping.
Google Photos review

Choose ShootProof if

  • You need proofing galleries.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want print store.
ShootProof review

Questions people ask

Is Google Photos or ShootProof better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Photos starts at Free and ShootProof at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Photos or ShootProof?
Google Photos starts at Free and ShootProof at Free.
Does Google Photos or ShootProof run on more platforms?
Google Photos runs on iOS, Android, Web. ShootProof runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Google Photos for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Photos best used for?
Google Photos is most often used for a household wanting automatic phone photo backup without plugging into a computer, someone who wants to search old photos by what is in them rather than by filename or folder, a family sharing a running album of a child or event across several phones, a person switching phones who wants photo history to follow them regardless of device brand. Of those, a household wanting automatic phone photo backup without plugging into a computer and someone who wants to search old photos by what is in them rather than by filename or folder are not what ShootProof is typically brought in for.
What can Google Photos do that ShootProof cannot?
Google Photos covers Automatic backup, Face grouping, Search, Shared albums. ShootProof covers Proofing galleries, Print store, Zero sales commission, Contracts and invoices.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Photos: Is Google Photos still free?

The app is free to use but storage is not unlimited. All uploads count against the 15GB shared with Gmail and Drive, and more storage requires a paid Google One plan.

ShootProof: Does ShootProof take a cut of print sales?

No. Every plan, including the free one, keeps zero percent of print and download revenue. You pay only the subscription and the lab cost.

Google Photos: What happened to the old unlimited backup?

Google ended unlimited free storage for photos on 1 June 2021. Photos uploaded before that date in compressed quality are not retroactively counted.

ShootProof: Is the free plan usable for real work?

Only for small jobs. One hundred photos covers a single short portrait session, so it works as a trial rather than as a business tier.

Google Photos: Can I avoid Google One by using another cloud service instead?

Yes. Apple Photos with iCloud, Amazon Photos or a self-hosted option can substitute, though switching means re-uploading or exporting your existing library.

ShootProof: Can I use my own lab?

Yes. You can fulfil orders yourself or through a lab that ShootProof does not integrate with, but you then handle ordering and shipping manually.

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