Best photo lab: walmart, staples, or shutterfly?

Looking to print with the best photo lab available to us in Vancouver Canada? I recently printed with several print labs and made a discovery! It appears that Walmart, Staples, and Shutterfly may be using the same printer/machine based on the batch number and reference code printed on the back of the photos.

So I printed the same photos and compared them side by side with my professional print lab to compare the quality, colour, and the price.

I previously reviewed London Drugs vs. Walmart vs. Shutterfly! Read it here https://anniechenphotography.com/the-best-place-to-print-your-photos-print-lab-review/

Local photo labs Kerrisdale Camera vs. Staples vs. Vancouver Photo Lab: https://anniechenphotography.com/the-best-place-to-print-your-photos-print-lab-review-part-2/

What are the print options?

So Walmart and Staples offers several print options varying in value prints to more premium papers. Here are the 3 that we used specifically for this review.

1. Walmart – Fujifilm Sparks Prints https://www.walmartphotocentre.ca/en/fujifilm-spark-prints/-pg-95/271
2. Staples – Photo Prints https://shop.staplescopyandprint.ca/pages/photo-prints
3. Shutterfly – Standard Prints https://www.shutterfly.com/selectprints/?printSize=4×6#/

All three are listed on their website using Fujifilm Crystal Archive Photo Paper

What are the Photo lab prices?

Walmart: $0.22 per 4×6 (30 print minimum)
Staples: $0.24 per 4×6
Shutterfly: $0.20 per 4×6

which had the best Photo quality?

Understandably that photo quality and colour accuracy is only as good as the technician who calibrated the printer, but for this purpose, these prints were ordered online and shipped to Surrey, B.C.
All 3 labs do not print these in house, so I suspect these orders go to a photo lab somewhere, maybe even the same lab…? Anyway, they probably use the same machines. I found that I liked the Walmart prints the best as the colours were the most consistent and true to colour!

Lower right corner is Walmart’s prints and I think it had the least amount of issues. Contract and colours were both close to the professional lab. I printed images with a warm outfit, a black and white image, and a neutral outfit. This gave me a good idea how well the printers handle dark tones, warm tones, and neutral colouring.

Best Photo lab overview

I always suggest printing 1-2 images at one of these labs before committing to a large print order. It can vary from time to time and these are probably the best quality you will find with online print labs and a bang for your buck! I typically like London Drugs Photos for the easy 24 hour service but if you don’t need photos in a hurry, then I would say these are pretty good options! The best photo lab is the one that you actually like and use! I know we are in a digital age and never print our photos, but you should do it! Find a lab that you like, and print your memories today!

Annie is a Vancouver family photographer who specializes in playful family photo sessions in the Vancouver area!