PRINT PHOTO DESKTOP CALENDAR SKIN
PRINT PHOTO DESKTOP CALENDAR SOFTWARE

Pre-built templates allow you to pick from a small selection of alternative backgrounds for the top photo page, but you can't select any backgrounds if you create your own design. Text is limited to set boxes for the design or page template you choose and font styles, sizes, and colors are very limited. (Shutterfly has 80, but Printique has only 11.) You cannot customize or embellish the top photo pages with features such as frames, masks, or clip art.

It starts with just 18 calendar templates.

PRINT PHOTO DESKTOP CALENDAR SOFTWARE

However, Costco's design software is a bit limited.

PRINT PHOTO DESKTOP CALENDAR SKIN

Skin tones and color quality are about middle of the pack. The thick, glossy pages are durable and enhance contrast as well as color. The large calendar ties Printique for best contrast, and its cover quality is the highest. But with even the large calendar costing much less than smaller rivals, we chose it to provide Costco in its best light. Its entry-level centerfold calendar is a bit small at 8.5 x 11-inches and its premium model is gargantuan at 11.5 x 14 inches. When ordering a photo book, be sure to check out Printique's shipping information and deadlines, so you know how long to expect before it arrives.Ĭostco's offerings were the least like the others in our review. The only drawback to the software is that it's skewed to advanced designers and might be confusing or intimidating for newcomers. Printique provides thirteen text-grid patterns to choose from - for the most-configurable grid pages of all competitors. You can add a photo to any date square by dragging, dropping, and cropping. This includes customizing the calendar's fonts (individually by month, week, day, and event designation), changing the grid's opacity, and adding drop shadows of any color. All this customization can be applied to the top photo pages as well as the calendar-grid pages (not the case with all services). It also provides a huge assortment of background designs and stickers/clip art. Printique furnishes the most advanced design software, with fine control over borders, text, drop shadows, and other features. While the glossy finish boosts image quality, it doesn't lead to smudging when you write on the pages.

It's just average for skin tones, though. Printique also came in first on color, contrast, and sharpness/detail.

Its pages earned the highest marks from our judges - although the pages themselves are the thinnest in our review, giving some concern to durability. Printique continues to top our calendar reviews, with the highest overall quality. Software can be intimidating for newcomers If you order a photo book from Mixbook, be sure to check out Mixbook's shipping information and deadlines And, should you run into trouble, Mixbook offers both handy popup tips and live chat support. Those things aside, it’s still a fantastic service. Rivals allow greater control of text, and Printique has multiple calendar grid options. You can tweak photos by applying effects (filters) and adjusting brightness, saturation, and contrast. Mixbook's software lets you adjust borders, drop shadows, and image opacity. You can start from a generous assortment of 139 design templates or create your own look from scratch. Mixbook has our favorite online design software for its mix of clean layout and customization features. The flat page finish strikes the right balance between showing images well and producing a surface that's easy to write on, without smudging. Color and skin tones are second only to Printique, and Mimeo, respectively. Its cover score is just behind Costco's and ahead of Printique's. Mixbook's calendar finished in the middle of the pack in our quality evaluation (tied with Costco and Mimeo).

Print photo desktop calendar