Compare
Lenzl vs SmugMug
Prices checked 2026-09-02 · both platforms change pricing over time — check each one before deciding. SmugMug’s figures were read from their own published page.
| Lenzl Hobby | SmugMug | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | £6/month | Direct — $20/mo (billed annually) |
| Storage | 20 GB | Unlimited full-resolution JPEG storage on every plan; RAW storage is a paid add-on (from $10/mo) |
| Custom domain | Buy at cost, or bring your own — included on Pro | Ticked on Portfolio ($23.50/mo) and Pro ($37/mo); not ticked on Direct in SmugMug's own plan comparison |
| Commission on sales | 0% on Pro, 10% on Hobby | No commission rate stated on SmugMug's plans page — you set your own print profit margins, and card processing fees are listed as "None" |
| Client portal (QR / code access) | Private galleries and password protection; no QR-code session portal listed on their plans page |
And on Lenzl Pro
The table compares Hobby, Lenzl’s cheapest paid plan. Pro adds white-label galleries, unbranded embeds, 200 GB — and your domain included, along with its ongoing maintenance and renewal, rather than bought at cost. Pro takes 0% commission on sales and tips. Selling more than £80 a month, Pro costs less than Hobby. See the full plan comparison.
Choose Lenzl if
- You want a much lower entry price: Lenzl Hobby is £6/month for 20 GB with your own domain — bought through Lenzl at cost or brought from another registrar — against SmugMug's cheapest plan at $20/month billed annually.
- You want your own domain on the cheapest paid tier rather than stepping up to SmugMug's Portfolio plan for it.
- You want a QR-code portal for handing a shoot to a client, not only a gallery link.
Choose SmugMug if
- You want unlimited full-resolution JPEG storage and never want to think about a storage cap again — SmugMug offers that on every plan and Lenzl does not offer unlimited storage at any price.
- You want a platform with a long track record: SmugMug has hosted photographers' work since 2002, and for an archive you intend to keep for decades that history is a real consideration.
- You want full-service print fulfilment with branded packaging and a lab network that handles orders end to end.
- You shoot RAW and want the originals stored with the gallery — SmugMug sells RAW storage as an add-on.
Questions
Is Lenzl cheaper than SmugMug?
On the cheapest paid plan, yes: Lenzl Hobby is £6/month for 20 GB and your own domain, while SmugMug's cheapest plan, Direct, is $20/month billed annually. SmugMug gives you unlimited full-resolution JPEG storage for that, which Lenzl does not offer at any tier — so the honest answer is that they are priced for different things. Prices checked 2 September 2026 on smugmug.com/plans and change over time.
Does SmugMug include a custom domain?
SmugMug's own plan comparison ticks "Use a custom domain" on the Portfolio ($23.50/month) and Pro ($37/month) plans, and does not tick it on the cheapest Direct plan, as read on 2 September 2026. Lenzl includes a custom domain from Hobby onwards, and on Pro the domain is included, along with its ongoing maintenance and renewal.
How much storage does SmugMug give you?
SmugMug states unlimited full-resolution JPEG storage on all three photographer plans; RAW file storage is a paid add-on, listed from $10/month. Lenzl's Hobby plan is 20 GB and Pro is 200 GB. If your archive is enormous, SmugMug wins this row outright.