What is a Photo Book?
Remember Mom’s old photo albums? This is like that but 10x easier to make.
Remember the days of rushing to the drugstore to pick up your developed photos, only to struggle with those impossible plastic album sleeves? Thankfully, memory-keeping has come a long way. In 2025, turning your favorite digital snapshots into a beautiful, tangible keepsake is easier than ever. Enter the photo book—the modern way to relive life’s best moments, without the hassle. Let’s break down everything you need to know!
A photo book is a professionally printed book that lets you arrange and display your digital photos in a beautifully designed format. Unlike traditional photo albums, which require you to print and insert photos manually, photo books integrate your images directly into the pages, making them sleek, stylish, and super easy to create.
Yes! While both help you store and showcase your memories, they have some key differences:
Photo books are custom-designed, printed directly on high-quality pages, and bound like a real book. Is your phone filled with photos that you never do anything with? Create a photo book from photos straight from your camera roll with easy-to-use apps like Chatbooks.
Photo albums are typically binders or books with plastic sleeves where you insert printed photos. You would have to use a camera that uses film, or send away for your digital photos to get printed. You can also turn your digital photos into photo prints with the Chatbooks app and insert them into your photo book.
Photo books offer a modern, streamlined look, while photo albums give a classic, scrapbook-like feel. They are both great ways to hold on to all your memories, but if you’re looking for ease of use, photo books are your go-to.
Big milestones, little moments, and everything in between—if it’s a memory worth keeping, there’s a photo book for that. From family vacations to everyday magic, turning your favorite memories into something tangible has never been easier. There’s a photo book for every style and occasion. Some of the most popular types include:
Softcover photo books are lightweight and flexible, perfect for everyday memories.
Durable and long-lasting, hardbound photo books are great for keepsakes and gifts.
Designed with seamless, lay-flat pages for big moments you want to remember.
Small photo books for quick and easy sharing. Perfect for remembering life’s sweet little moments.
Monthbooks are Ideal for capturing your everyday memories (a great subscription gift idea for new parents!)
Making a photo book should be as easy as making the memories—and with this simple step-by-step guide, it is! Wanna make it even easier? Download the Chatbooks app and add your photos right from your camera roll. You can also add your photos from your desktop.
- Select a Book Type: Decide on softcover, hardcover, layflat, or mini
- Peruse Designer Covers: Pick your fave (if you want to uplevel with a gorgeous cover)
- Choose Your Photos: Pick your favorite memories from your phone or computer
- Design Your Layout: Add collages and rearrange to your heat’s desire
- Add Personal Touches: Include captions, text pages, and filters
- Review & Order: Double-check everything and place your order. That’s it!
From milestones like first birthdays and graduations to minor-stones like finally mastering your latte art and your kid picking out their own outfit for the first time (even if it was a tutu, rainboots, and a hoodie) these are the types of memories worth holding on to. There’s always a reason to print your memories. Some of the most popular occasions include:
Think of your Yearbook as a highlight reel of your year. It’s the perfect place to put pictures from your big family trip to fancy date nights to cheering on your favorite basketball team.
The best day of your life needs to be documented. Don’t let planning every detail and doing your hair and makeup to the nines go to waste, remember it with a wedding photo book. You can also create one for your anniversary to remember every magical moment from over the years.
You won’t realize it while you’re living it but your little one is growing way too fast! Capturing their memories in a newborn photo book allows you to freeze time in a way that doesn’t exist anywhere else. Subscription photo books are the perfect way to make sure you remember every single thing.
All those late-night study sessions, school events, and proud cap-and-gown moments deserve a permanent place in your memory collection.
From pocket-sized keepsakes that are 100% toddler-proof to stunning coffee table books that guests will want to flip through, there’s a perfect size for every story you want to tell. Whether you want something compact to flip through on the go, or a statement piece that acts as home decor, there’s something for everyone.
- Small but mighty: Perfect for everyday memories, these smaller books are great for quick snapshots, little milestones, or kid-friendly keepsakes
- 5x5” Available with softcover Monthly Minis
- 5x7” Available with hardcover or softcover Monthbooks
- Classic and versatile: Mid-size books are ideal for family albums, vacations, and gifting
- 6x6” Available with hardcover or softcover Classic Photo Books and Monthbooks
- 8x8” Available with hardcover or softcover Classic Photo Books and Monthbooks
- Big and bold: Showcase your most stunning photos with a large-format book that makes a statement. Great for weddings, travel albums, and professional photography
- 10x10” Available with hardcover Classic Photo Books and Luxury Layflat Photo Books
Check out this photo book size guide to find the best fit for your story!
A photo book subscription is the easiest way to keep up on printing your memories. All you need to do is select your favorite ones from each month. You can do it during nap time, school pick up, or any time you have 5 minutes to spare. Simply:
- Select your photo book subscription, size, cadence, and cover option
- Add photos to your first book
- Tap “Send to Print” button and get excited for a fun mail day
A photo book subscription is like putting your memories on auto-pilot for you and your family to enjoy. If you needed some more reasons why photo book subscriptions are the life hack of the century here they are:
- Never forget to print your photos again: No more scrolling endlessly through your camera roll to relive your best moments
- A book that grows with your family: Whether you’re capturing baby’s first year, family adventures, or everyday magic, Monthbooks and Monthly Minis help you build a collection over time
- Minimal effort, maximum memories: Just set it and forget it! Chatbooks takes care of the printing, so you can focus on making more memories
Life moves fast. One minute you’re snapping a million pictures of your baby’s first steps, and the next, you’re trying to find one good photo for their graduation slideshow (where did all that time go?!).
That’s why printing your memories matters. A photo book isn’t just a collection of pictures—it’s a pause button for the moments you never want to forget. It’s for the messy, magical, everyday moments that make up your family’s story.
So whether you’re making a book of baby giggles, summer road trips, or just the beautifully ordinary days, Chatbooks makes it easy and stress-free. With Chatbooks photo books are:
- Fast & simple to create: No design skills? No problem–it’s easy to create a photo book in minutes
- Made for real life: Our books are durable, high-quality, and designed to last—perfect for little hands, coffee table browsing, and everything in between
- Free standard shipping & Love Chatbooks Guarantee: Chatbooks stands by its books! If you’re not obsessed, they’ll make it right. And if that’s not enough, your photo book is 100% Toddler Insured with Chatbooks’ Toddler Insurance
Because the best memories aren’t meant to be buried in your camera roll—they’re meant to be held, flipped through, and cherished for years to come. Ready to turn your favorite moments into a book?
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