SmugMug pricing in 2026 is three self-serve plans billed annually: Direct at $20 a month, Portfolio at $23.50 and Pro at $37, or $240, $282 and $444 a year, with Enterprise quoted on request. Monthly billing is about $29, $35.50 and $52. Every plan includes unlimited full-resolution photo storage, and RAW files are stored with the Source add-on at $10 a month for up to 1 TB and $6 a month for each additional terabyte. SmugMug is a photo storage, portfolio and print-sales platform for photographers, and there is no free plan, only a 14-day trial.
The headline is simple; the bill is not, because two lines sit outside the plan price: the RAW archive on Source and the share of each print sale. This guide lists every plan with the figures from smugmug.com/plans, read on 2026-10-20, prices a year for four kinds of photographer, and shows where a gallery platform or a storage-first platform fits better. The closest gallery comparisons are in Pixieset pricing and the best Pixieset alternatives, where SmugMug is ranked against Pic-Time, ShootProof, CloudSpot and Brault. For the field, see the best cloud storage for photographers.
How much does SmugMug cost in 2026?
SmugMug's self-serve pricing, read on smugmug.com/plans on 2026-10-20, is three plans that stack: each one includes everything in the plan below it. Three mechanics decide the real bill:
- Photo storage is unlimited on every plan, RAW is not. Direct, Portfolio and Pro store unlimited full-resolution JPEGs. RAW files go into SmugMug Source, billed by the terabyte on top of the plan.
- Annual billing takes about 30 % off. Direct is $20 a month billed annually against about $29 billed monthly; Pro is $37 against about $52.
- Selling starts on Portfolio. Direct stores and delivers; print and download sales, website templates and a custom domain arrive on Portfolio, and pricelists, packages and coupons on Pro.
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Per year | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SmugMug Direct |
$20 a month | about $29 a month | $240 | Unlimited photo storage, client galleries, digital delivery, privacy controls, Lightroom integration |
| SmugMug Portfolio |
$23.50 a month | about $35.50 a month | $282 | Print and download sales with fulfillment, website templates, custom domain, watermarks |
| SmugMug Pro |
$37 a month | about $52 a month | $444 | Custom pricelists, coupons and packages, client favoriting and download limits |
| SmugMug Source (add-on) |
$10 a month up to 1 TB | same | $120 for 1 TB | RAW file storage; $6 a month for each extra terabyte |
Plans and features as listed on smugmug.com/plans, verified 2026-10-20. Annual prices are the US list. Monthly prices were read from Europe, where the page adds 21 % VAT, and are shown here without the tax. Enterprise is a custom plan on request.
What does SmugMug Source cost for RAW files?
SmugMug Source is the RAW storage add-on, and it is the line that changes most photographers' bill. Source costs $10 a month for up to 1 TB of RAW files and $6 a month for each additional terabyte, on any of the three plans: 1 TB is $120 a year, 2 TB is $192, and 5 TB is $408. SmugMug sells it as "only pay for the data you use", and for a photographer who keeps every original that is the honest description: the gallery plan covers the JPEGs the client sees, and Source covers the files the studio has to keep.
The math shifts the plan comparison. Portfolio at $282 a year becomes $474 with 2 TB of RAW, and Pro at $444 becomes $852 with 5 TB. A wedding photographer shooting 25 weddings a year at roughly 60 to 120 GB of RAW each adds 1.5 to 3 TB a year, so the Source line grows every season while the plan price stays flat.
What does SmugMug cost a photographer per year?
SmugMug's yearly cost depends on two things: whether the photographer sells through the galleries, and how many terabytes of RAW they keep. Per year, billed annually, with Brault as the storage-first comparison:
| Photographer | SmugMug |
 Brault |
|---|---|---|
| Hobbyist or portfolio, JPEG only, no selling | $240 (Direct, unlimited JPEG) | $144 (Pro, 2 TB) |
| Wedding photographer who sells prints, 2 TB of RAW | $474 (Portfolio + 2 TB on Source) | $144 (Pro, 2 TB, no print store) |
| Studio with packages and coupons, 5 TB of RAW | $852 (Pro + 5 TB on Source) | $840 (Growth, 5 TB, 4 users) |
| Selling is the business: pricelists, packages, coupons | $444 (Pro) | Not a fit: no store or pricelists |
Per year, billed annually, verified 2026-10-20 on smugmug.com/plans and brault.app/pricing. Brault Pro is $12 a month for 2 TB with 1 user included and up to 3 at $8 each; Growth is $70 a month for 5 TB with 4 users included and $4 per extra user.
The two columns buy different things. SmugMug's price buys unlimited JPEG galleries, a portfolio website and a store that ships prints, and no other platform in this comparison stores unlimited full-resolution JPEGs at $20 a month. Brault's price buys the library underneath: 2 TB on Pro with previews for 13 camera RAW formats (Canon CR2 and CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fujifilm RAF and others), PSD and video, AI search across every file, view-only or download links for clients, and branded transfer pages. A photographer whose income comes from print orders needs the first; one who mainly archives, finds and delivers files needs the second, and some run both.
Hidden costs to check before signing
- RAW is a second bill. Unlimited storage means unlimited JPEGs. RAW originals are Source, $10 a month for the first terabyte and $6 for each one after it.
- The share of each sale. SmugMug charges no card processing fees but keeps a share of the markup on prints and downloads, reported at 15 % of the profit above the base price. Price a typical order before comparing with zero-commission galleries such as ShootProof.
- Monthly billing. The headline figures are annual. Paying monthly is about 40 to 45 % more: Direct is about $29 instead of $20, Pro about $52 instead of $37.
Is SmugMug worth the price?
SmugMug is worth its price for photographers who want unlimited JPEG storage, a portfolio website and a store that handles print fulfillment, all on one account: at $23.50 a month billed annually, Portfolio covers the three jobs that would otherwise take a site builder, a gallery platform and a print lab integration. The fit narrows for photographers whose archive is RAW-heavy, because Source grows with every terabyte, and for those who do not sell through galleries, because Direct then pays for unlimited storage of files the client already has.
Worth it
Portrait, event and sports photographers who sell prints and downloads, want a portfolio site and like the idea of never deleting a JPEG.
Compare first
Wedding photographers with terabytes of RAW: add the Source line to the plan price and compare with a gallery plan that includes RAW upload.
Different fit
Commercial photographers and small studios whose need is the library: RAW and PSD previews, search across years of work, and branded delivery to clients.
What are the alternatives if SmugMug pricing doesn't fit?
The alternatives to SmugMug split by what the photographer is buying: another gallery platform with a store, or a storage-first platform that delivers. Pixieset publishes its plans on pixieset.com/pricing from $8 a month billed annually, with RAW upload on its $24 Pro plan, and the full ranked field is in best Pixieset alternatives.
- Best forPhotographers who want galleries, a store and booking on one bill
- Pricing$0, $8, $16, $24 and $40 a month billed annually; RAW upload on Pro (verified 2026-09-14)
- Free planYes, 3 GB
- Watch outStorage is capped per plan below Ultimate, and video is metered by the hour
- Best forPhotographers who sell and want zero commission on every plan
- Pricing$8.33 to $50 a month billed annually, sized by photo count (verified 2026-09-22)
- Free planYes, 100 photos
- Watch outPlans count photos, not gigabytes, so large archives move up tiers quickly
- Best forPhotographers who need the RAW library, AI search and branded delivery of large files
- PricingPro $12 a month billed annually ($15 month to month) for 2 TB; Growth $70 for 5 TB and 4 users (verified 2026-10-20)
- Free planYes, 2 GB with 5 branded transfers a month
- Watch outNo print store, no watermarking and no portfolio website builder
Pic-Time is the other gallery platform on most shortlists, at $7, $21 and $42 a month billed annually with automated sales campaigns, compared head to head in Pixieset vs Pic-Time. Photographers who keep SmugMug for the store often move only the RAW archive elsewhere, which turns the Source line into the number to compare.
Frequently asked questions
How much does SmugMug cost?
SmugMug costs $20 a month on Direct, $23.50 on Portfolio and $37 on Pro, billed annually ($240, $282 and $444 a year); monthly billing is about $29, $35.50 and $52. Every plan includes unlimited full-resolution photo storage. RAW files are stored with the Source add-on at $10 a month for up to 1 TB and $6 a month for each additional terabyte. Enterprise is quoted on request. Prices verified on smugmug.com on 2026-10-20.
Does SmugMug have a free plan?
No. SmugMug has no free plan; every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, and the cheapest paid plan is Direct at $20 a month billed annually. Photographers who want a free tier compare Pixieset Free (3 GB), Pic-Time Free (10 GB, reduced to 3 GB after six months), ShootProof Free (100 photos) and Brault Free (2 GB with branded transfers).
Does SmugMug store RAW files?
Yes, through an add-on. The Direct, Portfolio and Pro plans store unlimited full-resolution JPEGs, and RAW files go into SmugMug Source at $10 a month for up to 1 TB and $6 a month for each extra terabyte. A photographer with 2 TB of RAW pays $16 a month on top of the plan, which takes Portfolio from $282 to $474 a year.
How much commission does SmugMug take on print sales?
SmugMug does not charge card processing fees, and on Portfolio and Pro it keeps a share of the markup the photographer sets on prints and downloads, reported at 15 % of the profit above the base price. Pixieset charges no commission on paid plans and ShootProof none on any plan, which matters for photographers whose income comes from print orders.
What is a cheaper alternative to SmugMug for storing RAW files?
For the RAW archive and client delivery without a print store, Brault Pro is $12 a month billed annually ($15 month to month) for 2 TB with previews for 13 camera RAW formats, AI search, view-only or download links and branded transfer pages; Growth is $70 a month for 5 TB and 4 users. SmugMug Portfolio with 2 TB on Source costs $474 a year against $144 on Brault Pro, and SmugMug remains the better fit for unlimited JPEG galleries, a portfolio website and print sales on one bill.
Key takeaways
- SmugMug costs $20, $23.50 and $37 a month billed annually for Direct, Portfolio and Pro ($240, $282 and $444 a year), about $29, $35.50 and $52 billed monthly, with no free plan.
- Every plan stores unlimited full-resolution JPEGs; RAW files need Source at $10 a month for 1 TB and $6 for each extra terabyte.
- Selling starts on Portfolio, and SmugMug keeps a share of the markup on each sale, reported at 15 %, with no card processing fees.
- With 2 TB of RAW, Portfolio costs $474 a year; Brault Pro covers 2 TB with RAW previews and branded delivery for $144, without a print store.
- SmugMug fits photographers who sell prints and want a portfolio site; Brault fits photographers whose priority is the RAW library and client delivery.
