Website builder for a photographer who wants private galleries for clients

I’d start with Pixieset if you want one straightforward platform for your portfolio website and private client galleries. It combines a website builder with galleries for delivering, proofing, and selling photos. You can password-protect galleries, and its website can display gallery links while keeping each gallery’s privacy settings in place. (pixieset.com)

A few alternatives, depending on what matters most:

• Zenfolio — worth comparing if you want a photography-focused site plus galleries, proofing, and print sales. Its listed Basic plan is $7/month billed annually and includes a portfolio site, custom domain, password-protected galleries, and 15 GB of storage. (start.zenfolio.com)
• Pic-Time — consider it if client delivery, slideshows, albums, and print sales are a bigger priority than building a highly customized website. Its current plans include a portfolio page and client galleries; paid plans start at $7/month billed annually. (pic-time.com)

Quick pick: Pixieset for an easy all-in-one starting point; Zenfolio for a more sales-focused photography setup; Pic-Time for polished client delivery and album workflows. Before choosing, test the client experience on your phone and check gallery storage limits against the number and size of shoots you expect to host.

Short answer: If client galleries are central to your business, Pixieset or Pixpa are the strongest fits. If you care more about the portfolio look, Format is a good middle ground. Note that several of these comparisons are written by the vendors themselves, so test a free trial before committing.

Top options

• Pixieset: Built around client delivery. Its galleries support viewing, favoriting, and downloads, and the website builder ($19.95/mo Studio plan) is built around that gallery workflow. Its website builder is considered less flexible than dedicated site tools, so some photographers pair it with a separate site.
• Pixpa: The most all-in-one option. Its native client galleries with multi-user favouriting, password protection, and auto-expiry are built into every paid plan. Pricing is low, and it bundles a portfolio website, client-proofing galleries, a store, and a blog into one low-cost subscription. Since this comes from Pixpa's own blog, check the features yourself during the trial.
• Format: Strong templates for photographers, with basic proofing. One review found that it has no native proofing workflow, no cart for session downloads, and no print fulfillment to speak of. Another said it has native client galleries with proofing/selection. The reviews disagree, so test the proofing flow with a real client before relying on it.
• Squarespace: The best-looking templates, but weak for client work. Its galleries support password protection, but don't let multiple clients favourite and select from the same view, which matters for album-selection sessions. Pair it with Pixieset or another gallery tool if you choose it.
• Wix: A budget-friendly all-in-one. Its private albums let clients select and comment on photos, with low- or high-resolution downloads, and print sales through print-on-demand providers.
• SmugMug: Robust for selling prints and managing large archives, and it's pricier. It's a good fit for high-volume event or wedding work.

Which to pick

• Mostly delivering galleries and selling prints: Pixieset or Pixpa.
• Want one tool with a polished portfolio and basic proofing: Format or Pixpa.
• Want the most design control and only occasional client galleries: Squarespace plus a gallery tool.
• Tight budget: Wix or Pixpa's entry plan.

Before you commit, check:

1. Can clients favorite and comment on images, and can several people in one session do so?
2. Are download PINs, expiry dates, and watermarks available?
3. Do the fees include print sales, and are there transaction commissions on your plan?
4. Current prices. Plans change often, and several listed trials run 14 to 15 days.

If you tell me your niche (weddings, portraits, commercial) and whether you sell prints, I can narrow this to one or two picks.

For photographers who need to balance a professional portfolio with private client galleries, there are two primary approaches: all-in-one platforms that handle everything in one subscription, and specialized workflows that combine a portfolio website with a dedicated client gallery service.

1. The All-in-One Approach (Best for Convenience)

These platforms are excellent if you want to manage your portfolio, client delivery, and sometimes even print sales under a single login and billing cycle.

• Pixieset: Widely considered the gold standard for wedding and portrait photographers. It offers a beautiful, modern website builder alongside highly functional client galleries where clients can "favorite" images, comment, and order prints.
  • Pros: Seamless integration, beautiful design, easy client experience.
  • Best for: Photographers who want a professional, client-focused business hub.
• Pixpa: An affordable, all-in-one solution that bundles a portfolio website, client proofing galleries, and an e-commerce store. It is highly regarded for its value and 0% commission on sales.
  • Pros: Great value, all features in one, no commission fees.
  • Best for: Photographers on a budget who want everything in one place.
• Format: Built specifically for visual creators, it balances portfolio aesthetics with specialized client-proofing tools that allow for easy image selection and sign-off.
  • Pros: Polished, design-focused templates; integrated proofing.
  • Best for: Creatives who want their portfolio to look as good as their client work.

2. The Specialized Approach (Best for Power & Control)

Many professional photographers prefer to separate their public-facing marketing site from their client delivery system. This allows you to use the "best" tool for each specific job.

• Portfolio Site: Squarespace is the industry leader here. It provides world-class design templates, excellent SEO, and easy content management for your public portfolio.
• Client Gallery: You can link a sub-domain (e.g., clients.yourname.com) to a dedicated service like Pic-Time or ShootProof.
  • Pic-Time is known for sophisticated marketing automation and high-end print sales (like AR previews of prints on walls).
  • ShootProof is ideal if you need deeper business tools like integrated contracts, invoices, and studio management.

Summary Comparison Table

Recommendation

• If you want simplicity: Go with Pixieset or Pixpa. They eliminate the "tech headache" by keeping your client work and your portfolio in one place.
• If you want maximum growth/SEO: Build a Squarespace site to rank for search queries and use Pic-Time or Pixieset solely for your client delivery. This keeps your main website fast and focused on attracting new clients while your client-only site handles heavy image galleries.

For most photographers, Pixieset is a good place to start: it combines a website builder with client galleries, and you can try the free plan. The free gallery plan includes unlimited collections with 3 GB of photo storage; paid gallery plans start at $8/month when billed annually. The website has its own plans, so check the total cost if you want both the site and galleries on paid tiers. ¹²³

SmugMug is worth considering if photo storage and selling prints are priorities. Its plans include a photography website and privacy controls, with client-focused tools such as favoriting and download limits on eligible plans. ⁶⁷

Quick pick: Start with Pixieset for an all-in-one photography workflow; compare SmugMug if you expect to store large volumes of photos or sell prints. Before choosing, confirm the plan’s gallery privacy options—such as passwords—and whether they fit how you deliver client work. Prices and plan features can change.