If your household looks anything like ours, the best family photos are probably stuck on a device or floating around in the Cloud somewhere. It’s time to get those pictures off your phone and onto your walls. Nix pricey professional photo framing services and do it yourself with one of these user-friendly apps. Read on for the scoop.
photo: Keepsake
1. Keepsake
It will probably take you longer to get the kids to sit still for a family photo than it will to pick the perfect frame and click “order” on this easy-to-use photo framing app. Keepsake only offers photo framing and photo-to-canvas printing, which means you won’t have to worry about too many options confusing your agenda. Just choose your photo, adjust the filters and cropping dimensions, then preview it in a variety of tasteful frames (or canvases) to see what look best suits your image.
Cost: Frames are $25 and up, and shipping is free (within the U.S.).
Available from Google Play or iTunes, free.
photo: Brushstroke
2. Brushstroke
Do you want your latest, greatest shot to look more like a painting than a photo? With Brushstroke, you can turn photos into art on canvas with just a few clicks. Pick an art filter—styles aren’t attributed to specific artists, though most of the filters have a Monet or Van Gogh-style slant—then swipe left or right to change the saturation, density, and color of the image. Finally, sign your print, choose a product (poster, framed print, or canvas print), and click “Ship.”
Hint: If you’re not ready to put your work on the walls, you can still upload your creations to social media, e-mail, or instant message with the click of a button.
Cost: Products start at $26, and are printed via a partnership with CanvasPop.
Available from iTunes, $3.99.
photo: Mixtiles via Facebook
3. Mixtiles
Mixtiles is like the real-life equivalent of Instagram. This app takes your photos and turns them into adorable, stylish little squares you can stick to the walls as easy as you can slap a magnet on the refrigerator. The tiles adhere via four double-sided tape squares designed to come on and off your walls without damage, which allows you to easily move them around to suit your whims. Click on a whole slew of pictures, and you’ll have a ready-made tableau to dress up your walls in no time.
Cost: $49 for 3 tiles, $9 for each additional tile. Shipping is free.
Available from iTunes, free.
photo: Art.com via Facebook
4. Photos to Art
The coolest thing about the Photos to Art app is that it lets you superimpose your selected image onto your wall to get a sense of whether or not it’s worth printing in the first place. Upload photos directly from Instagram and Facebook, as well as from your phone’s camera roll. Then, choose from a slew of options for your finished product, including photos on metal, wood mounts, acrylic prints, canvas or framed prints.
Cost: Products start at $2 for small poster prints, $50.99 for framed prints.
Available from iTunes, free.
photo: Framebridge
5. Framebridge
Framebridge has one mission: To get your treasured things and favorite photos up on your walls. That means you won’t find any coasters, photo books, or tote bags here—only frames. Upload photos from your phone or Instagram account, choose from a selection of 40 styles and then let the team custom frame your piece. Not sure what frame style will look best with your piece? Framebridge’s design team will mock up some options for free. You can also do it yourself by choosing the size, matte, and frame style, with previews of your finished product every step of the way.
Good to know: Want to frame something other than photos? The Framebridge folks say they’ll frame anything, from your child’s artwork or kindergarten diploma to your baby’s baptism dress or first blanket.
Cost: Prices start at $39, and shipping is free.
Available from iTunes, free.
photo: Snapfish via Facebook
6. Snapfish
The advantage of choosing a heavy-hitter like Snapfish is the sheer number of options available, as well as a consistency that has garnered the site more than 40 million members over more than 15 years. Along with an assortment of gift-minded photo products (mugs, pillows, iPhone cases, etc.), you can put your prints onto several different sizes of canvas, including panoramic-sized canvases and wooden-framed canvases, and even metal wall panels. The app also offers four different styles of frames for various photo sizes.
Hint: Check the site regularly for a revolving door of discounts and seasonal specials; some offer as much as 60 percent off your order!
Available from iTunes, Google Play, and Windows Store, free.
Have you ever used a phone-to-frame app? Tell us about your experience in a Comment below.
— Melissa Heckscher
