Whether you're a newlywed who wants to choose the right way to preserve your wedding memories or a photographer who wants to explain your product lines to a client, this guide can help you make the right choice between a Photo Album and a Photo Book.
What is a Photo Book?
An Nations Photo Lab Photo Book is a fully customizable way to showcase your photos. Using our online editor, you can design your layout from cover to cover, choosing everything from photo placement to background patterns, fonts, and text.
Whether you’re creating a wedding keepsake or a travel journal, Photo Books offer a streamlined, stylish solution for telling your story.
How Many Photos Can You Have in a Photo Book?
With our Hardcover Photo Books, you can include up to 120 side — giving you room for hundreds of photos depending on your design layout. Want to go minimalist with a few full-page shots or pack in every snapshot from your vacation? It’s totally up to you.
What Are the Photo Book Sizes?
From 5x7 to 12x12, we've got six sizes of Photo Books to suit every style and give you different layout options for any project you're making.
What is a Photo Album?
A Photo Album is a more traditional choice — think of it as the modern take on your family’s old-school memory book. Instead of printing your photos onto the pages like a Photo Book, a Photo Album uses high-quality photographic paper and professionally mounted prints that lay flat across each spread. It's a luxe, heirloom-style format made to last for generations.
How Many Photos Can You Have in a Photo Album?
You can add a very large number of photos to your Album depending on your layout, just like our Photo Books! For example, if you choose an 8x10 Album with a 40 spread count and choose a layout that has 12 images per spread, that would equal 480 photos.
For the thick page option, you can choose between 10-25 spreads. For the thin page option, you can choose between 10-50 spreads. Spreads for your Album can be selected in increments of 5 spreads (10 sides). Once you choose your spread count and are onto editing your album, you can choose from a variety of different premade page layouts for each spread.
What Is the Standard Photo Album Size?
We have seven Photo Albums sizes available, ranging from 8x8 to 12x12, each designed to showcase your photos in stunning detail on durable, thick or thin pages.
The Differences Between Photo Albums and Photo Books
| Photo Books | Photo Albums (Album99) | |
| Paper Type |
 Hardcover Photo Book images are printed directly onto your choice of press paper (semi-gloss, linen, matte, or pearl) and Lay Flat Photo Books on premium semi-gloss. Although it differs from photographic paper, press paper is a much better option for printing photos than typical computer paper. Plus, since it's easier to write on press paper, Photo Books are perfect for use as guest books and travel journals. |
Photo Album photos are printed on Professional Lustre photo paper, just like a traditional Photo Print. Lustre paper (the industry standard for photo printing) has a slight sheen, and is protected by a UV coating. |
| Construction |
The pages in a Photo Book are printed directly onto press paper, and then bound with inimitable precision using our proprietary construction technology. The final steps in construction differ based on the chosen page style (which is discussed below). |
Photo Album images are printed on photographic paper that is reinforced by a premium substrate. This material makes the pages rigid, thus ensuring the finished product's long-term durability. Once printed, all of the Album pages are expertly matched with a handcrafted cover to create an archival quality, heirloom Album. Album pages are available in two styles: "thin" (approximately the width of a dime) and a "thick" (approximately the width of a penny). |
| Page Style |
Photo Books are available in a classic style (with traditional book binding) or a lay flat style. The lay flat Photo Book style differs from an Album in that there is a small "gutter" between the two pages in each spread. |
 All Photo Albums have what is called "lay flat" or "flush mount" pages, meaning there is no break or binding that disrupts the flow of a spread from page to page. This allows you to create striking panoramic spreads or to get creative with two-page layouts. |
| Cover Options |
Hardcover and Lay Flat Photo Book options include:
|
Photo Album cover options include:
|
| Sizes Available |
Photo Books are available in the following sizes: |
Photo Albums are available in the following sizes: |
| Pages Available | Since Photo Book pages do not include a substrate, more pages can fit into a Photo Book than an Album. You can include up to 120 pages in a single hardcover style book and 60 pages in a lay-flat style. | Album builders can include up to 50 spreads/100 pages (after choosing thin pages) or 25 spreads/50 pages (after choosing thick pages). |
| Finished Product |
 Photo Books are more lightweight, and are thinner, thus taking up less room on the couch or on the shelf. |
 Photo Albums are a substantial, heavier option, kind of like a formal coffee table book. |
| Price Point | Photo Books start from $36.75. | Photo Albums in our Album99 collection begin at $99.00 |
Photo Book vs Photo Album: Which Should I Choose?
Choosing between a Photo Book and a Photo Album comes down to how you want to experience and preserve your memories.
A Photo Book is perfect for those who want a high quality, thinner book that starts a lower price point. With our easy-to-use online editor, you can customize every detail, from layout and text to backgrounds and cover styles. Photo Books are a great choice for vacations, everyday moments, or creating multiples for gifts and guest books.
On the other hand, a Photo Album offers a more traditional and tactile experience. With thick, lay-flat pages and professional photo paper, Albums are built to last for years to come and feel like true heirloom pieces. They’re ideal for weddings, milestone anniversaries, or any event where you want to showcase your favorite photos in the highest quality format.
Whether you're drawn to the high quality ease of Photo Books or the timeless craftsmanship of Photo Albums, both options provide beautiful ways to honor your most meaningful moments.
Photo Book Alternatives
Photo Books and Albums aren’t the only way to showcase your favorite moments. If you’d rather display your memories around your home, there are plenty of beautiful and creative options to choose from. If you’d prefer to print and display Photo Prints, you might consider Metal Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints, or Mounted Prints.
Need help finding the right fit for your space? Check out our wall art size guide to plan your decor perfectly.
