For photographers who shoot video
A SmugMug alternative for photos and film.
Your client gets the film and the photos on one page, with your name at the top. The film keeps its full length and quality, and your client can download the original file. Your client leaves notes at a moment in the film and pinned to a spot on a photo, then presses Approve, and the full-size files open on the same link.
Free holds 5 GB and 1 hour of video. Solo is $20 a month for 1 TB and 15 hours. See pricing
No card and no trial clock. Sign up with an email or Google, and your client never makes an account. SmugMug read on its own pages on October 30, 2026.
This is the link your client gets.
1You upload the film and the photos.
Into one project. Split it into folders if the job has parts.
2Your client leaves notes on both.
At a moment in the film and pinned to a spot on a photo, in one list you answer from.
3Your client presses Approve.
The review mark comes off and the full-size files open, on the same link.
Best on your phone. That’s where most clients open it.
What happens to your film.
SmugMug: each video up to 20 minutes and 3 GB, kept at 1080p, and over 30 frames a second it becomes 30. SmugMug’s help says it doesn’t keep a copy of the original you upload.
DropYourFiles: the original file is kept, and your client downloads it at full size, or a copy at 4K from a 4K master, 1080p or 720p. Solo holds 15 hours of video.
For the same money: SmugMug Direct is $20.56 a month ($20 billed yearly) for unlimited photos, with no free plan and a 14-day trial. Solo is $20 a month ($220 a year) for 1 TB. Read on smugmug.com/plans and SmugMug’s help on October 30, 2026.
What you and your client get.
| What | DropYourFiles | SmugMug |
|---|---|---|
| Video | Free 1 h; Solo 15 h; Studio 50 h; Enterprise 150 h. More is $5 a month for 10 hours | On every plan, each video up to 20 minutes and 3 GB, in full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Film downloads | The original file, or a copy at 4K from a 4K master, 1080p or 720p, on every plan | Videos larger than 1080p are stored as 1080p, and the original isn’t kept |
| Your client’s notes on a film at a timecode | Yes | Not on SmugMug’s plans page |
| Your client’s notes on a photo | Pinned to the spot, with drawing, in the same list as the film’s notes | Client favoriting on Pro |
| Favorites | Your client hearts the photos they love, on every plan | Client favoriting on Pro |
| How your client approves | Your client presses Approve and confirms once | Not on SmugMug’s plans page |
| Approval opens the downloads | Yes. The review mark comes off and the full-size downloads open, on the same link. Photos and film can be approved separately | Download limits and full control over client downloads on Pro |
| A watermark while your client reviews | Yes, on every plan. It comes off when your client approves | Watermarks on Portfolio and Pro |
| Price a month | Free; Solo $20 ($220 a year); Studio $59; Enterprise from $149 | Direct $20.56 ($20 billed yearly); Portfolio $24.22 ($23.50); Pro $37.90 ($37). A 14-day trial, no free plan |
| Room | Free 5 GB and 1 h of video; Solo 1 TB and 15 h of video; Studio 2 TB and 50 h of video; Enterprise 6 TB and 150 h of video. Add 100 GB for $5 a month | Unlimited photos and full-size JPEGs on every plan. RAW files $10 a month up to 1 TB, then $6 a TB |
| Prints | No print store | Print and download sales on Portfolio and Pro, with order fulfillment |
| Your branding | Your logo, name and colors at the top of your client’s page, on every plan. The link is on dropyourfiles.com, with no custom domain | Website templates on Portfolio and Pro; your own domain on Pro |
SmugMug’s side was read on its own pages on October 30, 2026, and prices are in US dollars. Plans change: check theirs before you decide, and tell us at support@dropyourfiles.com if a line here is out of date.
Which one suits you.
SmugMug may suit you better if
- You shoot a lot of stills and want unlimited room for them.
- You sell prints and downloads, and want the lab and checkout handled.
- You want a portfolio website on your own domain from the same company.
DropYourFiles may suit you better if
- Your films run longer than 20 minutes, or you deliver them in 4K.
- You want your client to download the original film, not a 1080p copy.
- You want your client’s notes at a timecode on a film, and pinned to a spot on a photo.
- You want a free plan to try on a real job before you pay.
Questions.
Will my client get the film at full quality?
Yes. The original file is kept, and once your client approves, they download it at full size, or as a copy at 4K from a 4K master, 1080p or 720p. SmugMug’s help says videos larger than 1080p are stored as 1080p and the original isn’t kept (read October 30, 2026).
Is there a limit on how long a film can be?
Not per film. Video is counted in hours on each plan: 1 hour on Free, 15 hours on Solo and 50 hours on Studio. More is $5 a month for 10 hours. SmugMug allows each video up to 20 minutes and 3 GB.
Can my client still pick favorites?
Yes. Your client hearts the photos they love, and you see those favorites in the project, on every plan. Your client can also leave notes on the film at a moment in it, and pin notes on a photo, all in one list.
How do I move my galleries from SmugMug?
Download your galleries from SmugMug, then drop the folders into a new project here. Folders inside it come in as folders, up to three levels deep. Your client gets a new link. You can also leave finished galleries where they are and start your next job here.
Is there a print store?
No. If print sales are a big part of your income, SmugMug’s lab and checkout fit those galleries better. You can keep SmugMug for prints and send the jobs with a film in them here.
What does it cost next to SmugMug?
Free holds 5 GB and 1 hour of video, with every feature and no card. Solo is $20 a month ($220 a year) for 1 TB and 15 hours of video. SmugMug Direct is $20.56 a month, or $20 a month billed yearly, with a 14-day trial, read on smugmug.com/plans on October 30, 2026.
Does my client need an account?
No. Your client opens the link in any browser, on a phone or a computer, and types a name the first time they leave a note.
Can I lock the link and control downloads?
Yes, on every plan. Add a password or an expiry date to any link. Until your client presses Approve, the review mark stays on, and you can open downloads early from the project’s Settings.
Whose name does my client see?
Yours. Your logo, name and colors sit at the top of your client’s page on every plan, Free included. The link itself is on dropyourfiles.com.
Sources.
- SmugMug plans, read October 30, 2026
- SmugMug help: prepare and format videos for upload, read October 30, 2026
- How much video each gallery holds, side by side and for photographers who shoot video
- DropYourFiles pricing and Final Cut markers, today
- Every price in one table
- Every comparison: Dropbox alternative, Google Drive alternative, WeTransfer alternative, MASV alternative, Hightail alternative, Vimeo alternative, Pixieset alternative, Pic-Time alternative, ShootProof alternative, Zenfolio alternative, Frame.io alternative, Dropbox Replay alternative, Wipster alternative, Filestage alternative and Krock.io alternative
Send your next job with a film in it.
Free up to 5 GB. No card. Your client never makes an account.