Capsule vs iCloud Shared Albums
An honest, side-by-side look at Capsule and iCloud Shared Albums for collecting photos and videos at your event. Every figure below comes from each app's own pricing and our verified feature checks, so you can compare cost, features and real reviews without the marketing spin.
Skip the comparison. Our Event Album beats both.
Give guests one simple QR code, unlimited uploads, and a polished live album without subscriptions or app downloads.
- ✓Unique QR code for your event
- ✓Printable sign templates (PDF)
- ✓Unlimited photo & video uploads
- ✓Custom welcome page
Pricing at a glance
Published plans are shown separately from add-ons. Verified competitor prices use your selected currency, otherwise their listed currency.
Free
Free usage for your event and 30 days after the event; continued storage is a separate annual fee.
- ·Free event use through the event and 30 days after
- ·iPhone, Android, Instagram, digital camera, app, and website uploads
- ·Real-time album viewing and Live TV Slideshow listed on features page
- ·Comments, captions, likes, prints, and digital photo books supported
Optional add-ons
Storage Fee
- ·Continued hosted storage after the free 30-day post-event window
- ·Treat as annual storage TCO, not an event package upgrade
Free
Free iCloud storage tier; Shared Albums have separate album limits and do not work like a wedding QR gallery.
- ·Shared Albums do not count against iCloud storage
- ·5,000 photos/videos per shared album
- ·100 subscribers per shared album
- ·Videos up to 15 minutes and delivered up to 720p
- ·Shared photos may be reduced to 2048px on the long edge
iCloud+ 50GB
- ·50 GB iCloud+ storage
- ·Shared Albums still have separate album limits
iCloud+ 200GB
- ·200 GB iCloud+ storage
- ·Shared Albums still have separate album limits
Our Event Album is $39 USD, one-time
No subscription, no per-guest fee, and no add-on sorting needed for the core album experience.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the verified feature catalog, not the stored page copy.
Guests scan a QR code to upload photos and videos to the event gallery — no app, no account.
Guests contribute via a web browser; there is nothing to download or install.
Guests contribute without creating an account or signing in.
A live feed or wall of photos as guests upload them during the event.
Download all photos and videos from the event at once (e.g. a single ZIP).
Hosts can review, approve or hide uploads before they appear publicly.
Order physical prints or photo products directly from the gallery.
Maximum photos/videos guests can upload to the gallery. Blank = unlimited.
How long the gallery stays live and uploads are kept. Blank = unlimited / forever.
The gallery is private — only invited guests can view or upload.
✓ supportedx not supported~ partial? unconfirmed
The matrix is easier when the essentials are included
- ✓Unique QR code for your event
- ✓Printable sign templates (PDF)
- ✓Unlimited photo & video uploads
- ✓Custom welcome page
Pros and cons
- ✓Free through the event and 30 days after
- ✓Supports iPhone, Android, Instagram, digital camera, and website uploads
- ✓Live TV slideshow and real-time album viewing are listed on the features page
- ✓Comments, captions, likes, prints, and digital photo books are supported
- xThe site feels old and some product details are thin
- xNo current no-app QR upload flow was verified
- xBulk download behavior and guest account friction are not clearly documented
- xStorage becomes a recurring annual fee after the free post-event window
- xNot as polished as a modern wedding QR gallery for live event use
- ✓Free Shared Albums do not count against iCloud storage
- ✓Built into Apple Photos for iPhone/iPad/Mac users
- ✓Supports comments and likes on shared photos/videos
- ✓Apple documents clear limits: 5,000 items per album and 100 subscribers
- ✓Useful for small Apple-heavy groups that already use Photos
- xNot a wedding QR gallery and not friendly for mixed Android/Google guest lists
- xHard 5,000 photo/video limit per shared album and 100 subscriber limit
- xShared media may be downscaled; downloaded content may not contain the same information as the original
- xNo live slideshow, moderation queue, custom branding, or event upload signage workflow
- xiCloud+ storage prices are monthly subscriptions if the couple also needs more Apple storage
What people say
Real reviews, each linked to its source.
“Capsule publishes a first-party wedding testimonial describing it as an amazing photo-sharing tool for guests and friends at a wedding.”
“Apple Support confirms Shared Albums do not count against iCloud storage but have limits, including 5,000 photos/videos per shared album and 100 subscribers per album.”
“Apple’s iCloud page confirms 5 GB free iCloud storage and iCloud+ paid storage plans from 50 GB upward.”
Our Event Album beats both
If you are choosing betweenCCapsuleandiiCloud Shared Albumscompare them with the simpler option: one QR code, no guest app, unlimited uploads, and one flat price.
- ✓Unique QR code for your event
- ✓Printable sign templates (PDF)
- ✓Unlimited photo & video uploads
- ✓Custom welcome page
- ✓6 months of secure hosting
- ✓Download all photos anytime
Frequently asked questions
Which costs more, Capsule or iCloud Shared Albums?
Capsule has a free tier, plus paid plans. iCloud Shared Albums starts at $0.99 monthly, with a limited free tier as well.
How much does Capsule cost?
Capsule has a free tier, plus paid plans.
How much does iCloud Shared Albums cost?
iCloud Shared Albums starts at $0.99 monthly, with a limited free tier as well.
Do Capsule or iCloud Shared Albums make guests download an app?
Capsule asks guests to install an app, while iCloud Shared Albums asks guests to install an app. Our Event Album is web-only: guests scan a QR code and upload, no app required.
Is there a better alternative to Capsule and iCloud Shared Albums?
Our Event Album is the alternative most couples choose over both: QR-code photo and video uploads with no guest app, a live slideshow, unlimited uploads, and a one-time $39 with no subscription.
More head-to-head comparisons
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Our Event Album beats both. Start your album in 5 minutes.
One QR code. No guest apps. One flat price, no subscriptions.
Get Your Album