Dots Memories vs Joy
An honest, side-by-side look at Dots Memories and Joy 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.
Plans
Intimate
Entry event plan for smaller albums.
- Original photo quality
- 2-minute videos
- Guest web access requires registration
- Unlimited memories/uploads
- Up to 50 guests
- No advertising
- Bulk photo/video upload
- No guest app download required
- Bulk album download
- Storage included
- QR templates
Classic
Mid-tier event plan; active plan in the Spanish page render.
- Original photo quality
- 2-minute videos
- Guest web access with no registration
- Unlimited memories/uploads
- Up to 175 guests
- No advertising
- Bulk photo/video upload
- No guest app download required
- Bulk album download
- Storage included
- QR templates
Luxe
Highest visible event plan with the largest guest cap and longer video limit.
- Original photo quality
- 5-minute videos
- Guest web access with no registration
- Unlimited memories/uploads
- Up to 350 guests
- No advertising
- Bulk photo/video upload
- No guest app download required
- Bulk album download
- Double backup
- QR templates
Plans
Free
- Wedding website, guest list, online RSVP, registry, mobile app, digital invites, multiple editor accounts, support
- Pricing page lists unlimited photo storage
- Shared Albums help article says each event includes up to 1,000 photos free of charge
- Guests can contribute to shared albums by link or QR code without creating a Joy account
- Optional upgrades exist, but current pricing page does not publish amounts
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.
| Feature |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | ||
| QR code upload Guests scan a QR code to upload photos and videos to the event gallery — no app, no account. | ||
| No app required Guests contribute via a web browser; there is nothing to download or install. | ||
| NFC support Guests tap an NFC tag or card with their phone to open the upload page. | ||
| Offline capture Guests can capture photos while offline; uploads sync once they are back online. | Not verified | |
| Printed QR signs / cards Provides printable QR signs, table cards or stickers to display at the event. | ~QR templates are included; printing/physical signs are not separately promised. | ~Help suggests using the QR code on table signs/coasters/thank-you cards; Joy does not appear to sell printed QR signs from the checked sources. |
| No Sign-Up Required Guests contribute without creating an account or signing in. | ~Classic and Luxe say no registration; Intimate says registration required. | |
| Photographer upload | Not verified | ~Anyone with the shared album link can upload; no dedicated photographer-upload workflow found. |
| Photo booth mode | Not verified | |
| Customization | ||
| Custom branding Personalise the gallery with your names, colours, logo or theme. | ~Pricing page mentions optional upgrades such as custom domain names and premium designs; exact paid scope/prices are not published there. | |
| Custom domain / URL Use a custom URL or domain for the event gallery. | Not verified | ~Pricing page says custom domain names are optional upgrades but does not publish price or availability details. |
| Watermarks Add a watermark or overlay to photos in the gallery. | Not verified | |
| Guest experience | ||
| Live slideshow A real-time slideshow of guest photos you can cast to a screen at the reception. | ||
| Video guestbook Guests record short video messages — a video guestbook for the couple. | ~Supports video memories via QR, but not marketed as a standalone video guestbook feature. | |
| Photo challenges / games Photo prompts or scavenger-hunt style games to get guests snapping. | ~Plan matrix includes QR templates for games/invitations, but not a full in-app challenge system. | |
| Digital invites / RSVP Send digital invitations and collect RSVPs. | Not verified | on Free (Free) |
| Guest messaging / well-wishes Guests leave written well-wishes or messages alongside their photos. | Not verified | ~Joy supports broader guest communication in the app/planning product, but this is not a dedicated guestbook/well-wishes feature for photo collection. |
| Real-time photo feed / wall A live feed or wall of photos as guests upload them during the event. | Not verified | |
| Comments & likes Guests can like and comment on photos in the gallery. | ~App Store review mentions guests posting pics and communicating; current shared-album help does not clearly document gallery comments/likes. | |
| Audio guestbook Guests leave voice messages (often via a dial-in phone) — an audio guestbook. | ||
| Management | ||
| Download all Download all photos and videos from the event at once (e.g. a single ZIP). | ~Guests can download photos; no current source found for a host one-click ZIP download of every file. | |
| Moderation / approval Hosts can review, approve or hide uploads before they appear publicly. | ~Hosts can set album visibility and allow uploads; no source found for pre-publication approval/moderation workflow. | |
| Event albums / photo books Create a designed event album or printed photo book. | ||
| Media | ||
| Video support Guests can upload videos, not just photos. | ~FAQ describes Joy Collections for photos and videos, but the storage limit and upload UI copy emphasize photos. | |
| Face recognition AI groups photos by face so guests can find shots of themselves. | ||
| Filters / in-app editing In-app filters or basic photo editing before uploading. | Not verified | |
| AI culling / curation AI automatically selects or curates the best shots. | Not verified | |
| MagicFind™ AI Photo-Finding AI finds every photo a specific person appears in and delivers it to them. | Not verified | |
| Auto categorization | Not verified | |
| Other | ||
| Multi-language The guest-facing interface is available in multiple languages. | ||
| Privacy | ||
| Private gallery The gallery is private — only invited guests can view or upload. | ~Shared albums must be set to Public with Guest Uploads enabled; anyone with the share link can view photos, so this is link-private rather than a locked private gallery. | |
✓ 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
- ✓No guest app download on public event plans
- ✓Unlimited memories/uploads on all visible event plans
- ✓Supports comments, reactions, videos, voice messages, and Dotbooks
- ✓Strong App Store and Google Play footprint
- xGuest caps apply by plan: 50, 175, or 350 guests
- xIntimate requires registration according to the plan matrix
- xLive slideshow was not found in the current public plan matrix
- xThe product is broader than weddings, so some flows are less wedding-specific
- ✓Wedding website, guest list, RSVP, registry, digital invites, and mobile apps in one platform
- ✓Shared Albums can be opened by link or QR code, with no Joy account needed for guest uploads
- ✓Up to 1,000 guest-shared photos included free per event according to the help center
- ✓Strong App Store footprint: 4.8/5 from 8.3K ratings on the checked listing
- xNot a dedicated event photo-sharing product; photo collection is one part of a larger wedding platform
- xCurrent shared album help says anyone with the share link can see photos in that album
- xExact pricing for optional upgrades and higher storage tiers is not published on the pricing page checked
- xNo current source found for live slideshow, face recognition, NFC, audio guestbook, or photo challenges
What people say
Real reviews, each linked to its source.
Dots Memories
3 reviews
Joy
4 reviews
Our Event Album beats both
If you are choosing between Dots Memories and Joy, compare 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, Dots Memories or Joy?
Dots Memories starts at €24.90 one-time. Joy has a free tier.
How much does Dots Memories cost?
Dots Memories starts at €24.90 one-time.
How much does Joy cost?
Joy has a free tier.
Do Dots Memories or Joy make guests download an app?
Dots Memories runs in a web browser, so guests just scan a QR code, while Joy runs in a web browser, so guests just scan a QR code. Our Event Album is web-only: guests scan a QR code and upload, no app required.
Is there a better alternative to Dots Memories and Joy?
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.
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 - From $39