Joy vs The Guest
An honest, side-by-side look at Joy and The Guest 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
- ·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
Historical The Guest app (unavailable)
Historical mirrors list The Guest as free before discontinuation. This is not current pricing; AppBrain says the app was removed from Google Play on December 20, 2023.
- ·Historical app listing: free app
- ·Automatic photo and video sharing from guests’ normal iPhone camera
- ·Real-time sharing during event windows
- ·Full-resolution photo and full-length video downloads
- ·Automatically created web album
- ·Live web slideshow
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 can capture photos while offline; uploads sync once they are back online.
Downloadable QR sign and card templates sized for printing at home or at a print shop.
Personalise the gallery with your names, colours, logo or theme.
Use a custom URL or domain for the event gallery.
Guests leave written well-wishes or messages alongside their photos.
Guests can like and comment on photos in the gallery.
Guests leave voice messages (often via a dial-in phone) — an audio guestbook.
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.
Guests can upload videos, not just photos.
AI finds every photo a specific person appears in and delivers it to them.
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
- ✓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
- ✓Historical app automatically shared guests’ photos and videos
- ✓Supported full-resolution photo and full-length video downloads
- ✓Included a web album and live web slideshow
- ✓Published historical App Store-style testimonials were positive
- xNo current downloadable app or purchasable plan
- xGuest flow required installing an app
- xDomain does not currently resolve
- xHistorical pricing/add-on data is not current 2026 pricing
What people say
Real reviews, each linked to its source.
“A 2018 App Store reviewer said Joy was easy to use for wedding guest planning, private RSVP, guest schedules, posting pics, and communication, while noting it did not have as many planning tools as some alternatives.”
“A 2024 App Store reviewer said Joy helped them see candid guest photos before professional photos arrived and also worked as a central place for RSVP, registry, food allergy, and event information.”
“A 2017 App Store reviewer liked the website design at first but reported RSVP issues where guests disappeared, which created planning problems close to the wedding. Joy replied that the UI issue had been resolved.”
“A 2025 Google Play reviewer reported the Android app would not load reliably and said the website was easier for them. Joy replied that a glitch had been fixed and recommended updating the app.”
“A published AppAdvice testimonial from Melanie R. said the app was useful for both a friend’s wedding and her own, especially for seeing friends’ shots in real time.”
“A published testimonial from Brian S. said the app helped them get photos with everyone who came to the wedding.”
“A published testimonial from Nikki M. described sharing wedding pictures as easy and suited to special days.”
Our Event Album beats both
If you are choosing betweenJJoyandTThe Guestcompare 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, Joy or The Guest?
Joy has a free tier. The Guest has a free tier, plus paid plans.
How much does Joy cost?
Joy has a free tier.
How much does The Guest cost?
The Guest has a free tier, plus paid plans.
Do Joy or The Guest make guests download an app?
Joy runs in a web browser, so guests just scan a QR code, while The Guest 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 Joy and The Guest?
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.
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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