Walgreens and CVS are both national drugstore chains that offer photo printing services. You can order prints online or in-store, and both companies offer a wide range of print sizes and product options.
If you need to get some prints made, you might be wondering if Walgreens or CVS is the better option. Both chains offer photo printing services, but they have different pricing and product options.
This blog post will compare the two companies and help you decide which is the best choice for your needs, according to the following criteria:
- Pricing
- Variety
- Print Quality
- Photo-Editing Features
- Storage and Sharing
- Ease of Access
- Printing Method
- Reviews
- Delivery Time
- Extra Features
- Pick Up Options
- Availability
- Mobile App
Want to know more?
Let’s dive in!
Why Should You Order Instant Photo Delivery Service?
There are a few reasons why you might want to use an instant photo delivery service like Walgreens or CVS rather than print your photos at home or use a traditional photo lab:
- It’s convenient. You can upload your pictures from your computer or phone and pick them up at your local store, usually within an hour.
- Drugstores typically have lower prices than professional photo labs.
- You’ll have a broader range of product options, including enlargements, collages, and photo books.
Walgreens vs. CVS Photo Printing Services
We’re going now to compare both services following different criteria, to help you choose the best one for your needs.
- Walgreens offers a variety of photo printing services, both in-store and online. You can order prints in sizes from 2″ x 3″ to 8″ x 10″. Prices start at $0.29 per print for standard images, and you can get discounts when you order in bulk. Walgreens also offers enlargements, collages, photo books, and other photo products.
- CVS offers similar photo printing services to Walgreens. You can order prints in sizes from 2″ x 3″ to 8″ x 10″. Prices start at $0.29 per print for standard images, and you can get discounts when you order in bulk. CVS also offers enlargements, collages, photo books, and other photo products. However, CVS does not provide same-day pick-up for online orders after 7 p.m.
1. Pricing
Walgreen’s pricing for photo prints starts at $0.19 per print for 4×6 images, while CVS charges $0.29 per print for the same size. However, CVS offers discounts for larger print orders, so it’s cheaper to order prints in bulk. For example, an order of 100 4×6 photos costs $21.99 at Walgreens, while the same order costs just $13.99 at CVS. Therefore, if you need prints for your business, there could be no better choice than CVS. On the other hand, Walgreens doesn’t offer any policies like the CVS one.
2. Variety
CVS also offers a broader range of photo products than Walgreens. In addition to prints, you can order photo books, cards, calendars, and enlargements at CVS. Walgreens offers prints, gains, and photo books but does not have as many product options as CVS.
3. Print Quality
Both companies use high-quality printers and paper when it comes to printing quality. However, CVS offers more printing options that allow you to adjust your photos’ color, brightness, and contrast before they’re published. This means you have more control over the final product when you print with CVS.
4. Photo-Editing Features
Both Walgreens and CVS offer basic photo-editing features, such as cropping and red-eye removal. However, CVS also offers advanced editing features, such as filters, effects, and the ability to create collages. But we don’t use it as a feature. It’s 2022. Who doesn’t have a smartphone? There are tons of photo editing software like PicsArt, Adobe Lightroom, InShot, Beauty Plus, and Snap Speed that do a far better job than the default editor of CVS. So, you can neglect this point in the comparison.
5. Storage and Sharing
Both companies offer online storage for your photos, allowing you to access them from any device. CVS also allows you to share your pictures with others via email or social media. Walgreens does not have this feature. You can also get your photos delivered directly from CVS to your Google Drive or OneDrive account. However, you might need to pay extra fees to get the soft copy of the image into digital storage.
6. Ease of Access
Walgreens has over 8,000 locations across the United States, so finding a store near you is easy. However, CVS takes the edge by offering 1,932 different stores all over the USA. To be precise, CVS has over 9,932 stores all over the USA, covering rural and remote areas. While Walgreens only offers its stores in commercial and urban areas far from residential areas,
7. Printing Method
Walgreens uses an inkjet printing process, while CVS uses a dye-sublimation printing process. Both methods produce high-quality prints, but dye-sublimation is generally considered superior. However, Walgreen’s inkjet printing process offers better quality and printing time. They provide 24-hour delivery, while CVS only offers printing before 7 p.m. The dye-sublimation works by transferring the image onto the piece of paper through heat. On the other hand, inkjet uses a spraying process to spray the painting onto the base through electro-magnetic ink that sticks to the paper.
8. Reviews
Overall, Walgreens and CVS have positive customer reviews for their photo printing services. However, CVS is generally the better option, as they offer lower prices, more product options, and higher-quality prints. Not just that, CVS, a medical pharmacy, is also available in rural and remote areas, while Walgreens only exists in urban and commercial areas. CVS stores require less space, while Walgreens is more than a pharmacy, so it needs more space.
9. Delivery Time
Walgreens typically delivers photo prints within 7–10 days, while CVS delivers them within 5-7 days. Both companies offer same-day urgent delivery if you pay them extra money. However, same-day shipping only works for those orders received before 7 p.m. (local time). Walgreens’ same-day pick-up works 24 hours a day. Both companies offer in-store pick-up for online orders. However, CVS provides a broader range of pick-up options, including same-day, next-day, and in-store pick-up within an hour.
10. Extra Features
CVS offers a broader range of extra features than Walgreens. These include the ability to create photo books, calendars, and cards or order prints in various sizes, including square prints, large prints, and even poster-sized prints. CVS also offers a wide range of photo gifts, such as mugs, keychains, and magnets, while Walgreens does not provide any of these extra features.
11. Pick Up Options
CVS offers a wide range of pick-up options, including same-day, next-day, and in-store pick-up within an hour. Walgreens only offers in-store pick-up for online orders.
12. Availability
Both services are only available within the United States. Unfortunately, none of them support their services outside of the US territory. Additionally, the service is only available in the areas where their stores exist inside the USA. For example, in rural areas like villages and farms, the service might not be accessible.
13. Mobile App
CVS offers a great mobile app that makes it easy to print photos from your phone. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. On the other hand, Walgreens also offers a mobile app, but it’s not the app but a redirection to the web version of the Walgreens photo.
FAQ
Here’s a quick and short FAQ related to Walgreens and CVS Photo Printing Services.
What is an Instant Photo Delivery Service?
The “instant photo service” refers to the process of getting your photos delivered directly to your Google Drive or OneDrive account. However, you might need to pay extra fees to get the soft copy of the image into digital storage.
What is the size limit for photos?
The size limit for photos is 8 MB in CVS. In Walgreens, it’s 5MB. A regular photo captured by the DSLR or smartphone consumes 3–6 MB, so you might have to compress the image or convert it into JPG.
What type of paper do they use?
CVS uses a glossy paper type, while Walgreens uses a semi-glossy variety. If you’re looking for a more professional look, go with CVS. However, if you want your photos to last longer, Walgreens is the better option.
Why is choosing an Instant Photo service better?
Instant photo services like CVS and Walgreen’s are quick, faster, and low-cost. On the other hand, the regular photo printing service requires you to walk into their physical store, give them the soft copy and wait for the printing, which takes about 1-3 days. Additionally, they charge a higher amount than the instant service. Instant services give you instant delivery at a low cost while staying online.
Which is the Best Photo Printing Service?
Both Walgreens and CVS offer high-quality photo printing services at reasonable prices.
However:
- CVS is better if you’re looking for discounts on large print orders, a more comprehensive range of product options, and advanced photo-editing features.
- If you need your prints quickly, then Walgreens is the better choice since they offer in-store pick-up.
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