Oh hi there, fellow parent with approximately 3000 close up shots of your sleeping newborn. If you’re anything like most parents, trying to decide what to do with those photos is a little tricky. Saving them on your phone is impractical because A) they take up space, and B) the potential for dropping your phone full o’ photos in a gnarly toilet is legit.
Also, finding time to print them out, and actually make a baby book is damn near impossible thanks to the aforementioned baby clinging to you 24/7. But you know what you CAN do with a baby clinging to you? Add photos to your online baby photo journal.
When deciding what’s best for you, there are a few things to consider.
- Do you want to be able to use it on your phone, and your computer?
- What kind of operating system do you use (iOS or Android)?
- Is it important to you to be able to cross post with any specific social media outlet?
- Would you like it to have an option to print books?
- Do you want other people (like family, friends or caretakers) to be able to add photos to it?
The good news is there are so many cool options; with a little research you should be able to find one that suits your needs.
Here are our top picks for best online baby photo journals:
Tinybeans
Safe and secure way to share moments with friends and family, great reviews, and very affordable.
- Can be used via iOS, Android, and the web
- The app is free to download, but access to the ad-free photo service is $7.99 a month or $74.99 a year
- There is also an ad-supported free version that allows up to 20 memories to be uploaded per month
- Capable of multiple uploads (up to 20 photos at a time, but can be repeated), with 2TB storage available
- Ability to print photo books directly from site
- Can cross post to Facebook
- Has a milestone tracker
- Can allow for multiple people to add photos
- Secure and private, a great way to share with friends and family without worrying about someone you don’t know having access to the photos
(For more info, check out our review of Tinybeans here.)
Notabli
Another great way to share photos safely and securely. Different from others because of ability to also capture sound clips, which seems random until you discover that your baby automatically stops what they are doing if they see they are being recorded, and instead just says “cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!”
- Can be used on iOS, Android and the web
- Free, with paid premium service launching soon
- Can post photos, notes, videos and sound clips
- Organizes moments by kid, date, location and moment type
- Automatically notifies followers when new moments are posted
- Can enable it to automatically make a photo book every 50 photos, or you can make them at your leisure ($39)
- Can share moments on Facebook and Twitter
Lifecake
This is set apart from other options because of its ability to bulk-upload, and auto-organize, with ease.
- Available on iOS, Android and the web
- Great for bulk uploading (think: deciding to upload and organize all the photos of your children, two years after having your first, and 1 week before having your second) – will organize everything for you by date
- Can upload photo or videos
- Photos can be added from multiple users or devices
- Has an associated blog with tips, and parenting articles
- 10GB of free storage, or $36/year
- Can create custom, hardcover photo books, 80 pages for $50
- Photos are stored safe and secure, and are only shared with chosen family and friends
Moment Garden
The ability to really personalize the photo books sets Moment Garden apart from other options.
- iOS, Android and the web
- Free app, can upgrade to Moment Garden Star for about $4/month
- Sends reminders to record milestones based off birth date
- Can add a note/story to photos or videos
- Can import from Facebook
- Private and secure, sends an email to friends and family when new moments are added
- Unlimited photo and video uploads (under 20 seconds), can upgrade for additional options
- Can create photo books of different sizes, lengths, cover materials and paper quality, with prices ranging from as low as $9 to upwards of $50 depending on page length
Dayli
A horse of a different color. Not a photo journal as much as a unique way to capture childhood, one photo at a time.
- $2.99, only available on iOS
- Not really a photo journal in the same way the above options are, but is a cool option for people who want a non-traditional way to record memories
- Prompts you to take one photo per day, and then creates one of those time-lapse videos that makes everybody cry when set to the right music
- No bells and whistles (no milestone trackers, or photo book options), but isn’t trying to be a journal
Let me know if you come across any other ones that you love!
Our next reco: The Best Custom Photo Books For Every Type of Parent
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