Format and Pixpa are both trial-based portfolio builders for photographers and creatives with client galleries and commission-free stores, but they split on…
Best for Format: Format fits creatives who want their store fee-free from day one on a mid-tier plan and who need extras like up to 120 minutes of hosted video (Pro Plus) or a multilingual site via the built-in Weglot integration.
Best for Pixpa: Pixpa fits photographers who want a zero-commission store on the cheapest plan available, a larger template library (200+) to start from, and a 30-day money-back guarantee plus a longer 15-day trial before committing.
At a Glance
Format
Pixpa
Primary category
Website Builders
Website Builders
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription
Subscription
Starting price
$14/month (or $10/month billed annually)
$5.40/month (billed annually)
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web, iOS
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
Not documented
Not documented
Key Differences
Commission-free store availability
Format: Format's commission-free store is only available on the Pro plan and above; the entry-level Basic plan has no online store at all.
Pixpa: Pixpa's store carries zero commission on every plan, including the entry-level Basic plan at $5.40/month.
Sellers on a budget need to know whether they must upgrade tiers just to sell without a cut taken from each sale.
Template and theme library size
Format: Format offers 90+ themes built specifically for photography and creative portfolios.
Pixpa: Pixpa offers 200+ designer-made, responsive templates customizable with layout, style, and custom CSS.
A larger starting template library gives more starting points before customization is needed.
Trial length and refund policy
Format: Format's free trial runs 14 days and doesn't ask for a credit card up front, though the facts don't mention any money-back guarantee.
Pixpa: Pixpa gives you 15 days to try it out with no credit card needed, and backs that up with a 30-day money-back guarantee once you've subscribed.
A longer evaluation window plus a refund guarantee reduces the financial risk of committing to a paid plan.
Hosted video and multilingual support
Format: Format supports up to 120 minutes of hosted video on higher plans and multilingual sites via a built-in Weglot integration.
Pixpa: Pixpa's facts do not document hosted video or a site-translation feature for published sites.
Video hosting and multilingual publishing are relevant to creatives who show motion work or serve non-English-speaking clients.
Client gallery packaging
Format: Format includes client galleries directly within its main plans, scaling from 3 galleries on Basic up to 250 on Pro Plus.
Pixpa: Pixpa includes client galleries in its main plans but also sells a Standalone Client Gallery plan ($5/month) as a separate add-on for proofing-only needs.
A standalone gallery-only option can be cheaper for users who only need proofing without a full site builder.
Feature-by-Feature
Core Builder Features
Feature
Format
Pixpa
Drag-and-drop / visual editor
Available
Available
Template/theme count
Available
Available
Custom layout builder
Available
Not documented
Built-in blog
Not documented
Available
Multilingual sites
Available
Not documented
Store & Client Galleries
Feature
Format
Pixpa
Commission-free store on entry plan
Unavailable
Available
Commission-free store (any plan)
Available
Available
Client galleries / proofing
Available
Available
Standalone gallery-only plan
Unavailable
Available
Print fulfillment integration
Not documented
Available
Hosted video
Available
Not documented
Pricing & Trials
Feature
Format
Pixpa
Starting price
Available
Available
Free trial
Available
Available
Money-back guarantee
Not documented
Available
AI features
Unavailable
Unavailable
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Format
Basic — $14/month ($10/month billed annually) monthly or annual
Pro — $24/month ($12/month billed annually) monthly or annual
Pro Plus — $36/month ($15/month billed annually) monthly or annual
Commission-free store means photographers keep 100 percent of print and product sale revenue on paid plans
Deep photography-specific workflow integration via Adobe Lightroom sync
Client proofing galleries are built into every plan rather than sold as an add-on
More than a decade of operating history and a large template library aimed specifically at visual portfolios
Annual billing offers a substantial discount versus month-to-month pricing
Cons
Higher standard monthly pricing than some general-purpose website builders if not committing to an annual plan
Feature set is narrowly focused on photography and visual portfolios, less suited to non-visual small businesses
Lower-tier Basic plan has meaningful limits on page count, images, and client galleries
Now owned by Zenfolio, which could eventually affect long-term product direction or brand independence
Pixpa
Pros
Purpose-built for photographers and visual creatives, not a generic website builder
Combines portfolio, store, galleries and blog in one subscription instead of stitching together multiple tools
No commission fees on store sales
Strong customer support reputation, rated 4.7/5 on Capterra across 600+ reviews
Generous 15-day free trial with no credit card required, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
Design flexibility is more limited than fully custom-code website builders
Fewer third-party integrations and apps than larger platforms like Squarespace
Advanced e-commerce features are less robust than dedicated platforms like Shopify
The dedicated client-gallery-only plan requires a separate subscription from the main site plans
Use Cases
Choose Format: Format fits creatives who want their store fee-free from day one on a mid-tier plan and who need extras like up to 120 minutes of hosted video (Pro Plus) or a multilingual site via the built-in Weglot integration.
Choose Pixpa: Pixpa fits photographers who want a zero-commission store on the cheapest plan available, a larger template library (200+) to start from, and a 30-day money-back guarantee plus a longer 15-day trial before committing.
Need both: Agencies or studios evaluating portfolio platforms for multiple photographer clients may end up testing both trials side by side, since each offers a different balance of store economics (Format's Basic plan has no store at all, while Pixpa is commission-free from its very first plan) and gallery/proofing depth.
Format
Building a professional photography portfolio — Photographers use Format's templates and Lightroom integration to publish a polished, image-heavy portfolio site quickly.
Client proofing and print sales — Photographers share proofing galleries with clients for selection, then sell prints and digital downloads through Format's commission-free store.
Showcasing visual creative work beyond photography — Designers and illustrators use Format's portfolio themes to present visual work with a similarly image-focused layout.
Pixpa
Photographer portfolio and client delivery — Wedding, portrait and commercial photographers use Pixpa to showcase work, deliver proofs and sell prints in one workflow.
Artist and designer online presence — Illustrators, fine artists and designers use Pixpa's templates to build a professional portfolio without coding.
Small creative business e-commerce — Creatives sell prints, digital downloads or services directly from their portfolio site using Pixpa's built-in store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Format or Pixpa charge commission on store sales?
Pixpa is commission-free on every plan, including its $5.40/month entry tier. Format's store is also commission-free, but only from the Pro plan upward — its Basic plan doesn't include a store at all.
Which one has more templates to start from?
Pixpa lists 200+ designer-made templates, while Format offers 90+ themes built specifically for photography and creative portfolios.
Do Format and Pixpa offer free trials?
Yes, both offer no-credit-card trials — Format's runs 14 days, and Pixpa's runs 15 days. Pixpa also adds a 30-day money-back guarantee after that.
Can I host video with either platform?
Format supports up to 120 minutes of hosted video on its Pro Plus plan. Pixpa's facts don't document a video hosting feature.
Is there a way to get just client proofing galleries without a full site builder?
Pixpa sells a Standalone Client Gallery plan for $5/month that provides proofing-only functionality. Format's client galleries are bundled into its main plans rather than offered standalone.
Do either of these tools include AI features?
No — the facts for both Format and Pixpa explicitly note that no AI features are mentioned on either site.