What if you could create your own travel photo book from the comfort of your couch? I think we can all agree that photos are definitely the best souvenirs one can bring back from any trip! But let’s be honest, we’ve all been there: after returning home from a dream vacation, our photos either end up flooding our smartphones’ memory cards or our bedroom and living room drawers.
Sounds a lot like you? Then it looks like Mixbook is what you’re looking for!
What is Mixbook and why should you use it to create your travel photo book?
Mixbook is an online platform/service that allows you to create personalized photo albums for all occasions! All you have to do is look for your favorite Mixbook layout, upload your own pictures, customize your photo book as you wish, and hit the order button!
Since I am a travel blogger, I obviously created a travel photo book, but the options really are limitless!
6 reasons to create a travel photo book with Mixbook
- It’s a great way to store all your travel memories in the same place
- It’ll save you time: no more gluing each photo one by one
- It’s a super original gift, especially for travel enthusiasts
- It offers a whole range of different styles and layouts for all tastes
- It’s customizable
- It’s super easy to create
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that I receive a small commission for each purchase with no additional cost to you! Thanks for helping me get one step closer to my goal as a content creator!
Travel Photo Books: My Mixbook Review
Before getting into the nitty-gritty, here is an example of a travel photo album I created.
I initially created 2-3 albums on Mixbook’s website in order to test different layouts before finally ordering my favorite one.
I based my review on the 4 most important aspects to me:
- Colors
- Paper options
- Variety of layouts + customization options
- Price range
Colors
This is the very first time I get to print my own travel pictures.
To be honest, I was worried about the way the colors would turn out, but I was pleasantly surprised with the result. The colors were not altered at all and were just as vibrant on paper! This was definitely a great surprise.
Paper options
I used semi-gloss paper for my Mixbook. It is a good quality of paper with a smooth and glossy finish which – I think – helps keep the colors rich and lively once printed. For the cover, I went for the hardcover and I cannot recommend it enough. It’ll make your photo album more sophisticated and it’ll also look like an actual book, which is pretty cool.
However, there are different finishes available:
- Semi-Gloss
- Pearl Finish
- Premium Matte Lay Flat
- Premium Lustre Lay Flat
As well as several types of covers:
- Soft cover
- Glossy Hardcover
- Matte Hardcover
- Leather Cover
You can find all the details you need about each type of paper, finish and cover directly on Mixbook’s website.
Note: you’ll be able to change the size, paper type, and cover at checkout. If you’re based in Europe, semi-gloss paper is the only available option at the moment.
Can I use photos taken with my iPhone to create a travel book with Mixbook?
Yes! Basically, all the pictures I used for my travel photo album were taken with an iPhone; some with my iPhone 11, and some taken a couple of years ago with my iPhone 6s. To be completely honest, some of the pictures taken with my iPhone 6 looked slightly pixelated when used as full-page pictures. That’s why you want to make sure to use your best photos! If the resolution of your pictures is too low, Mixbook will notify you as well.
For best print quality, Mixbook recommends at least 4MB/300 dpi. When it comes to image format, even though .png files are supported, .jpg/.jpeg or .heic formats are recommended.
How to check a photo’s resolution before uploading it to Mixbook?
Select your picture > Right click > Properties (at the bottom of the list) > Details
The file size is indicated in Ko here. Look for “Ko to MB Conversion” on Google, and you’ll be able to convert it to MB in a few clicks.
Variety of layouts and customization options
Here are some of my favorite templates so far:
- Modern travels
- Full photo travel
- Minimal white (which I used for my own travel book)
I decided to keep my first travel photo book neat and quite minimalist. But next time, I might add a touch of color thanks to one of the platform’s many backgrounds, stickers, etc.
Here are a few ways you can personalize your travel phot album on Mixbook’s platform:
- Use a few stickers
- Use a background. I really like the watercolor ones (just type one of the following keywords: watercolor, watercolor texture, watercolor swash, pink watercolor, blue watercolor, etc.)
- Upload your own stickers, textures, backgrounds, etc.
- Adjust the number of pages as well as their order, layout, etc.
Price range
Here’s what you can expect in terms of price range according to the different formats available. Of course, the total number of pages will also influence the final price of your photo album. The delivery fee will vary depending on your location.
| Dimensions | 8×6 | 8.5×8.5 | 8.5×11 | 11×8.5 | 12×12 |
| Price per page (over 20) | €0.62 | €1.25 | €1.34 | €1.34 | €2.06 |
Does Mixbook deliver in Europe?
Yes! I am based in Belgium and ordered my travel photo book on Mixbook Europe’s shop. I simply selected the Economy delivery option (€5.95) and still received my photo book quite fast. If you’re in a hurry, you can also select the Standard delivery (€7.95) or Express (€19.95) options. If you’re based in the US or in Canada, the delivery costs will be slightly different.
My review is coming to an end! I hope you enjoyed it and that it helped you make up your mind. If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on Instagram!
Ready to create your own travel book? Start now!
Leave a Reply