Walgreens is one of the most popular drugstore chains in the United States and offers a variety of services, including photo printing. With thousands of locations across the country, Walgreens provides convenient access to printing photos from your smartphone, digital camera, or saved files. But how good is the actual print quality at Walgreens? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at Walgreens photo printing services and quality.
Walgreens Photo Printing Overview
Walgreens offers several options for printing photos, including:
- In-store photo kiosks – Available at most locations, these allow you to insert a USB drive, SD card, or connect wirelessly from your smartphone to print.
- Online photo printing – Upload files through the Walgreens website or mobile app and pick up in-store or have them shipped.
- Same day pickup – For most standard print sizes, you can upload a photo online and pick it up at a store just an hour later.
- Photo gifts – Prints can be used to create customized photo books, cards, calendars, canvases, and other photo gifts.
Walgreens prints photos at the store level rather than at a centralized production facility. So quality can vary from location to location based on the printers used, maintenance, calibration, etc. The majority of stores use digital dry lab printers like the Fujifilm Frontier or Noritsu mini-labs.
Print Options
Walgreens offers several standard print sizes and types to choose from:
| Print Size | Finish Options |
|---|---|
| 3.5×5 | Glossy, matte |
| 4×6 | Glossy, matte, semi-gloss |
| 5×7 | Glossy, matte |
| 8×10 | Glossy, matte, semi-gloss |
| 8.5×11 | Glossy, matte |
| 11×14 | Glossy, matte |
| 12×18 | Glossy, matte |
| 16×20 | Glossy, matte |
| 20×30 | Glossy, matte |
| Wallets | Glossy |
They also offer specialty print options like collages, calendars, posters, acrylic prints, metal prints, canvas prints, and more. Print turnaround time ranges from 1 hour for standard prints to about 5-7 business days for larger specialty prints.
Print Quality
When it comes to basic 4×6 prints, most Walgreens locations use newer digital printers that produce good quality results. The color reproduction is generally quite accurate and vibrant on glossy paper. Print sharpness is also decent, capturing fine details well at standard viewing distances.
However, quality across locations can be inconsistent based on the specific equipment used. Some printers may produce less saturated colors or suffer from calibration issues over time. It’s a good idea to inspect your first few prints from a new location to ensure you’re satisfied.
For larger sized glossy and matte prints, the quality remains fairly good up to 8×10 or 11×14 inches. However, details become less sharp when you move into poster sizes like 16×20 due to the limitations of printing enlarged images on drugstore equipment.
Overall, Walgreens higher end prints like canvas and acrylic mounts can have excellent image quality when printed properly. But these are produced centralized facilities instead of in-store, so quality control is improved. The downside is longer turnaround times.
Pros
Here are some of the benefits of using Walgreens for photo prints:
- Convenience – With thousands of locations across the US, you’re likely to have a store nearby making prints fast and easy to pickup.
- Decent quality – For basic 4×6 prints, the color accuracy, sharpness, and print consistency is pretty good.
- Low cost – Walgreen’s print prices are very affordable, especially for standard sizes.
- Frequent sales – Sales like 50% off 4×6 prints or buy one, get one free specials can help you save even more.
- Satisfaction guaranteed – If you’re unhappy with a print, Walgreens will remake it or refund your money.
- Variety – From photo books to acrylic prints, Walgreens offers a wide range of print products and sizes.
Cons
Here are a few potential downsides of using Walgreens photo services:
- Quality variability – Print quality between locations and printers can be inconsistent.
- Lower quality enlarged prints – Blown up prints over 11×14 inches can lose sharpness and detail.
- Longer specialty print times – Canvas, metal, acrylic prints take 5-7 business days to produce.
- No professional printing options – No pro-lab quality printing offered for high end portrait, wedding, or fine art photography.
- Limited print sizes – Selection of print sizes is standard drugstore sizes, no custom print sizes.
- Impersonal service – Staff generally has limited photography knowledge compared to a pro photo lab.
Quality Compared to Other Retail Photo Prints
How does Walgreens stack up against other popular retail photo printing options?
| Retailer | Print Quality | Pricing | Convenience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walgreens | Good | Low | High |
| CVS | Good | Low | High |
| Costco | Very Good | Very Low | Medium |
| Walmart | Average | Low | High |
| Target | Good | Medium | High |
Walgreens tends to be on par with other major drugstore chains like CVS for print quality. Costco stands out as having exceptional quality for the price thanks to their central professional printing labs. Walmart and Target have more variability in print quality depending on location.
Should You Use Walgreens Photo Services?
Walgreens is a very convenient and affordable option for getting quick snapshots and family photos printed. The quality is perfectly fine for basic prints that don’t require professional-level color and sharpness.
However, for portrait sessions, weddings, or other important photography, you may want to use a professional lab. They will offer higher end printing options, better color accuracy, sharper detail, and custom print sizes.
Some examples of popular professional photo labs include:
- Mpix
- Nations Photo Lab
- Miller’s Professional Imaging
- WHCC
- Bay Photo Lab
These labs cater specifically to photographers and artists, so quality and service are superior. But you’ll pay higher prices compared to Walgreens.
For most general consumer printing needs, Walgreens offers an unbeatable mix of convenience, low cost, and adequate print quality. Just be aware that results can vary between locations. Inspect your first few prints closely and don’t be afraid to ask them to reprint a photo if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
Tips for Better Photo Prints
To get the best possible prints from Walgreens, keep these tips in mind:
- Upload the highest resolution version of your image files for sharper details.
- Stick to glossy paper for vibrant color and depth. Matte paper can look flatter.
- Avoid enlarging photos too much or pixelation may occur.
- Inspect the first print and request a redo if quality seems subpar.
- Qualify photos before printing to pick the best exposures and focus.
- Take advantage of frequent Walgreens sales and specials to save.
- For professional prints, use a higher end lab like Mpix or Bay Photo.
- Consider Costco for surprisingly good quality at very low costs.
Conclusion
Walgreens offers a convenient way to get photo prints made quickly at one of thousands of locations across the country. The print quality is quite good for basic 4×6 prints, though it can vary somewhat across locations and printers.
Larger poster sized prints may lose detail and sharpness. But specialty options like photo books, metal, and acrylic prints are produced centrally by Walgreens and offer excellent quality.
Overall, Walgreens is ideal for snapshots and family photos when you value convenience and affordability. For professional and portrait photography, higher end labs will provide superior print quality and custom options. But for most general photo printing needs, Walgreens is a great choice.
