Compare/SmugMug
SMvsOb
The SmugMug alternative

Obsydian vs SmugMug

SmugMug sells your prints. Obsydian protects and shares what you post — without needing an online store.

★★★★★ Loved by privacy-first creators
Overview

What is SmugMug?

SmugMug is a long-running photography platform: unlimited-storage galleries, an ad-free portfolio site, and — on its Portfolio and Pro plans — built-in print and product sales through lab integrations. It's aimed squarely at working photographers who want a storefront, not at a quick link-in-bio page. Plans run from $20/mo (Direct, annual) up to $37/mo (Pro, annual) plus a custom Enterprise tier, all with a 14-day free trial on Pro.

CategoryGallery & Storage
BackgroundLaunched 2002 · Mountain View, California
TaglinePhotography portfolio & print-sales platform

We're biased — but honest.

SmugMug is built for photographers selling prints — that's a real, different job to a link-in-bio page. If you don't need print fulfillment, SmugMug's storage-and-storefront model is a lot of platform for what's usually a simpler need: one page for all your links, with your content watermarked and metadata-stripped as it goes out. Obsydian doesn't try to be a print shop; it's the fast, privacy-first front door SmugMug doesn't offer, and it has a genuinely free tier where SmugMug has none.

Side by side

Obsydian vs SmugMug, feature by feature

FeatureObsydianSmugMug
Visible watermarkingText, tile, edge-frame & motionBasic overlay only
Invisible (steganographic) watermarkYes — LSB stego
Automatic EXIF / GPS removalAlways on
Link-in-bio page includedYes — full profile
Creator-friendly content policiesYes — won't deplatform your nicheWorking/wedding & portrait photographers
PricingFree · £9 · £19From $20/mo — no free tier

Comparison reflects each provider's publicly listed plans and features as of June 2026. Details change — check each provider for the latest.

Pricing

SmugMug pricing vs Obsydian

SmugMug
  • Direct$20/mo (annual) · $29/moUnlimited uploads, ad-free portfolio, no selling
  • Portfolio$23.50/mo (annual) · $35.50/moAdds print/product sales
  • Pro$37/mo (annual) · $52/moFull commerce + business tools
  • EnterpriseCustomQuote-based
Obsydian
  • Free£0Unlimited links · 10 protected files/mo · always-on scrubbing
  • Studio£9/moUnlimited watermarking · invisible watermark · analytics
  • Black£19/mo5 profiles · custom domain · priority support · vault (closed beta)
Full pricing

Comparison reflects each provider's publicly listed plans and features as of June 2026. Details change — check each provider for the latest.

The honest take

SmugMug: pros & cons

What SmugMug does well

  • Unlimited storage and an ad-free, polished portfolio site
  • Genuine print/product sales through lab integrations
  • Long track record with working photographers
  • 14-day free trial on the Pro plan

Where it falls short

  • No free tier — every plan is paid
  • Built around galleries and commerce, not a simple link-in-bio page
  • No watermarking beyond basic overlays, no metadata scrubbing, no leak tracing
  • Overkill if you don't need print fulfillment

Choose Obsydian if…

  • You want a link-in-bio page, not a print storefront
  • You want watermarking and automatic EXIF/GPS scrubbing built into what you post
  • You want a genuinely usable free tier before paying anything
Start free

Stick with SmugMug if…

  • Selling prints and products is core to your business
  • You want a dedicated photography portfolio site rather than a link hub
Questions

Obsydian vs SmugMug, answered

Is Obsydian a free SmugMug alternative?
For a link-in-bio page, yes — Obsydian's free tier gives you an unlimited-link page with watermarking and metadata scrubbing at no cost. SmugMug has no free tier and is really solving a different problem: galleries plus print sales.
Does Obsydian let me sell prints like SmugMug?
No — Obsydian isn't a print storefront. It's built to be the fast, protected page you link out from, not a commerce platform with lab fulfillment.
How much does SmugMug cost?
From $20/month (Direct, billed annually) up to $37/month (Pro), plus a custom Enterprise tier — all paid, no free plan. Obsydian is a flat £9 Studio or £19 Black, with a genuinely useful free tier.
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