Pixieset alternatives for Australian photographers
Why Australian photographers look beyond Pixieset, what to compare (currency, GST, commission, print labs), and five alternatives with their trade-offs.
Pixieset is popular for good reasons. Its galleries look clean, clients find them easy, and there's a free plan to start on. But it was built for the North American market, and once an Australian studio grows, a few things start to rub: the bill is in US dollars, the business tools cost extra, and GST is left for you to sort out.
A disclosure first: we make Lumi HQ, one of the alternatives below. We've tried to be fair about all of them, including Pixieset. Details were checked in October 2026; check each provider's pricing page before you decide, because these things change.
Why Australians look for an alternative
- US-dollar pricing. Your monthly cost moves with the exchange rate, and some banks add an international transaction fee on top.
- Commission on the free plan. Pixieset's free plan takes 15% of store sales. The paid gallery plans don't.
- The business tools are a separate product. Invoices, contracts and bookings are in Studio Manager, which is a separate subscription unless you buy the Suite bundle.
- GST is on you. An Australian client needs a tax invoice with your ABN and the GST shown, and your prices need to be clear about whether GST is included.
What to compare
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What currency am I billed in? | AUD pricing means the cost you budget is the cost you pay. |
| What does the store take? | A commission comes out of every print and download you sell. |
| Who prints and posts the orders? | A lab that ships within Australia means faster delivery and no surprise import costs for your client. |
| Are invoices and contracts included? | Otherwise you're paying for, and switching between, a second tool. |
| Can I bring my galleries across? | Re-uploading years of galleries by hand is what keeps most people where they are. |
1. Lumi HQ
Lumi HQ is made on the Sunshine Coast for Australian photographers. Galleries, the print store, enquiries, bookings, invoices and contracts sit behind one login, priced in AUD. Invoices are ATO tax invoices with your ABN, with GST-inclusive or exclusive prices and deposits on a payment schedule.
The store takes no commission. Each sale pays the lab's cost, postage and the card fee, and the rest goes straight to your own Stripe account. Prints are made by our lab partner and sent to Australian addresses. Clients can crop their print, choose black and white, and see it on a wall at real size before they buy. On Pro, clients can search a gallery for “first dance” or find every photo they're in with a selfie.
Moving is the part people dread, so the importer reads your Pixieset galleries directly: photos, folders, cover, password, expiry and download settings come across. Nothing in your Pixieset account changes, and imported galleries stay unpublished until you've checked them.
Where it falls short: Lumi HQ doesn't build your website, which Pixieset does. There's no app-store app; the dashboard installs to your phone's home screen. And it's younger than Pixieset, with a smaller catalogue of print products.
Price: $19 a month (Starter, galleries and the store), $39 (Standard, more storage) or $69 (Pro, with the studio tools), all ex-GST, with a 14-day free trial.
2. Pic-Time
Pic-Time's strength is selling: its galleries are built around print and album sales, with marketing campaigns to past clients. If prints are a big part of your income, it's worth a look. It's priced in US dollars and doesn't include a CRM, though it connects to some, including Studio Ninja.
3. ShootProof
ShootProof combines galleries with invoices and contracts, and it has long worked with Atkins Pro Lab for Australian and New Zealand printing. Like Pixieset and Pic-Time it's a US company billing in US dollars, so compare the total in AUD.
4. Zenfolio
Zenfolio launched its rebuilt platform in Australia in 2022, with a website builder, galleries, booking and invoicing, and HC Pro as an Australian partner lab. It suits photographers who want their portfolio website and galleries in one place.
5. Stay on Pixieset
If you're on a paid gallery plan, you don't need invoices or contracts, and the exchange rate doesn't bother you, Pixieset is still a good gallery. The case for moving grows with everything else you pay for alongside it.
The quick answer
| If you want… | Look at |
|---|---|
| Galleries, store and studio admin in one AUD subscription | Lumi HQ |
| The most print and album sales from each gallery | Pic-Time |
| Galleries plus contracts with Atkins printing | ShootProof |
| Your website and galleries together | Zenfolio or Pixieset |
Whichever you choose, move one gallery first and check it before you move the rest. If Lumi HQ is on your list, start a free trial and import a gallery. It takes a few minutes to set up, and nothing changes for your clients until you publish.
One studio platform, built in Australia.
Galleries, print sales, invoicing and the whole studio behind one login. Free to start, no credit card.
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