The considered choice / Chatbooks
Chatbooks alternative: an album you print at home
Chatbooks is a subscription that turns your camera roll or social feed into a small printed book every month, with very little design work and no PDF. Foldpic is the opposite: a one-off album you design in a template, download as a PDF, and print at home with no subscription.
As of September 2026. About Chatbooks: Subscription photo books built automatically from your phone or social feeds and mailed monthly. chatbooks.com
Chatbooks solves a real problem: photos pile up and nobody makes the album. Its Monthbooks pull from your phone, Google Photos, Instagram or Facebook and arrive in the post, 5×7 or 6×6 inch from $15 softcover or $24 hardcover, 8×8 from $24 or $34, and Monthly Minis at $10. Intro offers like 3 books for $18 are common.
The trade-off is control. Reviews note that it takes your posts in order with no quality filtering, that you cannot move photos around or add extra text boxes, and some describe surprise subscription charges and hidden deadlines. It has a Trustpilot score of 4.2 from more than 2,200 reviews. This comparison is as of September 2026.
Side by side
| Chatbooks | Foldpic | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Monthly subscription, book mailed to you | One-off project, you print at home |
| PDF download | No | Yes |
| Price | Monthbooks $15 soft / $24 hard (5×7, 6×6); 8×8 $24 / $34; Minis $10; intro 3 books for $18 | First project free up to 16 pages; per-project unlock and Creator plan planned |
| Editing | Automatic from feeds; reviewers say you cannot move photos or add text boxes | Drag photos between slots, change layouts, add captions and titles |
| Photo sources | Phone, computer, Google Photos, Instagram, Facebook | Your device |
| Formats | Small softcover and hardcover books | Stapled booklet, 8-page zine, accordion album |
| Account required | Yes, with a subscription | No account for your first project |
| Billing surprises | Reviews report unexpected charges, e.g. a $161 subscription charge | No subscription today; paid tiers will be shown before you hit limits |
What Chatbooks is great at
- Zero-effort books: connect a feed and a book arrives every month.
- Small, sturdy printed books, including hardcover, without touching a printer.
- Keeping up with a growing child month by month.
- Low entry price with intro bundles.
When to use Foldpic instead
- You want to choose and arrange the photos yourself.
- You do not want a subscription or a recurring charge.
- You want the PDF to print now, reprint, or share the file.
- You want an occasion album, a zine, or an accordion strip rather than a monthly digest.
Questions people ask
Does Chatbooks give you a PDF?
No. Chatbooks prints and mails physical books; there is no printable PDF export.
Can I cancel Chatbooks easily?
It is a subscription, and some reviewers describe surprise charges and deadlines. Check the current terms on their site before signing up.
Is Foldpic a subscription?
Not today. Your first project is free. A Creator plan at about $5 a month and a per-project unlock at about $7 are planned and will be clearly labelled when they launch.
Can Foldpic pull photos from Instagram?
Not yet. You add photos from your device. Import from Google Photos and Instagram is on the roadmap.
Which is better for a monthly baby book?
If you want it to happen without you, Chatbooks. If you want to pick the photos and print a booklet for the grandparents too, Foldpic.