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Do you capture moments you want to remember with your smartphone camera, only to never revisit the photos again? Maybe you have photos you want to print but can’t be bothered to transfer the photos onto a computer to print them out. Whatever your reason for looking for a smartphone printer may be, we've rounded up the 10 best options we found, as well as some advice for what to look out for.
The Kodak Step Wireless Mini Printer stood out to us because of how compact it is, the battery power, and how easy it was to use. Look through the remaining nine items on our list and read through the buying guide so you can get to printing from your smartphone!
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
Table of Contents
The two most important factors to consider when shopping for a smartphone printer is the size of the print and printing method. Printing methods play a major factor in a lot of the features of a smartphone printer, so deciding between the importance of print quality and other features like portability is a good place to start.
Think about the size of the printer and how and where you intend to use it. If you want something to easily take with you, take note of the dimensions and weight of the printer and figure out if it's a size that works with you. While larger printers can offer larger prints or higher quality, they are bulky and heavy to carry around with you.
The other size you should keep in mind is the size of the prints you want. Reflect on the orientation of some of your favorite photos and think about how big or small you want your images to be printed. Take the orientation and aspects of some of the photos you would like to print into account, so your photos will fit well on the paper.
There are a few different options when it comes to how images are printed and what that means in terms of print quality, printing time, and additional parts to buy.
Zink is a zero-ink printing method that produces photos quickly and conveniently. Ink cartridges are unnecessary here because the ink is actually in the paper. The printed photos are ready as soon as they come out of the printer, and most zink prints have a sticky backing, making it easy to stick on walls or books.
Zink printers tend to be less bulky because there is no need to load ink cartridges. The downside of Zink is that prints lack a degree of crispness, brightness, and overall quality compared to other methods.
Photos printed by dye sublimation tend to be high-quality and are printed in the same way things are printed in regular printers. In addition to the prints being high-quality, they last a long time and are strong against water and fingerprints.
However, there are some drawbacks to dye sublimation printers. For one, printing photos can take them longer than other printers. They also need ink cartridges, making them bulkier and heavier.
Polaroid-style photos give a retro feel to printed photos. The photos form once the prints come out of the printer, a process that can take a few minutes. Polaroid-style photos tend to have high contrast but are not very saturated, meaning dark areas in your photos are extra dark and colors aren't very vivid.
Some printers have multiple functions, like being a digital camera as well as a printer. These types have a screen on the printer that allows you to choose photos to print. Others allow for multiple people to connect and print at once, which can be useful if using the printer at a party, for example.
Most smartphone printers have an accompanying app to connect to the printer that allows you to edit or decorate photos or choose a design for the borders in-app before printing. If you want to personalize your photos without going through another photo editing app, make sure the associated printer app has the features you need.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kodak Step Wireless Mini Printer | $59.99 Low | Palm-Sized Zink Printer | ||
2 | Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Photo Printer | $99.99 Mid | Speedy and Compact Printer to Watch Your Photos Develop | ||
3 | Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay Hybrid Instant Camera | $199.95 High | Printer With Many Extra Features | ||
4 | Canon SELPHY QX10 | $129.99 High Mid | Adhesive-Backed Photos to Decorate Your Walls | ||
5 | Fujifilm Instax SP-3 Mobile Printer | $119.00 Mid | Connect to Your Social Media Accounts | ||
6 | HP Sprocket Photo Printer | $79.99 Low Mid | Super Compact Printer Option | ||
7 | Kodak Dock Plus Portable Printer | $134.99 High Mid | Perfect for Postcard-Sized Photos | ||
8 | Canon Selphy Wireless Compact Photo Printer|CP1300 | $120.99 Mid | Get Different Sized Prints With One Printer | ||
9 | Polaroid Polaroid Hi-Print | $80.92 Low Mid | High-Quality, Sticky-Backed Prints | ||
10 | Polaroid Polaroid Originals Lab | $99.00 Mid | Miniature Darkroom to Print Your Photos |
This mini printer is easy to carry around with you, and its rechargeable battery can print 25 photos off of a single charge. Each photo takes about a minute to print and can be stuck directly onto notebooks, walls, or anything you want to decorate with your printed photo thanks to the adhesive backing.
A handful of reviewers were unhappy with the quality of the photos that came out of the printer. On the other hand, many reviewers praised the printer for how easy it was to use and pop into their pockets or bags to carry around.
Many also liked the app because it connected to their social media accounts, letting them print directly from their social media pages. They also noted that the app is great for editing photos and made the printing process more fun.
This printer lets you connect up to five smartphones using Bluetooth. With the accompanying app, you can edit your photos in various ways before printing. The printer has a short printing time of 12 seconds and the photo takes up to 90 seconds to fully develop once it is out of the printer.
A few reviewers said that while they liked the printer, the photos that came out of it had pretty low resolution. Some appreciated the 90s feel of the polaroids, though.
Meanwhile, the majority of reviewers were happy with the printer. Many said it was easy to use as well as portable. Some added that the little polaroids made for great gifts to friends and family.
This smartphone printer is highly versatile. It can print photos, yes, but it also acts as a camera. Via Bluetooth connectivity, you can use your phone as a remote control. And you can use it to create QR codes on printed images to relive recorded audio associated with captured moments.
Through the associated app, you can print photos from your phone. You can add stickers on your photos both through the app or the printer display screen.
Buyers loved this printer because it gave them the option of printing photos from their phones or using the camera itself. Some noted that the photos came out in better quality when printed from their phones. Still, many were happy with the print quality overall!
This compact smartphone printer produces high-quality, well-saturated photos using dye sublimation. Using the associated app, you can choose and edit the photos you want to print, adding stickers, filters, and borders. The printer is available in four different colors.
A few reviewers felt that the app could use some work because it was poorly laid out and lacked some important editing features like repositioning the photo.
Meanwhile, buyers were excited about how easy it was to print photos from their phones using the app. Many loved using it to print photos to decorate their space, to give as gifts, or to use at parties. Some highlighted that the printer was lightweight and portable, and many praised the high quality of the photos!
Print pictures from your camera roll or social media feed in record time. This printer claims to produce images in only 13 seconds. The app allows for photo editing and includes a collage feature that lets you choose two to nine photos to create a unique grid.
A handful of reviewers complained about the app freezing or not working at times. On the other hand, many loved the printer for producing high-quality polaroids. They said it was fun to play around with, especially editing photos in the app, and easy to take out.
This printer is perfect for those that want something that's practically pocket-sized. With zink technology, it prints small photos anywhere you want. The photo paper has adhesive on its back, so you can easily put it up on the wall or into a scrapbook.
The printer can connect to multiple phones at a time.
A few reviewers complained that the printer gave their photos a pink hue. Meanwhile, other buyers loved to use this printer for scrapbooking or journaling because the photos are small enough for notebooks and the Zink paper has an adhesive backing. Many also liked that the printer was portable.
For those who want to print postcard-sized photos, this slightly bigger printer by HP is a solid choice. Connect to the printer via Bluetooth connection or dock your phone to print your photos and charge your phone at the same time.
This printer uses dye-sublimation printing that results in photos that are resistant to water, fingerprints, and sunlight. However, the printer needs to be plugged into an outlet to work, which can be inconvenient.
Reviewers were disappointed that the cartridges ran out after a maximum of 10 photos. Meanwhile, many praised the print quality and vibrant colors. Reviewers also found the printer to be super easy to set up and to use.
Although this printer is large compared to most smartphone printers, it's still portable with the use of an optional battery pack that allows for wireless power. The larger size allows for prints of different sizes and features, such as a photobooth style print or small stickers.
Some reviewers felt that the setup process was difficult, but once that was over with, using the printer was smooth. A lot of reviewers raved about the amazing quality of the prints and how quick and easy it was to use the printer.
This printer uses dye sublimation to print photos with adhesive backing, so you can stick them anywhere. It uses a rechargeable battery and you can use Bluetooth to connect your phone to it and print photos on the go.
Some reviewers complained about prints getting jammed inside the printer. They also warned that the printer doesn't come with cartridges. On a positive note, reviewers said the printer produced crisp and colorful photos. They also said it was easy to set up and to use.
This printer is essentially a tiny darkroom with a rechargeable battery that takes photos from your phone and prints out Polaroid film photos. The associated app can create collages and even add an augmented reality feature to the print, allowing your analog photos to come to life when scanned in the app.
Some reviewers ran into some difficulties with the app because it wouldn't accept some photos from their camera rolls. It's unclear what file types work and don't work with the app. While the photos came out a bit dull, many reviewers liked the vintage feel of them. Overall, they said this printer gave them a quick and easy way to get polaroids of their photos.
Looking to level up your photography skills? Take a look at some of our other recommendations for taking your smartphone photography to the next level.
No. 1: Kodak|Step Wireless Mini Printer
No. 2: Fujifilm|Instax Mini Link Photo Printer
No. 3: Fujifilm|Instax Mini LiPlay Hybrid Instant Camera
No. 4: Canon|SELPHY QX10
No. 5: Fujifilm|Instax SP-3 Mobile Printer
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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