By Marija Glasnovic | Published May 31, 2022 2:29 PM
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Having framed art, posters, or photographs on the walls can make a house feel like a home. A collection of memories adds character and uniqueness to an individual space—but where are the best places to find frames? Local retail stores have a limited selection, and custom shops can be pricey when adding in extras, such as matting or non-glare glass. The best online framing services offer a wide selection of frames and mats with options to digitally upload photos or mail in memorabilia and documents. For those looking for a variety of frames to choose from, it’s tough to beat the flexibility and selection that online framing services offer. Before searching for the best online photo printing and framing services, consider these recommendations for the top picks for picture framing online.
There are a few factors to consider when choosing custom frames online or the best online framing service to help with modern picture framing. These can include the types of framing services, what framable items are accepted, frame materials, size options, turnaround time, pricing, additional services, and customer support.
Before selecting an online framing and matting service, be sure to check what types of framing options it offers. Many of the best online framing services provide the following options.
Understanding these individual services can help a customer choose the online framing service that’s right.
Customers aren’t stuck with just framing family portraits or documents—the best online framing services can go outside the box with what they’re able to frame. Beyond photos, many services are able to frame textiles, jerseys, objects, and vinyl records. Customers looking to frame one of these items should seek out a company that specializes in framing objects with depth.
If a customer has a vision of the perfect frame for their piece of art, it’s important to check with the company to make sure it offers a variety of frame materials, styles, and size options to suit those needs. Some companies have more options than others, so finding the right frame to fit a customer’s aesthetic needs should be straightforward.
While the turnaround time for digital uploads is typically quicker than mail-in services, some of these online framing services have shorter wait times than others. Some companies can return a framed photo of a digitally uploaded file within 3 to 5 business days, but others can take up to 3 to 4 weeks to return an item that’s been mailed in for framing.
Many online framing companies have a base price for their frames, and the frames will get more expensive depending on the material, style, and size. Choosing any additional features, such as mats or anti-glare glass, will raise the price as well.
Some companies offer additional services, such as photo editing for digital photos, design consultations to help customers choose the best frame for their art, or gallery wall consultations to assist with mapping and designing a gallery wall in a customer’s home.
If a customer finds they have questions about the ordering and framing process, there are a few avenues for customer support. Some companies offer live chat, email, phone, and even text message support to address any issues regarding an order.
We researched online framing services and narrowed our list down to five of the best offerings. Here are our choices for the best online framing services.
Why It Made the Cut: For its ability to frame a wide variety of items and an extensive selection of frame styles and sizes, Framebridge is a standout choice for the best online framing service.
Framebridge not only accepts digital photo uploads, documents, and posters for framing, but it can also handle a wide variety of objects including textiles, jerseys, original art, and more. The service offers a relatively quick turnaround time for mail-in items of 7 to 10 days, so customers don’t have to wait long to receive their framed works. Framebridge’s pricing for a 9-by-12-inch frame starts at $100, which is relatively expensive, but the company also offers free shipping with every order. For customers who have questions regarding photo editing or how to showcase their framed pieces, Framebridge offers free photo editing services and designer consultations and gallery wall consultations starting at $99. Customers can reach out to a support representative via email, phone, live chat, and text message.
Why It Made the Cut: Level Frames uses museum-quality materials to construct its handcrafted frames to showcase art, prints, photos, documents, or vinyl records.
Level Frames is an excellent choice to print and frame photos online. The company offers digital uploads for photos and mail-in services for other items including prints, art, documents, and vinyl records. If a customer has a record they don’t want to ship for in-studio framing, easy-to-assemble DIY framing kits are available. A unique additional service Level Frames provides is NFT framing. Customers can link their virtual wallet and Level Frames will find the highest resolution of their NFT available, print it on archival fine art paper, and have it shipped to the customer in about a week.
Customers can choose from standard, UV protective, and non-glare acrylic glazing options for framing. While Level Frames offers the choice of only black or white mats when a customer places an order, customers can contact the company directly for color or double-mat requests. The turnaround time is roughly 1 to 2 weeks after the item has been received, and pricing for a 9-by-12-inch frame starts at $74. To minimize its impact on the environment, Level Frames also plants one tree for every order placed. For questions or concerns, customer support is available via phone, email, or live chat.
Why It Made the Cut: Framed & Matted makes frames from high-quality materials and ships them to a customer’s home so they can place the artwork in the frame and hang it on the wall in minutes.
Framed & Matted’s DIY online framing service can get artwork framed in three easy steps. Customers measure the art, choose a frame with the Frame Builder tool, and place the order. After the order is received, it will arrive to the customer within 4 to 5 business days. The frame will arrive with hanging wire, picture hooks, archival hinging tape, and D-hooks. Customers place their photo, print, or document in the frame and it can be hanging on the wall in minutes. Customers who want Framed & Matted to frame a digital photo can simply upload the file and choose their frame. The service’s pricing starts at $67 for a 9-by-12-inch frame kit, and Framed & Matted offers design advice if customers have any questions about mats or frame colors. While there’s no mail-in service available, Framed & Matted has a wide selection of mat colors for digital print-and-frame or DIY frame kit options. As part of its commitment to sustainability, the company will plant one tree for every order it receives.
Why It Made the Cut: Simply Framed is an excellent option for budget-conscious customers with options to frame photos, prints, art, documents, and textiles.
Simply Framed has digital upload options for photos and mail-in service for prints, art, documents, and textiles. While it does have a long turnaround time of 3 to 4 weeks for mail-in items, pricing starts at an affordable $51 for an 8-by-10-inch frame. Every frame is cut and built by hand, and if a customer is not happy with the result, the company will issue a 40 percent store credit and help the customer design something they’ll love. Customers can choose from standard, UV protective, and non-glare acrylic glazing options for framing. Simply Framed offers gallery wall consultations, and customer support is available via phone and email.
Why It Made the Cut: With its convenient mobile app for photo uploads, Keepsake is another top pick for online framing services.
Keepsake makes it easy to get photos off a customer’s phone and framed on the wall. The service allows its customers to upload digital photos from a computer, phone, Facebook, or Instagram via a convenient mobile app. While the company offers relatively affordable pricing at $49 for a 9.5-by-12.5-inch frame, it doesn’t offer DIY or mail-in services. Matting options are also limited to white mats only. But Keepsake does have a quick turnaround time of 3 to 4 business days for digital uploads. Keepsake’s wide selection of frames are made from quality materials and come with hanging hardware and scratch-resistant glass. If a customer has any questions or concerns about their order, customer support is available via email.
Based on its ability to frame a wide variety of items, its large selection of frame styles and sizes, and the additional services it offers, Framebridge is our top pick for best online framing service. For unique framing options for vinyl records and NFTs, Level Frames makes the list as the runner-up.
To choose the best online framing services, we considered various factors to determine our top picks. We focused on what types of items each company frames, the type of framing services offered, uploading options for digital prints, the time it takes to complete a framing project, pricing, additional services offered, and availability of customer service. We thoroughly examined the quality and selection of frame material, styles, and sizes, as well as the ease of use for each company’s website. Another important factor was the option to frame personal keepsakes and objects for longevity.
While it may be quick and easy to run to a big-box store and pick up one of the best picture frames for a photo or document, the quality may be lacking. Some issues that many people find with store-bought frames are that they are often made with lesser-quality materials or they only fit standard-size photos, prints, or documents. Store-bought frames can also have acidic backing, which can compromise the longevity of a photo or document. When people think of custom frames, they imagine exorbitant pricing that is out of reach. For smaller, standard-size photos, custom frames are made from high-quality material, and the prices are comparable to frames bought in retail stores. Keep in mind that the larger the custom frame, the more expensive it will be.
Some online framing companies provide the option to frame items other than photos, such as newspaper clippings, online articles, textile art, NFTs, screen-printed posters, fine art prints, sports jerseys, objects, and vinyl records. Knowing your options based on what you need framed can help you make an informed decision. Selecting an online framing service may come down to price, but keep in mind that just looking for a cheap online framing option may not result in the best quality. Choosing an online framing service can provide a wide variety of custom frames instead of the limited selection at a retail store.
When the framed art arrives in the mail, customers should make sure they know how to hang a photo and that they have some of the best nails for hanging pictures on hand.
For the framing services on this list, the pricing starts at $29 for smaller frames and ranges up to $488 for larger, custom-size frames. The prices are typically dependent on size, but material, quality, and extra options, such as single and double matting, increase the overall cost. Custom frames from an online service are typically more affordable than those that can be purchased from a local custom framing shop. This is because online services have lower overhead costs than brick-and-mortar stores.
Be aware that custom online framing prices can vary from site to site. Factors that can impact the fluctuation in pricing are material quality, frame size, labor costs, shipping, and available discounts. Many online framing companies offer free or discounted shipping, but some don’t, so be sure to double-check shipping rates before ordering. Some framing sites offer discounts, coupons, special promotions, or sale items. It’s helpful for a customer to look those over to see if they meet their needs before placing an order.
Online framing services provide custom-made frames for photos, documents, objects, and pieces of artwork in one’s life. Here are some advantages of using one of the best online framing sites.
For those who have never used an online framing service, deciding on a frame can be an intimidating experience. Here are a few frequently asked questions regarding online framing to help customers choose the best service and frame for them and their artwork.
The overall cost to frame prints depends on the type, material, and size of the frame, as well as if you order additional options, such as single or double matting. Choosing textured mats can also increase the overall cost of the project. For the services on this list, the prices start at $29 for smaller frames and go up to $488 for larger framed pieces.
Framing can be expensive because of the materials and the wide selection of frames, mats, and glazes available. The pricing of framing materials can fluctuate wildly depending on the quality and availability of the materials. The cost of labor and framing expertise also comes into play when getting an item custom framed.
Custom framing costs depend on the options you choose for a frame. Selecting a simple frame without a mat will cost less than if you choose a more ornate frame with an expensive, textured mat.
Usually, custom framing jobs can take 2 to 3 weeks, but some online services have a faster turnaround time.
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