The Pic-Time alternative with a CRM built in
Pic-Time is a mature gallery and print-store platform, but it has no built-in CRM, so you pair it with a separate tool for contracts, invoices and booking. Caloreel combines galleries, a print store and a couples-first CRM. As of October 2026, Pic-Time Professional is $25 a month with 100 GB; Caloreel Studio is £20 including VAT with 1 TB.
Facts checked 13 October 2026 · sources below
Caloreel
Studio
£20a month, VAT included
- Storage
- 1 TB
- Client galleries
- Yes
- CRM
- Yes, built around households
- Store fee
- 3% of print and download sales
- Branding
- None, on every plan
Pic-Time
Professional
$25a month
- Storage
- 100 GB photos
- Client galleries
- Yes
- CRM
- No
- Store fee
- 8% (0% if you collect payment yourself)
- Branding
- Removed
What actually
differs.
The points that change the decision, including the ones where we lose.
A CRM in the same product
Pic-Time has no built-in CRM; it integrates with HoneyBook, Studio Ninja and others. Caloreel includes a CRM, booking pages, multi-signer contracts, invoices with payment plans and questionnaires on both plans, alongside galleries and the store.
Storage on the mid-tier plan
As of October 2026, Pic-Time Professional is $25 a month ($21 billed annually) with 100 GB of photo storage, and the next step up is Advanced at $50 with unlimited photos under its terms. Caloreel Studio is £20 a month including VAT with 1 TB.
Store fees are charged differently
Pic-Time takes 8% of order profit on Professional and 6% on Advanced, or 0% on either if you collect payment yourself; Free and Beginner pay 15%. Caloreel takes 3% of the sale on every plan. Because one is charged on profit and the other on the sale, compare them on your own order values.
One record and one portal for each couple
In Caloreel a client is a household, so both partners share one record, can both be required to sign a contract, and receive the same reminders and receipts. The client portal brings their contract, invoices, questionnaires and gallery together.
Who should choose which.
Choose Pic-Time if
- You already have a CRM you like and only want better galleries.
- You sell a lot of prints and want a platform built around its art store.
- You collect payment yourself on Professional or Advanced, so commission is 0%.
- You run more than one brand and want Advanced's multi-brand option.
Choose Caloreel if
- You pay for Pic-Time and a separate CRM and want one subscription.
- You've outgrown 100 GB and want 1 TB on the entry plan.
- You book couples and want both partners on every contract, invoice and reminder.
- You want the same 3% store fee on every plan, including the cheapest.
Every plan,
side by side.
Prices as published by each company. We don't convert currencies, and like-for-like features differ, so read the notes too.
| Feature | Per month | Billed yearly, per month | Storage | Store fee | Platform branding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caloreel | |||||
| Caloreel Studio | £20 incl. VAT | £16.67 (£200/yr) | 1 TB | 3% of sale | None |
| Caloreel Unlimited | £45 incl. VAT | £37.50 (£450/yr) | Unlimited (fair use) | 3% of sale | None |
| Pic-Time, as of October 2026 | |||||
| Pic-Time Free | $0 | Not published | 10 GB photos | 15% of order profit | Pic-Time branding |
| Pic-Time Beginner | $8 | $7 | 20 GB photos | 15% of order profit | Pic-Time branding |
| Pic-Time Professional | $25 | $21 | 100 GB photos | 8% (0% if you collect payment yourself) | Removed |
| Pic-Time Advanced | $50 | $42 | Unlimited photos (T&Cs) | 6% (0% if you collect payment yourself) | Removed |
- Pic-Time: Premium client galleries and an art store; no built-in CRM (integrates with HoneyBook, Studio Ninja and others).
- Pic-Time: Commission is charged on order profit, not the order total.
Competitor prices and terms checked on 13 October 2026 from each company's public pages. They change often: check the source before you decide. Prices in USD unless shown in pounds; Caloreel prices include UK VAT.
Moving
across.
Most studios switch between seasons, a few galleries at a time. Here's the order that works.
A bigger move? Email support@caloreel.com and we'll help you plan it.
- 01
Bring your client list across
Pic-Time doesn't hold your CRM records, so export your client list as a CSV from wherever you keep it and import it into Caloreel.
- 02
Upload your gallery folders
Upload your galleries as folders. Galleries shot more than a year ago go straight to cheaper cold storage.
- 03
Let live galleries and bookings finish
Leave active galleries and open print orders on Pic-Time until they finish, and deliver new weddings from Caloreel. Contracts and payment plans already running in your CRM are best completed there.
- 04
Set up contracts and invoices
Paste your contract wording into a template with merge fields, and set up your payment schedules. For a larger move, email us and we'll help you plan it.
Further reading
Questions,
answered.
Does Pic-Time have a CRM?
Not built in, as of October 2026. It integrates with CRMs such as HoneyBook and Studio Ninja, and gives new paid users a free year of Studio Ninja. Caloreel includes a CRM, contracts, invoices and booking on both plans.
Is Caloreel's 3% store fee lower than Pic-Time's commission?
Not always. Pic-Time charges 0% on Professional and Advanced if you collect payment yourself, which is lower than Caloreel's 3%. Otherwise it takes 15%, 8% or 6% of order profit depending on plan, while Caloreel takes 3% of the sale. Run a few of your recent orders through both to compare.
What does Pic-Time do better?
Pic-Time is built around premium galleries and its art store, and Advanced supports multiple brands. If you collect payment yourself on Professional or Advanced, it takes no commission. If you're happy with your CRM and only want galleries, Pic-Time keeps what already works.
Can I move my galleries from Pic-Time?
Yes. Upload your gallery folders into Caloreel, and galleries shot more than a year ago go straight to cheaper cold storage. Import clients from a CSV exported from your CRM, and email us if you'd like help planning a larger move.
Does Caloreel have a mobile app?
No. Caloreel has no native mobile apps; it runs in the browser. Galleries, booking pages and the client portal carry your branding and can sit on your own domain.
Try it beside what you use now.
Run Caloreel alongside Pic-Time for fourteen days, with every feature switched on and no card.