Gallery print commission comparison
Direct answer
Gallery platform print commission is how many “free” gallery plans monetize: a cut of your print or digital sales. You keep the session fee, then lose a percentage of product revenue to the platform. A flat-subscription photographer client portal flips that: you pay a predictable bill, and card payments can land in your Stripe without a platform cut on those charges.
Re-check competitor pricing pages before you cancel. Fees change. Current plan prices are in the photography software pricing comparison. If you are shopping a Pixieset alternative no commission, run the math here first.
Comparison table (typical positioning)
| Platform | Common store / commission story | Branding | Honest fit note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixieset | Free Client Gallery often cited at 15% store commission; paid plans usually 0% commission + lab COGS | Custom domain gated higher | Best when labs + ecosystem matter |
| Pic-Time | Collection fees / sales automations are the trade | Strong sales tooling | Stay if autopilot sales are the product |
| ShootProof | Often positioned around 0% commission with business-tool depth | Varies by plan | Strong when invoicing depth wins |
| Grain Issue | Flat $15–79/mo; Stripe Connect card payments with no platform cut on those payments | Subdomain + logo on every plan | Portal-first; lab autofill not mature |
Live pages: vs Pixieset, vs Pic-Time, vs ShootProof, Pixieset vs Pic-Time vs ShootProof comparison, calculator.
Worked example
Assume $3,000 in client product sales this month on a 15% free-plan cut:
- Platform cut: $450
- You keep: $2,550 before lab COGS
On a flat subscription, that $450 stays in the studio unless you are paying lab costs separately. Low store volume and the subscription may not win on math alone. High volume and commission dominates.
Decision rule
- Estimate monthly product sales.
- Multiply by the commission rate on your current plan.
- Add stacked subscriptions (gallery + CRM + site). Run a photography software stack audit if the tool list is fuzzy.
- Compare to Grain Issue pricing plus any lab fees you still pay outside the portal. Pair with living-wage pricing if session fees are also soft.
- If labs are mandatory today, stay put until parity exists.
FAQ
Does 0% commission mean free?
No. You still pay software, labs, shipping, and your time. 0% means the platform is not taking a percentage of that sale line.
Does Grain Issue have Pic-Time-class store automations?
Not today. Do not switch for sales automation alone. Switch for booking + gallery consolidation and payment clarity.