Despite the prevalence of digital photo sharing, analog forms of documentation such as scrapbooking and journaling have continued to thrive, thanks in large part to portable photo printers. In fact, instant cameras have found their way back to the consumer market in recent years, as more and more people have been looking for a more tangible way to document and share their memories.
Aside from using an instant camera to capture and develop your photos instantly, another option is to use portable photo printers that allow you to print pictures directly from your smartphone, tablet, or digital camera.
Portable photo printers are virtually the same across different brands, but there are a few things you should consider before buying portable printers:
What to consider when buying a portable picture printer
- Frequency of use
- Cost
- Output quality
- Connectivity
In order for you to get the best photo printer that will fit your needs, you have to figure out which features are important to you. Here’s a list of the things you should consider before purchasing portable printers:
1. Frequency of use
One of the things you should consider is how often you will use your printer and how much you are planning to print. Are you going to use it to document everyday adventures or are you going to reserve it for special occasions or travel?
Consider the volume of prints it can produce on a single charge, the average printing time per photo, and other factors that you need to allow you to fully utilize your portable photo printer.
2. Cost
It would be wise to note that there are wireless photo printers that are affordable, but have refills that are a bit higher in price. Likewise, there are portable photo printers that are priced higher, but have film or refills that are sold in bulk at a cheaper rate.
3. Output quality
Would you prefer something higher in resolution or would a basic print suffice? Would you like the option to get your photos printed on paper with various patterns and designs? Or would a plain old photo be okay with you? Do you want a photo that looks like something out of an instant camera or do you want it to appear like a regular photo?
There are plenty of options for you to explore, so think carefully about the print options you’d want your camera to have.
4. Connectivity
Another thing you should consider is how you plan to connect your photo printer to your device. Most photo printers come Wi-Fi enabled so you can connect your mobile phone or tablet to it and print your photos. There are others that come with bluetooth options and cables.
Choose one that you think would best fit your printing needs.
Best Portable Photo Printers
Fujifilm Instax Link Wide Smartphone Printer
Enjoy printing photos wide enough to capture all the action and fun anywhere, anytime with the Fujifilm Instax Link Wide Smartphone Printer. This printer makes it easy to print images on-the-go using only your smartphone.
The included smartphone app offers plenty of features like adding text, resizing photos, adding filters, and adjusting exposure settings. You can even drop photos into pre-designed templates to easily create invitations, photo frames, and greeting cards.
Paper for the Instax Link Wide comes in packs of ten, and multi-pack bundles are also available. Choose from color instant film or black and white for a more artistic look!
If you’re searching for a versatile portable picture printer for phone use, this is the option for you. Make your mobile printer setup even more functional with a bundle that includes paper packs.
Key Specs:
- Film/Paper Type: Fujifilm Instax WIDE Instant Film
- Image Size: 2.44 x 3.89″ (62 x 99mm)
- Supported Image Size (Dots): 800 x 1260
- Image Formats: JPEG, PNG, HEIF
- Printing Method: 3-color exposure with OLED
- Printing Levels: 256 levels per color (RGB)
- Printing Resolution: 12.5 dots/mm (318 dpi, 80 microm dot pitch)
- Printing Time: 12 seconds (approx.)
- Printing Capacity: 100 prints (approx.)
- Charging Time: 80 to 120 minutes (approx.)
- Connectivity Options: Bluetooth
- Dimensions: 5.47 x 5.01 x 1.32″ (excluding projections)
- Weight: 11.9oz
Polaroid Originals Polaroid Lab Instant Film Printer
The Polaroid Lab Instant Printer puts a whole new spin on the concept of instant cameras and printing.
Operating like an instant mini scanner, this device can print any image from your phone in seconds. Just turn your screen brightness up, place your compatible phone on the printer’s dock, and enjoy printing all of your favorite moments and memories.
This portable photo printer uses a three lens system to project your phone’s photos onto Polaroid film for a new spin on an old analog favorite.
Download the Polaroid app to your Android or iPhone for more printing options including collage mode and augmented reality. You’ll quickly see why this is perhaps the most versatile picture printer for phones!
Key Specs:
- Film/Paper Type: i-Type and 600 Film
- Image Size: 3.11 x 3.11 inches
- Printing Method: Polaroid Film
- Developing Time: 10-15 minutes
- Power: High performance lithium-ion battery, 1100mAh, 3.7V nominal Voltage, 4.07Wh, rechargeable via USB
- Battery Life: Up to 25 prints
- OS Compatibility: iPhone 6 and newer, Android 7 and newer
- Dimensions: 5.9 x 4.6 x 5.9″ (Closed), 5.9 x 4.6 x 7″ (Open)
- Weight: 1.44 lb
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 Smartphone Printer
The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 Smartphone Printer is an easy-to-use portable wireless printer that’s packed with features!
A dedicated app makes printing on-the-go fast and simple. You can swipe up on your phone to easily transfer a photo to your handheld printer queue, add frames, and combine up to eight photos into a collage.
One unique feature that makes the Instax Mini Link the best portable photo printer for social functions is the Party Print setting. Connect up to five smartphones to the free app and you can create a single collage featuring photos from all your friends.
Turn on Surprise Mode and the mobile printer selects images to print at random from connected devices. You never know what great moments you’ll get!
Key Specs:
- Film/Paper Type: FUJIFILM INSTAX Mini Instant Film
- Image Size: 2.4 x 1.8 in.
- Image Formats: JPEG, PNG, HEIF, DNG
- Printing Method: 3 Color Exposure with OLED
- Printing Levels: 256 levels per color
- Printing Time: 15 seconds
- Printing Resolution: 318 dpi
- Power: Built-in Lithium Ion Battery
- Connectivity Options: Bluetooth Version 4.2
Polaroid Originals Hi-Print 2×3 Pocket Photo Printer
If you want to print photo stickers on-the-go, then the Hi-Print 2×3 Pocket Photo Printer is the best portable photo printer for you. Connect the handheld printer to your phone using Bluetooth and enjoy fast, full-color photo stickers using Polaroid’s dye-sublimation technology.
This portable photo printer is smaller and more streamlined than many of its competitors so you can easily toss it in your pocket, purse, or backpack whether you’re headed out on vacation or hanging out with friends.
Download the Polaroid Hi-Print app to your Android or iOS phone for access to fun features like adding stickers, filters, and text to your photos.
Charging takes less than an hour and prints are ready in about one minute, so this is an ideal speedy picture printer for phones. Plus, your printed stickers are fade-proof so no matter what you print, it’s going to last.
Key Specs:
- Film/Paper Type: Polaroid 2×3 Photo Paper
- Image Sizes: 2.1 x 3.4 in
- Printing Method: Dye-Sublimation
- Compatibility: Android and iOS
- Printing Time: About 1 minute
- Charging Time: < 1 hour using Micro USB Charger
- Connectivity Options: Bluetooth Ver 2.1+EDR & Ver 5.0
- Dimensions: 1.06 x 5.90 x 3.13 in
- Weight: 0.55 lbs without cartridge
iHome PocketPrint3 Smartphone Photo Printer
For mobile prints designed to last for years, the iHome PocketPrint3 is the best portable photo printer on the market. The four-pass dye diffusion thermal transfer printing technology results in prints that are waterproof, smudge free, durable, and guaranteed to last without fading for up to ten years!
Connect the portable photo printer to your phone via Bluetooth and you can print gorgeous 3×3 images in less than 50 seconds. Android and iOS phones are fully compatible with this mobile photo printer, so no matter what phone you own you can print your favorite photos on-the-go.
For more control and customization, check out the iHome PRINT app. You can apply unique filters, crop your photos, adjust color and contrast, and even add stickers.
The built-in lithium ion battery will print up to 20 photos on a single charge, making this the perfect portable wireless printer for parties and events.
Key Specs:
- Film/Paper Type: iHome 3×3 Cartridge
- Image Size: 3×3 in
- Image Format: JPEG
- Printing Levels: 256 gradation (16.7M Colors)
- Printing Method: 4 pass dye diffusion thermal transfer printing
- Printing Time: 50 secs
- Connectivity Options: Bluetooth
- Dimensions: 6.3 x 5.4 x 2.2 inches
Canon SELPHY CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer
A newer and more updated version of the Selphy CP1200, the SELPHY CP1300 wireless compact photo printer is another option you can look into if you want the reliability of the CP1200, but also want to take advantage of the improved features.
Among these features are Party Shuffle Print, which allows you to gather pictures from multiple devices simultaneously through Wi-Fi. It also has a bigger, 3.2-inch tilting LCD screen which allows you to view your printing option better even from a distance. It also has an updated user interface which makes it easier for you to figure out what a particular control is for.
Key Specs:
- Film/Paper Type: Any photo paper
- Image Sizes: 2.1in x 3.4in / 3.9in x 5.8in /3.5in x 4.7in / 2in x 2in
- Printing Technology: Dye-Sublimation
- Print Resolution: 300 dpi
- Printing Levels: 256 levels per color
- Printing Time: 39 to 47 seconds
- Paper Capacity: 18 Sheets (standard paper tray)
- Connectivity Options: Wi-Fi, Wireless LAN, USB, Memory Card Support
- Dimensions: 7.1in x 5.4in x 2.5in
- Weight: 30.4oz
