Mpix vs Shutterfly for Canvas Prints

What does Mpix list for its canvas prints?

Mpix's canvas page describes a poly-cotton canvas wrapped around a 1.5 inch wood stretcher frame, with a soft matte finish that it says removes glare. You upload a photo, choose a size and add text if you like. It also lists collage templates for several photos on one canvas.

The size list is specific: 8 x 10, 8 x 12, 10 x 10, 11 x 14, 10 x 20, 12 x 18, 16 x 16, 12 x 24, 10 x 30, 16 x 20, 16 x 24, 15 x 30, 20 x 20, 20 x 24, 20 x 30, 24 x 30, 24 x 36, 30 x 30, 24 x 48, 30 x 40, 30 x 45 and 40 x 60 inches. The FAQ adds that the print size is the front face and does not include the wrapped sides, and that it does not offer custom sizes.

Hanging hardware depends on size: open back with a French cleat on every size, a sawtooth up to 20 x 24 inches, or a wire on 12 x 18 and larger. A float frame is a paid add-on in Oxford brown, black or white. Mpix says its lab turns an order around in 2 to 3 business days, and shipping comes on top of that.

What does Shutterfly list for its canvas prints?

Shutterfly's canvas page is a template gallery. You pick a layout, from a single photo to a collage, choose a size and frame option, then add photos and text in its builder. It names a poly-cotton canvas, giclee ink, a hand-stretched wood frame, gallery-wrapped edges and a pre-installed metal sawtooth hanger.

Its FAQ states prints up to 36 x 36 inches, plus small easel back canvases in 5 x 7 and 8 x 10 inches and a 6 x 6 inch tabletop canvas. It says the frame comes in "a variety of decorative frame colors and styles". The page does not give the stretcher depth in inches, so confirm that in the builder before you plan a wall around it.

The page also carries a panoramic template filter, so a wide crop is possible within the size limit. It claims the canvas resists fading, scratches and humidity; Mpix's own page says its canvas is not designed for high humidity rooms. Two lab pages, two different cautions, so keep both in mind for a bathroom or kitchen.

How do Mpix, Shutterfly and a made-to-order store compare?

The table puts the three side by side, using only what each seller's page states. The third column is Tiaracle, the store you are reading: canvas printed to order, either as finished art or from your own upload.

Pro tip: Put the same photo and the same finished size in all three carts before you decide. A 24 x 36 inch canvas is offered by both Mpix and Shutterfly, so it is the cleanest size for a fair test.

Which one ships faster, Mpix or Shutterfly?

Mpix gives a lab time; Shutterfly gives a shipping speed. Mpix says orders spend 2 to 3 business days in its lab, then ship. Shutterfly's shipping page lists Basic Economy at 6 to 10 business days, Standard at 5 to 7, Expedited at 4 to 5, Rush at 3 to 4 and Super Rush at 1 to 2, each with production and delivery combined.

The two numbers are not the same thing, which is why a review that says one is "faster" is usually comparing a lab time with a door to door time. Shutterfly states that Standard and faster options are guaranteed to arrive by the date in your cart. Mpix's page gives no equivalent date promise for canvas, so ask at checkout.

What are the return terms for each?

Mpix's returns page says that if you are not happy with the quality, you contact it within 30 days and it will reprint the order free of charge. It adds that it is not responsible for poor image quality caused by low resolution or exposure, and that you should preview text, cropping and orientation before you order. A reprint is a remake, not a refund.

Shutterfly's guarantee page promises 100% happiness and sends you to its return policy article. That article says a request not caused by a Shutterfly error may get store credit instead of a refund, or a 50% return fee, and that return shipping is not refunded. It mentions 60 days as a threshold but states no window for canvas, so ask support for the canvas window in writing.

Watch out: A canvas made from your own photo is personalized, and the terms for personalized products are often stricter than for catalog items. Read the return line for that product type on every site before you pay, ours included.

Why do photos look blurry on Mpix or Shutterfly?

Blur almost always starts with the file, not the printer. Shutterfly's page asks for at least 1600 x 2000 pixels and recommends 2400 x 3600. Mpix says phone photos work if you upload the original full resolution file, and that screenshots or pictures saved from social media usually print poorly because those files are compressed.

Size makes it worse. A file that is sharp at 8 x 10 inches can look soft at 24 x 36, because the same pixels stretch over a larger face. Check the pixel dimensions of the original, then divide by the print width in inches: a 2400 pixel wide file on a 24 inch canvas gives 100 pixels per inch, a modest figure that a canvas texture hides better than glossy paper would.

When does a made-to-order store fit better?

A photo lab is the right call for a family portrait you already own. We fit when you want finished art, a shape neither lab lists, or an upload spread across several panels. Our Custom Canvas Studio takes your image, offers layouts from 1 Panel to 5 panels, and shows sharpness live as you position it.

For finished art, the shapes differ from a lab's single rectangle. Single horizontal canvases reach 48 x 32 inches, Panoramic Wall Art singles reach 60 x 20 inches, and Vertical Wall Art runs from 12 x 24 to 30 x 60 inches. Multi panel sets reach 82 x 42 inches overall. Construction is museum quality canvas, a matte finish as standard, archival inks that resist fading and a solid wooden inner frame, with Free Shipping.

Mpix reaches the sofa width in one piece only at its largest size. Our multi panel versus single canvas guide explains why a set can fill 56 inches without a 60 inch single canvas, and how the gaps between panels read.

What should you check before you order from any of them?

• The finished size against your wall, measured in inches and checked against the stated maximum.
• The frame depth in inches, because it changes how far the canvas stands off the wall. Our gallery wrap guide shows the difference.
• The pixel size of your photo, at least 2400 pixels on the long side for a 24 inch canvas.
• The return line for personalized products, and who pays the postage back.
• The delivery date in the cart, not a rule of thumb from a review.

For a wider comparison that includes other sellers, our comparison of canvas print sites sets out what each one does best, including iCanvas, ElephantStock and Society6, which sell finished art rather than your own photo.