PhotoStage vs Smilebox

PhotoStage8.7Visit Smilebox8.0Visit

Higher score PhotoStage #2 in Photo Slideshow Makers 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit PhotoStage

vs

Smilebox #5 in Photo Slideshow Makers 8.0/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Smilebox

• PhotoStage fits best

  Free users needing broad device and export support

• Smilebox fits best

  Simple template-based web slideshows

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Side by side

Feature	PhotoStage 8.7/10 Visit ↗	Smilebox 8.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.0
Ranking	#2 in Photo Slideshow Makers	#5 in Photo Slideshow Makers
Best for	Free users needing broad device and export support	Simple template-based web slideshows
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	Free plan · 7-day trial
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	7 days
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Cloud
Platforms	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web
Support	Tickets, Community, Docs	Tickets
Integrations	6 integrations	2 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features PhotoStage 2/2 · Smilebox 2/2
Caption tools	✓	✓
Audio upload	✓	✓
Specs
Maximum photos	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Export formats	3GP, ASF, AVI, DV, FLV, GIF, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPG, OGG, RM, SWF, WEBM, WMV, DVD, CD, HTML5	MP4
Playback options	DVD/CD, video files, YouTube, Flickr, Vimeo, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, portable devices, HTML5 website embed	download, email, social media
Supported platforms	Windows, macOS, iPad/iOS, Android	web
Our review
Pros	Guided creation with themes, soundtracks, captions, and narration Exports to video, discs, HTML5, cloud storage, and social platforms Available across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android	Imports photos from computers, phones, Facebook, and Instagram Autofill arranges photos automatically, with manual customization available Adds music, captions, animations, sharing, and MP4 downloads
Cons	The free version is limited to non-commercial use Home Edition does not support video clip insertion Paid pricing varies by regional store page and currency handling	Available on the web rather than across multiple platforms Export is provided as MP4, with no other format listed Focuses on templates rather than a more advanced feature set
Our verdict	PhotoStage is slideshow software for turning photos, video clips, music, and narration into video presentations. It suits individuals, families, educators, and other non-commercial users who want guided creation alongside manual control.… Read the review →	Smilebox is a web-based slideshow maker for individuals, families, and small organizations creating photo stories for events and personal milestones. Its workflow combines templates with photo uploads from a computer, phone, Facebook, or… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• PhotoStage — where it wins

  • Guided creation with themes, soundtracks, captions, and narration
  • Exports to video, discs, HTML5, cloud storage, and social platforms
  • Available across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

  Where it doesn't

  • The free version is limited to non-commercial use
  • Home Edition does not support video clip insertion
  • Paid pricing varies by regional store page and currency handling

• Smilebox — where it wins

  • Imports photos from computers, phones, Facebook, and Instagram
  • Autofill arranges photos automatically, with manual customization available
  • Adds music, captions, animations, sharing, and MP4 downloads

  Where it doesn't

  • Available on the web rather than across multiple platforms
  • Export is provided as MP4, with no other format listed
  • Focuses on templates rather than a more advanced feature set

• PhotoStage8.7/10 · Free plan

  A versatile slideshow maker with broad export options and a non-commercial free version.

  Visit PhotoStageFull verdict →
• Smilebox8.0/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

  A straightforward web slideshow maker for personal stories, events, and simple sharing.

  Visit SmileboxFull verdict →