Comparison
Pixelka vs. WhatsApp, Google Photos, a camera and other QR galleries
You can collect guest photos without Pixelka. Here is an honest comparison — when a group chat is enough and when a QR gallery pays off.
| Pixelka | WhatsApp group | Google Photos album | Disposable camera | Other QR galleries (GuestPix etc.) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guests need an app or account | no — QR code and browser | WhatsApp and a number in the group | Google account to upload | no | usually no |
| Photo quality | original, 20 MB; videos 200 MB | compressed, videos heavily | original (depends on settings) | 27 shots, film | original |
| Live slideshow on screen | yes, within 5 s, QR on screen | no | no | no | some, often extra |
| Moderation, approval, password | yes | no (admin can only delete) | partly | only after developing | partly |
| RSVP, event website, digital invitation | yes, free (Pozýva) | no | no | no | rarely |
| Print templates with QR | yes, in your gallery colours | — | — | — | usually yes |
| Guest language | SK · CZ · HU · DE · PL · EN | per phone | per account | — | EN, sometimes DE |
| Where the data lives | EU (Germany), Slovak company | Meta, USA | Google, USA | with you | USA / Australia / UK |
| Support | local languages, e-mail | — | — | — | English |
| Price | €0 or €9–59 once per gallery | free | free up to 15 GB | €15–25 each + developing | from ~€50 per event, often subscription |
Details about other services come from their public websites as of September 2026 and may change — check with the provider.
WhatsApp group
The fastest option for a small party: the group exists and everyone has it. The trouble starts at a wedding with 80 guests: photos are compressed, videos blurry, everything mixes with the chat and after a month nobody can find anything. Guests without WhatsApp (older relatives, foreign guests) are left out entirely.
Enough when: there are up to 15 of you and quality does not matter.
Google Photos — shared album
Quality is fine and it is free. The catch: to upload, a guest needs a Google account and to be signed in on the phone — on iPhone that means installing an app. No moderation, no slideshow, no QR card; the album link is hard to remember.
Enough when: every guest is a Google user and you do not mind half of them uploading nothing.
Disposable camera on the table
A lovely retro experience and a tangible keepsake. But 27 shots per table, results weeks later, zero videos, €15–25 each plus developing — with 10 tables it costs more than any Pixelka plan. The combination works: a camera for the mood, a QR gallery for everything else.
Enough when: you mainly want the atmosphere, not the photos.
Other QR photo galleries
International services (GuestPix, The Guest Cam, eventpixel.app and others) do the same as Pixelka: QR code, uploads without an app, slideshow. The differences are in details that matter at a Central European wedding: guest languages (SK/CZ/HU), local support, data in the EU, bank transfer without a card, a one-off price instead of monthly — plus a free digital invitation with RSVP.
Enough when: your guests are international and your budget is in the hundreds of euros.
How to choose
Six questions that decide how to collect photos from an event
1. What does a guest have to do to upload the first photo?
Count the steps: find the link, install an app, create an account, sign in, find the album. Every extra step filters out more guests — and the older relatives, whose photos get lost most often, drop out first. The best solution is the one where the guest scans a code and uploads.
2. In what quality do the photos arrive?
Some services shrink photos and especially videos on upload. For a memorable day you want to print from, that is a problem — you only find out later. Ask whether the original file is stored and what the video limit is.
3. Where is the data and how long does it stay?
Find out which country the servers are in, who the operator is and how long they keep the gallery. Photos of children and guests are personal data — a proper process matters, not just a promise.
4. Do you get everything back at once?
Collecting photos is only half the job. Check whether all originals can be downloaded as one package, and until when after the event. Photos you do not download can disappear in time.
5. What about inappropriate photos and privacy?
For a wedding or a company event a password, approval before display and the option to remove a photo are useful. For children’s parties a wall visible only to the organiser. Check what the service offers before handing the code to guests.
6. What does it really cost?
Compare the total price for the event, not the price per month: a subscription that keeps running after the wedding, per-photo charges and a surcharge for the slideshow. A one-time payment per event is usually the clearest for a single event.
A five-minute test
Before choosing a service, try it as a guest: scan the code with an older phone, upload a photo and a video and look at the result. If you cannot manage without instructions, your aunt will not either.
When WhatsApp is enough
For a small party of up to twenty people who all know each other and nothing needs moderating, a group chat is plenty. The difference shows at a wedding, a company event and wherever you want original quality, a slideshow and the certainty of finding the photos a month later.
Frequently asked questions
Can I combine Pixelka with WhatsApp?
Yes — post the gallery link in the group. Guests tap, upload, and you have everything in original quality in one place instead of in the chat.
What if a guest has no data or signal?
Uploads can be done later from home — the link works for weeks. On site, the QR card is enough; guests can photograph it.
Why is Pixelka cheaper than international services?
You pay once per gallery, not a subscription; our servers are in the EU and we run support ourselves. The free plan up to 100 photos needs no card.
Try it at the next party. Free, no card.
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