Forced archives, pay-to-access, and no way out. Your photos deserve better.
“They took my photos hostage and charged me for the privilege.”
Zenfolio forcibly archives galleries after certain periods, then charges photographers to access their own images. This has locked out photographers from their life's work and created a hostage situation with their data.
Zenfolio
Forced archives
12img
Your data, always
Feature-by-feature breakdown for archives
| Feature | 12img | Zenfolio |
|---|---|---|
| No forced archiving | Yes | No |
| Access your photos anytime | Yes | No |
| Free data export | Yes | Limited |
| Gallery grace period | Yes | No |
| Cold storage option (voluntary) | Yes | No |
| No pay-to-access | Yes | No |
Cold storage option (voluntary): Photo Vault add-on
Yes. Zenfolio has been known to forcibly archive photographer galleries, restricting access unless the photographer pays to restore them. This has affected photographers with thousands of images spanning their entire career.
Never involuntarily. 12img includes gallery grace periods after expiry and optional Photo Vault cold storage that you control. You can always access, download, and export your original files.
Download your originals from Zenfolio (you may need to restore archived galleries first). Then upload to 12img for immediate, reliable access. We offer free migration assistance to make the switch painless.
Always-accessible galleries. Free export. Start free.
Zenfolio: Migration
A safe, step-by-step migration path from Zenfolio to 12img. Free migration assistance included.
Zenfolio: Pricing
Photographers report price hikes with no improvement in features or support. 12img locks your price forever.
Zenfolio: Support
When your gallery platform stops answering, it's time to switch.
Every system you need to run your business — from intake to delivery. One page. No fluff. Built from the workflows inside 12img.
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