SmugMug vs SubHub: What's the Best Builder in 2024?

SmugMug vs SubHub: Final verdict

SmugMug and SubHub both offer specialized platforms, but they cater to different user needs.

SmugMug (Overall Grade: 6.3/10)

is tailored for photographers and creatives who want to showcase and sell their work online. It excels in providing customizable templates optimized for high-quality images, robust photo protection features, and ecommerce capabilities. When comparing SmugMug vs SubHub, SmugMug is ideal for users seeking a platform that prioritizes visual presentation and secure photo management.
SubHub (Overall Grade: 5.6/10)

, on the other hand, is designed for content creators and entrepreneurs looking to build and manage membership sites. It offers tools for setting up subscription models, managing member access, and providing exclusive content. Considering SmugMug vs SubHub, SubHub is perfect for users who aim to monetize their content through a community-driven approach and need a platform that simplifies membership management.

	Overall grade: 6.3	Overall grade: 5.6
Design functionalities & templates	7.1	6.8
Ease of use	7.8	7.7
Ecommerce	7.3	5.9
Website editors	7.3	6.9
Product testing options	7.4	7.0
Price	7.8	6.8
Hosting quality	5.0	5.5
Website speed optimization	5.5	5.6
Plugins/extensions and integrations	6.2	5.7
Marketing features	3.8	5.7
Customer support	7.9	6.3
Website security	6.0	4.0
User management	7.2	5.2
Overall	6.3	5.6

Which one is the best for ecommerce: SmugMug or SubHub?

7.3

5.9

Verdict

: SmugMug is better suited for photographers and creatives looking to sell their work online, while SubHub is more appropriate for content creators and entrepreneurs focusing on membership-based models.

SmugMug

: SmugMug excels in providing ecommerce solutions tailored for photographers. It offers features like digital downloads, product pricing, tax handling, and multiple currencies support. Its templates are designed with ecommerce in mind, making it easy to set up an online store to sell prints and digital downloads. However, when comparing SmugMug vs SubHub, SmugMug may lack some advanced marketing features that SubHub offers.
SubHub

: SubHub is designed for content creators and entrepreneurs who want to monetize their content through membership models. It supports physical and digital product listings, pay-per-view products, and integrates with PayPal and Stripe for payment processing. While it may not have ecommerce-specific templates, it provides robust tools for managing subscriptions and member access, making it ideal for building a community and monetizing content.

Which one is the best for informational and business websites?

7.5

7.2

Verdict

: SmugMug and SubHub both offer unique strengths, but SmugMug slightly edges out SubHub for informational and business websites due to its superior design functionalities and customer support.

SmugMug

: SmugMug is tailored for photographers and creatives, offering customizable templates optimized for high-quality image display. Its robust photo protection features and e-commerce capabilities make it a strong choice for visually driven informational sites. With a score of 7.5, SmugMug provides a user-friendly interface and excellent customer support, making it ideal for those who need to showcase and sell their work online.
SubHub

: SubHub is designed for creating and managing membership sites, making it perfect for content creators and entrepreneurs looking to monetize their content. It simplifies subscription models and member management, offering a range of tools for building a community. With a score of 7.2, SubHub is user-friendly and efficient, but its design flexibility and customer support are slightly less robust compared to SmugMug. When comparing SmugMug vs SubHub, SubHub is best for those focused on membership-based business models.

SmugMug vs SubHub: Detailed comparison

7.1

6.8

🏆

Winner: SmugMug.

If you’re a photographer or a creative looking for a platform that offers a range of customizable, easy-to-use templates optimized for displaying high-quality images, SmugMug is the preferred choice.

SmugMug offers a variety of templates and designs, catering to the diverse needs of photographers and visual artists. Users can choose from an extensive collection of customizable templates, ensuring their website or portfolio reflects their unique style and brand. The platform continuously updates its design offerings, incorporating the latest trends and user feedback, to provide a rich selection of modern, sleek, and professional layouts.

SmugMug Themes

Compared to SmugMug, SubHub offers a variety of customizable membership website templates designed to cater to different needs and themes. These templates are fully customizable, allowing users to modify layouts, add or remove sections, and tailor content to fit their brand, ensuring flexibility in the design process.

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7.8

7.7

🏆 Winner: SmugMug

. With a score of 7.8, SmugMug slightly edges out SubHub, which scored 7.7. Both platforms are user-friendly and cater to specific user types, with SmugMug being ideal for photographers and visual artists, and SubHub being perfect for those looking to build and manage a membership portal. However, SmugMug’s slightly higher score indicates a more streamlined user experience.

Learning Resources

🏆 Winner: SubHub

. Both platforms offer learning resources, but SubHub provides a more comprehensive range of video guides, tutorials, and a detailed FAQ section. SmugMug, on the other hand, relies more on external content creators for tutorials.

Learn SmugMug

Learn SubHub

7.3

5.9

SmugMug and SubHub both offer ecommerce capabilities, but they cater to different needs. SmugMug is designed for photographers and creatives who want to sell their work online, while SubHub is tailored for content creators and entrepreneurs who aim to build a community and monetize their content through membership models.


Ecommerce themes and templates	8.0	3.0
Product page customization	6.5	6.5
Payment processing and commissions	6.0	7.0
POS capabilities	0.0	0.0
Payment gateways	5.0	6.0
Product numbers	9.0	5.0
Additional ecommerce features	6.5	4.5

SmugMug ecommerce features:

Digital Downloads
Product Pricing
Tax handling
Discounts and Coupons
Multiple Currencies support

SubHub ecommerce features:

Paypal and Stripe integration
Physical and Digital product listings
Pay-per view products

Ecommerce themes & templates

Almost all of the templates of SmugMug are designed with ecommerce in mind, providing built-in shopping cart functionality. On the other hand, SubHub does not have ecommerce specific templates.

Product page customization

SmugMug prioritizes photography, offering a platform tailored for photographers to showcase and sell their work, despite having more limited product page customization compared to dedicated e-commerce platforms. It still provides enough functionality to detail digital and printed photography products effectively, enabling users to sell online with ease.

The SubHub website builder offers a range of product page customization options, allowing for the addition of physical items, digital downloads, and pay-per-view content. Features include the ability to manage product variants, upload images, and set visibility preferences. Users can also implement SEO strategies through meta tags and manage tax settings.

Payment processing

SmugMug has a unique approach to payment processing, payment processing for your sales is managed through your account settings, where you must complete a Tax & Payment form to set up your payment preferences. Your earnings are calculated as 85% of the markup on print prices or download sales, with SmugMug retaining 15% to cover various costs. Payments are made via ACH direct deposit for U.S. users or PayPal for international users.

SubHub website builder supports two main payment gateways: Stripe and PayPal. These integrations allow for secure payment processing for subscriptions and store items using debit or credit cards. The platform itself does not charge commissions on transactions.

7.3

6.9

🏆

Winner: SmugMug

. SmugMug, with a score of 7.3, offers a user-friendly interface that allows for the creation of visually appealing, professional-grade photography websites without the need for coding knowledge. Users can customize their site by choosing from a variety of templates, adjusting layouts, and incorporating their own branding elements like logos and colors. The editor also supports easy uploading, organizing, and showcasing of high-quality images, with robust privacy and security settings to protect content.

Smugmug website editor

SubHub’s editor, scoring 6.9, is tailored for creating and managing membership sites, catering to content creators and entrepreneurs aiming to monetize their offerings. Its features encompass customizable templates, diverse content publishing options, and flexible subscription plans with seamless integration for recurring revenue through payment processors. However, compared to SmugMug, it offers less flexibility in design elements and functionalities.

Mobile editor/app

7.5

4.0

🏆

Winner: SmugMug

. Both SmugMug and SubHub offer limited mobile editing capabilities. SmugMug has a mobile app, but it only allows users to add new photos and edit descriptions. Layout changes on the website are not possible through the app.

On the other hand, SubHub does not have a dedicated mobile editor app. Users can manage some content on their website using the mobile browser version, but it’s not possible to change the layout and design of the website on mobile.

Given these limitations, SmugMug has a slight edge over SubHub as it offers a dedicated mobile app, albeit with limited functionality.

7.4

7.0

Overall Result

:

SmugMug wins

. SmugMug scores 7.4 in product testing options, slightly higher than SubHub’s 7.0. Both platforms offer a 14-day free trial, allowing users to test their premium features. However, SubHub provides an additional safety net with a 7-day money-back guarantee, which SmugMug does not offer.


Free Plan	No	No
Trial Duration	14 days	14 days
Testing Premium Features	During the free trial	During the free trial
Money Back Guarantee	No	7 days

7.8

6.8

SmugMug offers a better value for money with a higher price score and a higher discount on annual billing.

It also provides an enterprise plan for professional photographers and businesses seeking advanced, custom solutions. On the other hand, SubHub does not offer an enterprise plan.

	Offerings	Offerings
$10-$20	Power ($15.00/month): Best for the photographer who wants their entire photo catalog safe and shareable on their own terms. Unlimited storage, Seamless Lightroom integration. Value for price: 6.5	No offering at this amount.
$30-$40	Portfolio ($31.00/month): Best for the photographer who wants to start selling photos and keep their archive organized perfectly. All Power plan’s features, plus 21 premade templates, prints and digital downloads sales, Custom Watermarks, Payment integration for credit cards and PayPal, Integrated cart and checkout experience, Sales statistics. Value for price: 8.0	No offering at this amount.
$40-$50	Pro ($45.00/month): Adds to Portfolio with custom price lists and coupons, Platform access for assistant or second shooter, Full control over client downloads, Branded packaging and thank you notes for print sales, coupon creator. Value for price: 8.5	Starter ($47/month): Up to 500 members, 5 GB storage, secure payment processing, course builder, 5 landing pages, e-commerce. Value for price: 6.5
$90-$100	No offering at this amount.	Pro ($97/month): Up to 2000 members, 50 GB storage, removes SubHub branding, 15 landing pages, along with Starter features. Value for price: 7.5
$100-$200	No offering at this amount.	Premium ($147/month): Unlimited members, 200 GB storage, email white labelling, 30 landing pages, plus all Pro features. Value for Price: 8.5
$500+	Venture (Starts with $500/month): All Pro features, plus dedicated support contacts and account representative for all Smugmug needs, Design, workflow, and organization consultation and support.	No offering at this amount.

In some cases companies have different prices based on various components like a
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.

5.0

5.5

Winner: SubHub

. SubHub edges out SmugMug in this category due to its managed cloud hosting and clear storage limitations depending on the plan. SmugMug, while offering hosting, does not provide detailed information about its hosting features, making it difficult to assess its quality.


Do they offer hosting?	Yes, but with limited information	Yes, with storage limitations depending on the plan
Data Centers:	No information provided	No information provided
Type of hosting:	No information provided	Managed Cloud Hosting
Uptime:	No information provided	No information provided
Uptime Guarantee:	Yes, 99.9%	No information provided

5.5

5.6

🏆 Winner: SubHub

Both SmugMug and SubHub prioritize website performance and page speed, but SubHub has a slight edge due to its focus on image optimization and caching in addition to mobile-optimized design.


Focus	Mobile Responsive design	Image Optimization, Caching, Mobile Optimized design
Performance Tools	Not specified	Not specified
Key Strategies	Mobile Responsive design	Image Optimization, Caching, Mobile Optimized design
Load Times	Varies widely, depending on optimization and website complexity	Varies widely, depending on optimization and website complexity
Page Speed Scores Range	Varies widely, depending on optimization and website complexity	Varies widely, depending on optimization and website complexity
Core Web Vitals Improvement	Not specified	Not specified

SmugMug, a website builder designed for photographers and creatives, prioritizes mobile responsive design for speed optimization. However, the platform does not provide specific information on the tools it uses for performance measurement or its Core Web Vital improvements. The load times and PageSpeed scores for SmugMug websites vary widely depending on optimization and website complexity.

SubHub, a website builder designed for creating and managing membership sites, focuses on image optimization, caching, and mobile-optimized design for speed optimization. Like SmugMug, SubHub does not provide specific information on the tools it uses for performance measurement or its Core Web Vital improvements. The load times and PageSpeed scores for SubHub websites also vary widely depending on optimization and website complexity.

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6.2

5.7

🏆 Winner: SmugMug.

With a score of 6.2, SmugMug edges out SubHub, which scored 5.7. SmugMug’s integrations with popular photo-hosting services like Dropbox, Adobe Lightroom, Google Photos, Flickr, and Amazon Drive make it a more versatile and efficient platform for managing and showcasing photography portfolios. SubHub, on the other hand, offers a set of built-in features and limited third-party integrations, primarily with MailChimp, Google Analytics, and payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal. While SubHub provides a comprehensive toolkit for creating and managing membership sites, its range of external integrations might be seen as limited compared to other website builders.

3.8

5.7

🏆

Overall Winner: SubHub

. SubHub offers a more comprehensive set of marketing features, including SEO tools, email marketing, blogging, analytics and reporting, and ads and promotions. SmugMug, while offering some marketing features, lacks in areas such as email marketing, blogging, and ads and promotions.


SEO Tools	Basic SEO tools	Comprehensive SEO tools
Email Marketing		✓ (through integration with Mailchimp)
Blogging
Social Media Integration
Analytics and Reporting	Google Analytics integration	Google Analytics integration
Ads and Promotions		✓ (Promotional codes and coupon codes)

7.9

6.3

🏆 Winner: SmugMug

. In the SmugMug vs SubHub comparison, SmugMug takes the lead with a customer support score of 7.9. SmugMug offers email and chat support available 364 days a year, ensuring users can get help when they need it. Additionally, higher-tier business subscribers have access to phone support, providing an extra layer of assistance. The platform’s rapid response times and accessible support options make it a reliable choice for photographers and creatives.

SubHub, with a customer support score of 6.3, provides support primarily through email and a support portal. While it lacks phone support, SubHub’s FAQ section helps address common questions quickly. However, it does not offer specialized enterprise support, which may be a limitation for larger businesses. Despite this, SubHub’s focus on accessible and responsive email support ensures that users can still find the help they need for managing their membership sites.

6.0

4.0

🏆

Winner: SmugMug

. SmugMug takes privacy and security seriously, ensuring private data storage and protection through various measures. They implement strict privacy settings and controls that allow users to manage who can access their content. Additionally, they employ data protection practices to safeguard user information and content, ensuring compliance with data privacy laws and regulations.

SubHub, on the other hand, also emphasizes compliance with GDPR and CCPA regulations in their privacy policy. However, they do not disclose any specific information about the website security measures they provide. This lack of transparency could be a concern for users who prioritize security.


Personalized Design
SEO Optimization
Customer Behavior Analysis
Sales Predictions
Inventory Management
Content Generation

🏆 Winner: None

. Neither SmugMug nor SubHub offer any AI capabilities. Both platforms focus on providing specific features tailored to their target users – photographers and content creators, respectively – rather than incorporating AI tools.

7.2

5.2

🏆 Winner: SmugMug

. Both SmugMug and SubHub offer different user roles and access levels, but SmugMug provides a more detailed and flexible user management system.

SmugMug allows the primary account holder full control over the account, with the ability to add additional users through “Shared Account Management” for Portfolio and Pro level accounts. These additional users can be given various roles with different permissions, enabling them to manage or edit the website without full access to billing or account settings. The number of users and the extent of their permissions depend on SmugMug’s current offerings.
SubHub allows multiple user accounts, however the platform does not specify how many accounts are supported.

SmugMug User Roles and Access Levels:

Role	Description	Access Highlights
Owner	The primary account holder who has full control over the site.	Complete access to all features, settings, content management, and billing.
Admin	Users granted almost the same level of access as the owner, minus some critical billing or account settings.	Manage content, order prints, access to stats, and settings except for account and billing changes.
Contributor	Users who can upload and manage content in specific galleries.	Upload content to assigned galleries, edit captions, and keywords. Limited access to settings.

SubHub User Roles and Access Levels:

Role	Description	Access Highlights
Administrator	Full access to the platform except for Homepage and Course Editor.	Can manage all aspects of the platform, including content, store, and member management.
Content Management	Focuses on managing and organizing content within the platform.	Can access and manage content-related features but does not have access to Homepage or Course Editor.
Store (access only)	Specializes in handling the platform’s store features.	Limited to store management functions; no access to Homepage, Course Editor, or member management.
Member Manager (access only)	Oversees member accounts, roles, and subscriptions.	Can manage members and their subscriptions but cannot access Homepage, Course Editor, or store management.
Origin Admin Email	The initial administrator with the highest level of access, including Homepage and Course Editor.	Exclusive access to Homepage and Course Editor, on top of what the Administrator role provides.

Additional Features


SSL Certificate
Custom Domain
Free Custom Domain Included
International Domains
Mobile Responsive
Page Speed
Website Builder Mobile App
Convert a Website To An App
Website Analytics
Multilingual Sites
Multiple Users

SmugMug vs SubHub: User Feedback

SmugMug

33 reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

SubHub

11 reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars

Users appreciate SmugMug for its reliability, ease of use, and the platform’s ability to securely host and share high-resolution photographs and videos. Highlights include seamless mobile device syncing, excellent gallery features for showcasing assets, and robust customization options minus JavaScript support. However, some users desire improvements in facial recognition technology for automatic album creation, expanded asset management capabilities beyond primarily photos, and more advanced search functionalities. Concerns about rising costs and the platform’s intuitiveness were also mentioned. Overall, SmugMug is valued for its central storage solution, privacy features for client photos, and its ability to simplify file sharing and photo sales.

User feedback on SubHub presents a mix of positive and negative experiences, emphasizing the platform’s feature-rich environment and customizable templates. Users appreciate the flexibility and the quality of customer service, highlighting the platform’s continual updates and support as key benefits. However, some users express dissatisfaction with aspects such as the platform’s interface, lack of community features, and service fees for ticket resale. Concerns were also raised about the custom design service and mobile-friendly solutions taking longer than expected.

The making of this blog

We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.

Our Ranking Criteria

SmugMug vs SubHub: FAQ

Which platform is better for photographers, SmugMug or SubHub?

SmugMug is specifically designed for photographers and creatives, offering robust features for showcasing and selling high-quality images, including customizable templates optimized for visual content, photo protection features, and ecommerce capabilities tailored for photography sales.

Can I use SubHub for selling products other than memberships?

SubHub is primarily focused on creating and managing membership sites and content monetization through subscriptions. While it provides tools for monetizing exclusive content, its ecommerce capabilities are more suited for subscription models rather than traditional product sales.

How do SmugMug and SubHub compare in terms of ease of use?

Both platforms are user-friendly, but SmugMug slightly edges out SubHub with a more streamlined user experience, particularly for photographers and visual artists. SubHub, however, offers comprehensive video guides and tutorials, making it accessible for users looking to build and manage a membership portal.

What are the main differences in pricing between SmugMug and SubHub?

SmugMug offers a range of plans tailored to photographers, from basic photo sharing to advanced business features, with discounts on annual billing. SubHub’s pricing is structured around membership site capabilities, with plans catering to different levels of membership and content management needs.

Which platform offers better customer support?

SmugMug is known for its superior customer support, offering rapid response times through email and chat, and specialized support for enterprise-level customers. SubHub also provides quality customer service, but SmugMug’s dedicated support for higher-tier subscriptions sets it apart.

Are there any significant security differences between the two platforms?

SmugMug places a strong emphasis on privacy and security, implementing strict controls and data protection practices to safeguard user information and content. SubHub also prioritizes security but does not provide as much detailed information about its security measures as SmugMug.

What kind of additional features do SmugMug and SubHub offer?

SmugMug focuses on features beneficial to photographers, such as customizable galleries and photo protection, while SubHub offers tools for managing membership sites, including subscription models and member access controls. Both platforms support custom domains and mobile responsiveness, but SmugMug offers a mobile app for easy management on the go.

How do users feel about SmugMug and SubHub?

User feedback for SmugMug is generally positive, with users appreciating its reliability, ease of use, and features tailored to photographers. SubHub users value the platform’s flexibility and customer service but have expressed desires for improved interface and community features.