Carrd vs Zenfolio
This is a classic battle pitting simplicity against vertical specialization. Carrd is the king of fast, inexpensive one-page sites for general users. Zenfolio is tailored specifically for professional photographers who need powerful sales tools. Your choice depends entirely on your core business goal and revenue plan.
The fastest way to build responsive one-page sites.
We find Carrd to be an outstanding tool for launching professional, single-page websites quickly and affordably. While the core functionality, speed, and competitive annual pricing are excellent, the platform must urgently address significant user concerns regarding the missing auto-save feature and overly aggressive gating of basic functions. Overall, it's a powerful and highly cost-effective choice for MVPs and landing pages.
Pros
- Exceptionally quick setup and deployment of websites.
- Highly affordable annual pricing starting below $20/year for Pro features.
- Simple, intuitive drag-and-drop editor for easy building.
- Robust integrations for payments (Stripe, PayPal) and email forms (Mailchimp, HubSpot).
Cons
- Crippling lack of an auto-save feature resulting in lost work.
- Basic functions (like smooth scrolling or simple button linking) are gated behind higher Pro tiers.
- Platform isn't suitable for complex e-commerce or large, multi-page portfolios.
- Users occasionally face technical glitches when trying to publish or save changes.
Streamlined sales backed by superb support.
We find Zenfolio to be a robust, end-to-end platform perfect for scaling photography businesses focused on sales and client delivery. Overall, the extensive features and highly praised customer service confirm its position as a serious contender in the professional photography software space.
Pros
- Access to personalized, knowledgeable, 1:1 customer support sessions.
- Modern, highly customizable templates designed specifically for professional photographers.
- Comprehensive tools that streamline client sales, proofing, and image delivery.
- Scalable pricing tiers offering unlimited JPEG storage in the ProSuite plan.
Cons
- Users report occasional instances of the platform being glitchy or having technical snags.
- The initial transition to the new site editor can be confusing or feel overwhelming.
- Essential features like advanced customization and booking are restricted to higher-priced plans.
AboutCarrd
Carrd offers a straightforward solution for building single-page websites. It's designed to be simple and highly accessible to anyone. You can begin with one of many available templates, or choose a clean blank page instead. This flexibility lets you quickly make the site your own.
The sites you create are fully responsive right out of the box. This means they automatically look great on phones, tablets, and desktops alike. You can even build up to three sites using all of Carrd’s core features for free! That makes it an excellent tool for anyone needing a fast launch. ✅
AboutZenfolio
Zenfolio is a powerful, yet simple, complete platform favored by photographers for nearly two decades. It's designed specifically for professionals needing to organize, showcase, and sell their work efficiently. This solution offers simplicity meeting power.
It is a unified solution, making it easy to manage specialty areas like portrait, wedding, and even volume photography—all in one place. Zenfolio is built to grow with you, providing tools no matter the current size of your business or your future goals. 💡
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Core Purpose
Carrd focuses on building minimal one-page sites fast; Zenfolio is a total photography business hub.
Carrd is built exclusively for publishing quick, responsive single-page websites. It’s perfect for profiles, resumes, or targeted landing pages. Zenfolio is a comprehensive platform designed for professional visual artists. It organizes, showcases, and sells photography work efficiently. If you only need a digital business card, Carrd is overkill, but Zenfolio requires far more setup. Zenfolio provides a complete multi-page business site, unlike Carrd’s permanent single-page limitation.
E-commerce & Sales
Zenfolio has built-in 24/7 client sales; Carrd requires external payment embeds.
Carrd supports simple e-commerce by embedding external payment links from Stripe or Gumroad. Fulfillment must be handled manually or by external tools. Zenfolio provides an integrated online store right within the client galleries. Clients can buy prints, downloads, and packages directly. Zenfolio integrates with major professional labs for automated print fulfillment globally. It also includes Smart Upselling features to boost revenue. If selling images or professional prints is your primary goal, Zenfolio is an indispensable, high-powered solution.
Client Management
Zenfolio handles secure client proofing; Carrd only offers basic contact forms for lead capture.
Carrd excels at capturing leads, integrating forms with services like Mailchimp and HubSpot. It does not offer any image delivery or gallery tools. Zenfolio centralizes client interaction with beautiful, secure online galleries for proofing post-shoot. It streamlines image selection. Zenfolio includes advanced tools like the QR Code Workflow for high-volume shoots. It’s a full CRM for visual clients. The client experience is paramount for photographers, and Zenfolio is built specifically to address this complexity.
Pricing & Value
Carrd is extremely affordable for simple sites; Zenfolio provides high business value for a higher cost.
Carrd has a permanent Free plan, allowing three sites using core features. The paid Pro plans are highly affordable annually, starting below $20. Zenfolio’s entry-level annual plan is $7/month, focusing on providing professional tools immediately. Pricing scales with storage and advanced features. Carrd is the unquestionable winner for minimal personal use or side projects on a tight budget. It offers incredible bang for your buck. Zenfolio provides professional, revenue-generating tools, justifying its higher price point for a full-time business.
Storage Capacity
Zenfolio offers explicit photo storage limits up to unlimited JPEGs; Carrd limits by the number of sites.
Carrd limits capacity based purely on the number of single-page sites you can manage (up to 25+). It is not designed for vast media libraries. Zenfolio offers scalable photo storage, starting at 15GB and reaching unlimited JPEGs in ProSuite. It supports massive visual archives. Zenfolio also dedicates 150GB in ProSuite specifically for 4K video content support. This is crucial for modern visual professionals. Professional photographers managing years of high-resolution RAW or JPEG files require Zenfolio’s scalable architecture.
User Support
Zenfolio offers dedicated 24/7 human support; Carrd offers standard responsive email support.
Carrd support is frequently reported as responsive and helpful by independent users. Formal guarantees or 24/7 availability are not specified. Zenfolio provides 24/7 Customer Success staffed by experienced photographers. Users praise their knowledgeable, personalized 1:1 sessions. Zenfolio’s specialized support understands photography business goals and technical demands. They help with setup and long-term strategy. If your website goes down during a critical sales week, Zenfolio’s guaranteed specialized help offers peace of mind Carrd cannot match.
Our Verdict
Carrd and Zenfolio serve two totally separate audiences, making this comparison delightfully straightforward. Both platforms score highly for reliability and utility within their deep specific niches. If you need speed, simplicity, and low hosting costs, pick Carrd. If your income depends on securing clients and selling images, Zenfolio is the clear choice. Carrd’s superpower is making a polished online presence incredibly affordable and fast. You can launch a fully secure, responsive landing page using your custom domain for a minimal annual fee. Carrd is unbeatable for quick personal profiles or lead capture pages integrated with Mailchimp and HubSpot. Zenfolio’s superpower is simplifying the complex business of professional photography sales and workflow. It provides integrated client proofing, 24/7 e-commerce, and automated print fulfillment effortlessly. Zenfolio handles client management, booking, and unlimited photo storage as your visual archive grows. The deciding factor is your main workflow: is it leads (Carrd) or image sales (Zenfolio)? Carrd will save you money and time upfront; Zenfolio will generate more revenue through automated upselling tools. Zenfolio is a full business solution; Carrd is an efficient publishing utility. Choose Carrd if you need an instant, cheap, single-page site for a campaign or profile. Professional photographers must go with Zenfolio for integrated tools that manage the modern client experience from proofing to purchase. Zenfolio is necessary for scaling a visual business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for generating sales: Carrd or Zenfolio?
Zenfolio is superior for sales since it includes a 24/7 integrated storefront and print fulfillment. Carrd handles sales via external links embedded from services like Stripe or Gumroad. Zenfolio focuses on maximizing photograph sales and automating the process.
Does Carrd offer integrated client galleries like Zenfolio?
No, Carrd only provides simple contact and signup forms integrated with marketing tools like Mailchimp. Zenfolio is built around creating specific, secure client galleries for proofing and image delivery after a photo shoot. Carrd lacks these specialized visual tools.
Is Zenfolio worth the extra cost over Carrd?
If you are a professional photographer, Zenfolio is absolutely worth the expense. It unifies business tools like CRM, storefront, and proofing in one system. Carrd is optimized purely for affordability and speed, not complex revenue management.
Can I build a multi-page site using Carrd?
No, Carrd is strictly designed for simple, single-page websites only. It excels at landing pages or profiles but cannot support complex multi-page architectures. Zenfolio provides a complete multi-page website tailored for portfolios.
Which tool has better customer support?
Zenfolio is consistently praised for superior customer support from experienced photographers. They offer personalized, 1:1 sessions and 24/7 availability. Carrd's support is known to be responsive but less specialized or always available.
Which is cheaper for new users?
Carrd is the cheapest option by far, offering a permanent Free plan for up to three sites. Paid Carrd plans start at minimal fees annually. Zenfolio starts at $7/month (annually) for its professional Portfolio plan.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.