Format vs Lumeny Pricing: Portfolio + Gallery Delivery Compared
Format and Lumeny are both photography-specific platforms, and both include portfolio and gallery features. But they're built around different priorities — which means the value comparison depends on what you actually need.
Pricing Overview
| Plan | Format | Lumeny |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | ~$10–12/month | €9/month |
| Mid tier | ~$20–25/month | €19/month (Pro) |
| What it emphasizes | Portfolio website | Integrated workflow |
| Client gallery delivery | Available | Yes (core feature) |
| Custom domain | Yes | €19/month (Pro) |
Format pricing varies by plan tier; check Format's current pricing page for exact figures. Annual billing typically offers a discount.
What Format Is Built For
Format is primarily a portfolio website tool for photographers and creatives. It started as a portfolio platform and has added client gallery delivery over time.
Format's strengths:
- Beautiful, photography-specific portfolio templates
- Clean, professional website designs
- Good control over portfolio presentation
- Blog features
- Client gallery delivery (added feature)
Format is well-suited for photographers whose primary need is a beautiful, customizable portfolio website with client delivery as a secondary feature.
What Lumeny Is Built For
Lumeny is built around the photography workflow as a whole — delivery is the core, with the portfolio built automatically from deliveries, and briefings and booking tracking integrated.
Lumeny's strengths:
- Auto-portfolio from delivered galleries (portfolio updates when you deliver)
- Shoot briefing tool (pre-shoot client communication)
- Booking overview (status tracking for all shoots)
- Sectioned galleries
- GDPR-compliant EU hosting
Lumeny is well-suited for photographers who want the business admin workflow handled in one place — not just a portfolio website with delivery capabilities.
The Workflow Integration Difference
This is the meaningful distinction between the two:
With Format: You build and maintain a portfolio website. You also deliver client galleries. These are two activities on the same platform but they're not integrated — a new delivery doesn't automatically update your portfolio. You still need to go in and add the images manually when you want to update your portfolio.
With Lumeny: Deliver a gallery → it appears in your portfolio automatically. There's no separate portfolio update step. The portfolio is always current because it's built from your delivery history.
For photographers who find portfolio maintenance one of the most deferred tasks in their business, this integration has real practical value.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Format | Lumeny |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio website | Yes (primary feature) | Yes (auto-built) |
| Client gallery delivery | Yes | Yes (core feature) |
| Sectioned galleries | Varies | Yes |
| Shoot briefing tool | No | Yes |
| Booking tracking | No | Yes |
| Auto-portfolio from deliveries | No | Yes |
| Custom domain | Yes | €19/month (Pro) |
| Print store | No | No |
| EU hosting | No (US/Canada) | Yes (DE) |
When Format Makes Sense
- Your primary need is a highly customizable portfolio website
- You want extensive control over the visual design of your portfolio
- You post a blog or want a more general photography website presence
- You're comfortable managing portfolio updates manually after deliveries
When Lumeny Makes Sense
- You want your portfolio to update automatically from your deliveries
- You want shoot briefings and booking tracking integrated with your gallery delivery
- You're an EU photographer who wants EU-hosted, GDPR-compliant storage
- You want an integrated workflow rather than a portfolio website with delivery features bolted on
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Format's portfolio better than Lumeny's? Format has more design templates and customization options for the portfolio website itself. Lumeny's portfolio is simpler but always current — it builds itself from your deliveries. Which is "better" depends on whether you value customization or automation more.
Does Format include a shoot briefing feature? No. Pre-shoot client communication isn't part of Format's feature set. If you want briefings as part of your platform, Lumeny includes them; Format does not.
Can I use both Format and Lumeny? You could, but this recreates the dual-tool problem: maintaining two platforms, two subscriptions, no automation between them. The point of choosing either is to consolidate, not to add another layer.
What's the EU hosting situation for Format? Format is based in Canada with US/Canadian infrastructure. For EU photographers concerned about GDPR data residency, this is worth considering. Lumeny's Germany-hosted infrastructure is straightforwardly EU-resident.
Portfolio that builds itself — starting at €9/month
Lumeny builds your portfolio automatically from your delivered galleries, plus shoot briefings and booking tracking. No manual portfolio updates required. Try it free for 14 days.
Start Free TrialWritten by Christian Bauer, founder of Lumeny and photographer with 10+ years of experience.