Company Review
Lifetouch
Part of Shutterfly, Inc. · Est. 1936 · Reviewed 2026-04-01
Scores
Our Verdict
Lifetouch's scale is its greatest asset and its greatest liability. Coverage is unmatched — if your school uses them, you have no choice. But pricing is opaque, packages are confusing, and customer service is notoriously difficult to reach. The digital delivery platform has improved since the Shutterfly acquisition, but parents still report significant delays and order errors. Acceptable for a captive market; not a product parents would choose freely.
About Lifetouch
Lifetouch, now a subsidiary of Shutterfly, Inc., is the largest school photography company in the United States. Founded in 1936 in Minneapolis, the company has grown through decades of school district contracts to serve millions of students annually. Shutterfly acquired Lifetouch in 2018 for approximately $825 million, integrating the company's operations with its consumer photo products platform.
- Coverage
- All 50 states; approximately 40% of US public schools
- Market Position
- Market leader — serves more US schools than any other company
Typical Package Pricing
Prices are approximate and vary by school contract.
- ✓1 pose
- ✓class photo
- ✓1 sheet 8x10
- ✓2 poses
- ✓class photo
- ✓variety sheet
- ✓digital download
- ✓3 poses
- ✓class photo
- ✓variety sheet
- ✓digital download
- ✓memory mate
- ✓All poses
- ✓class photo
- ✓full sheet set
- ✓digital download
- ✓memory mate
- ✓ornament
Common Parent Complaints
- —Order errors and missing photos
- —Slow delivery times (6-8 weeks)
- —Difficult customer service
- —Unexpected charges
- —Poor retake process
- —Digital download quality issues
Public Review Ratings
2.8
4,200 reviews
Yelp
1.9
890 reviews
BBB
1.2
1,100 reviews
Trustpilot
2.1
650 reviews