What paper weight are the pages?

Photo book pages are printed on 200 GSM art paper, which is much thicker than ordinary office paper at 70 to 80 GSM.

Can I mix glossy and matte pages in one book?

No. Each book uses one page finish throughout, which you choose when you start your project.

Is matte or glossy better for a wedding album?

Most couples choose matte for a wedding album because it reduces glare and fingerprints, and suits a book that is looked at often.

Do glossy pages show fingerprints?

Yes, more easily than matte pages. Matte hides fingerprints, so it suits books that are handled a lot.

Which is more durable, hardcover or softcover?

Hardcover. The rigid cover protects the pages from bending and wear.

Paper for Photo Books: Glossy vs Matte & Covers

Q: Which paper is best for a photo book?

Matte pages are the safest choice for books that are opened often, such as wedding and family albums. Glossy pages are better for colourful travel and festival photos. Both are printed on 200 GSM art paper.

Which paper is best for a photo book?

For most photo books, matte pages are the safe choice. They reduce glare and hide fingerprints, so they suit books that are opened often, like wedding albums, baby books and family books. Choose glossy pages if your photos are colourful and you want bright colours and deep blacks, as in travel, festival and celebration books.

Both finishes are printed on 200 GSM art paper. Depending on the size you choose, you can pick a glossy or a matte finish.

Browse all photo books, or see the photo book size guide if you are still choosing a size.

What is 200 GSM paper?

GSM means grams per square metre. It measures how heavy and thick a paper is. Ordinary office paper is usually 70 to 80 GSM. SnapXXL photo book pages are printed on 200 GSM art paper, a thick paper made for printing photos, so the pages feel solid and the photos on one side do not show through to the other.

A photo book is handled far more than a print on a wall. It gets passed around at family gatherings and opened again years later, so the paper weight and the cover decide how well it holds up.

Glossy pages

Glossy pages give bright colours, deep blacks and strong contrast. They suit colourful photos, like festivals, travel and celebrations.

The trade-off is glare. Under bright lights a glossy page can reflect, and it shows fingerprints more easily.

Matte pages

Matte pages have a soft, low-shine surface. They reduce glare and hide fingerprints, which makes them a good choice for books that will be looked at often, like wedding albums and family books. Colours look a little softer than on glossy pages.

Hardcover or softcover?

Hardcover books have a rigid cover that protects the pages and stands up on a shelf. They cost a little more and suit weddings, anniversaries and gifts.

Softcover books are lighter, thinner and cost less. They suit travel books, event books and albums you plan to make every year.

Our compact 4x6, 6x4, 6x9 and 9x6 inch books come with a gloss or matte cover finish instead.

Our recommendations

Wedding album: hardcover, matte pages. Travel book: softcover or hardcover, glossy pages. Baby book: hardcover, matte pages, because it will be handled a lot. Gift for grandparents: hardcover in a larger size, like A4 or 12x12 inch, so the photos are easy to see.

Photo books start at ₹407 + GST for the 4x6 inch size and ₹614 + GST for A4, delivered across India.

New to this? Read how to make a photo book.

Paper for Photo Books: Glossy vs Matte and Covers