Squiglet vs your camera roll and Google Photos
Most parents start with the camera roll. When is that enough, and when is a dedicated app worth it?
The honest answer
For a few drawings, your camera roll is fine
If you only photograph the odd drawing, the photos app you already have is free, quick and good enough. Services like Google Photos or iCloud Photos also back your pictures up and let you share albums.
The trouble starts when there are hundreds. Drawings get mixed with holiday snaps, crooked photos stay crooked, nobody knows which child made which, and there is no easy way to turn the best into a book that looks right.
A dedicated app such as Squiglet is built for exactly that second stage.
Camera roll and Google Photos, compared
A general photo library compared with a dedicated kids' artwork app. Features of general photo apps vary by phone and service.
| Feature | Squiglet | Camera roll or Google Photos |
|---|---|---|
| Already on your phone | NoA separate app to install | YesNothing to install |
| Cost | YesFree family library up to 100 pieces | YesFree within your account's storage allowance |
| Straightens and crops a drawing automatically | YesBuilt in | PartlyManual crop and rotate tools |
| Kept separate from holiday snaps | YesA library of artwork only | PartlyPossible with albums you make yourself |
| A timeline for each child | YesBuilt in, with filters | PartlyPossible with albums you make yourself |
| Titles, notes and ages for each picture | YesBuilt in | PartlyCaptions and descriptions, depending on the app |
| Share with family, with control over who can add | YesInvite by email, viewers or contributors | PartlyShared albums with the people you add |
| Originals kept untouched when you edit | YesAlways | PartlyVaries by app and service |
| Photo books laid out for children's drawings | YesFramed pages with captions | PartlyGeneral photo book options in some services |
| Art prints and phone cases | YesOrdered in the app | PartlyPrint services vary |
This is a category comparison, not a review of one product, so the notes are general. Features of Google Photos, iCloud Photos and phone camera apps differ and change; check your own app for what it offers.
Which should you choose?
Choose a dedicated app if you...
- Have more than a handful of drawings
- Want them tidy, labelled and by child
- Want to share with family without sharing everything
- Plan to print books, cases or art prints
Stay with your camera roll if you...
- Only keep the odd picture
- Do not need to separate artwork from other photos
- Already use shared albums happily
Camera roll questions
Can I just make an album called "Kids' art"?
Yes, and it is a good start. Over time, you may find you want straightened scans, a timeline for each child, notes for each picture and a way to design a book. That is where an app like Squiglet helps.
Will my existing photos work in Squiglet?
Yes. Choose them from your camera roll when you add pictures.
Try Squiglet free
Join the waitlist and be first to scan, share and print your child's artwork.
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