We may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links

Top 10 Best Portable Photo Printers In 2022 Reviews

We live in an age where most of the photographs we take reside in our smartphones, cameras, or computers.

Having a digital stockpile of all your favorite photographs is great, but there is something about holding and displaying a physical copy of your photograph that gives a much different feel.

Of course, you can get photographs professionally developed but this is inconvenient as it can be quite time-consuming. Large photo printers work too, but they can cost you a pretty penny, both the printer itself, as well as the paper.

Top 10 Best Portable Photo Printers In 2022 Reviews

Contents

The best portable photo printers on the market will solve this…

Fortunately, there is a budding market of portable photo printers that eliminate those negative factors altogether and give you access to physical photographs quickly and easily.

However, with such a wide variety to choose from, finding the right one can be tricky. That is why we have rounded up a list of the best portable photo printer options out there to help guide you and find the right one for you.

Best Portable Photo Printers In 2022 – Top 10 Rated Reviews


1 HP Sprocket Plus – Best Mini Portable Photo Printers

We’ll start off our reviews with a sleek and compact printer that will make you do a double-take at first glance. The HP Sprocket Plus is a small yet mighty photo printer that provides prints that are 30% larger than its original counterpart.

Tiny yet powerful…

Touted as the thinnest photo printer on the market, the Sprocket Plus is roughly the same size as a smartphone, making it incredibly portable for a printer. Just slip it into your unused pocket and go.

With the HP sprocket app and 4.0 Bluetooth capability, you can instantly produce prints of your favorite photos from your camera roll or social media account. Within the app, you can also customize the photo with filters and stickers for added effect.

How does this actually work?

The HP Sprocket Plus uses unique ZINK photo paper to print crisp and smudge-free photos. All you have to do is load the paper, select the photo, and print.

You will have a memory to hold in your hands within seconds. Also, did we mention HP throws in 10 sheets of the paper for free?


HP Sprocket Plus

Our rating:4.4 out of 5 stars (4.4 / 5)

Pros

  • Thin and compact.
  • Bluetooth capable.
  • 10 sheets of ZINK paper included.
  • Multiple colors available.

Cons

  • Can’t print dark photos.

2 Canon SELPHY

Having a pocket-sized printer is great when you are limited on space, but if you’re willing to scale up a bit, you can have a few more features and connectivity ability that just isn’t possible on something too small.

The Canon SELPHY is just a bit bigger than the other models but offers enough extra specifications to make up for what it lacks in portability.

Highly versatile in connectivity… this photo printer can do it all…

The SELPHY still offers excellent Bluetooth connectivity that you can use in tandem with the Canon PRINT app. You can also attach a USB connection to print from your computer or insert an SD card from your camera or phone allowing you to source pictures from many different places.

While it may not be very small, it still has what it takes for us to consider it portable. You have the option of plugging it directly into a power source or attaching a battery pack to be able to print from anywhere.

Plus at 7 x 5 x 2 inches, it’s still compact enough to fit in a backpack for easy transportation.

The best part?

You aren’t just limited to one size of photograph. This portable printer gives you the ability to print in large 4 x 6 inch postcard size, regular 4 x 3 inch, or even simple 2 x 2 inch Instagram prints.

Whether printing beautiful landscape shots or Instagram selfies, this photo printer can do it all.


Canon SELPHY

Our rating:4.6 out of 5 stars (4.6 / 5)

Pros

  • LCD screen.
  • Bluetooth connectivity.
  • Multiple photo size options.
  • Diverse connectivity.
  • Battery or power adapter enabled.

Cons

  • All photo sizes not included.
  • Requires a lot of ink replacement.

3 Polaroid Mint Pocket Printer

You didn’t think we would have a list about instant photo printers without mentioning Polaroid, did you? Their storied history of instant cameras is alive in this simple, compact, and elegant printer.

It’s always a good sign when a company keeps with the times, and with this printer, they are right up there with the best. At only 4 x 3 inches this photo printer can fit right in your pocket just like your smartphone.

Using that smartphone, you can connect to the Polaroid app which will instantly print photos from your phone’s camera roll or any of your social media accounts.

But there’s more to it than that…

Before you print, you can use the Polaroid app to edit your photos in any number of ways before printing them off. You can crop and add filters to breathe life into any photo on your phone.

ZINK technology is really amazing… probably why Polaroid chose it…

You’re probably wondering how a printer can be that small and still deliver crisp and clear photos. With ZINK technology, the printer doesn’t use ink, but rather a multi-layered thermal paper that delivers a crisp photo in one pass.

Forget about expensive and messy ink cartridges, all you have to do is get new paper!

You also aren’t left without options. You can choose from one of five bold model colors to suit your personality and lifestyle.


Polaroid Mint Pocket Printer

Our rating:4.3 out of 5 stars (4.3 / 5)

Pros

  • Compact.
  • Bluetooth enabled.
  • In-app editing.
  • ZINK technology.
  • 5 different colors to choose from.
  • Rechargeable battery.

Cons

  • ZINK paper can get costly over time.

4 Fujifilm INSTAX Share

Up next we have an appearance from another classic photo brand that has come to be known for their instant cameras and camera accessories.

The Fujifilm INSTAX Share allows you to create photos on INSTAX film that has become the standard for instant photography. Simply connect to the Share app and send photos directly from your device with ease.

Ten seconds from start to finish… that’s impressive…

A laser exposure system provides a faster printing time of 10 seconds from start to finish. A unique vertical print system will eject your photo in an upward direction from the top of the device.

Impressive resolution too…

The INSTAX Share produces high-resolution photos with a print resolution of 320 dpi. Even the hardest to capture details can be seen when you use this printer.

This printer is powered by a rechargeable battery that you can charge with any micro USB charger. You also have the option of choosing either a sleek silver or gold color to better match your other accessories.


Fujifilm INSTAX Share

Our rating:4.4 out of 5 stars (4.4 / 5)

Pros

  • 10 second print time.
  • Vertical printing.
  • Rechargeable battery.

Cons

  • Only works with INSTAX film.
  • Users report connectivity issues.

5 Prynt Pocket Instant Photo Printer – Best Portable Photo Printers for iPhone

If you are someone who appreciates simplicity, then you probably like to consolidate as much of your technology as you can. The good news is that the next portable photo printer allows you to do just that.

The Prynt Pocket Instant Photo Printer attaches to your iPhone to instantly turn the whole thing into a makeshift instant camera.

As long as you have an iPhone, you’re good…

Your iPhone connects to the printer via the charging point, then when you’ve downloaded the Prynt app you can frame and take beautiful instant photos and have them printed in 30 seconds. Forget about having to find a costly instant camera, as long as you have an iPhone you are good to go.

We like the nifty video embedding feature most…

The Prynt Pocket uses ZINK paper to print crystal clear photos without the need for expensive and bulky ink cartridges. Save time and money with this portable printer!

This printer also has a nifty feature that allows you to embed a video over your photo to bring it to life. Using augmented reality, you can hold the Prynt app open over the photo and relive your favorite moments.


Prynt Pocket Instant Photo Printer

Our rating:4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Pros

  • Uses your iPhone as an instant camera.
  • ZINK technology.
  • Video embedding.

Cons

  • Pricey.
  • Only compatible with iPhone.

6 KiiPix Portable Photo Printer

Next up on our list is something a little bit different. While still a photo printer, this KiiPix Portable Photo Printer does not use a battery, nor does it require the downloading of an app to function.

It performs screen printing… no not that type of screen printing…

This printer uses an image on your smartphone to scan and instantly print the content on your screen. Simply open the winged sides of the device, ensure your smartphone’s brightness is turned all the way up, place it on top and print.

The device then uses a reflective mirror to transpose the image into the printer.

Wallet-sized photos in a jiffy…

There’s no need for an accompanying instant camera, just a standard smartphone will do the trick and give you quality prints in minutes. The printer uses INSTAX film to create excellent wallet-sized photos for you to enjoy for years to come.

The most portable option around really…

Because of its size, foldability, and lack of cords or batteries, this KiiPix printer is the ideal travel companion. Slip it into a backpack or purse and have physical photos with you wherever you go.

You can also choose from an assortment of colors to match your personality or other accessories.


KiiPix Portable Photo Printer

Our rating:3.7 out of 5 stars (3.7 / 5)

Pros

  • No battery required.
  • Compact.
  • Ability to edit before printing.
  • Color options.

Cons

  • INSTAX film not included.

7 Kodak Mini Shot Wireless Instant Digital Camera & Social Media Portable Photo Printer

Any list of things to do with photography of any kind would be incomplete without an appearance from the photo professionals at Kodak.

In the palm of your hand…

We live in a time when all-in-one gadgets like smartphones and remote controls reign supreme, why should instant photo printers be any different? With the Kodak Mini Shot you get a sleek and compact camera and printer right in the palm of your hand.

A powerful 10-megapixel camera can deliver beautiful instant photos in seconds. It really is just as simple as point, shoot, and print.

Never has so much photographic capability been able to fit in just your pocket…

The process isn’t automatic though. When you connect to the Kodak app on any Bluetooth enabled device, you can access your shots and edit them to your preference before you print them off.

You aren’t just bound to the photos you capture with the camera. You can also send any shot from your camera roll or social media account to the printer for instant prints.

Blur and distortion are not a problem with D2T2 technology…

Using Kodak’s patented D2T2 technology, all-in-one paper and ink cartridges use ink diffusion to evenly layer colors across the print. In this process, usual culprits like blur and distortion are eliminated.

The best news of all is that 50 of these cartridges are included with this camera/printer combo!


Kodak Mini Shot Wireless Instant Digital Camera & Social Media Portable Photo Printer

Our rating:4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Pros

  • All-in-one camera printer.
  • 10-megapixel camera.
  • D2T2 technology.
  • Ink and paper cartridges included.

Cons

  • Cartridge replacements are hard to find.

8 Canon PIXMA – Best High Resolution Portable Photo Printer

We’re going to switch gears for a second to show you something a little more traditional with even more practical uses.

The Canon PIXMA is more of an all-round portable printer. Don’t get us wrong, you can still print out great photos with it, but that’s not its primary function. With an overall resolution of 9600 x 2400 dpi, you can print high-quality photos, documents, and web pages from anywhere.

Print from Facebook or your smartphone gallery…

First off, this portable wireless printer can receive any photos or documents you send from your phone over WiFi. So any of those selfies in your gallery or shots of your friends on Facebook can be instantly printed off.

Facial recognition and calendar organization too… wow…

My Image Garden software helps you to edit photos to perfection. Automatic layout suggestion helps you to get the absolute most out of every shot. It also helps you keep everything organized using facial recognition and calendar organization.

If you have Google Cloud Print enabled on your laptop or desktop computer, you can instantly produce hard copies of important documents you have stored.

This portable printer is ideal for the businessperson on the go and we think it’s pretty much the best high res portable printer out there.


Canon PIXMA

Our rating:4.2 out of 5 stars (4.2 / 5)

Pros

  • Can print documents and photos.
  • High-resolution printer.
  • My Photo Garden software.
  • Google Cloud Print compatible.

Cons

  • Bulkier than the others.
  • Pricey.

9 Workforce WF-110 – Best Voice Activated Portable Photo Printer

Next up on our best portable photo printers list is another all-round printer with a few more special features to deliver all aspects of your printing needs.

The Workforce WF-110 offers complete printing solutions in an ultra-lightweight and compact device. Whether you need to print business documents or borderless photos, this printer can do all of that and more with ease, and a bit of flash.

Built-in lithium-ion battery offers dependable power without adding weight…

Flexible battery charging allows you to charge up using the USB, an AC adapter, or just simply leaving it connected to a power source. The built-in lithium-ion battery offers dependable power without adding too much weight or bulk. You can even connect an external accessory battery for even more print volume.

Print whatever you need, wherever you need…

Wireless connectivity is enabled over Wi-Fi and can connect with any computer, tablet, or smartphone. Whatever you need to be printed, you can easily get it done, wherever you go.

If you can manage a standard printer, you will have no issue with this one. Easy, intuitive controls are provided on a bright 1.4 inch LCD screen and a control panel for easy setup and operation.

We just love the voice-activated print option…

With hands-free voice-activation you can command this Workforce printer to print, all you have to do is ask!


Workforce WF-110

Our rating:0 out of 5 stars (0 / 5)

Pros

  • Compact.
  • Multiple charging options.
  • Wi-Fi connection.
  • Easy-to-use.
  • Voice control.

Cons

  • Pricey.
  • Printer paper not included.

10 Fujifilm Ask 300 Quick Print Station

Finally, with our last printer featured on our list, we’re going to stretch the definition of portable somewhat. But, in the traditional sense of the word, it still applies to this printer.

More of a portable workstation we would say…

The Fujifilm Ask 300 is less of a portable photo printer and more or a portable workstation. Sadly this isn’t going to fit in your front pocket since technology hasn’t quite advanced to that level just yet.

However, it can easily be transported in its own carrying case that’s about the size of a gym bag or purse. With a 10.8 x 17.6 x 17.5 inch dimension, it’s compact enough to take it and set it up wherever you are.

Dye-sub technology protects prints from light and water damage…

The Ask 300 utilizes high-quality thermal paper to deliver detailed and vibrant prints. To secure that, it uses patented dye-sub technology to add a protective overcoat layer that protects prints from light or water damage.

This is a fantastic option for professional photographers who are looking for a bit more high-end photo printing than an instant camera while still being able to have it available wherever they are working.

Still not convinced?

Fujifilm offers a limited 1-year warranty to protect against any potential manufacturing defects. You can buy confidently knowing that you can replace it absolutely hassle-free.


Fujifilm Ask 300 Quick Print Station

Our rating:4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Pros

  • Thermal paper printing.
  • Dye-sub technology for light and water protection.
  • Compact workstation.
  • Includes a padded carrying case.

Cons

  • Pricey.
  • Quite bulky.

A Buying Guide For The Best Portable Photo Printers

As you can see, no two portable photo printers are exactly alike. In a world where technology has allowed just about anyone to be a photographer, there’s no wonder we have so much variety to choose from.

So, your level is somewhere on that spectrum, but with so many features, it can be tricky figuring out exactly what portable photo printer is best for you.

That’s why we have put together this handy buying guide with some of the most important points to consider before making a final decision.

Device Size

This is a great place to start, considering you’re here specifically looking for something portable, but that can mean different things to different people.

HP Sprocket Plus Instant Photo Printer

This really depends on what you are going to be using it for. If you are getting into photography or just want to make artistic prints at the drop of the hat, then keep your attention on the smaller end of the spectrum.

There are some really fun portable printers that can not only fit in your pocket but produce rather high-quality photographs.

If you want higher quality prints…

If you want a little more substance and try to avoid devices that are too small or fragile then you can scale up to slightly bigger printers that can offer more in terms of photo quality.

If you are a professional photographer or businessperson on the go who needs constant access to a printer, then consider a portable wireless printer or workstation. These are a bit larger but still fit easily in a backpack or purse.

KiiPix Portable Photo Printer, Pink

Not only can you get higher quality photo prints, but you can print off normal documents as well.

Print Size

This also weighs heavily on your intended use. If you just want it to create fun or artistic memories, then printers that use INSTAX film or something similar are a great way to keep credit card-sized memories or to scrapbook.

Small sizes like that will generally not print super high-quality images, but not everything needs to be perfect.

For larger, traditional-sized prints, then simply scaling up in device size usually means you are sizing up in print size. Keep in mind that some printers only use exclusive print paper that can be hard to find, so finding something that can print using different paper or different sizes is a worthy investment.

Professionals will want something more versatile…

Fujifilm INSTAX

Again, if professionalism is the name of the game, then all-round portable printers are for you. If you are a photographer trying to acquire new clients, you want your work to be presented in the best way possible.

This often means having the largest and clearest prints possible. Having the ability to print out documents is also a big plus.

Ink

We use “ink” loosely here since some of the options don’t use ink, but we will try to cover it in the same way.

Traditional printers use Inkjet technology that utilizes ink cartridges to produce extremely detailed prints. This is the top choice for photo printing for this reason and is usually the method used in traditional photo printers.

However, ink requires space and space is exactly the difference between portable and non-portable photo printers. Some of them still use this method, but they tend to be bulkier and more expensive.

With the more compact printers, some methods don’t use ink at all. Technologies like ZINK paper or dye-sub use thermal printing methods to deliver one pass prints. This rapid method is great when you aren’t too worried about excessive detail and want your pictures right away.

Connectivity

When it comes to portable photo printers, portability and wireless technology often go hand in hand. Many of these printers can connect wirelessly to certain devices and retrieve photos for printing.

Fujifilm INSTAX Share SP-2 Mobile Printer (Silver)

Portable printers with Bluetooth connectivity are designed to connect with your smartphone so you can instantly print straight from your phone’s internal memory or social media accounts.

This offers unparalleled convenience that traditional printers just can’t compete with. Companies that manufacture printers with this technology usually offer smartphone apps that allow you to store and edit those prints as well.

Wi-Fi is another way in which portable printers connect to devices, but these usually just function with a desktop or laptop and don’t offer the same kind of in-app utility.

Got Everything You Need?

Happy with your photos? If not, head on over to our Best Camera Phone Reviews, the Best Instant Cameras Reviews, Best Point and Shoot Cameras, the Best GoPro Camera Reviews, and the Best Camera Drones Reviews for the latest photo-capture technology on the market.

Then for comprehensive coverage of photography-related accessories, do check out the Best Memory Card for Camera Reviews, the Best Camera Backpack Reviews, and the Best Tripod options on the market.

Our Final Thoughts On The Best Portable Photo Printers

We’re confident we have provided the information you need to determine which of these best portable photo printer options is the one for you. We also realize each one has its own appealing features that you may find useful, very much depending on your needs.

For us, our top pick has to be the…

Canon SELPHY

Canon SELPHY CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer with AirPrint and Mopria Device Printing, Black (2234C001)

It’s small enough to take with you anywhere you go, but it also packs enough of a punch to get the attention of professionals. You can connect with a USB to any device or use the memory card from your phone to get high-quality prints in many different sizes.

Whether you are just starting out or simply looking for a more convenient way to create physical memories, the SELPHY can mostly accommodate anyone’s needs.

About Paul S. Brunet

Known as the "Tech Lover", Paul is an expert of current and trending technology. Here at TinyGrab, he makes "tech" easy to understand for the average person.

Leave a Comment