Website | format.com |
Tools | Website Builder |
Templates | 200+ |
Price | $12/month or £96/year |
Free Trial | Yes (14 Days) |
Pros | ✔ Easy to use ✔ Wide range of templates ✔ Great support |
Cons | ✘ No free plan ✘ Limited functionality ✘ Pricer than other website builders |
Format is an all-in-one portfolio website builder for freelance filmmakers, photographers, and creatives.
In this Format review, we test it out by looking at ease of use, pricing, settings, and features.
You can now get 15% off subscriptions. Create an awesome portfolio website to showcase your work within minutes – no coding required. 🙌
What is Format?
Over the years, companies have been trying to create easy website builders for people who don’t have any coding skills. There are many to choose from which is why new ones can have a tricky time standing out.
One way companies have tried to get noticed is by creating niche website builders. Format is unlike any other, as they focus purely on creatives.
So if you’re looking to build a unique and stylish portfolio then it might be the perfect option for you.
Who is Format for?
Firstly, it’s clear from the get-go that Format is for filmmakers, photographers, and designers who need to showcase their work online.
So whether you’re looking to sell photos, write an about page, or show your work to potential clients, Format gives you the tools to do it.
How Does it Work?
Like most website builders, Format makes building your website as personal and customizable as possible. In fact, it’s so easy to use you could have your site live in just a day.
It has a wide selection of professionally designed templates that you can fully customize. This allows for thousands of different design options so you can get it just right.
Here are 8 basic steps to get started:
- Click on the link above and go to the Format homepage
- Click Get Started
- Sign up to gain access to your free trial
- Pick a template
- Upload your work
- Edit your menu
- Customize your design
- That’s it!
Don’t like the website builder? You can cancel at any time.
Features
The great thing about Format is their development team is continually creating new features to help keep up with the needs of creatives. Here are a few of the main features that we like.
- Ease of Use – The drag-and-drop page editor is simple and straightforward making it ideal for people with limited website knowledge.
- Hundreds of Customisable Templates – Choose from a wide range of templates like photography, art, video, fashion events, and design. All templates look great out of the box but are ready to customize to suit your needs.
- Show of your Work – Get high-quality video and images without slow load speeds. With Format, your media will always load quickly without sacrificing quality.
- Designed for Mobile – Fully responsive templates, pages, and layouts are designed for mobile viewing so your work looks amazing on any screen.
- Transfer Files with Ease – Offer your clients different ways to receive their files. Whether it’s a branded zip file or a shareable gallery, securely transfer up to 10GB of photos.
- Custom Domain – It’s easy to register, transfer, and connect a custom domain that shows who you are as a professional.
- Keep Track – Organize your project information like a professional using Client Overviews. Find what you need quickly, save time, and be more productive.
- Manage Contacts – Keep your client list up-to-date. Collect contact details and assign contacts to projects to stay on top of client relations.
- Send Secure Contracts – Create, edit, share, and track all of your contracts in one place. Streamline your process with clients by sending digital contracts that can be signed online with one click.
- 24/7 Help and Support – The Customer Success team is there whenever you need assistance or guidance.
Pricing
So, what plans do they have on offer? Well, if you’re just looking to create a portfolio website then there are 3 main pricing options. Here is a quick breakdown of what they include:
Basic $12/month or $96/year | Pro $24/month or $132/year | Pro Plus $36/month or $156/year | |
---|---|---|---|
24/7 Customer Support | ✔ | ✔ | Priority Support |
Mobile-Optimized Website | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free Mobile App | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Lightroom & Capture One Integration | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Copyright Protection | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
SSL Security | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Powerful SEO Tools | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Social Integration | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Award-Winning Templates | Starter Themes | All Themes | All Themes |
Website Pages | 15 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
High-Resolution Images | 100 | 1,500 | Unlimited |
Professional Branded Email | $72/year | $72/year | $72/year |
Hosted Video Minutes | ✘ | 15 Minutes | 120 Minutes |
Photo Storage | ✘ | 100GB | 1TB |
Free Custom Domain | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Custom Code Editor | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Premium Design Features | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
Email Subscriber Form | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
Format might be a bit pricier than other website builders however their plans come with certain additional extras like an online store, Lightroom Integration, and copyright protection. Obviously, it depends on what your needs are when choosing a subscription.
Still unsure about whether it’s for you? No worries as they offer a free trial, so you can try it out before making any final decisions.
Is Format Worth it or Not?
In short, Yes. With hundreds of templates and an easy drag-and-drop builder, Format allows you to create a professional-looking portfolio in minutes. The only downside is if you want any additional functionality then it can be slightly limited.
However, if you’re a photographer and just need to create a simple portfolio and start selling photos online then it might be the perfect fit. They also offer a range of business tools to help increase your presence online, show off your skills, and sell more work.
FAQ
All Format plans automatically include hosting so you don’t need to purchase hosting services through a third party.
Absolutely! All themes are optimized to be viewed across all devices and platforms: from high-res desktops to laptops and smartphones.
Nope. You absolutely do not need to know how to code to create a professional online portfolio. Your Format site comes with intuitive tools and 24/7 help from experts that make it easy to customize your site exactly the way you want.
Yes! If you’re not happy for any reason then reach out to their customer support team and they can cancel your subscription. For a full refund, cancellations for a yearly plan must take place within the first 30 days.