How to print and frame a photo in the UK: frame shop quality, compared
A London frame shop quoted us £200 to frame one A4 print. Here is how the alternatives compare on price, glass and finish, right down to the back of the frame.
Prices and specifications checked on 22 October 2026.
A good frame shop is still the benchmark for framing. It is also the most expensive way to frame a photograph. This year we were quoted £200 to frame a single A4 print at a London frame shop. Online, you can get a framed photo for under £30.
This guide sets out the options in between: what each one costs, and what you actually get for the money, down to the back of the frame.
We make Framewick, so we have a view. We have tried to be fair anyway. Every price and specification below comes from the company's own website on the date above, or from a quote we received ourselves. Sources are listed at the end.
The short answer
- For an original, an heirloom or an unusual size: a high-end frame shop. Nobody else matches the choice or the craft. Prices vary from shop to shop, but at the top end expect £200 or more for A4.
- For the lowest price on a phone photo: an online photo printer during a sale.
- For a gift-boxed frame for a table: Addison Ross's silver frames, printed and fitted for free.
- For a phone photo framed to a frame shop's finish, without the frame shop price: this is what we built Framewick for.
What a framed photo costs, side by side
| Option | About A4 | About 30x40cm | Frame | Glazing | Mount | Back of the frame |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-end frame shop | About £200 (our London quote); museum grade from about £300 | Museum grade from about £350 | Hundreds to choose from | Glass, UV or museum glass | Usually acid-free | Typically sealed by hand, with cord or wire |
| Addison Ross | £52 (A4 silver-plated frame) | Not offered | Silver plate | Not stated | None | Velvet back and stand, for a table rather than a wall |
| Papier | £55 (20x30cm) | £70 (30x40cm) | Solid obeche wood | Acrylic or styrene (its own pages differ) | On mounted designs | Backboard sealed with tape; its FAQ says hanging hardware is not included |
| Snappy Snaps (prices vary by store) | £30.50 to £39.99 | £57.99 to £66 (A3) | Not stated | Acrylic | Not stated | Wall hooks; bare board and metal tabs in product photos |
| Photobox framed poster | £24.99 on sale at 20x30cm (usually £49.99) | £31.49 on sale (usually £62.99) | Wood | Glass | Optional extra | Not stated |
| my-picture.co.uk | £24.90 (30x20cm outer frame) | £34.90 on sale (40x30cm outer frame) | Recycled plastic | Acrylic | Included | Hangers a £3.90 extra; bare board and metal clips in product photos |
| eFrame | £51 | £66 | Ayous wood | UV-filtering acrylic | Included, 50mm | MDF back, D-rings and cord fitted |
| Best4Frames | £48.89 | £69.91 | Not stated | Styrene; UV acrylic extra | Included, acid-free | Sawtooth hangers |
| Framewick | £89.99 (21x31cm print) | £119.99 (31x41cm print) | Engineered timber | 2mm float glass | Included, acid-free, bevelled | Kraft paper sealed across the back; hanging cord on D-rings |
Sizes are not perfectly like for like. Some companies price by the size of the photo and some by the outside of the frame, and Snappy Snaps prices differ from store to store. Sale prices change often.
High-end frame shops
A good bespoke framer is the gold standard, and for some things it is the only sensible choice: an original painting, a signed shirt, a christening gown, an odd size. You can hold samples against your piece, choose from hundreds of mouldings, specify UV or museum glass, and have an expert talk you through every decision. The back is sealed by hand, and the frame arrives with proper wire or cord.
Frame shop prices vary a great deal. A simple poster frame with standard glass and no mount can start at around £65 for A4 (Soho Frames' guide price). At the high end, prices climb very quickly: our own quote from a London frame shop this year was £200 for one A4 print, and specialist framers advertise museum-grade framing from around £300 for A4 and £350 for A3. Expect one to three weeks, two visits, and to bring your own print.
Premium online brands: Papier and Addison Ross
Papier is best known for stationery and makes handsome framed photos in solid obeche wood, handmade in the UK, on 260gsm photo paper with archival inks. It costs less than we do. The glazing is plastic rather than glass, the back is a taped backboard, and its help pages say hanging hardware is not included.
Addison Ross makes beautiful silver-plated frames and will print and fit your photo for free, gift boxed, with next day delivery. They are made to stand on a table, and the range stops at A4, so they are a lovely gift but not a frame for a wall.
Photo printers: Snappy Snaps, Photobox and my-picture
These are the quickest and cheapest routes from phone to frame, especially during the frequent sales, and Snappy Snaps will have a frame ready to collect in a day or two. The trade-off is in the finish. Glazing is often acrylic (Photobox uses glass), my-picture's frames are recycled plastic, and product photos show bare board held in with metal tabs or clips. At my-picture, hangers are an extra.
Made-to-order online framers: eFrame and Best4Frames
eFrame and Best4Frames sit in the middle, with pigment printing, a mount as standard and hundreds of mouldings to choose from. Glazing is acrylic or styrene by default. eFrame fits D-rings and cord; Best4Frames fits sawtooth hangers on most sizes.
Where Framewick fits
We built Framewick for the photographs on your phone that deserve a frame shop's finish. We print with archival pigment inks on FSC-certified satin paper, cut an acid-free bevelled mount, and fit 2mm float glass, all by hand in the UK. Kraft paper is sealed across the back, the way a framer does it, and hanging cord on D-rings comes fitted. An A4-size Framewick is £89.99, under half the frame shop quote we were given.
We are not the cheapest option here: Papier and the photo printers cost less. We have launched with engineered timber, and in 2027 we will add natural wood, more materials and more colours. For an original, an object or a bespoke size, a frame shop is still the right call.
What to look for, whichever you choose
- Glass or acrylic. Glass is clearer and does not scratch. Acrylic is lighter and will not shatter in the post.
- An acid-free mount. Cheaper mount board yellows over time and can stain the print.
- Pigment inks. They last far longer than dye inks.
- The back of the frame. A framer seals the back with paper to keep dust out and fits cord or wire so the frame hangs flat. Bare board held in with tabs is quicker to make, and it shows.
- Photo size or frame size. Check which one the price refers to.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a frame shop charge to frame an A4 photo in London? It varies a lot from shop to shop. Simple poster frames start from about £65 at some London framers. High-end shops go much higher: we were quoted £200 for an A4 print in October 2026, and museum-grade framing is advertised from around £300.
What is the cheapest way to frame a photo? An online photo printer during a sale. Expect around £25 to £35 for roughly A4 to 30x40cm.
Glass or acrylic? Glass for clarity and a quality feel, acrylic for very large pieces, children's rooms or anything going in the post.
Why does the back of a frame matter? A sealed paper back keeps dust and insects off the print, and cord on D-rings lets the frame hang flat and level. It is the clearest sign of how a frame was made.
Sources
- Frame shop quote: received by Framewick from a London frame shop, October 2026, for one A4 print.
- Harten: museum-grade framing costs
- Soho Frames: how much does framing cost in London
- Addison Ross: A4 silver frame and print and fit service
- Papier: 30x40cm framed photo, 20x30cm, materials FAQ
- Snappy Snaps print and frame: Swiss Cottage, Hackney
- Photobox framed poster
- my-picture.co.uk framed photo prints and add-ons
- eFrame print and frame and product help
- Best4Frames print and frame and framing FAQ
Prices were read on each company's own website on 22 October 2026 and include VAT where stated. They change often, so check before you order. Framewick makes framed photos and is listed above.