The 6 Best iPhone Photo Printers - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best iPhone photo printer we've tested is the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300, a professional-grade unit that produces amazingly detailed and vibrant photos. You can connect your iPhone to the printer via Wi-Fi, and since it supports Apple AirPrint, you can start printing immediately without needing to install any drivers or third-party apps. The Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY companion app allows you to print, copy, execute maintenance routines, and order ink, among other things. The PRO-300 supports borderless printing and various paper sizes up to 13" x 19".

So, the print quality is amazing; what's the catch? First, this is a print-only model, meaning it doesn't have a scanner to digitize or copy physical photos. Second, its printing speed is very slow, taking nearly two minutes to print a 4" x 6" photo. Third, its ink cartridges get you only around 400 color prints, meaning you'll have to replace them regularly, and they aren't exactly cheap, so it can get expensive if you print a lot. Nonetheless, this is the one to get if you only want the best print quality.

If you only print photos for personal use and don't need a professional-grade model, get the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 instead, a variant of the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 we tested. The ET-8550 is more expensive because it has a larger 8.5" x 14" flatbed scanner and supports wide format paper up to 13" x 19". In contrast, its smaller sibling has an 8.5" x 11.7" scanner and supports up to 8.5" x 11" paper. The ET-8550 is a great option if you need wide-format printing, but the ET-8500 is a better, cheaper option for most people.

Regarding print quality, the ET-8500 is nearly as good as the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 above; it just isn't as color-accurate, as it tends to oversaturate colors to make them appear more vibrant. The scanner produces high-quality scans, which is great for digitizing your old photos. You can connect to the printer via USB or Wi-Fi, and of course, there's Apple AirPrint support.

Epson's mobile companion app is feature-rich and has functions exclusive to the iOS version, allowing you to change settings like the paper type and size, the paper source, and the color space (Adobe RGB or sRGB). You won't need to worry about high ownership costs since this is a supertank model. It yields thousands of prints from a full ink tank, and ink refill bottles are cheap.

Our mid-range pick is the Epson EcoTank ET-2800, also sold as the Epson EcoTank ET-2803 at Walmart and Target. It's also an all-in-one supertank model with a high page yield and cheap ink, keeping maintenance costs low. It reproduces very fine details and most hues accurately and has a wide color gamut. The only complaint about the print quality is that the photos look slightly grainy. Unfortunately, speed-wise, it's pretty slow, taking about a minute and a half to print a single 4" x 6" photo.

You can connect to the printer via Wi-Fi, and yes, you still get Apple AirPrint support and compatibility with the Epson mobile app. The scanner produces good-quality scans, too. However, if you're looking to digitize photos, know that it has trouble capturing finer details, and it tends to boost the contrast and saturation a bit, so you may need to do some retouches if you want the scan to be as close to the original as possible.

For those on a tighter budget, we recommend the Canon PIXMA TR8620a. This all-in-one produces detailed and vibrant photos and supports various paper sizes up to 8.5" x 11". It takes about a minute to print a 4" x 6" picture, which is within the typical range of most inkjet printers. You can connect via Wi-Fi or USB, and naturally, there's support for Apple AirPrint. It has a high-resolution scanner, although the scan quality is only okay, so it isn't the best for digitizing photos.

Unlike the EcoTank picks above, this model uses more traditional ink cartridges, resulting in a significantly lower page yield. Thankfully, the cartridges are relatively cheap, so your maintenance cost won't rise too much if you print a lot. You can get XL cartridges that'll last longer, and the printer accepts third-party ink. This printer is also eligible for Canon's Auto Replenishment Service, a subscription program that'll send you new cartridges when the printer is low on ink.

If you need a cheap printer to print the occasional photo, the Canon PIXMA MG3620 might be a good fit. It prints good-quality photos with well-rendered fine details and decent color accuracy. Printing speed is also pretty quick, as it takes only 50 seconds to print a 4" x 6" picture. It has a flatbed scanner that's well-suited for digitizing photos, too, not to mention Wi-Fi connectivity and Apple AirPrint support. Again, it prints borderless, but only on paper up to 8.5" x 11" in size.

Unfortunately, this model uses a two-cartridge system with one black and one tri-color cartridge. These ink cartridges get you only around 200 prints, about 100 fewer prints than the more expensive Canon PIXMA TR8620a. Also, since there's only one color cartridge, you have to replace the entire cartridge if only a single color runs out, which is wasteful. On the upside, these cartridges are cheap.

For on-the-go photo printing, get the Canon PIXMA TR150. You can connect to the printer via USB or Wi-Fi, and thanks to its Apple AirPrint support, you can start printing without installing any drivers or third-party apps. Though slightly grainy, the photos it produces still look detailed and colorful. It prints on glossy paper and supports various paper sizes, including 4" x 6", 5" x 7", and 8" x 10". As a portable printer, it has a built-in rechargeable battery, allowing you to print anywhere. The battery is good for around 330 prints and takes about two hours to fully charge.

If you want something even more portable, check out the Canon SELPHY Square QX10. It's much more compact and easier to fit into a small bag. It uses dye-sublimation to print photos and can only print on Canon's 2.84" x 3.35" proprietary paper. Its print quality isn't as good as the TR150, although that's normal since it's designed to produce polaroid-like photos. Compared to the TR150, the main tradeoffs are its higher cost per print and shorter battery life.