A year in review photo book is a printed record of your year, in order, from January to December. It's the book you'll pull off the shelf in ten years to remember what your kids looked like and what you were busy doing.
The hard part isn't printing. It's deciding what goes in. Most of us take thousands of photos a year. Below you'll find the 7 things worth including, a simple way to build the book, and four ways to make it, with prices checked on November 2, 2026.
7 things to include in your year in review photo book
1. The big milestones
Birthdays, first days of school, a new job, a move, a wedding. Start here. Write the list on paper before you open a single photo. A list stops you from getting lost in the camera roll.
2. The ordinary days
Breakfast at the counter. The messy playroom. The school drop-off line. In ten years, these are the pages your kids will laugh at. Milestones tell you what happened. Ordinary days tell you what life felt like.
3. Trips and weekends away
Give vacations room, but not the whole book. Three or four spreads per trip is plenty. Pick the photo that shows the place, one with people in it, and one funny one.
4. Everyone in the family, including you
If you're the one holding the phone, you're probably missing from the book. Add a few photos where you actually appear, even the slightly messy ones.
5. Captions and dates
A photo without a date is a puzzle. Dates and short captions turn a pile of pictures into a story. If you post on Facebook or Instagram, your captions are already written.
6. The things that made you laugh
Silly screenshots, a drawing your kid made, a handwritten note. One or two per season keeps the book from feeling like a highlight reel.
7. A cover that says what year it is
Pick a favorite photo for the front and put the year on it. It sounds small. It's what you'll see first on the shelf.
How to build it in four steps
- Pick one source. Your phone camera roll, your Facebook, your Instagram or a Dropbox folder. Decide before you start.
- Cut to your list. Use the milestone list from above. If you have 730 photos for the year, aim to keep about a third.
- Keep the order by date. A chronological book is easy to read and needs no explanation.
- Preview every page. Check the cover, check the dates, check that nobody is cut off. Then order.
Order in November if you want it by the holidays. Production takes 2 to 5 business days at My Social Book, then shipping. Other services have their own cutoffs, so look at each one's holiday deadline.
4 ways to make a year in review photo book
1. My Social Book
Best for: a full-year book from your posts with no layout work
If you already post through the year, your year in review is mostly done. My Social Book builds a book automatically from Facebook, Instagram (professional account) or Dropbox. You use one source per book. If you want one from Facebook and another from Instagram, you make two books.
The book follows your timeline, like a journal of the year. It runs from 25 to 500 pages in 21 x 25 cm (about 8.3 x 9.8 inches), hardcover or softcover. Dates, captions, likes and locations carry over. Comments don't. You can preview every page, add or remove content, delete a post and change the cover. You can't reorder sections or edit captions.
It's affordable, with frequent discounts of 40% or more. Shipping is extra, and a PDF version is optional. Trustpilot TrustScore 4.7 / 5 (2,716 reviews, October 2026), 12 years in business and 700,000+ books printed.
Pros:
- Full preview in minutes
- Chronological layout with no manual design
Cons:
- Needs photos on Facebook, Instagram or Dropbox
- Captions can't be edited
See your book in minutes -- start from Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox
2. Chatbooks
Best for: small monthly books from your phone photos
Chatbooks builds Monthbooks from the photos on your phone, one book at a time. On its product page, a 5x7 or 6x6 softcover is listed at $15 and a hardcover at $24 per book. An 8x8 is $24 softcover or $34 hardcover. You can choose 4, 6 or 12 books a year.
It's a good fit if you want a small book each season. For one big book of the whole year, you'd be stacking several small ones.
Pros:
- Automatic from your phone photos
- Free standard shipping listed on the site
Cons:
- Several small books, not one
- It's a subscription, so watch renewals
3. Shutterfly
Best for: custom layouts and lots of size options
Shutterfly's own pricing guide, updated August 2026, says photo books typically start around $24.98 for an 8x8 softcover. That price includes 20 pages. Extra pages, hardcovers and layflat cost more. Deal sites show regular hardcover pricing near $30 for an 8x8 and plenty of promo codes.
You design the pages yourself or use templates. It works well if you want control of every spread. It takes more time than an automatic book.
Pros:
- Many formats and finishes
- Frequent promotions
Cons:
- Page count and upgrades add up
- Shipping is usually extra
4. Mixbook
Best for: design lovers who enjoy building each page
Mixbook lists softcover photo books starting at $14.99 on its site, though the real price depends on size, pages and cover. Sales are common. Its editor is one of the most flexible around. A whole year in it takes several evenings, so budget the time.
Pros:
- Strong design tools
- Low entry price for a softcover
Cons:
- Slow for a 12-month book
- The "starting at" price is rarely the final one
Year in review photo book comparison table
| Service | Starting price | Photo source | Automation level | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Social Book | Affordable, frequent discounts | Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox (one per book) | Fully automatic, chronological | A whole year from your posts |
| Chatbooks | ~$15 per 5x7 or 6x6 softcover Monthbook | Phone photos | Automatic, small books | Seasonal or monthly books |
| Shutterfly | ~$24.98 for an 8x8 softcover, with deals | Uploads | Templates plus manual | Custom layouts and finishes |
| Mixbook | ~$14.99 softcover, with deals | Uploads | Mostly manual | Detailed design work |
Related photo book guides
- Chatbooks alternatives
- Shutterfly alternatives
- Mixbook alternatives
- Best photo book from Instagram
- Make a book from Facebook
- Free photo book offers, checked
Frequently asked questions
How many photos should a year in review photo book have?
Most people land between 100 and 300 photos. That fills a book of roughly 40 to 100 pages. If you post a lot, aim for about a third of what you took. Fewer, better photos read better than all of them.
Should a year in review book be in chronological order?
Yes, for most families. Dates make the book easy to read and give you a built-in structure. If you'd rather group by theme, such as trips or school, you'll need a manual editor like Mixbook or Shutterfly.
Can I make a year in review book from both Facebook and Instagram?
You can make books from Facebook AND Instagram at My Social Book. Each source gets its own book, so you'd end up with two. A single book uses one source, either Facebook, Instagram or Dropbox.
Do comments show up in the book?
Not at My Social Book. It keeps dates, captions, likes and locations. If comments matter to you, copy a few favorites into the notes for a separate page or write them in by hand.
When should I order a year in review book?
Order in November if you want it before the holidays. Production at My Social Book takes 2 to 5 business days. Delivery is 3 to 5 business days with express shipping in the US, or 7 to 14 days with standard. Check each service's holiday deadline.
Is a year in review book a good gift?
It's one of the best. Grandparents love them. Make the book from your own account and order an extra copy. Photos from someone else's account aren't an option.
Facts about competitors checked on November 2, 2026. Prices and features change; confirm on each company's site before ordering.
