Starter
$44.99USD / event
- Up to 100 guests
- 2,000 photo and video uploads
- 25 GB storage
- Up to 250 MB per file
- 3 months upload and download access
Comparison
PartyLab vs Cluster
Cluster requires every guest to download the app and create an account. PartyLab works in any mobile browser — scan a QR code and photos appear in the live gallery instantly.
Feature by feature
| Feature | PartyLab | Cluster |
|---|---|---|
| Guests need to create an account | No | Yes |
| Guests need to download an app | No | Yes |
| One link / QR for all guests to upload | Yes | No |
| Photos collected centrally from all guests | Yes | Yes |
| Original photo quality preserved | Yes | Yes |
| Private event gallery | Yes | Yes |
| Live shared gallery during the event | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in party slideshow for TVs | Yes | No |
| Digital guestbook captions | Yes | No |
| Photo reactions & likes | Yes | Yes |
| ZIP download of all photos | Yes | No |
| One-time pricing — no subscription | Yes | No |
The Cluster gap for live events
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Cluster requires an app download and account from every guest
To upload photos to a Cluster album, every guest must first download the Cluster app from the App Store or Google Play, then create a Cluster account with their email address, and accept an invite to join the specific album. At a real event — a wedding reception, birthday dinner, or corporate party — asking 80 guests to stop, download an app, sign up for a new account, and find the invite link before they can share a single photo loses the majority of potential contributors. PartyLab requires none of this: guests scan a QR code in their camera app and upload immediately in their existing browser.
📺
No TV slideshow for live event display
Cluster is designed for browsing shared memories on a phone screen after the event — not for projecting a live gallery on a TV or venue screen during the event. PartyLab’s built-in slideshow feature is designed specifically for this: connect any device to the venue display, open the slideshow link, and guests see their photos appear on the big screen in real time as they’re uploaded. The live feedback loop — seeing your photo on screen 30 seconds after you take it — drives significantly more uploads than a gallery guests view on their own phones later.
💾
No ZIP export or one-time pricing
PartyLab offers Starter at $44.99 USD, Plus at $89.99 USD, Max at $179.99 USD per event. Each package is a one-time payment. There is no free upload tier or recurring event subscription. Starter: up to 100 guests, 2,000 uploads, and 25 GB storage. Plus: up to 500 guests, 10,000 uploads, and 100 GB storage. Max: no guest cap, 50,000 uploads, and 1 TB storage. Starter includes 3 months of upload and download access. Plus includes 1 year of upload and download access. Max includes 1 year of upload and download access. Download your files before access ends; downloaded copies are yours to keep.
Hosts who made the switch
“We tried Cluster for our reunion album and half the family still hadn’t downloaded the app by the time the party was over. With PartyLab we just put the QR code on the tables and 140 photos came in from 35 people in one evening — zero friction, zero tech support.”
Patricia H.
Family reunion organizer
“Cluster is great for ongoing family albums but for a one-time wedding where you need 150 guests to upload photos at once, the app download barrier killed participation. PartyLab’s QR code was on every table card and the slideshow on the projector had guests laughing and taking more photos all night.”
Aaron & Priya S.
Newlyweds, wedding hosts
“We use Cluster for the football team photos throughout the season, but for the end-of-season banquet I switched to PartyLab. No app needed for parents and grandparents who had never heard of Cluster. The ZIP download at the end was perfect for putting everything in the yearbook.”
Coach David M.
Youth sports team organizer
One-time packages for your event
Create an event draft, then choose Starter, Plus, or Max before sharing with guests. Guest uploads require a paid package.
Plus
$89.99USD / event
- Up to 500 guests
- 10,000 photo and video uploads
- 100 GB storage
- Up to 500 MB per file
- 1 year upload and download access
Max
$179.99USD / event
- No guest cap
- 50,000 photo and video uploads
- 1 TB storage
- Up to 1 GB per file
- 1 year upload and download access
Every paid event package includes photo and video uploads, a QR code and event link, a live gallery, a live slideshow, photo captions, reactions, original-quality ZIP export, and guest email CSV export.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the main difference between Cluster and PartyLab?
The biggest difference is the barrier to contributing. Cluster requires every guest to download the app and create an account before they can upload a single photo. PartyLab requires nothing — guests scan a QR code in their camera app and upload through their mobile browser with no account, no download, and no friction. At live events with mixed ages and tech comfort levels, that difference dramatically affects how many guests actually contribute.
Can I show my PartyLab gallery on a TV?
Every paid event package includes a live slideshow that updates as approved photos arrive. Open it on a laptop connected to a TV or projector.
Can I export all photos from PartyLab as a ZIP?
Every paid event package includes original-quality ZIP export and guest gallery downloads. Starter includes 3 months of upload and download access. Plus includes 1 year of upload and download access. Max includes 1 year of upload and download access. Download your files before access ends; downloaded copies are yours to keep.
Is PartyLab better than Cluster for one-time events?
For a one-time event (wedding, birthday, corporate party, reunion) where you want maximum guest participation and no IT overhead, PartyLab is purpose-built for the job. Cluster is better suited for ongoing group albums (family, sports team, friend groups) where members are willing to install the app because they’ll use it repeatedly. For a single-night event where you want photos from every guest in the room, the QR-code-in-any-browser approach beats an app install every time.
Every guest uploads — no app required
Create an event draft, then choose Starter, Plus, or Max before sharing with guests. Guest uploads require a paid package.