I was searching for Free Photobook software to create photobooks with, typically those that you create and then upload to a site where you can pay to have it printed and bound for you. I have been using QPhoto's Picasso Photobooks for a number of projects but have found a few missing features and therefor started to search for others. After searching for locally available (South Africa) photobooks in Google using site:.co.za photobooks, I found the following products:

1) Qhoto's Picasso Photobooks (http://www.qphoto.co.za/)
2) Kodak's PrintProjects from Rocketlife (http://www.kodak.co.za/)
3) 24HourPhotoBooks (http://24hourphotobooks.co.za/)
4) EasyPhotoBooks (http://easyphotobooks.co.za/)
5) RapidStudio (http://www.rapidstudio.co.za/)
6) Fuji Film's MyPhotoBooks (http://www.myphotobook.co.za/)

Update 1:
I now also found Photo2Print Album maker (http://www.photo2print.co.za/) but it is also the same as the 3 4 and 5.

Summary: If you want autofill, and be able to duplicate your project but change the format (e.g from A4 Landscape to A5 Portrait, go with  24HourPhotoBooks,  EasyPhotoBooks, RapidStudio or  Photo2Print.

Update 2: 09/07/2013
Latest prices have been updated (for the 4 books that use the same technology and are still the best feature wize). I will compare only the Personalized Hardcover A4 Landscape option (my favourite format for everyday photobooks):

	Photo Book	Base Book Price	Number of pages in Base Book	Price for extra pages	Delivery Cost (door to door Gauteng)
3	24HourPhotoBooks	R345	20	R22/4p	?
4	EasyPhotoBooks	R370	24	R10/2p	?
5	RapidStudio	R399	24	R25/4p	R89
7	Photo2Print	R449	20	R14/2p	R75

So which one is the best? Only time and feedback will tell. I am starting a new photo book now in EasyPhotoBooks and will report back on the quality and service I received.

All the detail:

So let's do a quick comparison: Download file sizes:
1) 123 Mb
2) 53 Mb
3) 190 Mb
4) 130 Mb
5) 156 Mb
6) 40 Mb

This is the what the first installation screen of each product look like:
 1) Picasso Photobooks:


2) Kodak's PrintProjects:


3) 24HourPhotoBooks:

4) EasyPhotoBooks:



 5) RapidStudio:


6) Fuji Film's MyPhotoBooks:


So from here each product is installed. After each installation is complete, opening the software, you start your project with these views (except for Picasso which first give you options to download application updates and additional templates):

1) Picasso Photobooks:


2) Kodak's PrintProjects:


3) 24HourPhotoBooks:


4) EasyPhotoBooks:


5) RapidStudio:


6) Fuji Film's MyPhotoBooks:


The first thing you should have noticed is that some of the programs run on the exact same architecture, i.e. the same base software was used and simply customized with their own images, name etc. It seems they are created by M-Photo Ltd. So, the functionality of each are exactly the same: 24HourPhotoBooks, EasyPhotobooks and RapidStudio are used in the exact same manner! This can more clearly be seen when you have selected your first images and start to edit your layout:

1) Picasso Photobooks:


2) Kodak's PrintProjects:


3) 24HourPhotoBooks:


4) EasyPhotoBooks:


5) RapidStudio:


6) Fuji Film's MyPhotoBooks:


Notes on each product:

1) Picasso Photobooks: You can create powerful products but what started me to look at other programs are:
a) Once you have decided on a project layout, you can not change it afterwards. If you want an A3 and an A4 version of a photobook, you will have to create each one from scratch.
b) There is no autofil option. Each photo has to be placed manually.
c) The is no easy way to move one or more photo's between pages. You have to cut and paste and reset their layout on each page.

2) Kodak's PrintProject was slow to execute. Sometimes it seems like it would not open. It seems that it might be actively using your internet connection the whole time (maybe to access options/themes etc.). The slow reaction time to each button click made it felt like you are trying to work on an online document. Working with it was not very easy although it seemed powerful. (once you figured it out). It does have a auto fill option (but I only discovered it later). The biggest issue it the reaction time. It does not feel smooth or stable. You can actually print your pages yourself which could be nice (if you are patient enough to actually complete the project).


3) 24HourPhotoBooks & 4) EasyPhotoBooks & 5) RapidStudio: These three are essentially identical.
Getting started is straight forward and photo's can be automatically placed and then easily moved around, rotated etc. The basic layout of each page can also be changed quickly to predefined layouts which then automatically move existing photos on the page around.
Changing the format (e.g. from A4 portrait to A3 landscape) is also easily done by saving a copy and choosing not to make an exact copy. Choices of different formats are however limited to the type of project you chose. Very useful. Printing can only be done through the respective service provider.

Choosing which one may be dependent on price and delivery options e.g:

(These prices are now updated at the top of this blog - 09/07/2013)

3) Hardcover A4 Landscape - R395 for 24 pages, R21/extra 4 pages
R106 for door2door.
It wasn't clear at which stores you would be able to pick up you book (if you opted not to deliver).

4) Hardcover A4 Landscape - R370 for 24 pages, R20/extra 4 pages
Speed Services are used to deliver - it wasn't clear if costs where included or how much it is.

5) Hardcover A4 Landscape - R399 for 24 pages, R25/extra 4 pages
Free door2door delivery for orders higher than R190, otherwise R89
Large selection of pick up points in main centres.


6) Fuji Film's MyPhotoBooks:
Using it was also very easy. Photo's can also be autofilled and re-arranged by the click of a button. Changing the project size was not possible. If you want a different format you will also need to start from scratch.


Bottomline:

I would have loved to continue working with Picasso but since I can't auto fill to quickly get started and can't change my mind on the format, I will go with one of the trio. It seems EasyPhotoBooks is the cheapest.

I just have no idea on print quality however.