Digitization makes it easy to preserve precious memories. Many services promise to transform analog media into beautiful digital versions. This is a good thing; the customers of yesteryear struggled to find more than one or two services to handle their diverse digitization needs. These days many options are available and there is truly something for everyone.
The only problem? It's tough to sort through all these options. Each service makes grand promises and there's no simple way to know which companies are actually up to the task. Thankfully, other customers come to the rescue with in-depth feedback that can be incredibly helpful when examining various digitization services.
As you weigh possible pros and cons, you will almost certainly consider working with either iMemories or Legacybox. These are both trusted providers with a long history of success. They both have distinct offerings, however, and may appeal to different types of customers.
How does iMemories measure up against competitors such as Legacybox? What do previous customers have to say about their efforts to convert family memories into digital formats? Keep reading to find out.
Overview of iMemories and Their Services
The initial urge to get media digitized often begins with a simple discovery: attics, basements, or storage units are filled with boxes containing dusty photo albums jam-packed with Polaroids from a bygone era. This doesn’t stop with photographs — old-timers with a Steven Spielberg streak may have recorded their family events on Super 8 film or even Betamax.
Originally, it seemed that these formats would be here to stay. This forms the basis for services such as iMemories. Striving to transfer old photos, movie films, and other analog materials to digital formats, iMemories has a simple mission: to allow cherished memories to live forever so they can be enjoyed by future generations.
iMemories handles a wide range of physical media and can work with old home videos shot on MiniDV, 8 and 16mm film reels. Digitization services also cover VHS cassettes and standard photographs. Customers send these varied items to iMemories specialists, who bring new life to these photos and videos by transforming them into digital files. Supported formats include:
- Film: 8mm, 16mm, Super 8
- Video: Betamax, VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, Hi8, Digital 8, MiniDV, MicroMini
- Photos: Standard photographs, negatives, and slides
All this comes at a cost, although iMemories promises affordable services. Non-sale prices for tapes start at $29.99 per tape, with photos checking in at $0.99 a piece and movie film costing $29.99 per 50 feet. Customers can opt to ship their possessions to iMemories in a box of their choosing or spend $14.99 on a “SafeShip Kit” that contains a crush-proof box and waterproof bags to ensure nothing gets damaged during shipping.
After iMemories finishes turning family videos into digital copies, customers can find many ways to access newly converted media. An 8GB USB thumb drive starts at $39.99, with DVD or Blu-rays running at $19.99 per disc.
There's even an option for those who simply must access everything on their mobile devices and smart TVs: the iMemories app. This can be used to stream and share digitized memories for a monthly fee of $7.99 or an annual price of $49.99.
Positive Reviews of iMemories
Customers have a lot to say about iMemories, and often, this feedback is positive. There's a definite trend, however: the happiest customers will typically have sent in VHS tapes. This is one of iMemories' most popular services, and it seems that the company has the process down to a fine art — even when dealing with large quantities of VHS tapes.
In a glowing review, one pleased customer explained “iMemories handled our 20 VHS videos with care and delivered promptly as promised...[they] were able to pull the sound forward to make a perfect memory. I will use them again.”
Other reviews praise the company for its quick turnaround times. A pleasantly surprised customer explains: “I sent in 7 videotapes (VHS) and selected to have them sent to me in an iCloud. All were done professionally and in a timely manner. Very pleased with the process as well as the outcome!”
In general, iMemories customers report a positive process, especially if they stick with VHS and have it converted to physical mediums like a DVD or a USB drive. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for users looking to access their memories via the app — and these frustrated customers let their feelings be known via scathing online reviews.
Negative Reviews of iMemories
There is not a great deal of consistency in iMemories reviews, and, despite the positive feedback highlighted above, many other customers have suffered a decidedly different experience. Some even feel taken advantage of, especially when it comes to the iMemories app and the effort to access digital files in the cloud.
One very disappointed customer complains, “Not happy at all. I paid to have my videos digitized and now I have to pay for access to them. I have not been able to log in to even view my videos.”
Similarly, another customer reveals, “I felt like I was completely misled by this company. I had about 40 items of content digitized and paid over $500 only to find out that I cannot download and save my content myself. Further, and much worse, I am unable to access it any longer unless I pay to do so either monthly or annually.”
Price also plays into a few negative reviews, with one unhappy customer referring to the services as "extremely expensive" and explaining, "I had three large films and a couple small ones...it was over $350 and that's with using the half off coupon. I wish I would have shopped around more for different pricing — it just seems very expensive for what I got.”
The cost of the SafeShip Kit is also frequently mentioned. This kit seems like a good deal at first glance, especially as it includes protective features like waterproof bags...but not all customers are happy about it. “Unless you change your shipping charges, I probably would never use your service again. Almost $30.00 for shipping of a 3x5 cassette tape. It's the same price as if I had packed in the box with 10 regular video cassettes.”
Comparing iMemories with Legacybox
From humble beginnings as a two-person operation in an old garage, Legacybox has grown its operation and become America’s largest digital conversion business. This trusted company handles more than 700,000 items a week. This media varies greatly, ranging from old films, photos, and tapes to audio cassettes and reel-to-reel recordings.
There is a lot to appreciate about Legacybox, and some of its core offerings stand in stark contrast to the main sources of complaint from disgruntled iMemories customers.
Why Legacybox Is a Better Option
There’s no denying that iMemories is a capable service...or at least, it certainly is when photos and VHS tapes are involved. With Legacybox, however, this quality extends to a vast array of supported formats. Variety is a big deal, with many bundling and shipping options available to empower customers.
The process is simple and straightforward: customers use dedicated kits to pack an assortment of analog media following easy-to-understand instructions. One happy reviewer is pleased to report that it's all very intuitive: “Very simply explained in the booklet, easy to affix tags to the media, box was sturdy, easy to pack. Taking to UPS tomorrow. I appreciated the extra stickers at a reduced price as I did find more items to put in the box.”
Legacybox may not have an app, but it makes an impression with cloud services. Under this approach, prices vary based on how many files will be accessed. Customers enjoy this option, but many Legacybox reviewers prefer to get their memories back on DVDs and USB thumb drives.
One reviewer made use of Legacybox’s audio archiving service and remarked “LegacyBox was very easy to use. Directions were easy to follow. They contacted me along the way. The audio tapes I sent were returned along with my thumb drive. Best of all, it was wonderful to hear my mother's voice again!”
Digitize Your Memories Today
As you take the next step towards digitizing your analog media, be sure to work with a company that will take your concerns seriously. This is never in doubt when Legacybox is involved. Our positive customer reviews make it clear that we are all about preserving memories and making them easily accessible. Learn how our process works or browse our offerings to learn more about our supported formats and digitization solutions.
