You enjoy reliving cherished memories while paging through photo albums or watching old video tapes. This analog media is full of important and cherished family memories, but will these remain safe? There's a lot to appreciate about traditional media, but it can be vulnerable and, over time, may suffer from fading, discoloration, and many other issues.
Thankfully, a simple solution is available: digitizing your old media so you can access important images and videos online, on DVD, or a thumb drive. You'll still be able to view your favorite photos or tapes in their physical form, but you'll be relieved to know that they will stand the test of time once they're digitized.
Many services can guide you through this process, handling the intricacies of media conversion so you can focus on enjoying your digitized media. ScanCafe is a well-known option, self-described as "photography-minded people with diverse backgrounds who want to preserve the world's most important memories."
Promising high-quality scans, ScanCafe has been a major player in the photo and video conversion game since 2006. Although this company has much to offer, it's just one of many available digitization options.
A similar service also promises to convert old media but carries a uniquely strong reputation for quality. Launched in hopes of bringing more confidence to the process of preserving cherished memories, Legacybox is guided by a core belief: "People shouldn’t lose their connection to the past simply because technology has changed."
Different pricing structures and formats can make these services hard to compare, but customer reviews can help. This feedback reveals whether companies such as ScanCafe and Legacybox actually live up to their promises. They also let you know what to expect from the digitization process and whether any hiccups are likely along the way.
Struggling to choose the right approach for converting your analog media? Keep reading to learn what customers have to say about ScanCafe — and how this compares to the positive feedback for Legacybox.
Overview of ScanCafe
ScanCafe.com is a major player in the growing photo and video digitization industry, capable of converting many formats so that customers can access their favorite images and movies as digital files. Photo scanning is clearly a priority, but there are plenty of other options available for converting old media. The experts at ScanCafe are happy to digitize the following:
- Photos
- Slides
- Negatives
- VHS tapes
- Hi8
- MiniDV
- Audio cassettes
- Reel to reel
ScanCafe is unique in that it also offers photo restoration services. This may involve enhancing the details of images — especially those that have been damaged over time. Specialists are willing to restore faded or dulled images, addressing everything from scratches and creases to water damage. In addition to offering basic color correction, specialists can sometimes enhance images, even whitening teeth or removing blemishes.
While ScanCafe promises cost-effective services, its pricing structure can be difficult to understand. Customers can choose between a la carte services or Value Kits, which bundle several services at a discounted price.
Unfortunately, Value Kits are only available for a few select types of media: paper photos, 35mm color negatives, or 35mm slides.
With the Value Kit, the per-image cost seems reasonable: $0.35 for every paper photo or color slide. This price also applies to the a la carte conversion of movie film such as 8mm or Super 8: $0.34 per foot. With tapes, conversion generally costs $28, regardless of format.
It's important to know how media can be viewed after it is converted. With ScanCafe, this may involve a USB drive, which costs $29.99, or a hard drive, costing $80.00. ScanCafe also provides access to a cloud archive, which costs $10 per month or $100 with an annual membership.
Positive ScanCafe Reviews
When glancing through ScanCafe's services, it's clear that this company has a lot to offer, even if its pricing structure and photo scanning services seem confusing. Customer reviews provide greater clarity, revealing what ScanCafe does well, and where there is room for improvement.
A few major trends stand out when examining ScanCafe reviews, and many of these are positive. In testimonials, customers frequently mention that the process is quick and straightforward. They are also satisfied with the quality of these conversions. One customer, for example, explains, "ScanCafe did a flawless job with digitizing old slides. They came back better than I ever could have imagined."
Customer service also stands out, with several pleased customers claiming that representatives are pleasant and helpful. One especially happy reviewer referred to ScanCafe's customer service as "knowledgeable and polite," adding, "If something isn’t quite right they fix it quickly."
Many customers are grateful to have treasured memories digitized or even restored. Speaking to the sheer joy sparked by this process, one explained, "I had so much fun and experienced so much emotion of seeing my childhood come to life."
Negative ScanCafe Reviews
Despite all this positive feedback, ScanCafe is far from perfect. Concerns vary between customers, but reviews suggest that consistency may be a problem — especially when it comes to pricing strategies and customer service.
Many complaints center around ScanCafe's promises to restore photos. Customers struggle to understand what, exactly, it means to enhance photos and how they should look once the process is complete.
One frustrated reviewer explains, "I expected the photos to be enhanced much more than they were. In fact, it is difficult to conclude the 'enhanced' photos are any better than the unedited ones." This customer even complains that the enhanced versions look little like images displayed on the ScanCafe website. Perhaps the harshest critique: assuming that similar results could have been achieved using an iPhone.
Another concern? Customer service. While some previously mentioned customers were happy to receive swift responses and helpful feedback, this is certainly not what all reviewers experienced. One, for example, was unhappy to have, "made the mistake of trying to work with their customer service team...I lost all trust in them." This customer also mentioned issues with quality, revealing that it was "average at best."
Overcharging is a huge problem, and, while ScanCafe promises the best prices in the industry, these prices don't always match customers' expectations. One of the most frequently mentioned overcharging scenarios involves monthly storage services; some customers claim that they've been charged monthly fees despite not actually opting to take advantage of ongoing storage.
Expanding on these concerns, some customers feel that the ScanCafe approach of estimating photo counts is problematic. "Unbelievably scammy behavior — they have you estimate the number of photos to be scanned and charge you based on that estimate, promising a refund if you overestimate. What they don't tell you is that the refund comes in the form of a GIFT CARD? That can only be used for MORE SCANS!?"
This use of store credit or gift cards comes up again and again in ScanCafe reviews and should definitely make you stop and think before you use ScanCafe. It's simply too easy to make a mistake — and many customers would prefer to have these issues fixed with actual cash refunds.
Why Choose Legacybox Over ScanCafe?
ScanCafe may be appealing to customers with huge collections of old photos and a desire to get them converted. However, Legacybox shines simply because its services are easier to understand, more versatile, and more likely to produce quality conversions. Pleased customers highlight many advantages, including:
- Convenience. Navigating the ScanCafe process can be difficult, especially because the service's pricing structure is so complex. With Legacybox, however, the process is straightforward — even intuitive. Legacybox provides detailed instructions and real-time updates. The kits are easy to pack and the item-based approach saves customers from counting and recounting in fear of being overcharged.
- Quality assurance. If there is one main trend in Legacybox reviews, it's that customers are thrilled about the quality of the conversions. Legacybox aims for a one-to-one approach, reflecting the essence of original media. There's no need to worry about issues (like discoloration or blurry digital images) suddenly showing up in digital copies.
- Security and peace of mind. Physical media can be vulnerable to the ravages of time, but it's also vulnerable in transit. Legacybox acknowledges this and has come up with a powerful solution: attaching barcodes to all items, which are placed in secure kits and carefully tracked every step of the way. Real-time updates during the digitization process provide much-needed peace of mind.
- Comprehensive service. If your old media seems obscure, you're in luck: Legacybox can almost certainly provide a quality conversion. Handling many types of media (including options such as Betamax or VHS-C), Legacybox is committed to helping a variety of customers bring their memories to life. This comprehensive approach extends to digital access, with cloud services, thumb drives, and even DVDs available.
- Customer satisfaction. All of the benefits of Legacybox create happy customers. Customer feedback is consistently positive, with reviews highlighting attentive customer service, high quality, and an overall enjoyable experience.
One of the biggest differences between Legacybox and ScanCafe? Varying approaches to dealing with damaged photos. ScanCafe offers restorations in hopes of addressing issues that may have emerged over time — or even making cosmetic improvements upon request.
At Legacybox, one-to-one conversions are the priority. The goal is not to improve upon existing media, but rather, to stay true to original photos and videos. Legacybox is upfront about this, and many customers are perfectly happy to stick with one-to-one conversions if they know that they can expect pristine quality.
Easily Digitize Your Media Today
Legacybox boasts an impressive reputation, and for good reason: through the years, this trusted scanning and digitization provider has put customers first, treating them and their memories with care. When it comes to precious memories, shortcuts must be avoided — and the attentive Legacybox approach is the best option for achieving true peace of mind.
Ready to take the next step? Learn what Legacybox can digitize, take a look at available Legacybox kits, or discover how the process works.
