The short version
QComposite is GotPhoto's companion desktop application for building group composites. It costs $149/year, installs on your computer, and includes a full layer editor. Student names are pulled from filenames, so fixing a name or swapping a photo generally means renaming files and re-importing.
ClassPhoto is an independent tool that costs $89/year and runs entirely in your web browser on Mac, Windows, or Chromebook, with nothing to install. It imports the same GotPhoto zip export, and its focus is corrections without do-overs: edit student names directly on the layout, swap or remove photos, and the composite re-flows automatically.
(GotPhoto also has a free built-in tool called QuickComposite for basic layouts, worth a look if your needs are very simple.)
Price
$89/yr vs $149/yr
ClassPhoto is $60/year less, both with unlimited composites.
Platform
Browser vs desktop
ClassPhoto runs on any computer with a browser, including Chromebooks. QComposite is a desktop install.
Fixing mistakes
In place vs re-import
ClassPhoto edits names and photos directly on the layout. QComposite reads names from filenames.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | ClassPhoto $89/yr | QComposite $149/yr |
|---|---|---|
| Editing & corrections | ||
| Edit names directly in your layout | Yes | NoNames pulled from filenames |
| Remove or update students instantly | Yes | ManualRe-import required |
| Swap photos without re-importing | Yes | No |
| Fix teacher names anytime | Yes | ManualRename file & re-import |
| Built-in alerts for multi-part names | Yes | No |
| Output & delivery | ||
| Auto-generate PDF proofs for schools | Yes | No |
| Export high-res print-ready JPEGs | Yes | Yes |
| Batch generation (all classes at once) | Yes | Yes |
| Setup & workflow | ||
| Import from GotPhoto zip | Yes | Yes |
| Custom & stock backgrounds | Yes | Custom only |
| Multiple print sizes | Yes | No |
| Full school composite (up to 220 students) | Yes | No |
| Web-based, no install needed | Yes | Desktop app |
| Layout creation | SmartAuto-arranges rows to fit the page | YesFull layer editor |
| Pricing | ||
| Annual price | $89 | $149 |
| Unlimited composites | Yes | Yes |
Where QComposite is a good fit
To be fair: QComposite's full layer editor gives you fine-grained manual control over every element, and as GotPhoto's own companion app it hands finished composites straight back into the GotPhoto shop flow. If you want to hand-design every layout layer by layer and never need to fix names after import, it's a capable tool.
Where ClassPhoto is a good fit
ClassPhoto is built for the reality of school photography: a misspelled name, a student who transferred out, a retake that arrives late. You fix all of that on the finished layout in seconds instead of renaming files and re-importing. Add stock backgrounds when a school hasn't sent artwork, multiple print sizes from the same layout, a full-school composite up to 220 students, and automatic PDF proofs for school approval, for $60/year less. And because it's a class photo maker that runs in the browser, it works on whatever computer you have, including Chromebooks.
Common questions
Can I switch to ClassPhoto mid-season?
Yes. ClassPhoto imports the same GotPhoto zip export you're already producing, so there's no data migration. Drop in your next export and you're working.
Do I need GotPhoto to use ClassPhoto?
ClassPhoto is built around GotPhoto's export structure, but any system that exports photos organized into folders by class has a good chance of working. Send us a sample export and we'll confirm before you buy.
Are student photos uploaded anywhere?
ClassPhoto runs in your browser and your photos stay on your computer. See the FAQ on the main page for details.
One tool, or four
ClassPhoto is the composite tool. It is one of four that read the same export: ServiceStix for service sticker sheets, ClassPhoto IDs for student and staff ID cards, and the Principal's Book for the bound school directory. All four together are $199 a year as the ClassPhoto Suite.
Try the simpler class composite maker.
$89/year. Unlimited composites. Runs in your browser on Mac, Windows, or Chromebook.
Get ClassPhoto, $89/year