MILK Books Reviews

To use MILK Books and start designing your book, you first need to determine its main characteristics, such as type, size, format, paper quality, page count, and cover style.

Some of these attributes can be modified later, but only the cover, page count, and paper type can be changed directly from within the editor.

During our testing, we found the photo book builder to be a bit simplistic due to the absence of creative tools that you would expect from this type of product – but that’s kind of the point.

MILK Books's USP is that all books are elegant, minimalist, and high quality.

It’s also worth highlighting the tutorial videos available directly from the editor.

They explain how to navigate the tools, such as using the drag and drop mode with autofill, identifying images that aren’t high quality, and rearranging or customizing spreads.

But you almost don’t need these explanations, as the editor is incredibly intuitive to use – especially if you select Page Divider Mode, which lets you edit the book page by page.

It’s also possible to flip pages and rearrange their order, hide or reveal text boxes, and change fonts.

Interestingly, it’s also possible to create text-only spreads, which can be useful to tell a story alongside its photos.

We found it convenient that MILK Books has a built-in checklist, and doesn’t let you move forward to ordering the book unless you fix all of its warnings.

The tool alerts you about low-resolution photos, empty text boxes, and the number of pages outside the possible range.

The platform works smoothly via its mobile-optimized web app, with all features available. So, while there isn’t a mobile app, we really didn’t feel the need for one.

Unlike most photo book builders, such as Mixbook and Printique, MILK Books doesn’t offer premade thematic designs for you to choose from. All books are blank by default and have to be designed from scratch.

The main design choice is the layout of the pages and cover, with variations in style, depending on whether you want to include a text box on the cover.

Although switching between different layouts is easy as pie, the more pictures added to a single two-page spread, the less layout variety is available. As these layouts are all preset, there is no option to personalize them to your liking.

When it comes to text customization, there are seven font types to choose from. You can also change the size and alignment of the text, as well as make it bold or italic.

However, one disappointing aspect is that you can only add text to blank spaces – it can’t overlap an image.

So, the only way to truly customize the photo book is by toying around with options like size, format, paper type, and cover. No other embellishments like stickers and shapes are available, which almost every other photo book builder offers.

Considering the limited design capabilities, the variety of photo book types available at MILK Books is a breath of fresh air.

There are softcovers, hardcovers, Moleskine, and magazines.

The formats available are landscape, square, and portrait, and the books can range from 24 to 200 pages.

The softcover books come in French fold covers that allow printing inside and out. They’re the perfect lightweight option to collect everyday moments.

Hardcover books have varied design cover options, depending on what you choose:

• Classic: Can only have linen covers, landscape formats, and two paper types.
• Premium: Can be created in linen, buckram, and leather covers, all formats, and four paper types.
• Moleskine: Produced in four sizes and three shapes with the namesake cover and with the top-tier paper type

The premium range and the Extra Large Photo Album are the most luxurious products provided by MILK Books.

Regardless of the limited editing tools, the final product’s high quality deserves praise.

We ordered a Premium Medium Landscape Photo Album and were impressed right from the unboxing of this luxury product.

Touching the linen-covered book for the first time after removing it from its paper wrapping immediately creates a feeling of the highest quality, but it’s not just surface deep.

The pages are made from thick card, making the book heavy and durable. We can see why MILK Books comes with the high price tag – very few companies can compete with this level of quality.

Just as much care and professionalism is taken with the contents of the book, which really makes the service of MILK Books shine through.

We were especially surprised by the fact that books are handcrafted, and the pages are stitched together instead of glued. This means that, except for the flyleaves, hardcover book pages almost lie flat when the book is fully opened.

Another surprise is how smooth the matte photo paper feels and how well it resists fingerprints, which contributes to photos remaining dirt-free and in top condition for many years.

Considering MILK Books are handcrafted and extremely high quality, it’s understandable that they’re more expensive than average.

Its cheapest product is the 7×5.2″ Hardcover classic photo book, which costs $35.

Aside from the size and the cover material, the number of pages also increases the price tag. Extra pages range from $0.85 to $2.55, depending on the cover type and size.

As for shipping within the U.S., the prices start at $11.99.

The production and delivery time ranges from 7 to 12 days for smaller books and between 14 and 21 days for larger products.

There are some opportunities to reduce the prices, with occasional coupons and discounts. However, there are permanent discounts, too.

A good example is getting 20% off your first purchase or up to off when ordering a premade set of three photo books.

If MILK Books made a mistake with your book and you notify the company within 14 days, you are entitled to receive a new, corrected copy.

If the mistake was on you, then the company offers a re-print at 50% off the normal retail price.

Meanwhile, the photo book builder’s social media channels are used for self-promotion and little else.

If you need basic information about products, shipping, and materials, it’s a good idea to turn to the company’s comprehensive support center. It contains different topics related to the editor, vouchers, ordering, and printing.

Although the online editor is nothing spectacular, it still has useful features, such as the checklist and built-in video tutorials.

In addition, the variety of sizes, formats, and cover layouts allows you to create a unique book that tells a story and brings your memories to life.

What’s more, the diversity of top-notch cover materials and paper types is worth praising, as it directly contributes to the final product’s superior quality.

The slightly higher prices are justified by the excellent photo book that’s delivered to your doorstep. Plus, the cost can be offset by the coupons and discounts offered.