Artkive vs Scribble: Which Makes the Best Kids Art Book?
Updated: 6 days ago
Your child’s school year is now a stack on the counter, from a tissue-paper butterfly made in February to a watercolor family portrait you can’t bring yourself to toss. One popular fix is a kids art book, and two services come up first: Artkive and Scribble Art.
Both turn artwork into a hardcover book, but one has you photograph and upload every piece yourself, and the other sends you a box. Which fits depends on how much of the work you want to do, and that’s what the Artkive vs. Scribble question comes down to.
Scribble: A Creative, DIY Approach to Kids Art Books
If you enjoy a hands-on project and want more control over how your child's artwork is preserved, Scribble might be for you. Scribble is a DIY platform where you can upload, design, and customize art books filled with your little one's creations.
With Scribble, there's no waiting for a shipping kit or relying on someone else to arrange your book. You scan or photograph the kids artwork yourself, upload it onto their platform, and start building your own layouts. For creative parents or families watching their budget, it's a solid choice.
Key Features of Scribble:
Creative Control from Start to Finish: With Scribble art books, you capture and upload on your own timetable. Their editor removes the background, and you select your preferred colored background for each piece.
Custom Gift Wrap: Beyond photo books, Scribble lets you turn your kid's art into custom wrapping paper. A unique way to personalize gifts for family or special occasions.
Digital Books: Scribble doesn't offer photo storage, but it does include a free digital copy of the art book you create. Access to the digital book can be private or public.
Personalized Pages: Parents can choose backgrounds, adjust image orientation, and tweak image color and brightness. You can also add text to photo pages or include text-only pages.
Some Considerations Using Scribble DIY
Inconsistent Image Quality: Because you photograph the art yourself, the final image quality depends on your lighting, angles, and setup. Scribble's editor can remove backgrounds, but it can't correct issues with the original photo.
Time and Labor Intensive: DIY means you do the heavy lifting. This may not suit busy parents, anyone less comfortable with technology, or families looking for consistent, professional results.
US Orders Only: At this time, Scribble does not ship internationally.
Pricing for A Scribble Art Book
Each book starts with 24 pages, and additional pages are $0.40 each (up to 200 pages). The 12x10 Is a limited offer and may only be available seasonally.
8.5" x 8.5" book - $49.99 | 8.5" x 11" book - $59.99 | 12" x 10" - $79.99 |
Scribble Art Reviews: What to Expect
Parents who have reviewed Scribble generally find the platform intuitive and user-friendly. The background-removal automation simplifies the process, so you don't need to be a professional to make your kid's art stand out. Reviewers praise the overall print quality and vibrant pages. Thanks to its flexible design tools, parents appreciate that they can craft a custom children's art book that mirrors their child's creative story.
Some users note inconsistent image quality and mild disappointment that the site mainly targets younger kids' art books. If you enjoy the process and want a personal touch, Scribble gives you the tools to create a unique keepsake your way.
Artkive: The Concierge Kids' Art Book
If you're short on time or just want someone else to handle the work, Artkive is built for you. Unlike DIY options, Artkive takes care of everything that comes with transforming your piles of kids art into a professional keepsake book.
Artkive mails you a prepaid kit to pack up your child's artwork with no fuss. Their team then photographs, edits, and designs a beautifully bound book or custom mosaic. You review the layout, approve it for print, and Artkive handles everything else with expert care.
Key Features of the Artkive Process:
Art Books and Framed Mosaics: Artkive offers both kids art books and framed mosaic wall art. Mosaics come in two sizes (26"x26" and 14"x14") with white frames and matting. A beautiful artwork display to liven up your home or workspace.
Free Cloud Storage: Along with your book, Artkive provides 90 days of free cloud access to your digitized kids artwork. Use this digital access to download images, reorder your book, or create personalized gifts for loved ones.
Personalize Your Book: Artkive's book-builder lets you add titles, make minor image edits, choose your cover image, adjust orientation, and add image labels.
For Art of All Ages: While Artkive specializes in art books for kids, their books aren't limited to young children's artwork. Want to celebrate your teen's first gallery show or showcase your adult child's canvas art or architecture school designs? Artkive can handle that too.
International Shipping: Unlike many competitors, Artkive offers its preservation services internationally. If you live abroad, check out Artkive's International offer.
Some Things To Keep In Mind With Artkive
Longer Turnaround Time: Expect about 6 to 8 weeks from the time Artkive receives your artwork until your book proof is ready, since boxes are photographed in the order they arrive. Add 5 to 10 business days for the box to reach Artkive. After you approve the proof, printing takes about 4 business days and shipping takes 7 to 10 business days. Timing varies, and the longest waits are August through November.
A Premium Investment: Artkive costs more than a DIY book. The service is done for you, with a team handling the photography, editing, and book design.
Clean, White Backgrounds: Artkive books use a clean, white background so your kid's art is the star of every page. However, colored backgrounds can be made available upon request.
Pricing for an Artkive Book
Each book starts with a minimum of 25 pieces and can hold up to 350 pieces. Additional pieces are $2–$3 per piece (the per-page cost decreases after 50 pieces). The Artkive Box, which you use to send in your artwork, is sold separately, but frequently on sale.
25-Page 8" x 8" book - $75 | 25-Page 8.5" x 11" book - $75 |
Need A Per-Piece Estimate?
What Parents Say About Artkive
Unlike Scribble, Artkive boasts a 4.9 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot. These Artkive reviews highlight the premium quality of the finished product. One repeat customer put it this way:
“I have ordered 20 books and I am working on my 21st now... Every time I engage with Artkive, the team is swift, precise and seamless.”
Parents also appreciate how simple the process is, especially when time is short.
The most common considerations are the price and the wait time, since each book is custom-made and takes several weeks. But parents say the product’s finish and the memories it preserves make it worth the investment. As one mom shared:
“The books are worth every penny. The photos of these child drawings are just so clear... like looking at the real thing.”
For a deeper look at what families are saying, check out the full Artkive reviews roundup.
Artkive vs. Scribble: Your Questions Answered
How Much Does a Scribble Book Cost?
A Scribble art book starts at $49.99 for the 8.5" x 8.5" size and $59.99 for the 8.5" x 11" size. Each book includes 24 pages, and extra pages are $0.40 each, up to 200 pages. A 100-page 8.5" x 11" book comes to $90.39 before tax and shipping.
Artkive books start at $75 for 25 pieces, and the Artkive Box is sold separately. The bigger difference is who does the work: with Scribble you photograph and design the book yourself, and with Artkive the team photographs, edits, and designs it for you.
Is There a Digital Version of a Scribble Book?
Yes. Every Scribble book comes with a free digital copy, and you can keep it private or make it public. Scribble doesn’t offer photo storage, so hold onto your original photos.
With Artkive, you get 90 days of free cloud access to your digitized artwork. You can download images, reorder your book, or make gifts for family.
Are There Reviews of Scribble Art Books?
There aren’t many. Most of what’s written about Scribble comes from parent blogs, press write-ups, and testimonials on Scribble’s own site. Parents who write about it tend to like the service and the DIY approach. Some mention uneven image quality when the photos weren’t taken with good lighting and a steady setup, which is the tradeoff of photographing the art yourself.
Artkive’s reviews are public and you can see some collected in our reviews roundup.
Two Great Options, One Meaningful Goal
No matter which route you take, you’re doing something meaningful: turning your child’s creativity into a lasting treasure. And if you have greeting cards or printed photos piling up alongside the artwork, Artkive’s sister brands Cardkive and Photokive offer the same white-glove treatment for those keepsakes, too.
Every family is different and so are there needs when it comes to decluttering and preserving memories. If you’re the type who prefers to let professionals take the reigns, allow us to handle that growing collection of kids arts and crafts. Artkive is ready when you are!
