Paint Your Family vs Paintyourlife: Which Custom Portrait Is Right for You?

Two very different ways to turn a photo into a painting

If you are searching for a custom portrait from a photo, you will quickly come across both Paintyourlife and Paint Your Family. The names sound alike, but the two services work in completely different ways. This guide explains the differences so you can choose the one that suits your gift, budget and timing. We are Paint Your Family, so we have tried to stick to facts you can check yourself.

How Paintyourlife works

Paintyourlife offers portraits that are painted by hand by artists, based on the photo you send. According to its website (checked in September 2026), it offers several mediums such as oil, acrylic and watercolor, free online proofing with unlimited revisions, and delivery in as little as 12 days from the day you order, with an express option for an extra 15%. Prices depend on the size and the number of people or pets in the painting.

The big advantage of a hand-painted portrait is exactly that: real paint, applied by a person. That makes it a true one-of-a-kind object, which many people value for an heirloom.

How Paint Your Family works

Paint Your Family uses AI to paint your photo in one of three styles: Renaissance, Impressionist or Modern. You upload your photo and see the result on screen within seconds, before you pay anything. If you like it, you choose how to keep it:

• a digital file ($29), delivered right after payment
• a fine art print (from $59)
• a canvas (from $119)
• a framed canvas (from $164)

Prints and canvases are delivered within 2-5 business days in the United States. You can also combine up to four photos of different people into one portrait, which helps when there is no single photo with everyone in it.

The main differences side by side

• Who paints it: Paintyourlife uses artists who paint by hand; Paint Your Family paints with AI and prints the result.
• When you see it: Paintyourlife sends a proof of the painting while the artist works on it; with Paint Your Family you see a free preview within seconds, before ordering.
• Timing: Paintyourlife states delivery in as little as 12 days; Paint Your Family delivers the digital file instantly and prints in 2-5 business days.
• Price: hand-painted portraits cost more because they take an artist many hours; Paint Your Family starts at $29 for a digital file.
• Styles: Paintyourlife offers different mediums; Paint Your Family offers three painting styles.

Which one should you choose?

Choose a hand-painted service if you want real brushwork on canvas, have a few weeks before the occasion and your budget allows it. Choose Paint Your Family if you want to see the result before you pay, if the gift is due soon, or if you want a painted portrait at a lower price. Because the preview is free, you can always try it first and decide afterwards.

Curious how your own photo looks as a painting? Create your free preview in a few seconds.