The easiest way to put a dent in your growing mountain of digital memories is to put them to use in a creative personalized photo album. There are many sites that provide ways to share your digital photos online, but as soon as you begin researching how to create personalized photo albums, you’ll find only a few sites that offer truly professional photo album creation software for free that will allow you to create, print and share your digital photos both online and offline.

Here's a checklist of things to look for in digital photo album software:

• Support for common image/video formats, jpg, gif, png, tif, wmv, mpeg, avi
• A functional, intuitive user interface
• Simple import or drag ‘n drop album creation. No HTML code required
• Image management tools for managing your digital photo collection
• Plenty of premade themes, styles, backgrounds and album layout ideas
• Completely customizable photo albums including front and back covers
• Free to share your personalized photo albums online
• Reasonable cost for printing custom photo albums in hard copy
  
• Print materials should include elemental chlorine free and acid free album materials to prevent fading
• Digital photo album software should be free to download and use

Two of the most popular sites that offer all of the above and have been recognized as “best in class” for their professional photo album results are Picaboo and Smilebox.

Picaboo focuses primarily on personalized photo albums and cards for sharing and printing and they have received top honors for their professional photo albums and products. Take a look at their huge selection of album covers, styles and themes, then download their free digital photo album progam and get started. The process is simple, the end product is gorgeous and it’s so easy that you'll become instantly addicted to the power creating your own professional quality, personalized photo albums.

Get Started with Picaboo here.

Smilebox offers many digital slide show options, photo printing and scrapbook layout ideas in addition to their solid digital photo album creation and print services. They too have downloadable, free digital photo album creation software and a variety of output formats for printing and sharing online and offline. If you’re looking for a greater variety of digital output options, smilebox is the answer to your question.

Eliminate some of the digital photo clutter from your life and put those precious memories into a personal keepsake album that you’ll be proud to display on the coffee table.

Get Started with Smilebox here.