Picture to Story vs Magical Children’s Book
Both make a personalised picture book starring your child from a photo. They work differently, so here is a plain comparison to help you pick the one that suits you. We make Picture to Story; their details are from their own UK website, checked on 22 October 2026.
| Picture to Story | Magical Children’s Book | |
|---|---|---|
| Try before paying | See your child’s cover free before you pay anything | Buy the eBook first (£6.99), then decide on a hardcover |
| Digital book | £9.99, ready in about 10 minutes | £6.99 eBook, usually within 15 minutes and sometimes up to about 2 hours |
| Printed book | Paperback £19.99 or hardcover £27.99, digital included | Hardcover £26.99 (they say the eBook payment is deducted); no paperback |
| Delivery | Shipping included in the printed price | £4.95 for one book, free for 2 or more |
| Pages | 32 pages: title page, 15 illustrated story spreads and an ending | 26 pages |
| Size | 8.5 × 8.5 inch square (about 21.6 cm) | A4 portrait, 21 × 29.7 cm |
| Art styles | 4: storybook watercolour, animated film, bold cartoon, coloured pencil | 10 illustration styles |
| Changing the book | If a picture or the story is wrong, we fix or remake it | You can edit the texts and change illustrations yourself |
| Extras | Online flip-book reader, PDF and a family share link | Sequels, colouring pages from your book, read-aloud QR code (£3.99) |
Our prices are shown in pounds; they switch to your local currency on the rest of the site.
Choose Magical Children’s Book if…
- you want the cheapest way to try a digital book first,
- you’d like to edit the words and pictures yourself, or
- you want an A4 hardcover, more art styles or extras like colouring pages and sequels.
Choose Picture to Story if…
- you want to see your child’s cover before you pay anything,
- you’d like a paperback as well as a hardcover, with shipping included in the price,
- you prefer a 32-page square picture book with 15 illustrated spreads, or
- you want a story built from a specific moment, like starting nursery or a new baby.
Either way, have a look at a finished book before you decide. You can read our example books page by page, and see our prices in your currency.
See your child’s cover free
Add one photo, answer a few questions and see the cover before deciding.
Start with a photoQuestions
Which is cheaper?
Magical Children’s Book’s eBook (£6.99) costs less than ours (£9.99). For a printed book, compare the total: our printed prices include shipping and the digital book, while theirs add £4.95 shipping for a single book.
Can I see the book before paying?
With Picture to Story you see your child’s finished cover free, before paying anything. Magical Children’s Book works the other way round: you buy the eBook first and then decide whether to print it.
Can I change the words or pictures?
Magical Children’s Book lets you edit the text and swap illustrations yourself. With Picture to Story you choose the adventure and details up front, and if anything in the finished book is wrong we fix or remake it for you.
Where do these details come from?
Our details are our own. Magical Children’s Book’s details are from their UK website’s pricing, features and help pages on 22 October 2026. Prices and features change, so check their site for the latest.