You’re not alone if you’re looking for a better Legacybox alternative. Despite being one of the most popular ways to convert old photos, videos, or audio tapes to a digital format, there are quite a few different things that just don’t feel right.
Paying extra to actually download your files…
Limited quality enhancement services…
6-12 week turnaround…
Requiring you to remove photos from your albums…
The list goes on and on.
The good news, though, is that there is a far superior alternative to Legacybox that never feels like compromising. In fact, you have a few choices at your disposal. We’ve created this guide ranking them so you can feel confident picking the right one.
So, don’t let those film reels, photo prints, slides, audio cassettes, or negatives continue to degrade any longer. Weigh your options below and start converting physical media to a permanent digital file for peace of mind!
Fast Answer
EverPresent is the #1 Legacybox alternative if you want full restorative services, done-for-you labeling, HD upscaling at $4/tape, and local pickup or drop-off instead of mailing your originals. Whether you need a simple VHS to digital service, film transfer, photo scanning, or something more unique, we handle the formats that other companies send back.
Comparing the Best Legacybox Alternatives
|
|
EverPresent |
ScanCafe |
iMemories |
Southtree |
Capture |
|
Video Pricing |
As low as $19/tape |
$28/tape |
$29.99/tape |
$15/tape |
$20-$40/tape by resolution |
|
Photo pricing |
As low as $0.68/photo (600 DPI) |
$0.48/photo |
$0.99/photo |
$0.25/photo |
$19.99 for first 50, then $0.29-$0.59/each |
|
Audio pricing |
As low as $19.99/item |
$28.00/cassette |
Not offered |
$15/cassette |
Not available yet |
|
Film Pricing |
As low as $0.32/ft |
$0.34/ft |
$29.99/50ft (promo) |
$25/reel |
$19.99 for first 100ft, then $0.20/ft |
|
HD Upscaling |
$4/tape |
Not available |
$10/tape |
Not available |
1080p at $29.99, 4K at $39.99 |
|
Restoration Services |
Casing repair, splicing, mold, sticky shed, TBC |
Free tape repair attempts |
None advertised |
Free tape splicing only |
Tape repair, film cleaning, color correction (included free) |
|
Labeling |
Done for you |
DIY (20 character limit) |
DIY in app |
Barcode tracking, DIY |
Not advertised |
|
Local Options |
Home pickup / 130+ stores |
Mail only |
Mail only |
Mail only |
Walmart, CVS, Sam’s Club |
|
Turnaround |
Usually 3-4 weeks |
~4 weeks |
2-3 weeks |
4-6 weeks |
2-3 weeks |
|
Cloud Access |
60 days free (downloads included) |
30 days free (downloads included |
30 days free (downloads included) |
30 days (downloads extra) |
60-90 days free |
What’s the Best Alternative to Legacybox?
Not everyone has the same criteria in mind when looking at alternatives to Legacybox. Maybe you just want the cheapest service possible. Other people care about the quality they get back more than anything else. Turnaround time, app experience, format flexibility – there are so many things to think about that it can get really overwhelming to narrow it down.
So, follow along as we break down all the little nuances you need to know regarding the top Legacybox substitutes on the market right now. Or, save the time and stress and just stick with the #1 choice: EverPresent.
1. EverPresent
EverPresent is the premier choice for families or businesses in search of more than just basic tape-in, tape-out service. We’re the third-biggest digitizing company in America, a leader in mail-in, and we have more than 25,000 square feet of digitizing production space across the country.
One of the main differences is that we actually repair tapes that come in damaged rather than sending them back un-digitized. We’re equipped to handle all five major tape issues in-house, too, rather than sending them to a third party:
- Mechanical casing repair
- Tape splicing
- Mold cleaning
- Sticky shed incubation
- Time base correction
You also gain access to the broadest format coverage across the entire industry. Beyond typical home video footage, EverPresent digitizes professional formats such as U-Matic, all Betacam variants, DVCPro, HDCam, and PAL. Again, these are the types of tapes that Legacybox (and honestly, most competitors) send back untouched.
Our film to digital conversion handles all reel sizes, from 8mm to 16mm, Super 8, and more. We offer 2K scanning and sound sync, which is not something you’ll find with many competitors.
We digitize photos, scan slides, and handle negatives to digital transfer. Everything you could ever need to convert to a digital file, all in-house on the latest-and-greatest equipment. Another thing that sets us apart is how we handle albums as is. You can send in photo albums or scrapbooks without having to take individual photos out of their sleeves or deconstruct anything. That goes for all your media. Send it however you see fit for peace of mind. We’ll work with it.
We have a full audio conversion service as well – cassette tapes, vinyl records, microcassettes, and much more. Audiophiles turn to EverPresent because we have AI tools to eliminate hissing and crackling for audio transfer services.
You can take advantage of HD upscaling for as little as $4/tape, too. We have enhancement services for all other formats as well. That includes Image Enhancement (IE) and Advanced Image Retouching (AIR) for photos and negatives. This is part of what separates EverPresent from Legacybox and many other competitors. You end up with a better digital file that you can enjoy to the fullest.
EverPresent inventories your media, provides a custom quote, and doesn’t start work until you approve it. Files come back on USB, DVD, or through a private cloud app with 60 days of free access.
Key Moments technology identifies key moments in each video, generates transcripts, and flags which family members appear. This allows you to effortlessly find the most important memories that would otherwise be buried in hours of footage. You even get shareable clips for these Key Moments. You can also cast to your TV.
You don’t have to send in your physical media via mail if you live along the East Coast, either. We have a free home pickup service and in-person drop-off options in certain areas. And even if you do decide to send your items in, you don’t have to wait around for a box to show up to get started. You send in your items whenever you’re ready to get the ball rolling. No upfront payment.
EverPresent isn’t the cheapest, but you get what you pay for: the best Legacybox alternative. And if cost is a concern, we offer 0% financing for 36 months for up to $10K for qualified applicants. Learn more today.
2. ScanCafe
This company has been digitizing media for more than 20 years now, best known for its photo scanning service. ScanCafe works out of Fishers, Indiana, where it has processed more than 135 million images to date. One cool feature is the MyHeritage partnership, which allows you to feed scanned photos right into any genealogy projects you may be working on.
Photo scanning is fairly affordable at just $0.48/image, and you get 600 DPI quality. Video tapes cost $28 each, but be aware that your output is limited to SD only. ScanCafe doesn’t offer any upscaling capabilities. ScanCafe does will attempt to repair damaged tapes for free, but it’s nothing close to the full restorative capability you’d get from EverPresent.
Another really popular feature of this Legacybox alternative is “pay only for what you keep.” It’s exactly what it sounds like. You can reject up to 20% of your scanned images before you get charged for them. That gives you a little bit of a safety net if you’re sending in hundreds of old photos and don’t want to risk paying for duplicates or blanks that get mixed in.
ScanCafe turns projects around in 4 weeks or so. Delivery is mail-in only, though, no matter where you live – which can be frustrating, since options like EverPresent let you drop your stuff off in certain locations.
You get 30 days of free cloud access to download your files. After that, storage costs you $14.99 per month. There’s a DIY labeling capability (limited to 20 characters). ScanCafe has a 3.5/5 star rating on Trustpilot, which is a bit lackluster as well.
3. iMemories
You’ll see iMemories and Legacybox compared all the time. These are two of the biggest digitizing companies in the nation. And they’re more alike than they are different.
This service lives under the Ancestry.com family, with a location out of Scottsdale, Arizona. There are more than 250 specialists on staff there, which is part of how iMemories is able to turn around orders in as little as 2-3 weeks.
iMemories offers enhancement services to bring out the best in your physical copy. It’s not cheap at $10/tape (whereas EverPresent is only $4/tape). The McKenzie AI enhancement feature can also enhance sharpness and color accuracy. For what it’s worth, EverPresent has the exact same service at a lower price.
You’re sent a SafeShip Kit for $29.99 to package your items in a crush-proof box, with waterproof bags and shock-resistant cushioning. A lot of customers talk about how confident they felt sending their precious family memories or one-of-one archives to iMemories.
iMemories also scans photos starting at $0.99/photo and transfers film reels at $29.99 per 50 feet. They do not offer audio cassette conversion, though.
Files are stored on the cloud, which you’ll have access to for 30 days. You can take advantage of free digital downloads, which is nice considering Legacybox makes you pay for them.
However, there are some missing pieces here with iMemories. You have to label everything yourself via the iMemories app. They do not handle more rare and advanced media formats. And there are zero local intake options, which can be frustrating.
4. Southtree
Southtree is an interesting alternative to Legacybox in that it’s technically part of the very same family. Both live under the same umbrella that is AMB Media LLC, a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based company. Kodak Digitizing is part of the family as well.
So what’s the difference between Southtree and Legacybox, then? Really, nothing! They have separate websites, staff members, and pricing. But your media is processed at the very same facility. In other words, you can more or less expect the same quality and turnaround time whether you go with Southtree or Legacybox.
Southtree uses per-item pricing at roughly $15/tape, $0.25/photo, $25/reel, and $15/audio cassette. You get 480p SD output with zero upscaling, color correction, or enhancement beyond free tape splicing for broken ribbons.
You have to pay around $9.99 for each download, USB, or DVD. This is a common point of frustration with Legacybox, and you’ll experience much of the same with Southtree.
What’s interesting about Southtree is just how polarizing the user reviews are. We see a 1.05/5 on the BBB, a 2.8/5 on SiteJabber, but a 4.1/5 on Smart.Reviews. Take that for what you will. And at the end of the day, don’t be so quick to choose Southtree as a Legacybox alternative since it’s essentially the exact same underlying infrastructure.
5. Capture
Capture is the digitizing service that Walmart, CVS, and Sam’s Club use for all their business. It’s operated by YesVideo Inc. out of Norcross, Georgia, and is among the oldest digitizing companies with more than 27 years in business and 12 million+ families served to date. Note that you may see Capture referred to as Fujifilm in Canada. Just be aware that a lot of their advanced options are only available through their mail-in service.
At any rate, videotape pricing is pretty high compared to some of the other options on this list. $19.99 for SD, $29.99 for AI-upscaled 1080p, and $39.99 for 4K. But you get what you pay for as far as quality goes. Capture works fast, too, with 2-3 week turnaround times. You also get free restoration with every order, which includes:
- Tape repair
- Film cleaning
- Splice repair
- Automated color correction
One thing we have to say, though, is we don’t endorse this service for scanning scrapbooks or digitizing photo albums. We’ve found that the company’s album scanning glare feature is poor.
You gain access to your digital files on the cloud for 60-90 days, depending on where you submit your order. Google Photos is integrated for free, which is a nice touch as well.
How to Choose the Right Conversion Service
Each of these is a viable alternative to Legacybox, but which is actually right for you? These are things you need to think about as you decide:
Media Condition
There’s a good chance tapes that have sat in a garage or basement for decades have broken casings, mold, sticky shed syndrome, or some other form of damage. Most companies will simply send these back to you upon receiving them.
EverPresent can fix all the common issues with tapes. Capture also includes tape repair, film cleaning, and splice repair with every order. Southtree offers some basic tape splicing, but that’s it. iMemories doesn’t have any sort of restoration capability.
What Can Be Converted
All these companies can convert VHS tapes or scan photos. But only a few handle the rare forms of media you may have, such as U-Matic, all Betacam variants, DVCPro, HDCam, and PAL. EverPresent is the best choice for these specialized formats. It’s also the only option if you want certain file outputs, such as ProRes and JPEG2000.
Quality Enhancement
This isn’t just a matter of restoring the condition of the tapes themselves. HD upscaling sharpens old SD footage for modern screens, and most of these companies offer it – it’s just a matter of to what extent and how much you pay for it:
- EverPresent at $4/tape
- iMemories at $10/tape
- Capture bakes it into their $29.99 and $39.99 tiers
Most companies offer similar enhancements for other formats like photos and audio transfer services, including cassette tape to digital conversion. Southtree, like Legacybox, offers zero enhancements.
Price
We typically warn against shopping Legacybox alternatives based on price alone. We think value for the money matters more. Because while Southtree is between $15 (per tape), you’re missing out on a lot.
On the other hand, EverPresent and Capture cost more. But you get more! We think that matters when it comes to something like your one-of-a-kind family memories or historical archives.
Are Mail-In Services Actually Legit?
We know it can be scary to send in your original copies of family memories or historical footage. That’s why it’s so imperative to do your due diligence in picking an alternative to Legacybox. Because at the end of the day, not every service handles your physical items the same way. And some go as far as to accept your order, evaluate it, and then ship it off to a third-party.
The real risk we see people stress about is transit damage or loss. The postal service and FedEx aren’t perfect – even with insured, crush-proof packaging. So, you may want to choose a service near you and take advantage of home pickup or local drop-off. EverPresent has locations all over the East Coast. Capture is more expensive, but available through many local retailers as well.
All this being said, you have little to worry about if you partner with the pros at EverPresent. You can send your tapes, photos, or audio in with peace of mind.
Taking the Next Step
Whether you have a box of 10 VHS tapes or need help converting film to digital, you should have a better grasp of which Legacybox alternative best suits your needs now.
Still on the fence? Connect with our experts at EverPresent today for one-on-one support. We’ll provide a professional assessment of your collection before you make any commitment. Reach out now and take the next step towards preserving your photos, videos, or audio!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Legacybox?
Southtree is typically the most affordable option, with tapes as low as $7.50 on promotion, but keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Cheapest is rarely best. We encourage you to think more in terms of value for the money.
What is the BEST Legacybox alternative?
Most people choose EverPresent after weighing their options in depth. You get full tape restoration, done-for-you labeling, archival output formats, and local pickup depending on where you live.
Is Southtree really a Legacybox competitor?
Not really. Southtree, Legacybox, and Kodak Digitizing are all operated by AMB Media LLC out of the same Chattanooga, Tennessee facility. So while they’re different companies, it’s the same staff, equipment, and digitizing process.
How do I get started?
Request free prepaid shipping labels or schedule a home pickup at no cost through EverPresent today. Your media gets inventoried, you’re provided a detailed quote, and work starts once you approve.
