Shutterfly Sales Calendar 2026: Best Times to Shop and Save

Jan 7, 2026

Buying Shutterfly projects at full price is a little like paying full price for snacks at the airport. You can do it… but you probably don’t want to. The good news is Shutterfly sales follow a pretty reliable rhythm each year, so you can plan your photo books, prints, and cards around the best windows.

When you’re ready to check out, you can still grab an extra nudge of savings by looking at Groupon’s Shutterfly discount codes. (This page is the sales calendar; the merchant page covers codes in more detail.)

Quick answer:

Best overall: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Best for holiday cards: late October through November
Best “second-biggest” window: Memorial Day promos
Best if you missed the holidays: January “fresh start” deals

Jump to:

The 2026 Shutterfly sales calendar
Best times to buy photo books, cards, calendars, and gifts
What Shutterfly sales usually include
FAQs

Your 2026 Shutterfly sales calendar you can actually plan around

Shutterfly promos change week to week, but the big sale seasons tend to repeat each year. Use this as your “when to shop” cheat sheet, then check the fine print when you’re ready to place your order.

Time of year	What usually goes on sale	Best for	Smart move
January	“New year” promos on prints, photo books, calendars, organization-style projects	Year-in-review books, leftover holiday photos, “finally printing my camera roll” projects	Build your project early and wait for a deal that includes shipping or upgrades
Late Jan to Feb	Valentine’s Day promos on cards and small personalized gifts	Photo mugs, small prints, love-themed cards	Order earlier than you think—shipping gets pricey the closer you cut it
April to early May	Mother’s Day promos across gifts and photo keepsakes	Photo books, wall art, personalized gifts	Start designs early so you’re not paying for rush shipping
Mid to late May	Memorial Day promotions (often one of the biggest non-holiday deal windows)	Bigger photo book orders, wall art refreshes, multi-item carts	If you missed Black Friday, this is the next best “big cart” moment
June	Father’s Day promos + early summer gifting deals	Mugs, desk prints, small gifts, quick photo books	Keep gifts simple and ship standard to protect the deal
May to July	Graduation-season promos (announcements, party invites, gifts)	Announcements, invites, keepsake books	Order earlier for the best selection and less shipping stress
August	Back-to-school promos (calendars, stationery-style items, organization)	Photo calendars, planner-style gifts, prints for dorms	Great time to start next year’s calendar early (before holiday chaos)
Early September	Labor Day promos	Photo books, prints, home décor refresh projects	Use this to prep for holiday gifting without December timelines
Late Oct to November	Holiday card promos ramp up	Holiday cards, address labels, early gift orders	Design in September/early October so you can order the minute prices drop
Black Friday to Cyber Monday	Often the broadest sitewide promos of the year (terms vary)	Big carts: multiple photo books, wall art, bulk cards, gifts	Have your photos organized in advance so you’re not designing at midnight
December	Last-chance promos + end-of-year deals (but shipping gets expensive)	Print reorders, non-urgent projects, post-holiday gifting	If you’re past shipping cutoffs, pivot to digital or “after-holiday” gifting

Best “build it once, buy it later” tip:

Design your photo book or cards ahead of time and save the project to your account. Then you can simply place the order during the next major promo window instead of rushing the design when the sale hits.

Best times to buy Shutterfly photo books, cards, calendars, and gifts

Save the most on photo books when you shop the big-cart promos

Best time: Black Friday/Cyber Monday
Also great: Memorial Day, Labor Day, and January “fresh start” promos
Why: photo books are one of the easiest items to discount aggressively, and they’re perfect for larger carts

Get the best price on holiday cards by ordering before the December panic

Best time: late October through November
Best move: design early, order early—late orders usually mean fewer choices and higher shipping

Buy calendars in late summer or late fall depending on how organized you are

Best time if you want it early: back-to-school promos (August)
Best time for gifting season: late fall promos (November)

Pick up personalized gifts around the “gift holidays” so you’re not paying for rush shipping

Best times: Valentine’s Day promos, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation season
Also worth watching: Black Friday/Cyber Monday for bigger gifts (blankets, wall art, etc.)

What Shutterfly sales usually include so you can spot a good one fast

This is the stuff you’ll see over and over again. (Exact discount levels and exclusions vary, so always check the “promotion details” at checkout.)

Percent-off promos: best for larger carts
Free shipping offers: great when your cart is already close to the minimum
Upgrades and add-ons: things like extra pages, premium paper, or specialty finishes included/discounted (varies by promo)

Free shipping tip that’s actually useful:

Shutterfly frequently advertises free shipping with a minimum order (often $89+, sometimes with a code). If you’re close, adding small prints can be cheaper than paying shipping.

Keep stacking expectations realistic

Promo rules can change from one sale to the next. In general, expect that:

Some promos apply automatically, while others require a code.
Sometimes you can combine an offer with shipping; other times you can’t.
The safest play is to check the promo terms and test your cart before committing to a big order.

FAQs

When is the best time to shop Shutterfly sales in 2026?

Historically, the biggest all-around deals tend to land around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you need another strong window, Memorial Day promos are often one of the best times to place a larger order.

When should I order holiday cards in 2026 to get the best price?

Plan to order in late October through November. You’ll usually get better pricing and a lot more breathing room on shipping than you will in December.

When do Shutterfly calendar deals show up?

You’ll often see calendar-friendly promos during back-to-school season (August) and again during late fall when holiday gifting ramps up.

Does Shutterfly do free shipping?

Yes—free shipping promos show up regularly, usually tied to a minimum order (often around $89+) and sometimes requiring a promo code. Terms and exclusions can vary, so check the promotion details in your cart.

Where can I find Shutterfly promo codes if a sale is already running?

If you’re ready to buy now, check Groupon’s Shutterfly coupons to see if there’s an additional offer you can use alongside the current sale terms.

Your quick Shutterfly savings checklist for 2026

Build your project early, then wait to buy during the next big promo window
Shop Black Friday/Cyber Monday for the biggest “everything” sales
Use Memorial Day as your best backup if you missed Black Friday
Order holiday cards in late Oct–Nov to avoid expensive shipping
Watch for free shipping minimums (often around $89+) and plan your cart accordingly
Always confirm promo fine print and holiday shipping cutoffs before you hit “place order”

Your next step before you check out

Once you’ve picked the right sale window, do one last quick check for a better checkout deal. Head to Groupon’s latest Shutterfly discount codes and see what’s available that day.