LAB COMPARISON · Checked October 2026

Walgreens or a film lab:
which is right for your roll?

Walgreens still develops 35mm film, sent out to an outside service. Here’s what comes back, and when it’s worth mailing your roll to us instead.

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ONE ROLL, TWO PLACES

What comes back from a 24-exposure roll.

From Walgreens’ own film page and help center, checked October 2026. Format support varies by store.

Walgreens

IN STORE

Price

$15.99

Where it’s developed

An outside service

You get

4x6 prints or a photo CD

Your negatives

Not returned

Formats

35mm; APS, 110, 127 at select stores

Ready

Pickup in 3–5 business days

Nice Film Club

BY MAIL

Price

$14.99 members · $17.99 without

Where it’s developed

Our own lab

You get

2K scans in a gallery, plus a contact sheet

Your negatives

Mailed back: $6.99 members, $7.99 without

Formats

35mm, 120, 220, 620 and 110; process options vary by format

Getting it there

Free shipping label to our lab

PRINT A FREE LABEL AND START A ROLL →

Walgreens’ two pages disagree on whether $15.99 includes prints or a CD. Our price is for 2K scans, our standard scan, of any 35mm roll.

WHAT A ROLL COSTS

Priced by the exposure, or by the roll.

Walgreens charges more for longer rolls. We charge the same for 12 exposures or 36.

Walgreens · 4×6 prints Nice members · 2K Nice non-members · 2K

12 exposures

$12.99

$14.99

$17.99

24 exposures

$15.99

$14.99

$17.99

36 exposures

$18.99

$14.99

$17.99

Walgreens prices are from its help center, each with one set of 4x6 prints, checked October 2026. Ours is development and a 2K scan, our standard, in a gallery, for any exposure count, with your negatives mailed back for $6.99 (members) or $7.99. The box isn’t the same, so compare what you want back.

ORDER ONE ROLL, NO MEMBERSHIP NEEDED →

WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOUR ROLL

Sometimes the drugstore is fine.

WALGREENS IS THE RIGHT CALL IF

you want prints in hand from a single 35mm roll

there’s a store with a photo lab nearby

you don’t need your negatives back

MAIL IT TO A LAB IF

you want your negatives back to reprint or rescan later

you shoot 120, slide or motion picture film

you want to choose the scanner and framing

you’d rather share a gallery than pass around a CD

START A ROLL →

IF YOU SEND IT TO US

Nothing gets sent out.

Walgreens sends film to an outside service. Ours stays in our lab from the tank to your gallery.

Developed where we scan it

Your roll is developed and scanned in the same lab, by the same team.

A person on every frame

Our scanning team adjusts density, color and tone frame by frame.

Negatives, home with you

Your negatives are mailed back, so you can reprint or rescan any frame later.

IN FAIRNESS

Where Walgreens wins.

We believe in honest comparisons. Walgreens has real strengths, and for some photographers they’ll matter most.

Lab	35MM	120	220	127	110	126	APS	SHEET
Walgreens	●	—	—	●	●	—	●	—
Nice Film Club	●	●	●	—	●	—	—	—

Walgreens takes 35mm at every store with a photo lab, and APS, 110 and 127 at select stores. Nice Film Club accepts 35mm, 120, 220, 620 and 110, but not APS or 127.

3–5 days

READY FOR PICKUP

Walgreens says film is ready for pickup in 3–5 business days. Ours takes longer, with rush available.

$12.99

A SHORT ROLL, PRINTED

Walgreens’ help center prices a 12-exposure roll at $12.99 with a set of 4x6 prints, no mailer needed.

Rush development + scanning

Your scans.
One business day.

For the rolls you need sooner.
Developed and scanned by our lab.

Rush development + scanning for C-41 and B&W.
Excludes E-6 and ECN-2. Shipping time is separate.

About rush service

Member prices start hereAnnual plans for high-volume shooters →

Nice Monthly Lite$9.99a month

Member prices on every roll.

Nice Monthly$19.99a month

One roll developed and scanned each month, then member prices on the rest.

Nice ScholarFreefor students and educators

Member prices on every roll.

Or send one roll, no membership needed →

A few more things

Questions, answered.

How much is Walgreens film developing?

Walgreens lists $15.99 to develop a 24-exposure 35mm roll. Its help center prices 12 exposures at $12.99 and 36 at $18.99, each with one set of 4x6 prints.

Does Walgreens give you your negatives back?

No. Walgreens’ film page says “Orders will not include negatives.” If you want them back, mail your roll to a lab that returns them. Ours come back for $6.99 for members or $7.99 without.

How long does Walgreens take to develop film?

Walgreens says film is ready for pickup in 3–5 business days.

Can Walgreens develop 120 or slide film?

Its film page lists 35mm at stores with a photo lab, and APS, 110 and 127 at select stores. It doesn’t list 120 or slide film. We develop both in our own lab.

Is it cheaper to mail film to a lab?

For members, yes. Walgreens charges $15.99 for 24 exposures with prints or a CD. We charge $14.99 for members, or $17.99 without, for development and a 2K scan, for any exposure count. Our label to the lab is free, and negatives back are $6.99 (members) or $7.99.

Keep looking

More comparisons.

Lab comparison

Your next roll.
Start here.

Send us your film. Get scans in your online gallery, ready to revisit and share.

Start with one roll

Membership is optional.

Walgreens or a film lab:
which is right for your roll?