LAB COMPARISON · Checked October 2026

Walmart develops film.
Where does it go?

Walmart still takes film at its Photo Centers, with prints back in about six days. Here’s what happens to your roll there, and what happens with us.

Develop your film See how we work

THE SHORT ANSWER

Does Walmart give negatives back?

Walmart’s own film page doesn’t say. It covers drop-off at a Photo Center, about six days, and prints on Fujifilm paper, with CD or USB copies for a small extra charge. Reports from PetaPixel (2015) and The Darkroom’s retail lab guide say film goes to an outside lab and negatives generally don’t come back.

With us, your negatives come home. We develop and scan your roll in our own lab, then mail the negatives back for $6.99 if you’re a member or $7.99 if you’re not.

WALMART PHOTO

A photo counter for film drop-off.

DROP-OFF

At a Walmart Photo Center

PRICE

Not listed online

YOU GET

4x6 or 5x7 prints; CD or USB extra

TURNAROUND

About 6 days

FORMATS

35mm, single-use cameras, APS

NICE FILM CLUB

A lab that develops, scans and keeps your film.

EVERY FRAME

Color-corrected, every tier

FROM

$12.99 a roll for members; free membership for students

FILES

JPEG, plus TIFF at 4K (16-bit on Noritsu)

SHIPPING

Free to the lab; negatives back $6.99–$7.99

FORMATS

35mm, 120, 220, 620 and 110; ECN-2 motion picture

THE KEY DIFFERENCE

Walmart is where you drop film off. Nice Film Club is the lab: we develop, scan and correct your film ourselves, and keep it organized for you.

WHERE YOUR FILM GOES

Two trips for the same roll.

Walmart is a drop-off point. We’re the lab. Here’s every stop your film makes, and where the negatives end up.

WALMART PHOTO

Your roll

Dropped off at the counter of a Walmart Photo Center.

Sent out to a lab, reportedly

PetaPixel and The Darkroom report film goes to an outside lab. Walmart’s page doesn’t say where it’s developed.

Back at the store in about six days

4x6 or 5x7 prints on Fujifilm paper. CD or USB copies for a small extra charge.

Negatives: reportedly not returned

Reported by PetaPixel (2015) and The Darkroom. Walmart’s page doesn’t say either way.

NICE FILM CLUB

Your roll

Mailed with a free USPS label straight to our lab.

Developed in our own lab

Not passed on to anyone else.

Every frame looked at, then scanned

On the scanner and framing you chose.

Back in a gallery

Shareable and searchable, with a digital contact sheet of the whole roll.

Negatives: mailed home

$6.99 for members, $7.99 without.

PRINT A FREE LABEL AND START A ROLL →

Checked 16 October 2026. Walmart: photos3.walmart.com/about/film-processing. Outside lab and negatives: PetaPixel, 27 July 2015, and thedarkroom.com/retail-photo-labs/walmart-photo-lab.

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR ROLL

Three things we do differently.

Walmart’s page doesn’t say where your film is developed. Send it to us and it stays with the people who develop it.

Developed in our own lab

Your roll isn’t passed on to another lab. We develop it ourselves, in our own lab, and hang it to dry.

Your negatives come home

After scanning, we mail your negatives back to you: $6.99 for members, $7.99 without. Keep them, reprint them, rescan them later.

Back to you, in a gallery

Your scans arrive in a gallery you can share and search, with a digital contact sheet of the whole roll.

Scanned your way

Choose the look.
Keep the edges.

Two scanners, different characters. Explore how your 35mm film can look — right down to the border.

Fuji Frontier

Classic lab color, with more of the negative in the frame. Choose a clean crop, organic borders or the full rebate.

8-bit TIFFs at 4K / Pro · 35mm framing shown

Explore all scanning options

C-41 35mm Frontier full-rebate scan with the film edge visible.

Full rebates · Sprocket holes, edge print, the whole frame.

More room to edit? 4K includes JPEG + TIFF. Pro Scans add custom color and tonal work.

Frontier and full rebates are optional add-ons.

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

IN FAIRNESS

Where Walmart wins.

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

Lab	35MM	120	220	620	110	126	APS	SHEET
Walmart	●	—	—	—	—	—	●	—
Nice Film Club	●	●	●	●	●	—	—	—

Walmart takes APS film, which we don’t. We take 120 medium format, which Walmart’s film page doesn’t list.

6 days

FASTER TURNAROUND

Walmart says prints are ready in about six days. Our turnaround is longer, with rush available.

In store

NO MAILER NEEDED

Hand your roll to a Walmart Photo Center associate while you shop.

A Nice Film Club technician reviewing photographic prints and contact sheets.

The Nice difference

More than a download.

Scans to make your own. A gallery to keep them together. Prints to live with.

Start with one roll

Membership is optional.

WHAT IT COSTS

Our price, in one line.

Walmart doesn’t list film prices online. Ours: develop and scan from $12.99 a roll for members and $13.99 without, and membership starts at $9.99 a month.

ORDER ONE ROLL, NO MEMBERSHIP NEEDED →

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 →

Checked 16 October 2026. Walmart: photos3.walmart.com/about/film-processing. Negatives: PetaPixel, 27 July 2015, and The Darkroom’s Walmart Photo Lab guide. Member prices are the same on Nice Monthly Lite, Nice Monthly and Nice Scholar.

A few more things

Questions, answered.

Does Walmart still develop film?

Yes. Walmart Photo Centers take 35mm, single-use cameras and APS film, and Walmart says prints are ready in about six days. Its page doesn’t say where film is developed; PetaPixel and The Darkroom report it’s sent to an outside lab.

Do you get negatives back from Walmart?

Walmart’s film page doesn’t say. PetaPixel (2015) and The Darkroom’s retail lab guide report that negatives generally aren’t returned, so ask your store before dropping off film you care about.

How long does Walmart film developing take?

About six days, according to Walmart. You get a notification when your prints are ready to pick up.

Can I get scans instead of prints from Walmart?

Walmart offers digital copies on CD or USB for a small extra charge, alongside 4x6 or 5x7 prints. Its page doesn’t mention online delivery.

What’s the alternative to Walmart film developing?

Mail it to a film lab. Our shipping label to the lab is free, every frame is looked at, your scans arrive in a gallery with a digital contact sheet, and your negatives come home for $6.99 (members) or $7.99.

Keep looking

More comparisons.

Lab comparison

Keep your negatives.

Mail your next roll to our lab with a free label. We’ll develop it ourselves, look at every frame, and send the negatives home.

Develop your film View memberships

Walmart develops film.
Where does it go?