Polaroid vs Instax: Cost Per Photo, Prints and Which to Buy
Updated 2026-11-10 · By the Touch Grass editors
Instax is cheaper and faster: Instax Mini film costs about 90 cents a print ($17.99 ÷ 20) and develops in about 90 seconds. Polaroid gives you bigger, classic square prints but costs about $2.37 a print ($18.99 ÷ 8) and takes 10 to 15 minutes. Pick Instax Mini 13 (about $94) for value, Polaroid Now Gen 3 (about $120) for the look.
Polaroid and Instax both print a real photo right out of the camera. The difference that matters over a year of use is the film: what it costs, how big the print is, and how long you wait for it to appear.
We did the math using film pack prices we checked in November 2026. Film prices move a lot between retailers, so check the retailer for today's price and plug it into the same formula: pack price ÷ exposures.
| Instax Mini (Instax Mini 13) | Polaroid i-Type (Polaroid Now Gen 3) | |
|---|---|---|
| Camera price | About $94 | About $120 |
| Film pack | Twin pack, 20 photos, about $18 | 8 photos, about $19 |
| Cost per photo | About $0.90 ($17.99 ÷ 20) | About $2.37 ($18.99 ÷ 8) |
| Print size | Credit-card size | 79×79 mm image on an 88×107 mm print |
| Develop time | About 90 seconds | 10 to 15 minutes |
| Film speed | ISO 800 | ISO 640 |
| Camera power | 2 AA batteries | USB-C rechargeable |
| Focus | Automatic exposure, close-up mode via lens ring | Two-lens autofocus |
How much does Polaroid film cost per photo compared with Instax?
Polaroid i-Type film costs about $2.37 a photo, and Instax Mini film costs about 90 cents. Polaroid is roughly 2.6 times the price per print.
Here's the math, using prices we checked:
- Instax Mini Film Twin Pack: $17.99 ÷ 20 exposures = $0.90 per photo.
- Polaroid Color i-Type Film: $18.99 ÷ 8 exposures = $2.37 per photo.
- Difference: about $1.47 more per photo with Polaroid.
Instax twin packs range from about $17 to $25 depending on the retailer, which puts Instax between about 85 cents ($17 ÷ 20) and $1.25 ($25 ÷ 20) a print. Even at the high end, it costs about half as much per photo as Polaroid i-Type.
Instax Mini Film Twin Pack
Twenty prints for any Instax Mini $17.9920 photosPolaroid Color i-Type Film
Classic square Polaroid film, white frame $18.998 photosWhat does the first 40 photos cost with each?
Camera plus enough film for 40 photos costs about $130 with Instax and about $215 with Polaroid.
- Instax Mini 13 + 2 twin packs: $93.95 + (2 × $17.99) = $129.93 for 40 photos.
- Polaroid Now Gen 3 + 5 packs of i-Type: $119.99 + (5 × $18.99) = $214.94 for 40 photos.
After that, every 40 prints costs about $36 in Instax film versus about $95 in Polaroid film. If you'll shoot a lot, like at parties, on trips or with kids, that gap adds up fast.
Which prints look better, Polaroid or Instax?
It depends on what you want: Polaroid prints are bigger and have the classic square look, and Instax prints are smaller and ready much sooner.
A Polaroid i-Type print has a 79×79 mm image on an 88×107 mm print with the famous white frame. It develops slowly, over 10 to 15 minutes, and has the look most people picture when they hear the word Polaroid. An Instax Mini print is credit-card size and develops in about 90 seconds. It fits in a wallet or phone case and is easy to hand out at a party.
If the print is the gift, as in a wedding guest book or a fridge photo, Polaroid's size wins. If the moment is the point and you want to pass photos around, Instax is easier.
Instax Mini 13: who it is for
The Instax Mini 13 is for anyone who wants easy instant photos at the lowest running cost, including kids. It costs about $94.
Exposure and flash are automatic, so there's little to get wrong. It has a selfie mirror, a 2- or 10-second self-timer and a close-up mode on the lens ring, and runs on two AA batteries. Digital Camera World's 2026 review says it "has finally mastered selfies."
Not for: people who want big square prints.
Polaroid Now Gen 3: who it is for
The Polaroid Now Gen 3 is for people who want the classic square Polaroid and are happy to pay more per print for it. It costs about $120.
Two-lens autofocus covers 0.4 to 1.3 m for portraits and 1 m to infinity for everything else. It picks from six apertures (f/11 to f/64), recharges over USB-C, and has a self-timer and double exposure. It takes i-Type and 600 film.
Not for: anyone shooting a lot of photos on a budget.
What about the Polaroid Go and Polaroid Flip?
They're the two other Polaroid options worth knowing. The Polaroid Go Gen 3 (about $90) is the smallest Polaroid, and it uses its own Go film with small square prints. Go film isn't in our price checks, so look up a pack and run the same pack price ÷ exposures math before you buy.
The Polaroid Flip (about $220) is Polaroid's most automated camera, with sonar autofocus and scene analysis. It uses i-Type and 600 film, so the $2.37-per-print i-Type math applies. It makes sense if you want fewer wasted shots at that price. For every option, see our best instant cameras guide.
Which should you buy?
Buy Instax (Instax Mini 13) if you want the lowest cost per photo, quick prints, or a camera for a kid. At about 90 cents a print, you can say yes to more photos.
Buy Polaroid (Polaroid Now Gen 3) if you want the classic square print and you'll shoot fewer, more deliberate photos. At about $2.37 a print, it rewards slowing down.
If neither running cost appeals, a film or screenless digital camera gives you the same wait-and-see feeling for less. See our best screen-free cameras guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Polaroid or Instax cheaper?
Instax. Instax Mini film is about 90 cents a print ($17.99 for 20), and Polaroid i-Type film is about $2.37 a print ($18.99 for 8).
Can Instax film go in a Polaroid camera?
No. Instax Mini film fits Instax Mini cameras only. Polaroid Now and Flip cameras take i-Type and 600 film, and the Polaroid Go takes Go film.
How long do Polaroid photos take to develop?
Polaroid i-Type film takes 10 to 15 minutes. Instax Mini film takes about 90 seconds.
Which is better for kids, Polaroid or Instax?
Instax, for most families. The Instax Mini 13 is fully automatic and its film costs well under half as much per print.
How big is a Polaroid print compared with Instax Mini?
A Polaroid i-Type print is 88×107 mm with a 79×79 mm square image. An Instax Mini print is about credit-card size.
How do I work out cost per photo for any instant film?
Divide the pack price by the number of exposures. For example, $18.99 ÷ 8 = about $2.37 per Polaroid i-Type photo.
Sources
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