Passport Photo Cost: Every Option Compared (2026)
A passport photo costs anywhere from about $0.20 (print your own at Walmart) to about $18 (CVS) depending on where you get it. Here's what the major U.S. options charge, and why the free alternative works just as well.
| Walgreens | $16.99 |
|---|---|
| CVS | $16.99-$17.99 |
| Walmart | $7.64 |
| USPS | $15.00 |
| This tool + your own printer | Free (editor) - typically under $1 to print |
Prices researched via web search, most recently 2026-08-07, and cross-checked against multiple current sources where the retailer's own pricing page blocked a direct check - see each retailer's own page for the exact sourcing note. Retail prices vary by location and change over time; confirm before you go.
What you're actually paying for
Every option here produces the same underlying thing: a photo that meets a government size/background/quality spec. The retail options charge for the service of taking and printing it - a person operating a camera, a printer, and (in principle) a compliance check. None of them are more "official" than a compliant photo you make yourself; the passport agency doesn't care who pressed the shutter, only whether the result matches the spec.
Why the DIY option is so much cheaper
Retail photo counters charge for a service: taking the photo, checking it against the spec, and printing it in-store. If you take your own photo, this tool checks the size, background, and framing against the requirement automatically and exports a 4x6 print sheet with multiple copies and cut guides - so all you're paying for is the print itself, typically well under a dollar at a drugstore print kiosk or your own printer.
Make a free passport photo →Which option makes sense for you
- Want it done for you, don't mind the cost: any of the retail counters below - Walmart is the cheapest of the paid options.
- Want to save money and don't mind five extra minutes: make it here for free, then print at any drugstore kiosk (typically $0.20-$0.50 for a 4x6) or your own printer.
- Need it for an online application (no printing at all): export the single photo file here instead of the print sheet - see our online renewal photo guide for the different spec that applies there.
- Not confident about the size/background rules: use this tool's built-in "Check Photo" feature before you print or submit anything, regardless of where the photo came from.
Individual retailer guides
- Walgreens passport photo
- CVS passport photo
- Walmart passport photo
- USPS passport photo
- How to print passport photos at home
FAQ
Which option is actually the cheapest?
Making your own photo here and printing a 4x6 sheet yourself - typically under $1 total, versus $7.64-$17.99 at a retail counter. Walmart is the cheapest paid retail option; CVS is typically the most expensive.
Is the cheapest option also the fastest?
Usually not - a retail counter hands you a finished, printed photo in minutes. The DIY route is nearly free but takes a few minutes of your own time to photograph, crop, and print (or find a kiosk).
Do any of these include a digital copy?
It varies and changes - Walgreens has historically included one free, CVS has charged extra for it, and Walmart's standard in-store service hasn't included one. Check the individual retailer page, and confirm at the counter since offers change.
Why is the price range so wide ($7.64 to $17.99) for what looks like the same service?
These aren't regulated fees - each retailer sets its own price for the photo-taking-and-printing service, and it isn't obviously correlated with quality. The photo itself has the same size/background spec everywhere; you're mostly paying for someone else to operate the camera and printer.
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