Guide
A shared photo album for a birthday party
Last updated 26 September 2026
The short answer
Make a shared album before the party and send the link in the invite or the group chat. Guests add photos from their own phones as the party happens, and the birthday person ends up with every photo in one place instead of a handful that got forwarded.
It works the same for a first birthday, a surprise 30th or a grandparent's 80th. The people who took the photos stay the people who share them.
Setting it up
- Before the party: create a pool in Fondays named after the birthday, and add a co-host (Radiance) if someone else is organising.
- Share the link with the invite, so guests join before they arrive.
- Put the QR code by the cake table. That is where every phone comes out.
- For a surprise: seal the pool as a Dark Room (Radiance) and set the reveal for the next morning, so the birthday person opens every photo at once.
- After: turn the best shots into a photobook or a framed print as a gift, ordered from the same album.
What it costs
A small party fits the free plan. Guests always join for free, and the app shows your local price before you pay:
| For | What to use | Price |
|---|---|---|
| A small get-together | Free (Spark) | Up to 30 people, 30 photos, kept 7 days |
| One wedding or big party | Event pass | From $38 once. Up to 200 guests, kept a year |
| No guest limit | Unlimited event pass | From $103 once. Kept a year |
| You host often | Radiance | From $13 a month. 250 people per pool, live slideshow wall |
Questions people ask
- Is it free for a birthday party?
- Yes for a small one: the free plan hosts one pool of up to 30 people and 30 photos, kept 7 days. A bigger party uses an event pass or a plan.
- Can I keep the photos hidden until the birthday person sees them?
- Yes. Seal the pool as a Dark Room (part of Radiance) and pick a reveal time. Nobody sees the photos until then.
- Can grandparents or family abroad see the photos?
- Yes. Anyone with the invite link can join from any country and see photos as they are added.
Get Fondays
Free on iPhone and Android. Guests always join for free.