Answer
The Best Lightroom Plugin for Client Galleries, Sorted by Direction
Every client gallery plugin sends photos out of Lightroom Classic. They differ on the way back: some write the client's choices into the catalog, some hand you a filename list, and some only sync on a paid plan.
Updated 18 September 2026
The honest answer depends on one question: what do you need back from the client?
Publishing proofs out of Lightroom Classic is solved. Pixieset, ShootProof, Pic-Time, SmugMug and Zenfolio all describe a publish plugin, and CloudSpot describes a one-way sync.
The part that separates them is the return trip. That is the moment the client has chosen, and you need those frames in front of you in the catalog.
This page sorts eight plugins by direction, using only what each vendor states on its own help pages or homepage. Every source is listed at the end with the date the vendor last updated it.
clientgallery.io is one of the eight. It is not the only plugin that brings choices back, and this page says so.
The short answer
- You want the client's picks written as Lightroom's own stars, Pick flag and colour labels, on a free account: the clientgallery.io plugin, which shows in Lightroom as ClientGallery.
- You already pay for Pic-Time: its plugin syncs client Selections and Favorites lists, on paid plans.
- You want ratings and comments back and like Evlaa's approach: Evlaa states that client choices arrive in Lightroom with ratings and comments.
- You are on Zenfolio's Advanced plan: a separate Zenfolio plugin turns an exported favourites list into a Lightroom collection.
- You are on Pixieset, ShootProof or CloudSpot: the plugin publishes, and favourites come back as a filename list you paste into Lightroom's search or Library filter.
Eight plugins, sorted by direction
The table repeats what each vendor publishes, and nothing stronger. "Not stated" means the vendor's own page does not say either way.
| Plugin | Out of Lightroom | Client favourites back in | How | Plan stated for the way back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| clientgallery.io (shows as ClientGallery) | Export and Publish Service, Lightroom Classic only | Yes, written into the catalog: like 3 stars, love 5 stars plus Pick flag, the client's colour label when labels are on for that gallery, and a collection | Import ClientGallery Picks command in the Library module, matching on filename | Works on the free account, which holds one gallery |
| Pic-Time | Publish Service | Yes, as Selections and Favorites lists shown inside the plugin. The article does not say stars, flags or labels are written | Plugin sync, or Sync from CSV | Paid plans only. Automatic favourites sync unavailable in Pic-Time 2.0 galleries |
| Evlaa | One-click publishing from Lightroom, per its homepage | Yes, client choices together with ratings and comments | Not described on the homepage | Not stated |
| Zenfolio | Publishing Manager plugin | Yes, through a second plugin that builds a Lightroom collection | Export a Favorites or Pending Orders list, open it with Image List Import | Advanced account subscribers only |
| SmugMug | Publish service plug-in for Lightroom Classic, and a separate connector for Lightroom | Sync Photos links gallery photos to catalog photos. The article does not say ratings or flags are written | Sync Photos on the gallery in the publish service | Not stated |
| Pixieset | Publish Service, Lightroom Classic only | Not through the plugin. A favourites list formatted for Lightroom's search field | Copy the list, paste it into Lightroom's search | Not stated |
| ShootProof | Publish Service, Lightroom Classic | Not through the plugin. A filename list copied from the Favorites column | Library filter, Text, Filename, Contains, paste | Not stated |
| CloudSpot | Described as a one-way sync | Not through the plugin. A filename list copied from a Favorites list | Library filter, Text, Filename, Contains, paste | Not stated |
What the one-way plugins give you
A one-way plugin is not a dead end. Pixieset, ShootProof and CloudSpot each document a way to find the client's favourites in Lightroom.
Pixieset's install article is plain about the plugin itself: "Your photos from Pixieset will not be imported into Lightroom." A separate Pixieset feature builds a favourites list formatted for Lightroom's search field, which you copy and paste.
ShootProof describes its plugin as a Publish Service that keeps galleries in sync from Lightroom to ShootProof. For favourites, its help centre has you copy filenames from the Favorites column and paste them into the Library filter with Filename and Contains selected. The same article warns that filenames containing spaces can break the search.
CloudSpot describes its plugin as a one-way sync, and says collections uploaded directly to CloudSpot do not appear in Lightroom. Its favourites route is the same Library filter paste.
What these routes have in common: they find the frames, but they write nothing. The chosen photos are shown for as long as the filter is on. If you want them rated or collected, that is a step you do by hand.
The plugins that bring choices back
Four vendors describe a return trip into Lightroom itself. They differ in what lands in the catalog and in which plan pays for it.
Pic-Time. Its help centre says the Lightroom plug-in syncs client Selections and Favorites lists, and that the sync feature is only available on paid plans. The lists appear under Selections inside the plugin. The same article says automatic favourites sync is not available in Pic-Time 2.0 galleries, and that lists cannot be created from Lightroom. It does not say the sync writes star ratings, flags or colour labels.
Evlaa. Its homepage says a client's choices, together with ratings and comments, are immediately available in Lightroom. The homepage does not describe the mechanism or tie the feature to a plan, so this page does not either.
Zenfolio. The return trip is a second plugin, Image List Import, separate from the publishing plugin. You export a Favorites or Pending Orders list from Zenfolio, and the plugin generates a Lightroom collection from it. Zenfolio states the feature is exclusive to Advanced account subscribers, and advises filenames that are completely unique when first uploaded.
SmugMug. Asked how to get a client's favourites into Lightroom, SmugMug's help centre answers with the publish service's Sync Photos step, which links gallery photos to photos already in the catalog. It does not say ratings or flags are written.
What the clientgallery.io plugin writes, field by field
The plugin appears in Lightroom Classic as ClientGallery. It works as an export destination and as a Publish Service, and it removes location metadata from every proof it sends.
Getting picks back is a Library command: Import ClientGallery Picks, under Plug-in Extras. You paste the gallery link, and it writes this into the open catalog.
| Client does this in the gallery | Lightroom Classic gets |
|---|---|
| Likes a photo | 3 stars. The Pick flag is not touched |
| Loves a photo | 5 stars and the Pick flag |
| Sets a colour label, when labels are switched on for that gallery | The same colour as a Lightroom label |
| Leaves a comment, when comments are on for that gallery | Optional: the comment in the IPTC caption. Off by default, and it overwrites the existing caption |
| Any of the above | The photo joins a collection named after the gallery, inside a ClientGallery collection set |
Develop settings and keywords are never touched. The full walk-through is in the guide to getting client picks back into Lightroom.
The limits of ours, before you choose it
- Matching is a contains match on the filename. Every catalog photo whose filename contains the picked name is written. A pick on IMG_1 can also hit IMG_10. Unique filenames avoid it.
- It overwrites what it touches. A frame you rated 5 stars that the client only liked drops to 3. An existing colour label is replaced by the client's.
- It never clears. A re-run adds and overwrites. It does not remove a rating, flag or label from a photo the client later un-picked, and it never sets Rejected.
- Open catalog only. Picks are matched in the catalog that is open when you run the import.
- Lightroom Classic only. It does not work in the cloud Lightroom app.
- One account, no seats. The studio key is per account. There are no assistant logins.
If you do not use Lightroom at all, every completed gallery also has an Export picks (.txt) button that gives you a plain filename list.
What it costs
| Account | Galleries | Price | Picks back into Lightroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 gallery, 5 GB. Exporting again to the same gallery name adds to it | 0 $ | Yes |
| Paid | Unlimited galleries under fair use, 1,000 photos per gallery | 10 $ a month, or 100 $ a year | Yes |
The plugin download itself needs no login. The pick import checks only your studio key and that the gallery is yours, not your plan.
Who should stay with their current plugin
- A studio already on a paid Pic-Time plan. Its plugin already syncs Selections and Favorites lists, so switching would not give you a return trip you lack.
- A studio that lives inside a print lab and CRM. Keep Pixieset or Pic-Time. clientgallery.io has no print store.
- Anyone happy with Evlaa. It states that choices come back with ratings and comments, which is the job this page is about.
- A Zenfolio Advanced subscriber. Image List Import already turns favourites into a collection.
- Anyone editing in the cloud Lightroom app. SmugMug documents a connector for it. Ours is Classic only.
- Anyone for whom the filename paste takes a minute. If you proof a few galleries a year, the Library filter route on Pixieset, ShootProof or CloudSpot costs nothing extra.
The clientgallery.io plugin fits a studio that culls and edits in Lightroom Classic, wants loves and likes to arrive as stars and a Pick flag, and would rather not pay for a tier to get them. For the head-to-head with Pixieset's plugin specifically, read Pixieset vs clientgallery.io: the Lightroom plugin compared.
Sources
Every competitor statement on this page was read on the vendor's own page on 18 September 2026. Help-centre articles carry their own update dates, given below. Nothing here is taken from a review site or a forum.
- Pixieset states the plugin uploads from Lightroom Classic only and that photos will not be imported into Lightroom, "How do I install the Lightroom Plugin?" (article updated 13 September 2026), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.pixieset.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003009832-How-do-I-install-the-Lightroom-Plugin
- Pixieset states uploading works through its Publish Service, "How do I upload from Lightroom?" (article updated 21 August 2026), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.pixieset.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003504512-How-do-I-upload-from-Lightroom
- Pixieset states a favourites list is formatted for Lightroom's search field, "Viewing Client Favorites in Lightroom" (article updated 9 September 2026), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.pixieset.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003505192-Viewing-Client-Favorites-in-Lightroom
- ShootProof states its plugin is a Publish Service for Lightroom Classic, "What is the ShootProof Lightroom Plugin?" (article updated 19 March 2024), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.shootproof.com/hc/en-us/articles/115009451507-What-is-the-ShootProof-Lightroom-Plugin
- ShootProof states favourites are filtered by pasting filenames with Filename and Contains, "Can I view client Favorites in Lightroom?" (article updated 19 March 2024), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.shootproof.com/hc/en-us/articles/115009451587-Can-I-view-client-Favorites-in-Lightroom
- Pic-Time states the plug-in syncs Selections and Favorites lists, on paid plans only, not automatically in Pic-Time 2.0 galleries, "How do I Sync Lightroom Selections and Favorites?" (page shows "Updated over 3 weeks ago"), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.pic-time.com/en/articles/7834728-how-do-i-sync-lightroom-selections-and-favorites
- Pic-Time states galleries are published under its Publish Service, "How do I publish and republish photos in the Lightroom Plug-in?" (dated 25 June 2025), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.pic-time.com/en/articles/8313073-how-do-i-publish-and-republish-photos-in-the-lightroom-plug-in
- Evlaa homepage, client choices with ratings and comments available in Lightroom, one-click publishing (no date on page), fetched 18 September 2026, https://evlaa.com/
- Zenfolio states its Publishing Manager controls files published to Zenfolio galleries, "How to use Zenfolio's Lightroom Classic Plugin" (article updated 22 May 2026), fetched 18 September 2026, https://support.zenfolio.com/hc/en-us/articles/7432716437139-How-to-use-Zenfolio-s-Lightroom-Classic-Plugin
- Zenfolio states Image List Import builds a collection from an exported Favorites or Pending Orders list and is exclusive to Advanced account subscribers, "Image List Import Plug-in for Lightroom for Favorites Lists" (article updated 19 January 2024), fetched 18 September 2026, https://support.zenfolio.com/hc/en-us/articles/7432682545939-Image-List-Import-Plug-in-for-Lightroom-for-Favorites-Lists
- SmugMug states the plug-in works only with Lightroom Classic, the connector only with Lightroom, and answers the favourites question with Sync Photos, "Upload from Lightroom" (article updated 16 September 2026), fetched 18 September 2026, https://www.smugmughelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/18212816221332-Upload-from-Lightroom
- CloudSpot states its plugin is a one-way sync, "How Does the Lightroom Plugin Work?" (updated 19 August 2025), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.cloudspot.io/en/articles/114552-how-does-the-lightroom-plugin-work
- CloudSpot states favourites are found by pasting filenames with Filename and Contains, "How To Copy Image Filenames From a Favorites List" (updated 19 August 2025), fetched 18 September 2026, https://help.cloudspot.io/en/articles/114574-how-to-copy-image-filenames-from-a-favorites-list
- clientgallery.io product facts (plugin name, export and Publish Service, location metadata removed, like 3 stars, love 5 stars and Pick flag, colour labels, optional caption, collection set, contains match, overwrite and no-clear behaviour, open catalog only, no plan check on the pick import, free account of 1 gallery and 5 GB, 10 $ a month or 100 $ a year, 1,000 photos per gallery, Export picks .txt), checked in code 18 September 2026, https://clientgallery.io/lightroom
Frequently asked
Which Lightroom plugin brings client favourites back into the catalog?
Several do, in different ways. Pic-Time syncs Selections and Favorites lists into its plugin on paid plans. Evlaa states client choices arrive with ratings and comments. Zenfolio's separate Image List Import plugin builds a collection, for Advanced subscribers. The clientgallery.io plugin writes stars, a Pick flag on loves, colour labels when they are on for the gallery, and a collection.
Does the Pixieset Lightroom plugin import client favourites?
No. Pixieset's install article says your photos from Pixieset will not be imported into Lightroom. Pixieset instead builds a favourites list formatted for Lightroom's search field, which you copy and paste.
Is Pic-Time's favourites sync free?
No. Pic-Time's help centre says the sync feature is only available on paid plans, and that automatic favourites sync is unavailable in Pic-Time 2.0 galleries.
Does the clientgallery.io plugin need a paid plan to import picks?
No. The pick import checks your studio key and that the gallery is yours, not your plan. A free account holds one gallery and 5 GB. Unlimited galleries cost 10 $ a month or 100 $ a year.
What does the clientgallery.io plugin write into Lightroom?
A like becomes 3 stars. A love becomes 5 stars and the Pick flag. The client's colour label becomes the same Lightroom label when labels are on for that gallery. Every picked photo joins a collection named after the gallery. It overwrites those fields and never clears them.
Does it match filenames exactly?
No. It is a contains match, so a pick on IMG_1 can also hit IMG_10. Unique filenames before proofing avoid the overlap.
Does any of these work in the cloud Lightroom app?
SmugMug documents a connector for Lightroom alongside its Lightroom Classic plug-in. Pixieset states its plugin is Lightroom Classic only, and so is the clientgallery.io plugin.
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