Luster vs Matte vs Metal Photo Prints
When comparing luster vs matte vs metal prints, every option has its advantages and disadvantages for displaying your final artwork. This makes choosing how to have your photos printed overwhelming if you don’t have photos printed regularly like I do.
This post is to help you decide which medium to print your photos on according to your preferences, budget, and how you want to view your photos.
Key Takeaways
- Luster Prints offer the best balance of affordability, durability, and image quality—great for albums and folio boxes but prone to glare when framed.
- Fine Art Matte Prints provide the best color purity and detail with a non-reflective surface—ideal for framed wall art, but they are delicate and more expensive.
- Metal Prints are the most durable and cleanable option, with vibrant color in highlight areas—excellent for humid or high-traffic spaces but prone to glare and less detail in shadows.
- Best for Wall Art on a Budget: Metal prints (no need to frame).
- Best Viewing Experience: Fine art matte prints, especially when framed behind museum glass.
- Most UV Resistant: Metal prints, suitable for direct sunlight or outdoor use.
- Most Touch-Resistant: Metal > Luster > Matte.
- Best Shadow Detail and Precision: Fine art matte prints (uses 10 pigment-based inks).
- Print Surface Materials: Luster = photo paper, Matte = cotton rag, Metal = aluminum.
The Best Uses For Each Option
I offer three types of prints depending on what you want to do with your photos. The following is the same photo printed in all of these mediums so you can see what they all look like.
Luster Print
Luster prints offer the second best viewing experience of all the options. The colors and detail are very good, however you will still get a glare when viewing from certain angles as the luster coating has a medium sheen. These are the best choice for small loose prints or those on a budget that want to drop something decent into a frame.
Fine Art Matte Print
Fine art matte prints have the best color purity and detail. The surface is smooth, yet non-reflective so the viewer will not get a glare from any viewing angle. These prints are the best for hanging on the wall, but their delicate nature makes them a poor choice for loose prints that will be handled. Put these in a nice frame behind museum glass for best results.
Metal Print
Metal prints are the most durable of all the options. Their glossy surface allows them to be cleaned with gentle cleaning products (I use computer monitor cleaning solution), however they also have the most glare of all the options as a result. Metal prints are best for photos that will be subjected to intense sun, moisture or high traffic areas.
Luster vs Matte vs Metal Prints: FAQ
Choosing how to print your photos isn’t always straightforward—especially with so many options that each offer unique advantages. Whether you care most about color accuracy, durability, affordability, or how your prints will hold up in different environments, the best choice depends on how and where you plan to display them.
The FAQ below answers the most common questions I get about luster, matte, and metal prints—helping you decide which option is right for your space, your budget, and the way you want to experience your photos every day.
What’s The Most Affordable Way To Print Photos
If you’re just ordering loose prints, luster prints are the cheapest option up front. But if you plan to hang your photos on the wall, metal prints usually end up being more affordable overall. That’s because metal prints don’t require additional framing or matting, which can add significantly to the cost of luster prints. So while luster prints cost less initially, metal prints often save you money in the long run if you’re displaying them.
What Prints Are Toughest Against Touch and Moisture?
Metal prints are the most durable option when it comes to touch and moisture. They’re tough enough for bathrooms, kitchens, or even outdoor spaces, and they’re the only print type you can clean with a microfiber cloth and regular household cleaners. Luster prints also offer very good resistance to handling, as long as you’re careful. But if you plan to hang your photo in a humid or dirty environment like a bathroom or workshop, metal is the better choice.
What Kind Of Photo Prints Have The Best Colors and Detail?
Fine art prints offer the best color accuracy and image detail by a wide margin. They’re printed on 100% cotton fiber paper using pigment-based CMYK inks with a wide color gamut, resulting in richer blacks, deeper tones, and finer detail than standard luster prints, which rely on dye-based inks and photo paper.
To put it in perspective, fine art matte prints use 10 different aqueous (water-based) pigment inks—compared to just 4 on luster prints—including light cyan, light magenta, and multiple shades of gray—in addition to standard CMYK. This expanded palette allows for smoother gradients, cleaner skin tones, and far more tonal accuracy. The difference isn’t subtle—it’s like comparing a 720p TV to a 4K HDR display. Luster and metal prints are great, but fine art matte prints deliver a visibly superior viewing experience.
Are Luster Prints Good Quality When It Comes to Color and Detail?
Yes—luster prints deliver a very good viewing experience. They offer vivid colors, brilliant whites, and rich blacks, making them a solid choice for most people. While the blacks are deep, shadow detail isn’t as clean or refined as what you’ll see in fine art matte prints. That said, luster prints still outperform metal prints in both shadow detail and tonal depth.
In terms of sharpness, luster prints are more than adequate for the average viewer. Most people wouldn’t notice any difference in detail unless they were directly comparing them to a fine art matte print side by side.
Are Metal Prints Good Quality?
Yes—metal prints are vibrant and have great depth, especially in mid-tones and highlights. They’re made by heat-infusing dyes into a polyester-coated aluminum sheet, which gives them a glossy, luminous look. While they don’t match the color accuracy or shadow detail of luster or fine art matte prints, they’re excellent for colorful images. For darker photos with subtle shadows, other print types are better.
Which Type of Photo Print Has the Least Glare?
Fine art matte prints have the least glare. They have no reflective coating, so they won’t bounce specular highlights back at you like luster or metal prints do. For the best glare-free viewing experience, fine art matte prints framed behind non-reflective low iron glass are the top choice.
Can Photo Prints Be Damaged by Sunlight?
Yes—over time, sunlight can fade any photo print, especially with prolonged direct exposure. Of all print types, metal prints have the best UV resistance and are the safest choice for areas with full sun or even outdoor display. Luster prints also have very good UV protection due to their coated finish, but they should still be kept out of extreme sunlight to avoid long-term fading. Fine art matte prints, while uncoated, offer excellent UV resistance thanks to their pigment inks and cotton paper—often lasting up to 100 years under normal lighting. Still, for best longevity, display fine art prints behind UV-protective museum glass and out of direct sunlight.
What Kind of Photo Print is Best for Humid Environments?
If you live in a humid area or want to display your photo in a moisture-prone space, metal prints are the best option. Printed on aluminum, they’re completely waterproof, scratch-resistant, and can be safely cleaned with gentle cleansers like those used for computer monitors. They’re ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, garages, or even protected outdoor areas—anywhere traditional paper prints would be at risk.