Pastbook and My Social Book share the same basic idea: connect your social media accounts and get a printed photo book without the manual design work. If you've been using Pastbook, you already understand the appeal of automated social media books. So what's missing?

The most common reasons people look for Pastbook alternatives come down to reliability and options. Pastbook is a smaller company with limited format choices. Some users report inconsistent availability, slow customer support, and fewer customization features than they expected. The book sizes and page count options can feel restrictive if you have years of social media content to print.

There's also the trust factor. When you're handing over access to your social media accounts and paying for a physical product, you want to know the company will be around to deliver. Pastbook has a smaller track record and less social proof than more established alternatives in the space.

My Social Book as a Pastbook alternative

My Social Book does what Pastbook does, but with 12 years of experience behind it. Over 700,000 books have been printed and shipped, with a 4.7 rating on Trustpilot. The service connects to Facebook, Instagram, and Dropbox, automatically creating chronological photo books that preserve your original dates, captions, likes, and locations.

Where My Social Book pulls ahead is in scale and options. Books range from 25 to 450 pages. You can choose hardcover (glossy or matte) or softcover. The book format is 21 x 25 cm, large enough to properly display your photos. And because the company has been doing this since 2013, the technology and printing process have had years of refinement.

How the two compare

Photo sources

Both services connect to social media accounts. Pastbook supports Instagram and Facebook. My Social Book supports Facebook, Instagram, and Dropbox. The Dropbox option is useful if you want to include photos that aren't on social media but are stored in the cloud. Both services pull photos automatically without requiring manual uploads.

Book creation process

The creation process is similar in concept: connect your account, and the service generates a book. My Social Book's process takes under three minutes from connection to preview. You select a date range, the system organizes your posts chronologically, and you can browse every page before ordering. You can remove posts you don't want and edit the cover.

One area where My Social Book stands out is the preservation of social context. Beyond just photos, the book includes the original post dates, captions, number of likes, and locations. The result feels like a journal or diary, not just a photo collection.

Format and size options

Pastbook offers limited format options, with smaller book sizes and lower maximum page counts. My Social Book gives you more flexibility: 25 to 450 pages, 21 x 25 cm format, and three binding options (softcover glossy, hardcover glossy, hardcover matte). If you've been on Facebook for a decade and have a lot of content, the 450-page maximum means you can fit years of memories into a single volume.

Track record and trust

This matters when you're buying a physical product from an online service. My Social Book has been operating for 12 years and has printed over 700,000 books. The Trustpilot rating is 4.7 out of 5. The company has over 500,000 likes on Facebook. That kind of track record gives you confidence that your book will arrive as expected and that customer support is there if you need it.

Pastbook is a newer, smaller operation. That's not inherently bad, but it does mean less social proof and a thinner safety net if something goes wrong with your order.

Who should switch (and who shouldn't)

Switch to My Social Book if: You want more format options (bigger books, more pages, hardcover). You want the confidence of an established service with 700K+ books delivered. Trustpilot ratings and customer reviews matter to you. You want to include Dropbox photos alongside your social media content. You have years of Facebook history to print.

Stay with Pastbook if: You've been happy with the service and your past orders turned out well. The format limitations don't bother you for your use case. You prefer a smaller company or have a specific Pastbook feature you rely on.

Since both services do fundamentally the same thing, the decision comes down to who does it better and more reliably. My Social Book's longer track record, wider format options, and stronger customer reviews give it an edge for most use cases.

How to switch

Switching from Pastbook to My Social Book is straightforward. There's nothing to transfer — both services connect directly to your social media accounts.

Step 1: Connect your social account. Go to My Social Book's creation page and link your Facebook, Instagram, or Dropbox account. The system scans your content and calculates your book's page count instantly.

Step 2: Preview your book. Browse the auto-generated pages. Everything is organized chronologically with your original dates, captions, likes, and locations. Remove any posts you'd rather leave out. Customize the cover.

Step 3: Choose your format and order. Pick softcover or hardcover (glossy or matte) and place your order. Books range from 25 to 450 pages. The whole process takes under three minutes.

Feature comparison: My Social Book vs Pastbook

Frequently asked questions

If Pastbook and My Social Book do the same thing, why switch?

The concept is similar, but the execution differs. My Social Book offers more format options (up to 450 pages, hardcover choices), has a 12-year track record with 700,000+ books printed, and has a 4.7 Trustpilot rating. If you've had a good experience with Pastbook, that's great. But if you've hit limitations on format, quality, or support, My Social Book addresses those gaps.

Can I recreate the same book I made on Pastbook?

Not as an exact copy, since each service generates layouts differently. But if you connect the same social media accounts and select the same date range on My Social Book, you'll get a book covering the same content. My Social Book also adds more context per post — dates, captions, likes, and locations — so the result may actually be more complete.

Does My Social Book support the same social networks as Pastbook?

My Social Book supports Facebook, Instagram, and Dropbox. That covers the same social platforms as Pastbook, plus adds Dropbox for photos stored in the cloud. The Facebook and Instagram connections work the same way — you authorize access, and the system pulls your content automatically.

How long does shipping take?

Shipping times vary by destination. My Social Book ships worldwide and provides tracking information with every order. Typical delivery is 1-3 weeks depending on your location. The company has been shipping internationally for 12 years, so the logistics are well established.

Is My Social Book more expensive than Pastbook?

My Social Book starts at $33 for a 25-page softcover, and most customers purchase with discounts of 40% or more. Pricing is comparable to or lower than Pastbook for similar page counts, with the added benefit of more format options and larger book sizes. You can see your book's exact price during the free preview before committing to anything.

Ready to try a more established alternative? Create your free preview now — connect your social account and see your book in under three minutes. No commitment required. Compare it to your Pastbook experience and decide for yourself. For a wider look at the market, check out our comparison of the best photo book alternatives.