Three mail in services, three different ways of charging, and three different answers depending on what is actually in your box. This comparison covers what each one costs in practice, how long each takes, and the situations where one is clearly the wrong choice.
Key takeaways
- iMemories is the fastest. Roughly three to four weeks, against six to eight for Reel Keeper and longer again for Legacybox. If you have a deadline, this matters more than anything else here.
- Legacybox charges by kit, iMemories by item. Neither is cheaper in every case. Kits punish you for having fewer items than the slots you bought. Per item pricing punishes you for having a lot.
- Neither iMemories nor Legacybox will handle moldy tapes. iMemories states plainly that it does not process or repair them. If your tapes have been in a damp basement, that rules both out.
- iMemories does not digitize audio at all. No cassettes, no reel to reel. If your box has audio in it, you need another service for that part.
- Cloud storage is a recurring cost at both larger services. iMemories charges after 30 days, Legacybox after 90. Downloading is free at iMemories, so read the terms before assuming you need the subscription.
- Add ons change the total fast. A USB drive is around $39.99 at iMemories and DVDs around $19.99 each. Legacybox charges separately for kit delivery.
- Reel Keeper is the smaller operation of the three. That is the trade off. Slower than iMemories, and without the volume history of either. In exchange, every item is handled by a person and damaged media is accepted rather than refused.
The short version
| Reel Keeper | Legacybox | iMemories | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Kit with item slots | Kit with item slots | Per item |
| Turnaround | 6 to 8 weeks | Long, often quoted at 10 to 12 weeks | About 3 to 4 weeks |
| Moldy tapes | Accepted | Generally refused | Not processed |
| Audio cassettes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Reel to reel audio | Yes | Limited | No |
| Handling | Item by item, by hand | Volume operation | Volume operation |
| Cloud | Included for a set period, extension available | Free 90 days, then subscription | Free 30 days, then subscription. Downloads free |
| Originals returned | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scale | Small operation | Very large | Very large |
How each service prices the work
Legacybox, and Reel Keeper, sell kits
You buy a box with a set number of slots. Every tape, every reel, every small pack of photos counts as one item. If you buy a twenty item kit and send fifteen tapes, you paid for twenty.
The advantage is that the price is fixed before you start. The disadvantage is that the model rewards you for filling the box exactly, and most people cannot count their collection accurately until they have sorted it.
Legacybox kits run from around $40 for the smallest up to $250 and beyond. Per item that works out at roughly $25 to $30 on larger kits, dropping to around $15 to $20 when a promotion is running. Kit delivery is charged separately, between $12.95 and $24.95 depending on size.
iMemories charges per item
List pricing is $29.99 per videotape, $29.99 per 50 feet of film and $0.99 per photo. A frequently advertised 50 percent promotion halves those to $14.99, $14.99 and $0.49.
The SafeShip Kit is a separate charge, listed at $29.99 and often $14.99 during the same promotion.
Per item pricing is easier to understand and you only pay for what you send. It also scales badly. Photographs at $0.99 each, or even $0.49 on promotion, becomes serious money once you are into the hundreds.
What it costs in practice
Headline prices are not the useful number. Here are two realistic scenarios with the extras included.
Twenty VHS tapes
| Service | Rough cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reel Keeper | Kit priced | Twenty item kit, shipping both ways included, no separate kit delivery charge. |
| Legacybox | $300 to $600 | Depends heavily on whether a promotion is running. Kit delivery charged on top. |
| iMemories | $300 to $600 | $14.99 to $29.99 per tape plus the SafeShip Kit. |
Five hundred photographs
| Service | Rough cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reel Keeper | Kit priced | Photo kits are priced per image inside the kit, which works out considerably lower at this volume. |
| Legacybox | Varies | Photos are bundled into item slots, so the count depends on how they are grouped. |
| iMemories | $245 to $495 | At $0.49 to $0.99 per photo. This is where per item pricing gets expensive. |
For photo collections, explore our photo scanning service for details on prints, slides, negatives and albums.
Turnaround compared
This is the one area where Reel Keeper is not the fastest, and there is no point pretending otherwise.
| Service | Standard turnaround | Expedited |
|---|---|---|
| Reel Keeper | 6 to 8 weeks | Rush processing available |
| iMemories | About 3 to 4 weeks | About 2 to 3 weeks for a fee |
| Legacybox | Commonly quoted at 10 to 12 weeks | Faster options at checkout |
iMemories runs a large automated facility, and speed is what that buys. Handling every item individually takes longer, which is the honest explanation for the difference rather than an excuse.
One thing worth knowing about all three. Published turnaround starts when your box reaches the facility, not when you order. Add shipping in both directions, and add more during the run up to Christmas when every service in this category slows down.
What happens to damaged and moldy tapes
This is where the three services genuinely diverge, and it gets very little attention in most comparisons.
iMemories does not process or repair moldy tapes. That is stated in their own material. A tape with visible growth will not be digitized.
Legacybox generally refuses them too, for the same reason. Mold spreads, and a facility processing large volumes cannot risk contaminating other customers' media.
Neither position is unreasonable. It is a real operational problem. But it leaves a gap, because damp basements and hot attics are exactly where most old tapes have been sitting.
Reel Keeper accepts them. Mold needs cleaning before playback and squealing tapes need treating rather than forcing, and both of those are possible when items are handled one at a time. If a tape genuinely cannot be recovered, it is refunded rather than charged for. See how our VHS to digital service handles damaged tapes and returns your originals.
If your tapes smell musty, show white or fuzzy growth, or squeal when played, that single factor decides this comparison for you.
Formats each service accepts
All three cover the common video formats. The gaps are at the edges.
| Format | Reel Keeper | Legacybox | iMemories |
|---|---|---|---|
| VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hi8, Video8, Digital8 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MiniDV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Betamax | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Super 8, 8mm, 16mm film | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Photos, slides, negatives | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audio cassettes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Reel to reel audio | Yes | Limited | No |
| MicroMV, PAL | Yes | Varies | Varies |
The audio gap catches people out. A box of family material often has a few cassettes in it, a recorded message, a school concert, a grandparent talking. iMemories does not handle audio formats at all, so that part of the box has to go somewhere else.
What you get back, and what keeps costing
All three deliver digital files and offer physical copies. The difference is what happens after the first month or two.
| Reel Keeper | Legacybox | iMemories | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free cloud period | Included period, extension at checkout | 90 days | 30 days |
| After that | Extended storage available | Quarterly subscription | $7.99 a month or $49.99 a year |
| Downloading files | Included | Included | Free |
| USB drive | Add on at checkout | Extra | From about $39.99 |
| DVD | Not offered | Extra, disc sets | About $19.99 per disc |
Two points worth understanding here.
The cloud subscription is optional at iMemories. Downloading your files to your own computer is free. The subscription buys streaming through their app on phones and smart TVs. Several complaints about this service come from customers who assumed the fee was compulsory, so it is worth reading the terms.
Reel Keeper does not offer DVD. Files are delivered as MP4 with a USB option. If a physical disc is specifically what you want, that rules Reel Keeper out and points you to one of the other two.
Do you get your originals back
Yes, at all three. Every service in this comparison returns your media after digitizing.
The more useful question is what happens if something goes wrong in transit or in the facility. All three provide tracking and insured shipping. Documented cases of lost or damaged media exist across the industry, and they are rare but not imaginary.
Practical protection is the same regardless of which you pick. Photograph the contents of the box before sealing it, keep the carrier receipt, and do not send anything that is not part of the order.
Which one suits which situation
Choose iMemories if
- You have a fixed deadline and need the fastest standard turnaround
- You have a small number of tapes and want to pay only for what you send
- You want app based streaming on a smart TV and do not mind the subscription
- Your media is in reasonable condition
Choose Legacybox if
- You want the most established brand in the category
- You want DVDs as well as digital files
- You are ordering during a strong promotion and the per item maths works out
- Timing is genuinely not a concern
Choose Reel Keeper if
- Your tapes are old, damaged, moldy or squealing and other services have turned them away
- You have audio cassettes or reel to reel alongside video
- You have a large number of photographs, where per item pricing gets expensive
- You want every item handled by a person rather than run through a bulk process
- You are not in a hurry
Frequently asked questions
Is Legacybox or iMemories better?
It depends on what you are sending. iMemories is faster and charges per item, which suits smaller orders. Legacybox sells kits, which can work out cheaper for large mixed collections during a promotion. Neither handles moldy tapes.
Which digitizing service is cheapest?
There is no single answer, because the pricing models are different. Per item pricing is cheaper for a handful of tapes. Kit pricing is usually cheaper for large collections, and much cheaper for hundreds of photographs.
Do any of them digitize moldy tapes?
iMemories states it does not process or repair them, and Legacybox generally refuses them. Reel Keeper accepts damaged and moldy media and refunds any item that cannot be recovered.
Can iMemories digitize audio cassettes?
No. iMemories handles video, film and photographs only. Legacybox and Reel Keeper both accept audio cassettes.
Do I have to pay for cloud storage?
Not necessarily. At iMemories, downloading your files is free and the subscription only covers app streaming. Legacybox includes 90 days before its subscription begins. Check the terms rather than assuming.
How long does each service take?
iMemories is roughly three to four weeks, Reel Keeper six to eight, and Legacybox is commonly quoted at ten to twelve. All three count from when your box arrives, not when you order, and all three slow down before Christmas.
Do all of them return my original tapes?
Yes. All three return originals after digitizing, with tracked and insured shipping.
Which one is best for a large photo collection?
Kit based pricing, which means Legacybox or Reel Keeper. At $0.49 to $0.99 per photograph, iMemories becomes expensive quickly once you pass a few hundred images.
Conclusion
There is no single winner here, and any comparison that declares one is not being straight with you.
If speed is what matters, iMemories wins and it is not close. If you want the biggest and most familiar brand, that is Legacybox. If your box contains tapes that have been in a basement for twenty years, audio alongside video, or several hundred photographs, the other two either refuse the work or charge heavily for it, and that is the gap Reel Keeper exists to fill.
Whichever you choose, do three things first. Confirm the current price including the kit or shipping charge, check the turnaround against any deadline you have with a real buffer, and photograph the contents of the box before you seal it. Explore our VHS conversion service or photo scanning service to find the right option for your collection.
