Do Nixplay and Skylight digital frames charge monthly fees?
One of the most frequent complaints about Nixplay and Skylight frames is their monthly fees. Users complain that these fees were not made easily noticeable when they browsed through the frames’ details. In some cases, these monthly fees came as a total surprise. While part of this is the fault of the user, there’s more to the story.
Both Nixplay and Skylight digital Wi-Fi frames charge optional subscription fees. The Skylight Plus and Nixplay Plus annual/monthly subscriptions are required to unlock features like cloud storage, access to the mobile app/web app, video & audio playback, and much more. Most of Nixplay and Skylight’s features are locked behind this subscription paywall.
The main issue here is that these frames are barely functional without purchasing the subscription – a fact that’s not always made abundantly clear. For example, Nixplay’s frames only let you send photos by email – and you can only send a handful of pictures at the same time (to one frame at a time). Skylight’s frames are even more limited without purchasing the Skylight Plus subscription.
Another major concern is the competition. Both Nixplay and Skylight fail to offer many unique features – despite being one of the few subscription-based digital Wi-Fi frames. Competing digital frames like the Pix-Star offer more features more comprehensive, without charging a cent extra. For example, with Pix-Star, you get free-for-life cloud storage, a mobile app and web interface, USB/SD card support, offline functionality, remote configuration support, and web albums (importing photos direct from social media).
Pix-Star doesn’t charge a subscription fee and all features come fully unlocked when you buy their Wi-Fi frames. Additionally, the upfront cost is lower than most of Skylight’s and Nixplay’s digital frames. In the end, many competing frames like the Pix-Star and Dragon Touch offer significantly better value for money – especially when you factor in the cost of the subscription fee over a couple of years.
We recommend avoiding Wi-Fi digital frames with monthly fees. Too many key features are locked behind the paywall, leaving you with a digital frame barely more functional than a cheap or mid-range option. Sadly, many users don’t know what they’re signing up for. In the least, they aren’t aware of how much “free” use they’ll get from Nixplay and Skylight frames – but end up regretting it later on.
What is the best alternative to Nixplay and Skylight frames?
The Pix-Star Wi-Fi digital photo frame is arguably the best alternative to Nixplay’s and Skylight’s subscription-based digital frames. Pix-Star offers most of the same features – often more comprehensively – along with a host of unique and versatile features.
The Pix-Star Wi-Fi digital frame is available with either a 10-inch display or a larger 15-inch display. Mount Pix-Star’s frames on the wall, switch their orientation effortlessly, display art and professional photos, play videos and audio files, and much more.
Unlike both Skylight and Nixplay digital frames, Pix-Star doesn’t charge any recurring subscription fees. Everything comes fully unlocked and ready to go upon purchasing a Pix-Star frame.
Pix-Star is an excellent choice for the modern home & family thanks to features like their multi-frame control groups, web album support, and remote configuration support. You can send & receive photos to any/all of your Pix-Star frames from anywhere in the world. Here you can send pictures through email, the Pix-Star Snap mobile app & web interface, direct from your social media account, your computer (via a synced folder), and via USB/SD card.
Pix-Star’s frames offer extensive offline functionality. You can start slideshows directly from a connected USB/SD card or transfer its content to the frame’s internal storage first. Neither Nixplay nor Skylight offer USB/SD card support or much offline functionality – both of which are key features for elderly users and most homes.
Pix-Star’s web album feature lets you import photo albums directly from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, Dropbox, Google Drive & Photos, and much more. These linked albums are saved to the frame’s internal storage and backed up to your free-for-life cloud storage. You can remotely start slideshows from linked web albums via the web dashboard – no matter where you are in the world.
Finally, Pix-Star’s remote configuration support easily outshines the features that Nixplay and Skylight offer. Use the web dashboard for your Pix-Star frame(s) to remotely adjust their settings, start & manage slideshows, access & manage cloud storage, update their firmware, and much more. You’ll have almost the same level of control as if you were using the frame in person.
Pix-Star’s frames are more versatile, capable, and easy to use. You don’t need to worry about hidden paywalls shooting up out of nowhere. You don’t need to worry about yet another subscription eating away at your disposable incoming in silence. You won’t need to create accounts for each user. Pix-Star’s frames slip effortlessly into the modern home & family – helping you connect & share. You’ll get your grandparents and loved ones involved and share for years!
Do Nixplay and Skylight frames support USB/SD cards?
Neither Nixplay nor Skylight digital frames support USB/SD cards. While Skylight’s frames have a USB/SD card slot, it’s not functional – even if you choose to pay for the “Plus” monthly subscription. There’s no way to load photos or other media to these frames without Wi-Fi. It’s also worth noting that many of these Wi-Fi-enabled sharing features are locked behind the subscription paywall. We don’t recommend buying a digital frame that doesn’t support USB/SD cards – particularly for families and elderly users.
Can Skylight and Nixplay digital frames work without Wi-Fi?
Both Skylight and Nixplay digital Wi-Fi frames need to stay connected to Wi-Fi to function properly. Much of this is due to the frame’s subscription-based model. While Nixplay’s frames do have internal storage, you’ll frequently be met with “no connection found” popups when trying to start or change slideshows offline. Nixplay’s smart frames don’t support USB/SD cards – leaving you with no option to load photos to the frame while it’s offline.
Similarly, Skylight frames don’t have internal storage or USB/SD card support. They don’t offer any offline functionality. You need to reconnect the frame to Wi-Fi to simply view your photos in slideshows. Both Nixplay’s and Skylight’s frames are heavily reliant on their connection to their company cloud servers.
Can I play videos on Skylight and Nixplay smart Wi-Fi frames?
To play videos on Skylight and Nixplay smart Wi-Fi frames, you need to pay for the subscription package. Nixplay’s frames let you play short 15-second clips without the Nixplay Plus subscription. If you purchase the subscription, you’ll be able to play 1-minute video clips. These frames don’t support playing audio files, though the audio recording along with videos can play. Note that you need to pay for the monthly subscription to unlock the use of the mobile app for sending videos.
