ShotsLeft Frequently Asked Questions
19 answers on how ShotsLeft works, what it costs and when another tool fits better. For the step-by-step flow, see how it works; for event-specific setups, browse the use cases.
The basics
What is ShotsLeft? +
ShotsLeft is a disposable camera app for events. The host creates an event and sets how many shots each guest gets; guests join by scanning a QR code and shoot their limited set. Every photo stays hidden until the event ends, then one shared album opens to everyone who joined.
How does ShotsLeft work at an event? +
In four steps: the host creates the event and picks a shot count, guests scan one QR code to join, everyone shoots within their limit, and the reveal opens the full album when the event ends. Nothing is visible during the event, so guests shoot and put the phone away.
How do guests join a ShotsLeft event? +
By scanning the event QR code the host shares. One code covers the entire guest list, so hosts usually print it on table cards or show it on a screen. Scanning puts that guest into the specific event with the same shot limit as everyone else.
Does ShotsLeft work on iPhone and Android? +
Yes. ShotsLeft runs on both iOS and Android, and guests on either platform join the same event through the same QR code. Mixed-phone groups are normal at weddings and parties, and every shot lands in the same shared album regardless of device.
What kinds of events is ShotsLeft made for? +
Any gathering where several people are shooting and the host wants everything in one place: weddings, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, bachelorette weekends, birthdays, baby showers, graduations and company events. The mechanic stays identical; only the shot count and QR placement change per event.
Shots, photos and the reveal
How many photos does each guest get in ShotsLeft? +
The host sets the number when creating the event, and every guest who joins receives that same personal limit. Lower counts push people to be selective, which suits short parties; higher counts fit long events like weddings where a lot happens across the day.
What happens when a guest runs out of shots? +
Their camera is finished for that event, exactly like a roll of film running out. That limit is the point of the format: knowing the frames are countable makes guests choose moments instead of taking forty near-identical photos of the same toast.
Can guests see photos during the event? +
No. Every photo taken through ShotsLeft stays hidden until the event ends, including from the person who took it. There is no live feed to scroll during the party, and the album is a genuine surprise for the host and guests alike when it unlocks.
What happens at the reveal? +
When the event ends, the album unlocks for everyone who joined. Each person sees the complete set from every camera, not just their own shots, so the host gets the whole event from dozens of perspectives without chasing files from individual phones afterward.
Can a guest join after the event has already started? +
Yes. Someone who arrives late scans the same QR code, receives the same per-guest shot limit as everyone else, and starts shooting. Their photos land in the shared album at the reveal along with everybody else’s, so late arrivals are not left out.
Pricing
How much does ShotsLeft cost? +
Pricing is per event and scales with guest count: Free covers 5 guests, Small (10 guests) is $2.99, Medium (25) $9.99, Large (50) $19.99, XL (100) $39.99, XXL (150) $59.99, XXXL (200) $79.99, and Unlimited is $99.99. Each purchase is one-time.
Is there a free version of ShotsLeft? +
Yes. The Free tier covers an event with up to 5 guests at no cost, which is enough to run a test event before a wedding or party and see how the QR join, the shot limit and the reveal actually feel with real people.
Which ShotsLeft tier do I need for 100 wedding guests? +
The XL tier covers 100 guests for $39.99 as a one-time purchase. If your list runs closer to 150, XXL is $59.99, and 200 guests is $79.99 on XXXL. Unlimited removes the guest cap entirely for $99.99.
Is ShotsLeft a subscription? +
No. Every tier is a one-time purchase that covers a single event, and nothing renews. You buy the tier that matches the guest list for that wedding or party, and there is no ongoing charge between events.
Is a disposable camera app cheaper than physical disposable cameras? +
For most weddings, yes. Physical single-use cameras typically run $15–25 each plus $10–20 per roll to develop, so a 100-guest wedding with table cameras passes $300 before anyone sees a photo. The app also removes the one-to-three-week lab wait.
Choosing between the options
How is ShotsLeft different from a shared cloud album? +
A cloud album asks guests to upload photos after the event, which most people never do. In ShotsLeft, shooting is delivering: every frame belongs to the event the moment it is taken. The trade-off is the shot limit, which caps how much any one guest contributes.
Is a wedding hashtag better than a QR photo app? +
They solve different problems. A hashtag collects only what guests choose to post publicly, so private accounts and non-posters are invisible to you. A QR photo app collects everything shot inside the event. Many couples run both — the hashtag as a highlight reel, the app for the full album.
How does ShotsLeft compare with other guest photo apps? +
Most alternatives are browser galleries that collect unlimited uploads; ShotsLeft caps shots per guest and hides everything until a reveal. Neither approach is universally better, so we publish side-by-side breakdowns with GuestPix, GuestCam, WedUploader, POV Camera, Lense, Once Film and others, including where each one beats us.
When is ShotsLeft the wrong choice? +
When you need guaranteed, complete coverage — a corporate event that must produce marketing assets, or portraits that have to come out right the first time. That is a photographer’s job. ShotsLeft covers the candid half that no single photographer can be present for.