CEWE: Ordering & website experiences
Reviewers report widespread frustration with CEWE’s ordering process and website experience, particularly regarding app functionality and usability. While some users praise the straightforward order flow and high-quality output, the overall sentiment remains negative, with more than five times as many negative mentions as positive ones. The majority of complaints center on technical issues, such as app crashes, poor navigation, and missing features, especially in the mobile app. Over time, the average rating has fluctuated but shows a slight improvement from early 2025, peaking at 3.78 in October 2025 before dipping again. Despite occasional positive feedback about design simplicity and fast delivery, the core experience remains inconsistent, with many users describing the app as unintuitive, slow, and poorly integrated across platforms.
What customers praise
Customers frequently praise the simplicity and clarity of the ordering process, especially when using the desktop website. Many highlight that placing an order is easy to follow and that the final product quality is consistently good. Users appreciate the availability of diverse themes and design options, particularly for calendars and photo albums. The speed of delivery is also a common point of satisfaction, with several reviewers noting it was faster than expected.
What customers said:
- „Amazing, I created it in no time.“
„Amazing, I created it in no time.“
Original„Maravilloso, lo he creado en un momento.“
- „It was easy to create the image exactly as I wanted it.“
„It was easy to create the image exactly as I wanted it.“
Original„Es war einfach mein Bild so zu kreieren wie ich es auch haben wollte.“
- „Simple and good design options“
„Simple and good design options“
Original„Einfache und gute Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten“
Common complaints
Common complaints focus on the mobile app’s poor performance, including frequent crashes, long loading times, and inability to complete basic tasks. Users report that essential features like switching between portrait and landscape formats are missing or broken. The app also fails to allow users to upload photos as attachments, forcing them to use the camera function instead. Many feel the app is poorly designed and not intuitive, with confusing navigation and scattered functions across multiple apps.
What customers said:
- „You can only make direct photos and not add them as attachments.“
„You can only make direct photos and not add them as attachments.“
Original„Zo kun je alleen direct foto’s maken ipv als bijlage toevoegen“
- „The app just throws an error and dies“
- „The choice of perfect binding is not possible in the app.“
„The choice of perfect binding is not possible in the app.“
Original„Die Auswahl einer Heftbindung ist in der App nicht möglich.“
How it has changed over time
Over time, the app has shown signs of improvement, with ratings rising from 2.7 in August 2025 to 3.78 in October, suggesting some fixes were implemented. However, the gains were not sustained, and ratings dropped again in early 2026. The most positive feedback came after a recent update, with users noting that the app became more stable and functional. Despite this, recurring issues like regional lockouts and missing features continue to surface, indicating that improvements are inconsistent and not fully resolved.
What customers said:
- „With all the available options and on top of that, it automatically creates the album,…“
„With all the available options and on top of that, it automatically creates the album, you just adjust what you want.“
Original„Con todas las opciones disponibles y encima te crea el álbum automáticamente y tú solo ajustas lo que quieras.“
- „Everything went smoothly from ordering to delivery!“
„Everything went smoothly from ordering to delivery!“
Original„Alles bestens geklappt, von der Bestellung bis zur Lieferung!“
- „Designing calendars or photo albums is simple and there are many different options…“
„Designing calendars or photo albums is simple and there are many different options available.“
Original„Die Gestaltung von Kalender oder Fotoalben ist einfach und es stehen viele verschiedene Sujets zur Verfügung.“
Practical takeaways
For best results, users are advised to avoid the mobile app for complex projects and instead use the desktop software, which offers more features and better stability. If using the app, users should be prepared for technical hiccups and plan extra time for uploads and design. Always check if the product you want is available in your region, as some items are locked to specific countries. Finally, consider using the website for ordering, as it tends to be more reliable than the app.
What customers said:
- „I usually create my photo books using PC software.“
„I usually create my photo books using PC software.“
Original„Ich habe meine Fotobücher sonst über die PC-Software erstellt.“
- „The first two photo books I made on the PC were simply perfect.“
„The first two photo books I made on the PC were simply perfect.“
Original„Die ersten beiden Fotobücher hab ich mit dem PC gemacht. Das war einfach perfekt.“
- „I spent hours designing a photo album only to find out I am in the Austrian version for…“
„I spent hours designing a photo album only to find out I am in the Austrian version for some reason“
Original„Ich habe Stunden ein Fotoalbum designt um dann feststellen zu dürfen dass ich mich aus irgendeinem Grund in der Österreichischen Version befinde“
Over time
Data as table
| Month | Avg. rating | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-08 | 2.70 | 30 |
| 2025-09 | 2.87 | 39 |
| 2025-10 | 3.78 | 36 |
| 2025-11 | 3.52 | 61 |
| 2025-12 | 3.37 | 100 |
| 2026-01 | 3.60 | 48 |
| 2026-02 | 3.11 | 35 |
| 2026-03 | 3.72 | 25 |
| 2026-04 | 3.23 | 26 |
| 2026-05 | 3.59 | 32 |
| 2026-06 | 3.00 | 31 |
| 2026-07 | 3.42 | 19 |
Sentiment over time
Data as table
| Month | Positive | Neutral | Negative | Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08 | 13% | 13% | 73% | 30 |
| 2025-09 | 28% | 13% | 59% | 39 |
| 2025-10 | 42% | 14% | 44% | 36 |
| 2025-11 | 34% | 15% | 51% | 61 |
| 2025-12 | 34% | 11% | 55% | 100 |
| 2026-01 | 40% | 17% | 44% | 48 |
| 2026-02 | 40% | 11% | 49% | 35 |
| 2026-03 | 52% | 8% | 40% | 25 |
| 2026-04 | 38% | 0% | 62% | 26 |
| 2026-05 | 44% | 13% | 44% | 32 |
| 2026-06 | 29% | 13% | 58% | 31 |
| 2026-07 | 42% | 11% | 47% | 19 |
Sub-topics
- App & ordering process - 181 mentions
- Photo book design software - 126 mentions
Customer voices
Short excerpts - full reviews are available at the original source.
„Easy to follow order process“
„All the functions I expected are present.“
„Fast and uncomplicated“
„When I search for 'create photo book' in the search function, there are no results.“
„Not being able to order all products in the app that are available on the website is very inconvenient.“
„Saving was tedious.“
„Placing an order - a long way through suffering to find it, then it was fine.“
„When I bought it, delivery was announced between June 12 and 13.“