How much does a custom pet portrait cost?

By Tayson O'Hara, Stillbrook Portraits. Prices checked September 25, 2026.

The short answer

Most custom pet portraits cost $50 to $400 in 2026. What you pay depends mostly on one thing: whether a person paints an original by hand, or the portrait is made digitally and printed.

  • A digital file only: from under $20.
  • A printed portrait on canvas from an online portrait company: about $70 to $140 for a canvas around 16x20 inches.
  • An original painting by an artist: about $100 to $1,100 for an 8x10, and $190 to over $2,000 for a 16x20. Small watercolors start around $70.

We make printed portraits ourselves, so we have a side in this. We've tried to write the guide we'd want to read anyway, including when another option is the better choice.

Watercolor pet portrait of a tabby cat and a yellow Labrador together
Example: a Stillbrook watercolor of two pets, made from two phone photos with AI tools, then checked by a person.

Prices by type of portrait

Type What you get Typical price Typical wait
Original painting by an independent artist A one-of-a-kind watercolor, oil or acrylic, painted by hand from your photo Watercolor 8x10: $105 to $190. Oil: $265 (12x9) to $1,075 (8x10). 16x20: $190 (watercolor) to $2,181 (oil) 1 to 4 weeks to paint. Oils need 1 to 2 more weeks to dry
Oil painting from a portrait company A painted canvas from a studio that takes orders online 12x16: $169. 16x20: $249. 20x24: $349 Varies
Printed portrait from an online portrait company A digital illustration of your pet, printed on canvas or paper Cheapest canvas: $49.99 to $135. Around 16x20: $69.99 to $139 Varies by company
Your photo printed on canvas Your own photo on canvas, not an illustration Example: a 16x20 canvas for $54.99 on sale (listed at $109.98) Varies
Digital file only An image file you print or share yourself From under $20 on Etsy Varies

Ranges come from the price lists and product pages listed under "Sources" at the end, checked September 25, 2026. Prices change often, especially sale prices.

What changes the price

  • Hand-painted or printed. This is the biggest difference. An artist's hours are the cost of an original painting. A printed portrait costs less because the portrait itself is made digitally, and you're mostly paying for the print, the canvas and the checking.
  • Size. Bigger costs more. For an artist, doubling the size can more than double the price.
  • Medium. Oil usually costs more than watercolor or acrylic, and takes longer, because it has to dry before it ships.
  • Number of pets. Each extra pet adds to the price. One artist we checked charges $100 for each extra pet. With us a second pet is $10, and each pet after that $20.
  • Framing. A frame adds to the price, and a framed print can cost more than an unframed canvas of the same size.
  • Rush orders. Some artists and companies charge extra for a faster turnaround.

A word about "was" prices

Several portrait sites show a crossed-out "was" price next to a lower one, often with a "Save $40" or "20% off" label. A sale can be real. It's still worth judging the price you'd actually pay, not the discount. If a "was" price shows on every visit, it may never have been the normal price.

Our regular prices stay the same all year. When we run a sale, it shows its end date, and the regular price appears crossed out only until then.

Which kind should you choose?

Choose an original painting by an artist if:

  • You want a one-of-a-kind piece, painted by hand, that no one else could own.
  • You'd enjoy talking with the artist and seeing sketches along the way.
  • You have a budget of roughly $200 or more, and a few weeks to wait.

This is the right choice for a lot of people, and it's worth what good artists charge. Many list their prices on their websites, so you can compare before you write to them.

Choose a printed portrait if:

  • You want a finished portrait on the wall for about $70 to $150.
  • You want it sooner, or you want to see it before you pay.
  • It's a gift, or you'd like more than one copy.

Ask how it's made. Printed portraits are made in different ways: some are drawn digitally by illustrators, some are made with AI tools, and some are a mix. Not every company says which. It's a fair question to ask, and a good company will answer it plainly. More on this in AI vs hand-painted pet portraits.

What a Stillbrook portrait costs

Our portraits are digital illustrations made from your photo with AI tools. A person on our team checks each one against your photo before it prints, and our print partner prints it to order. They are not painted by hand.

Size Price
Paper print 16x16 (unframed) $49
Canvas 16x16 $89.99
Canvas 20x20 $119.99
Canvas 24x24 $149.99
Canvas 30x30 $199.99
Framed print 18x24 $159.99
Digital file $24.99, or $9.99 added to a print order
  • See it before you pay. The preview is free, usually ready in a few minutes. You only order the version that looks like them.
  • Included: free standard shipping within the US, a person checking it before it prints, and the gift message on the packing slip.
  • Extra pets: a second pet is $10, each pet after that $20.
  • Memorial portraits cost the same, with their name and dates set beneath the portrait at no extra charge.
  • Our guarantee: a free replacement if it arrives damaged or misprinted, a free remake within 30 days if it doesn't feel like them, and a full refund if the remake still isn't right.

Create my free preview

Questions people ask

How much does a custom pet portrait cost?

Most cost $50 to $400 in 2026. A printed canvas around 16x20 from an online portrait company is usually $70 to $140. An original painting by an artist is usually $100 to $1,100 at 8x10 and $190 to over $2,000 at 16x20. A digital file alone can cost under $20.

How much do artists charge for pet portraits?

In the artist price lists we checked, a small watercolor started at $70, an 8x10 watercolor cost $105 to $190, and oils cost more: $265 for a 12x9 from one painter, and $1,075 for an 8x10 and $2,181 for a 16x20 from another. One artist charges $100 for each extra pet.

Why are some pet portraits so much cheaper than others?

Mostly because of how they're made. An original painting takes an artist many hours. A printed portrait is made digitally, so most of what you pay covers the print, the canvas, the checking and the shipping.

Is a digital pet portrait cheaper?

Yes. A digital file alone costs less than a printed one, from under $20 on Etsy. You then print it yourself, which adds the cost of the print or canvas.

Are pet portraits worth it?

For many people, yes, especially as a memorial or a gift, because it's a picture of someone they love that they'll see every day. Whether a $70 print or a $1,000 painting is worth it depends on what you want: a one-of-a-kind original, or a lovely portrait at a lower price.

How much does a pet memorial portrait cost?

About the same as any other portrait of the same kind and size. At Stillbrook, a memorial portrait costs the same as our other portraits, from $49 as a paper print or $89.99 on canvas, and adding their name and dates is free, on every size.

Does Chewy really send free pet portraits?

Yes, to some customers. In 2021 the Associated Press reported that Chewy was sending more than 1,000 free hand-painted portraits a week to customers it chooses. Chewy doesn't say how people are picked, so it isn't something you can order.

Sources

Prices checked September 25, 2026.

Artist price lists:

Printed portrait companies (canvas prices):

Photo on canvas:

Digital files:

Chewy:

  • Associated Press, January 1, 2021, "Chewy sends free pet portraits to customers" (Joseph Pisani).