Do guests need to download an app to share wedding photos?

No. With a QR-code gallery, guests scan a code and upload directly from their phone's browser — there's no app to download and no account to create.

Is a photo gallery link better than just texting a Google Photos link?

A dedicated gallery is generally easier for less tech-savvy guests to use, since scanning a QR code is more intuitive than joining a shared album and figuring out upload permissions. It also keeps photos separate from a messy group thread.

Can guests still see everyone else's photos, or is it just uploading?

Guests can browse the full shared gallery, not just upload to it, so everyone gets to see photos as they come in throughout the event.

What happens to the group chat we already started?

Nothing forces you to shut it down, but most couples find that once a gallery link is shared, photo activity naturally moves there since it's simply a better place to view and organize everything.