Mockup generator vs Photoshop
There are two common ways to make a mockup: a Photoshop PSD with a smart object, or a browser-based generator. Both produce good results. They are good at different things.
Here is an honest comparison so you can pick the right one for the job.
The Photoshop workflow
A PSD mockup is a layered file built around a smart object. You download it, open it in Photoshop, double-click the smart object, paste your design, save, and let it render. The result can be excellent, and you have pixel-level control over everything.
The cost is time and tooling. A single edit can take ten or fifteen minutes, the files are large, and you need a Photoshop license and enough familiarity to drive it.
The generator workflow
A browser-based generator does the placement for you. You pick a scene, drop in your design, and download a finished mockup in seconds. There is nothing to install and no smart object to wrestle with.
A good generator uses a real perspective warp, so fine type and brand marks stay sharp, the same quality you would get from a well-built PSD.
Speed
This is the clearest difference. A generator turns a mockup around in seconds. A PSD takes minutes per edit. If you are iterating, presenting several options, or producing a mockup across many formats, the generator saves hours.
When a PSD still wins
If you need to hand-retouch a specific scene, build a custom mockup from your own photography, or control every pixel of a one-off hero shot, Photoshop gives you that depth. A generator works from a curated library of scenes rather than an open canvas.
The bottom line
For day-to-day work, decks, portfolios, client options, and producing across formats, a generator is faster and the quality holds. For bespoke, heavily-retouched one-offs, Photoshop still has a place. Most designers end up using the generator for the volume and Photoshop for the rare special case.