DISKO
disko.media
What it is
DISKO is a media asset manager for Mac that organizes video footage using AI tagging, transcription, face recognition, shot descriptions, and plain-language search. The maker says these AI functions run on the Mac; footage is uploaded only when a user chooses to sync a project to DISKO Cloud. The desktop app plays formats including ProRes, DNxHD, MXF, and 10-bit HEVC, with real-time LUT preview. It can export selects, rough cuts, and multicamera sequences as XML for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. DISKO can index and preview Google Drive clips without downloading originals until they are needed for editing. Cloud review includes timestamped comments, frame drawing, side-by-side comparison, version stacking, client portals, and viewing analytics. The desktop app requires an Apple Silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later. Cloud Free includes 2 GB, screenwriting and shot-list tools, and review links. Cloud Pro costs $12 a month at a founders rate locked for life; DISKO Local costs $99, paid once.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- DISKO is a media asset manager for filmmakers that catalogs drives, describes shots, transcribes speech and supports natural-language footage search.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Product
- DISKO is a media asset manager for Mac that organizes video footage with AI tagging, transcription, face recognition, and plain-language search.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Audience
- The maker describes DISKO as intended for wedding and event filmmakers, documentary editors, YouTube teams, and commercial production.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Support
- Support offers email and live chat with typical replies within a few hours; video tutorials and community features are marked coming soon.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Headquarters
- Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United StatesRead 28 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- AI search
- On-device vision creates shot descriptions and searches footage by meaning, scene, dialogue or face.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- AlternativeTo feature listing
- AlternativeTo lists offline operation, non-destructive editing, facial recognition, 4K support, hardware acceleration and video transcription.Read 14 Oct 2026 · alternativeto.net
- AlternativeTo listing
- AlternativeTo categorizes Disko.media as Mac-only proprietary software sold as a one-time $99 purchase.Read 14 Oct 2026 · alternativeto.net
- AlternativeTo reviews
- AlternativeTo displayed zero comments or user reviews for Disko.media when checked.Read 14 Oct 2026 · alternativeto.net
- API and SDK documentation
- The official documentation index presents desktop and Cloud workflow guides but no public DISKO API or SDK section.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Assistant extensibility
- The assistant editor can send a project's transcripts to an AI provider selected by the user with that user's own API key.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Checksum offload
- Card copies are checksum-verified while importing and the library can populate before copying finishes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Client portals
- Portals are branded persistent links where clients can search shared media, comment and optionally download without creating accounts.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Cloud review
- DISKO Cloud provides frame-accurate review, drawing, version stacks, live transcripts, branded showcases and analytics.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Cloud sync behavior
- Cloud sync is off by default, requires Cloud Pro, is selected per project and uploads metadata plus thumbnails/proxies while leaving originals local unless explicitly sent.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Documentation depth
- Official documentation includes guides for installation, search, playback/LUTs, cloud sync, review sharing and client portals.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Editing integrations
- DISKO exports selects, rough cuts, and multicamera sequences as XML for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Embeds
- Portfolio video pages can be embedded in WordPress, Notion, and Squarespace.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Face and voice recognition
- Users can name a face once and find that person across drives; speaker diarization can match voices to faces locally.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Formats
- The desktop app plays ProRes, DNxHD, MXF, 10-bit HEVC, and formats FFmpeg can decode, with real-time LUT preview.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Free tools
- Free account features include screenplay writing and shot lists; screenplay imports include Final Draft, Fountain, and PDF files.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Free-tier limits
- The terms give examples of free-tier restrictions including one synchronized project, thumbnail-only previews and about one hour of review uploads.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Google Drive
- DISKO can index and preview clips in a Google Drive folder without downloading the originals until they are needed for editing.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Hardware requirement
- The desktop app requires an Apple Silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Installation
- The installer is self-contained and requires no separate FFmpeg, plug-ins or dependencies; local features need no account or payment card.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Licence
- DISKO itself is proprietary commercial software; its distribution bundles separately licensed components such as FFmpeg/libmpv under LGPL and multiple MIT or Apache packages.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- LinkedIn company size
- LinkedIn lists Disko Labs as a privately held software company with 2–10 employees.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- LinkedIn founding year
- LinkedIn gives Disko Labs a 2025 founding year.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- Major-version pricing limit
- The desktop purchase covers updates within the purchased major version; future major versions require paid upgrades.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Maker headquarters
- LinkedIn lists Smith Robinson Multimedia headquarters at 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- Maker history
- LinkedIn lists Smith Robinson Multimedia as founded in 2006 and focused on journalism, video production, interactive multimedia and motion graphics.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- NLE export
- DISKO exports bins, selects, assemblies and multicamera timelines as XML for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- On-device AI
- The maker says its tagging, transcription, face recognition, and shot descriptions run on the Mac, with footage uploaded only when the user chooses to sync a project to DISKO Cloud.Read 30 Sep 2026 · disko.media
- Playback and LUTs
- The desktop player natively handles ProRes, DNxHD/HR, CineForm, Sony XAVC MXF, 10-bit HEVC, MP4, MOV and MKV, with automatic and custom LUT preview.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Premiere integration
- A beta DISKO for Premiere panel installs from Settings and searches the DISKO library inside Premiere Pro.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Privacy exceptions
- The maker says local AI does not upload footage, but assistant-editor transcripts can go to a user-selected AI provider, place names may be geocoded online and bug reports include logs.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Product intelligence
- The product-learning feature uses reference photos to find a named product and its parts across video and images.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- RAW limitation
- R3D, BRAW, ARRIRAW and Canon Cinema RAW Light are not native playback formats, although their thumbnails, metadata, tagging and search still work.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Security and telemetry
- The EULA says media and AI processing remain local by default and that the app has no telemetry, analytics or crash reporting, apart from explicit bug reports and operational connections.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Service availability limit
- The terms disclaim guaranteed uninterrupted or error-free operation and say the service may be unavailable for maintenance or outside events.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- System requirement
- The desktop app currently requires an Apple Silicon Mac with an M1 or later; a Windows build is described as coming soon.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Trademark filing
- Markinton reports DISKO trademark application 99842755 filed May 24, 2026 by Smith Robinson Multimedia LLC and pending in Class 9.Read 14 Oct 2026 · markinton.com
- Transcription
- DISKO transcribes whole shoots with speaker labels, supports transcript search and exports SRT subtitles.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
- Trial inconsistency
- The homepage advertises a seven-day trial, while the getting-started documentation and EULA describe a 30-day fully unlocked local trial.Read 14 Oct 2026 · disko.media
Plans and prices
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- AI tagging and transcription run on the Mac.
- Exports XML sequences for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.
- Can preview Google Drive clips without downloading originals.
- Cloud review includes timestamped comments and frame drawing.
- Cloud Free includes screenwriting and shot-list tools.
Limits
- Desktop app requires an Apple Silicon Mac with M1 or later.
- Make-a-Story sends transcripts to the selected AI provider.
- DISKO Local future major versions are paid upgrades.
- Cloud Free includes 2 GB.
Who it suits
DISKO is aimed at wedding and event filmmakers, documentary editors, YouTube teams, and commercial production. It suits video teams looking to organize footage and share review materials.
DISKO in depth
Read the full write-up
DISKO is a media asset manager for video teams that want to organize and search footage on a Mac, with cloud tools for review and delivery when needed. It suits filmmakers and production teams managing active projects. Its central appeal is joining local footage discovery to client-facing review and editing handoffs, though its Mac hardware requirement and separate Cloud and Local plans call for a deliberate choice.
Overview
DISKO keeps its core AI analysis on the Mac: tagging, transcription, face recognition, and shot descriptions run on-device. Footage is uploaded only when a user chooses to sync a project to DISKO Cloud, a useful boundary for teams that want local analysis without committing every project to cloud storage. Some functions do send data online: Make-a-Story sends transcripts to the AI provider chosen by the user with their own API key, location names are geocoded, and bug reports include logs.
Search spans visual, audio, and multimodal queries, making DISKO more useful for footage discovery than a catalog dependent on filenames alone. It is built around video production rather than general file management, and the desktop app requires an Apple Silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later.
Key features
Production search and handoffs
The desktop app plays ProRes, DNxHD, MXF, 10-bit HEVC, and formats FFmpeg can decode, with real-time LUT preview. That breadth can help teams keep varied production media in one workflow. DISKO exports selects, rough cuts, and multicamera sequences as XML for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, so editors can carry choices into those tools rather than treating search as a dead end.
Google Drive indexing and preview do not require downloading originals until they are needed for editing. This is practical for teams keeping source media in Drive, but it does not remove the Mac requirement for the desktop workflow.
Review, delivery, and planning
DISKO Cloud supports timestamped comments, frame drawing, synced side-by-side comparison, version stacking, branded client portals, and viewing analytics. Portfolio video pages can also be embedded in WordPress, Notion, and Squarespace. These features make the Cloud plan relevant to client review and delivery, not just synchronization. Free accounts also include screenplay writing and shot-list tools, with screenplay import from Final Draft, Fountain, and PDF.
Pricing
DISKO uses a freemium model with a free plan, a 30-day trial, and paid plans from $12/mo. The free DISKO CLOUD Free plan costs nothing and includes 2 GB, screenwriting and shot-list tools, and review links. It is a credible starting point for planning and limited review, but the 2 GB cap makes it a poor fit for substantial synced footage.
DISKO CLOUD Pro costs $12 a month at a founders rate locked for life; the price is $15/mo after launch. It includes 100 GB, desktop sync, review links, client delivery, and free external reviewers. The storage allowance and included delivery tools suit small production workflows, while teams with larger cloud libraries may find 100 GB restrictive.
DISKO LOCAL costs $99, paid once at founders pricing; it will be $149 after launch. It provides unlimited local storage and free updates for the current major version, but future major versions are paid upgrades. This is the clearer choice for users who want local storage without a recurring fee, though it does not include the Cloud Pro feature set described above. Choose Cloud Pro for sync and client delivery; choose Local when local capacity and a one-time purchase matter more.
Platforms
DISKO runs on macOS and the web. Its desktop app requires an Apple Silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later, excluding Windows users and owners of older Macs from the desktop workflow.
Who it's for
The maker targets wedding and event filmmakers, documentary editors, YouTube teams, and commercial production. DISKO makes most sense for those groups when finding footage, handing material into Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, and reviewing work with clients belong in the same workflow. It is a weaker fit for teams without a compatible Mac, or for users who need large cloud storage within the stated Pro allowance.
Pros and cons
Pros: Local AI tagging, transcription, face recognition, and shot descriptions keep core analysis on the Mac until a project is deliberately synced.
Pros: XML exports for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve connect clip selection to editing, while Google Drive previews avoid downloading originals prematurely.
Pros: Cloud review combines comments, comparison, version stacking, branded portals, and analytics; external reviewers are free on Cloud Pro.
Cons: The desktop app requires an M1-or-later Apple Silicon Mac, ruling out Windows and older Mac hardware.
Cons: Cloud Pro's 100 GB may constrain larger libraries, while the free plan's 2 GB is suitable only for limited use.
Cons: Local includes free updates only for the current major version, with future major versions sold as paid upgrades.
Alternatives
FrameQuery is worth considering if broader platform support matters: it runs on API, macOS, web, and Windows, and its free plan provides metadata search and local/Drive/NAS sharing and backup. Face, voice, and AI-tag search require indexed video, and the free plan has no monthly indexing hours.
Deepgrip is a paid option with a free trial and support for API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows. Its Starter plan costs $399 a month, billed $4,788/year, and includes 200 indexed hours per month, 450 searches per month, and five seats, with over-limit searches at $0.01 each.
ViSearch has API, self-hosted, and web platforms, plus a free plan covering up to 20 minutes of video processing with no credit card required. It is a better starting point when a small processing allowance is enough; its paid Basic plan is priced at $0.09 as a one-time purchase, billed $0.09/min.
MomentSearch is a free alternative for readers who want software across API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, or Windows.
Nomad Media is a paid alternative available on API, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.
VGG Image Annotator is free on Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, with no paid tiers or usage limits stated.
Cinestar offers a free, MIT-licensed open-source core for Linux and macOS; its local AI services require Ollama.
Moment Search is a freemium macOS and Windows option whose free Starter plan allows one footage source and up to 25 indexed videos, with visual and speech search, clip export, clipboard copy, and on-device processing without cloud use.
For a broader set of tools focused on this category, see AI Video Search Tools.
Verdict
Choose DISKO if you have a compatible Apple Silicon Mac and want local AI footage search connected to editing handoffs and optional client review and delivery. Its strongest reason to choose it is that combination of on-device analysis and production workflow tools. Look elsewhere if you need a Windows desktop app, older Mac support, or more than 100 GB of Cloud Pro storage.
Verdict
DISKO combines local footage organization and search with cloud review and client delivery options. Check the Mac hardware requirement and the distinct Cloud and Local plans before choosing how to work.
Where Specifiction places it
- AI Video Search Tools#4 of 248.9