Keeper
keeperculling.com
What it is
Keeper is a macOS photo culling app for photographers reviewing large shoots and selecting images for editing and delivery. Its keyboard workflow uses single-key shortcuts to rate, pick, reject, filter, and change views. A cursor-following loupe supports full-resolution checks of focus and sharpness. Face detection and similarity grouping assist with review, while the final image selections remain with the photographer. The app exports chosen original files and their matching XMP sidecars to a selected folder. Keeper runs photo review and AI-assisted analysis locally on the Mac, and culling does not require an internet connection. The maker says it is built for Apple Silicon, can handle 10K+ photos, and targets 60 frames per second. It currently supports macOS 15 and later. Blur detection is listed as coming soon. Keeper is paid, with a 30-day trial and a lifetime license listed at $15 as a one-time purchase as an early access price; the regular price is $30. There is no free plan.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Keeper is a Mac application for rapidly rating, picking, rejecting and filtering photographs during culling.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Support
- The FAQ directs users to [email protected] for help.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Account requirement
- The download and workflow require no sign-up, login or email account.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- AI assistance
- Keeper includes face detection and similarity grouping, while leaving final photo selections to the user.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- AI behavior
- Keeper describes its AI as assistive and says it does not automatically choose the final photographs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Analytics
- The app uses Firebase Analytics for pseudonymous product usage and says it does not send photos, filenames, folder paths, or photo metadata to app analytics.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Blur detection status
- Blur and motion-blur detection is listed as coming soon.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Changelog feature
- Version 1.1.3 added a loupe, XMP-aware export, continuous scrolling, adjustable grid density and EXIF orientation handling.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Changelog grouping
- Version 1.1.0 added grid browsing, group pick/reject actions, similar-photo grouping and filters for picked and rejected states.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Changelog RAW support
- Version 1.1.1 added support for more RAW formats and reduced memory use when browsing RAW images.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Compatibility
- Keeper currently supports macOS 15 and later and is optimized for Apple Silicon.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Documentation
- The user guide covers rough-cut review, keyboard operation, similar-frame comparison, local AI assistance and moving keepers into editing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Export
- Selected originals and their matching XMP sidecars can be copied to any folder for later editing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Eye detection
- Keeper detects closed eyes and blinks during review.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Face detection
- The app detects faces to help inspect expressions, open eyes and whether subjects are in frame.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Independent platform scope
- The Reddit launch description identifies Keeper as a native macOS application built for Apple Silicon.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Independent praise: affordability
- A Reddit commenter said an affordable one-time culling tool was needed and viewed Keeper positively compared with subscription-priced alternatives.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Independent praise: speed
- A Reddit commenter described the app as promising and said it made moving through piles of pictures easy after an update.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Independent praise: workflow control
- The developer's Reddit launch description emphasizes local, non-automatic AI so photographers retain the final selection decision.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Independent pricing detail
- An earlier Reddit product post described a free download with seven projects and a $15 lifetime purchase including one year of updates.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Keyboard workflow
- Single-key shortcuts handle ratings, picks, rejects, filters and view changes, with an on-screen shortcut bar.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Latest changelog
- Version 1.1.5, dated July 20, 2026, lists bug fixes and performance improvements.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Limit: deletion workflow
- A Reddit tester reported no direct way to remove an unwanted image inside the app and had to use Finder.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: early stability
- The developer acknowledged that version 1.0.0 shipped with many bugs and asked users to retry after version 1.0.1.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: face detection
- A Reddit tester reported that face-detection thumbnails did not respect EXIF orientation and that hover zoom did not reliably focus on faces.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: folder handling
- A Reddit tester requested drag-and-drop folders, subfolder navigation and remembered imported folders.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: iCloud workflow
- A Reddit commenter asked whether Keeper can work directly with an iCloud Photo Library, indicating that this workflow was unclear or unsupported.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: metadata interoperability
- A Reddit tester asked for compatibility with sidecar files from other applications, including importing ratings from Capture One.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: RAW and JPEG pairing
- A Reddit tester requested handling for RAW/JPEG and HEIC/JPEG pairs because the app did not combine those versions automatically.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: rotation
- A Reddit user requested an image-rotation function and reported orientation problems in testing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Local processing
- Face, eye, similarity and blur analysis is described as running locally on the Mac.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Loupe review
- A cursor-following loupe provides full-resolution focus and sharpness checks, with Z and Command-scroll controls.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Offline operation
- The product says it works without an internet connection.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Offline use
- Keeper does not require an internet connection for culling, according to the product page.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- On-device processing
- The site says photo review and AI-assisted analysis run locally on the Mac, and photos are not uploaded for cloud processing.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Performance
- The site says Keeper is built for Apple Silicon, can handle 10K+ photos, and targets 60 frames per second.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Performance claim
- Keeper says it can browse thousands of RAW photos at 60 frames per second and handle more than 10,000 photos.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Photo inspection
- A cursor-following loupe supports full-resolution focus and sharpness checks.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Privacy claim
- Keeper says photographs never leave the machine and that it has no telemetry on users' images.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Similarity grouping
- Burst shots and visually similar frames are grouped for side-by-side comparison.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- System requirement
- The stated requirement is macOS 15 (Sequoia) or later with an Apple Silicon-optimized workflow.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Target users
- The product is aimed at wedding, portrait, event and commercial photographers handling large shoots.Read 15 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Upcoming feature
- Blur detection is listed as coming soon.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
- Who it is for
- Keeper is aimed at wedding, portrait, event, family, and commercial photographers who sort high-volume shoots on macOS.Read 7 Oct 2026 · keeperculling.com
Plans and prices
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Single-key shortcuts cover common culling actions
- Loupe supports full-resolution focus checks
- Face detection and similarity grouping assist review
- Exports original files with matching XMP sidecars
- Culling works offline
Limits
- Supports macOS 15 and later only
- No free plan
- Blur detection is still coming soon
- Lifetime license is listed at $15 as a one-time purchase
Who it suits
Keeper suits wedding, portrait, event, family, and commercial photographers sorting high-volume shoots on macOS. It may fit photographers who want local, offline review and keyboard-based selection.
Verdict
Keeper focuses on local photo selection, with keyboard controls, face grouping, and original-file export. Its listed lifetime license is an early access offer, and photographers need a compatible Mac running macOS 15 or later.
Where Specifiction places it
- Photo Culling Software#4 of 268.7