Selekt
selekt.photos
What it is
Selekt is a desktop photo library manager for photographers, with tools to import, organize, cull, rate, process RAW images, and tag photos. It groups bursts, similar frames, and duplicates for comparison, while on-device scoring checks focus, exposure, and blur using profiles for weddings, portraits, sports, and events. Optional cloud analysis can flag closed eyes, create face close-ups, and tag subjects and scenes for search. Importing, manual culling, and export work offline; cloud AI, sync, and client proofing need an internet connection. The app runs on Apple silicon and Intel Macs and has a 64-bit installer for Windows 10 and 11. Supported formats include camera RAW files such as CR2/CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF, RW2, ORF, PEF, SRW, and DNG, plus JPEG, TIFF, PNG, HEIC, and HEIF. XMP sidecars can be exported for Lightroom Classic, Capture One, and Adobe Bridge. Import, culling, and export do not require sign-in; a free account enables AI scoring and grouping. The Free plan includes cloud AI for 100 photos/month and 1 GB sync and client proofing. Pro costs A$16 a month and includes unlimited cloud AI and 10 GB sync and client proofing.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Selekt is a desktop photo-culling and library-management application for photographers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Purpose
- Selekt is a desktop photo library management application designed for photographers, providing import, organization, culling, rating, RAW processing, tagging, and optional cloud AI and synchronization.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Intended users
- The Pro plan is described as being for working photographers and includes room for client galleries.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Integrations
- Selekt exports XMP sidecars for Lightroom Classic, Capture One, and Adobe Bridge.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Security
- Implemented network paths use HTTPS/TLS; Cloudflare R2 objects and metadata and Amazon Rekognition face vectors are encrypted at rest.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Support
- The Pro plan includes priority support, and general support is available at [email protected].Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Account requirement
- A free Selekt account enables AI scoring and grouping, while importing, culling, and exporting work without signing in.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- AI limitation
- Terms state that AI tags and descriptions may be inaccurate and cloud services can experience maintenance, downtime or discontinuation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- API and SDK
- Public materials document file and XMP export workflows but provide no public API or SDK documentation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Backup responsibility
- The terms place responsibility for maintaining photo and data backups on the user.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Client proofing
- Synced galleries let clients use browser links, optional PINs, hearts and notes without creating an account.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Cloud AI
- Optional cloud analysis detects closed eyes, creates face close-ups, groups people and adds searchable subject and scene tags.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Cloud data handling
- Cloud features can send developed JPEGs, thumbnails, face crops and metadata; RAW sync uses a developed or embedded JPEG rather than the RAW file.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Cloud providers
- Listed subprocessors include Cloudflare R2, Vercel, Supabase, Clerk, AWS Rekognition, OpenAI, PostHog, Lemon Squeezy and Loops.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Company size
- LinkedIn lists Common Tools as privately held with 2–10 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- Download release
- Version 1.3.1 was released September 9, 2026; the macOS download is 23.1 MB and the Windows installer is 11.1 MB.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Editor integrations
- XMP sidecars carry selections and ratings to Lightroom Classic, Capture One and Adobe Bridge.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- File formats
- Supported formats include Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fujifilm RAF, Panasonic RW2, OM System ORF, Pentax PEF, Samsung SRW, Adobe DNG, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, HEIC, and HEIF.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Founder
- Marc Obieglo’s personal site lists him as founder of selekt.photos from 2025 to the present.Read 15 Oct 2026 · obieglo.net
- Keyboard workflow
- Default controls include P/M/X/U for pick, maybe, reject and clear, with Quickview, loupe, EXIF and exposure-overlay shortcuts.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Licence
- The application, code, features and documentation are proprietary Common Tools Co property; copying, modification, distribution and reverse engineering are prohibited.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Local storage
- The local catalogue is stored in SQLite and includes filenames, locations, previews, EXIF, tags, ratings and culling state.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Local-first
- Culling, grouping, and quality scoring run on the user’s computer without uploading photographs.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Maker description
- Common Tools Co. describes Selekt as a desktop photography-library product for professionals and says the company was established in 2025.Read 15 Oct 2026 · common-tools.co
- Maker headquarters
- The company site gives Marrickville, Sydney as its location.Read 15 Oct 2026 · common-tools.co
- Manual decisions
- Selekt can suggest a target count, but the photographer makes every final pick or reject decision.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Mobile status
- A mobile companion for viewing synced shoots is described as early development and is not publicly available.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Offline use
- Import, manual culling and export work offline; cloud analysis, sync, proofing and account checks require connectivity.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Operating systems
- Selekt provides a universal app for Apple silicon and Intel Macs and a 64-bit installer for Windows 10 and 11.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Other formats
- The importer also accepts JPEG, TIFF, PNG, HEIC and HEIF.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Privacy limitation
- The local catalogue is stored in a SQLite database and Selekt does not currently add database-level encryption to that file.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Processing architecture
- Selekt uses a Tauri shell, Rust processing service, generated previews and a virtualized library interface.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Quality scoring
- On-device analysis provides focus, exposure and blur signals with wedding, portrait, sports and event profiles.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- RAW support
- Supported RAW families include Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fujifilm RAF, Panasonic RW2, OM ORF, Pentax PEF, Samsung SRW and Adobe DNG.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Release activity
- The public GitHub release repository shows Selekt 1.3.1 published on September 9, 2026.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Release limitations
- Release 1.3.1 notes that restored catalogues with unknown photo-folder locations still lack recovery, scene auto-naming depends on cloud AI, and very large cull actions can exceed the database limit.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Security controls
- Network paths use HTTPS/TLS, while Cloudflare R2 objects and Rekognition face vectors are encrypted at rest.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Security limitation
- The local SQLite catalogue currently has no database-level encryption.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Self-hosting
- The published product materials describe a desktop app with optional hosted cloud services and provide no self-hosting deployment instructions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Shortcut presets
- Lightroom-style and Photo Mechanic-style shortcut presets are available and remappable.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Smart cull
- The app groups bursts, similar frames and duplicates for side-by-side review.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Smart culling
- The app groups bursts, similar frames, and duplicates so photographers can compare related photographs.Read 1 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- System requirements
- The Mac build is universal for Apple silicon and Intel, while Windows support is 64-bit Windows 10 and 11.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- Windows installation
- The Windows installer is not code-signed, so SmartScreen may show an unknown-publisher warning.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
- XMP mapping
- Picks export as five stars with green labels, maybes as three stars with yellow labels, rejects as zero stars with red labels, and tags as keywords.Read 15 Oct 2026 · selekt.photos
Plans and prices
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Groups bursts, similar frames, and duplicates for comparison.
- On-device scoring checks focus, exposure, and blur.
- Import, manual culling, and export work offline.
- Exports XMP sidecars for Lightroom Classic, Capture One, and Adobe Bridge.
- Free plan includes cloud AI for 100 photos/month.
Limits
- Cloud AI, sync, and client proofing require internet.
- Free plan includes 1 GB sync and client proofing.
- Pro costs A$16 a month.
- Local catalogue database does not have database-level encryption.
Who it suits
Selekt suits photographers who want to sort and assess photo collections on a desktop, including offline culling and export. Its Pro plan is described for working photographers and includes room for client galleries.
Verdict
Selekt combines local photo organization and culling with optional cloud analysis and synchronization. The free plan covers core offline work, while cloud allowances differ by plan and Pro is A$16 a month.
Where Specifiction places it
- AI Photo Culling Software#4 of 298.5
- Photo Culling Software#5 of 268.5