Aftershoot vs PixCull

Aftershoot is photo post-processing software for photographers, with AI tools for culling, editing, and retouching on macOS and Windows. Culling scores and groups images using factors including sharpness, exposure, blinks, duplicates, facial expressions, and composition. Editing profiles learn from a photographer’s edited images, while manual adjustments are also available. Retouching includes adjustable subject sliders and presets that can be synced across multiple images. The software supports RAW, JPEG, and TIFF files, as well as bulk renaming and resizing. Its culling workflow connects with Lightroom Classic and Capture One, preserving ratings, color labels, and flags on export. Aftershoot says images can be processed locally and offline without cloud uploads or a constant internet connection. There is no free plan, but new users can try the service for 30 days without charge and without a credit card. Select costs $10.00 per month billed annually ($120/year), or $15/month with monthly billing. Other plans cover editing, retouching, or combinations, including Complete at $45.00 per month billed annually ($540/year), or $55/month with monthly billing.

PixCull is an open-source photo and video culling tool that sorts shoots into keep, maybe, and cull groups. It scores each frame from 1–5 stars on technical quality, subject, composition, light, moment, and aesthetic, with a written rationale for each area. The product describes nine photography verticals, from weddings and wildlife to journalism and still life. For photo workflows, it exports XMP sidecars for Lightroom and Capture One, IPTC captions, and HTML galleries; it can also watch tether destinations and sync folders through iCloud, Dropbox, or NAS. Video tools score clips, identify reel candidates, transcribe audio, and export EDL files for Premiere or Resolve. RAW decoding, scoring, face analysis, and GPS analysis can run locally. The maker says photos are sent to MiniMax for judging by default since v2.50 after recorded consent; cloud judging can be disabled with `--vlm-mode off`. PixCull states it has no telemetry, and cached models plus disabled cloud judging can allow runs without a network connection. The plan is free; optional cloud model calls may incur API costs.