Fast, lightweight desktop app
Built for the desktop — not Electron. Launch instantly, scroll through thousands of RAWs with zero lag, and keep a cool, quiet machine.
Photo Mechanic alternative
Switch from Photo Mechanic to a guided cull, card to Lightroom.
Cullit imports your SD card, reads sharpness, eyes and smile locally, batch-applies IPTC/XMP and compares side-by-side. You decide; Lightroom receives your ratings.
14-day free trial · card required · cancel anytime
Cullit in 30 seconds
A fast desktop workflow from SD card to Lightroom — AI-assisted, no upload.
Local AI without auto-select
Sharpness 0–100, eyes and smile on every face it finds. Filter by signal, then decide what stays — the AI never moves or deletes a file.
Multi-photo compare and Lightroom handoff
Compare any number of photos side by side with synchronized zoom. Rate, flag and apply IPTC/XMP in batch, then hand off to Lightroom through sidecars.
Feature by feature
As of August 2026. Both are cullers, not editors; Cullit's documented handoff is through standard XMP sidecars.
| Feature | Cullit | Photo Mechanic |
|---|---|---|
| Culling | AI first pass, you decide | Fast, manual browsing |
| AI advanced features | Yes | No |
| Ingest & metadata | SD card import, batch IPTC/XMP and presets | IPTC, variables, Live Ingest |
| Hands ratings to your editor | Yes | Yes |
| Where you edit | Your editor | Your editor |
| Platform | macOS | macOS · Windows |
| Catalog / DAM | Planned for between August and October | Yes |
| Pricing model | Subscription · occasionally one-time | Subscription · one-time |
| Photo comparison | Compare multiple photos with synchronized zoom and pan AI face detection with zoom on each face | Side-by-side comparison only (no AI, no face zoom) |
| Free trial | 14 days, card required | 30 days, no card required |
Two pricing models
In USD, as of August 2026. Photo Mechanic sells a one-time license or a subscription; Cullit is subscription-based, with an occasional one-time option.
| Cullit | Photo Mechanic | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Subscription | One-time or sub |
| One-time | $150 (occasionally) | $299 |
| Per year | $71.88 | $149 |
| Per month | $7.99 | $14.99 |
Cullit's yearly plan ($71.88) undercuts Photo Mechanic's ($149), and it's lower month to month too. Cullit also occasionally offers a one-time option at $150. But Photo Mechanic's one-time license ($299) costs less over several years than any subscription. Two models. Pick how you'd rather buy.
Photo Mechanic prices in USD as listed on camerabits.com, verified August 2026. Photo Mechanic and Camera Bits are trademarks of Camera Bits, Inc.; Cullit is not affiliated with or endorsed by Camera Bits. Official source
Choose the workflow that fits your first pass
Choose Cullit if…
- You want an AI first pass, not an all-manual cull
- You want to import an SD card and act on multiple photos in a grid
- Side-by-side comparison with synchronized zoom
- You apply IPTC/XMP and presets to a whole set
- You want Lightroom to open with stars and colors already written
Choose Photo Mechanic if…
- You want a one-time licence you own outright
- You lean on deep ingest, IPTC variables and Live Ingest
- You want a searchable catalog (Plus)
- You trust its decades of proven speed
Frequently asked questions
- Does Cullit replace Photo Mechanic?
- For everyday culling, yes: Cullit imports an SD card, batch-applies IPTC/XMP, compares series and hands ratings to Lightroom. Photo Mechanic keeps the edge for Live Ingest, advanced variables and Plus DAM.
- Does Photo Mechanic have AI culling?
- No — it's fast manual browsing from the embedded previews; you judge every frame. Cullit adds the AI read (sharpness, eyes, smile). That's the core difference.
- Is Cullit cheaper than Photo Mechanic?
- It depends how you buy. Cullit's subscription is lower upfront and lower per year — $71.88/year against $149. But Photo Mechanic also sells a one-time license ($299) that costs less over many years. Different models.
- Do my picks reach Lightroom Classic?
- Yes. Cullit writes star ratings and color labels into standard XMP sidecars that Lightroom Classic reads on import or through Read Metadata from Files.
- Does Cullit handle metadata before Lightroom?
- Yes. Edit IPTC/XMP, save presets, batch-apply them and write stars and colors to sidecars. Live Ingest and advanced DAM remain Photo Mechanic strengths.
Try a complete first pass in Cullit.
Start from an SD card, decide in the grid, compare each series and open Lightroom on a rated, described set.
14-day free trial · card required · cancel anytime