Comparison
Finder and Spotlight vs Sift.
Spotlight is free and already there. It finds files. It doesn’t find the shot inside them.
In short: Use Finder and Spotlight when you know the file name, date or kind. Use Sift when you remember what the shot looked like or what someone said. Apple’s Spotlight documentation describes searching by name, kind and dates; it doesn’t describe searching the pictures or speech inside a video.
No editor needed. Sift works on its own as a desktop app on Mac and Windows: search, preview, build Selects and share footage by link without opening an editor. The editor panels are optional.
Written by the maker of Sift Clips, so read it with that in mind. Other products’ details come from the sources listed, checked October 21, 2026. Features and prices change, so check each vendor before buying. This is a workflow comparison, not a speed or accuracy test.
Side by side.
| Finder and Spotlight | Sift Clips | |
|---|---|---|
| Finds | Files by name, kind, date and metadata | Moments inside clips |
| Search by what’s on screen | No | Yes: Visual |
| Search by what’s said | No | Yes: Spoken |
| Named people | No | Yes |
| Disconnected drives | No: the drive must be connected | Yes, indexed clips stay searchable |
| Cost | Included with macOS | $99 a year; free trial |
Who each suits.
You name files well, or you need a quick look by date or kind.
You search by memory of the shot or the words said, across drives.
Questions
Can Spotlight search inside videos?
Apple’s documentation doesn’t describe it, and we haven’t seen it find a shot by description. Try it on your own Mac.
What about Windows search?
Windows search also finds files by name and metadata. We haven’t tested it on video content, so we make no claim.
Is Sift a replacement?
It complements them: use Finder for files, Sift for moments.
Updated 2026-10-22
Keep reading.
Try it on your own footage.
Free for 3 days or 25 searches. No card. Then $99 a year for one computer, Mac or Windows. Everything in Sift, including the optional editor panels and one free link to share footage.