Comparison
Sift vs Kyno and media catalogers.
Catalogers index your files and metadata. Sift looks inside the footage. Here’s how to tell which you need.
In short: Media catalogers such as Kyno, NeoFinder, Peakto and ClipCatalog browse and organize files across drives, often keeping offline drives listed. Sift also keeps offline drives searchable but adds search by what’s on screen and what’s said, which most catalogers rely on you to tag.
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.
| Typical catalogers | Sift Clips | |
|---|---|---|
| Core job | Browse, tag, rate and organize files across drives | Find moments by picture, speech and named people |
| Offline drives | Many keep a list of disconnected drives | Yes, indexed clips stay searchable |
| Search by content | Varies by product; some add AI tagging | Yes, built in |
| Ingest and transcode tools | Kyno does ingest, subclip and export | No: Sift finds footage, it doesn’t offload or transcode |
| Status | Kyno was acquired by Signiant in 2021; current development is unclear from public sources | Actively updated |
Who each suits.
You want to organize, rate, tag, subclip and offload media, or a rule-based catalog of everything.
You want to type what you remember and find the moment, without tagging.
Questions
Is Kyno still sold?
A Capterra listing updated July 2026 still shows a one-time purchase, but we couldn’t confirm current development. Check with the vendor.
What about Hedge?
Hedge is known for offloading and verifying cards, a different job from searching. We haven’t compared it.
Can I use a cataloger and Sift?
Yes. They do different jobs.
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.