Comparison
Sift vs Splayed.
Splayed is a free, early Mac app that searches video, audio and images. Sift is a paid Mac and Windows app with named people, Selects and Link sharing.
In short: Both search footage by what’s on screen and what’s said, on your computer. Splayed is free, runs on Apple Silicon Macs for now, also searches sounds, audio files and PDFs, and takes an image or a clip as a query. Sift is $99 a year after a free trial, runs on Mac and Windows, finds people you name, and adds Selects, Link sharing and panels inside Premiere and Resolve. On a Mac and want free: try Splayed. On Windows, or sending clips to clients: try Sift.
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 22, 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.
| Splayed | Sift Clips | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; its site says some later products will be paid | $99 a year for one computer |
| Trial | Not needed: free | 3 days or 25 searches, no card |
| Computers | Apple Silicon Mac; Windows announced | Apple Silicon Mac (macOS 15+) and Windows 10/11 |
| Searches | Picture, dialogue, sounds, scene descriptions; an image or clip as a query | Picture (Visual), speech (Spoken), named people, notes |
| Files | Video, audio, images, PDFs, text; imports from links such as YouTube | Video and photos in the folders and drives you add |
| Named people | Not described on its site | Name someone once, find their clips |
| Editors | Sends clips to Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve | Panels inside Premiere, Resolve and Final Cut Pro (Resolve tested on Studio 18.6, Final Cut Pro on 12.4) |
| Assistants | Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Gemini and other MCP agents | Claude and ChatGPT desktop apps: search, and save to Selects |
| Selects and sharing | Not described on its site | Selects, and links people can search on a phone |
| Status | Early release | Version 1.0.6 |
Who each suits.
Mac editors who want a free tool, or who need to search sounds, audio-only files or footage from links.
Editors on Windows, or who want named people, Selects and shared links for clients, inside Premiere, Resolve or Final Cut Pro.
Questions
Is Splayed free?
Its site says it’s free with unlimited use, and that some products it builds later will be paid.
Does Splayed run on Windows?
Not yet. Its site says Apple Silicon Macs today, with Windows on the way. Sift runs on Windows 10 and 11 now.
Do both keep footage on my computer?
Both index and search on your computer. Each sends things out only when you ask: Splayed downloads from links you paste and answers AI agents you connect; Sift uploads small copies only for footage you share by link.
Can I try both?
Yes. Splayed is free. Sift: Free for 3 days or 25 searches. No card.
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.