Updated Nov 5, 2026, from what MacPip lists today.
MacPip lists 6 photo apps for Mac, and a person has checked 4 of them.4 of them have a free version.3 of them sell a one-time license.2 of them are paid by subscription.There is no single best photo app for everyone, so MacPip does not rank them.If you want it free, start with GearDex.
Apps a person checked come first, newest check first. Never ordered by payment.
| App | What it does | Price | Free or paid | Apple silicon | Open source | Made by | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GearDex | Camera gear inventory, shoots and client work in one app | Free for 25 items, Pro $4/mo | Free versionSubscription | Not stated | No | Dylan Andersen | Nov 3 |
| PixelLoupe | A raw photo editor and catalog for the Mac. | Free | Free version | Not stated | No | Pixegen | Nov 3 |
| Phoaly | Local-first Mac photo organizer with on-device search | Trial, then $19 or $29 | One-time | Not stated | No | Phoaly | Nov 3 |
| Lumen | A fast, focused photo viewer for people who keep photos in folders. | $9.99 once, 7-day free trial | One-time | Not stated | No | Papermint Studio | Oct 31 |
| Featherview | Free, open-source, keyboard-driven image viewer for macOS with batch conversion. | Free | Free version | Yes, and Intel, its maker says | Yes | Joachim Rütter | Pending |
| Beavery | Turn one video into Live Photos, GIFs and full-quality stills | Free; Pro $3.99/yr or $6.99 lifetime | Free versionOne-timeSubscription | Yes, and Intel, its maker says | No | SaveTimeForFun | Pending |
Camera gear inventory, shoots and client work in one app
Made by Dylan AndersenWebsiteOn XFrom its maker: GearDex is a camera gear inventory and business app for photographers and studios. Every item holds brand, model, serial, photos, price, value, condition and location.
A raw photo editor and catalog for the Mac.
From its maker: A raw photo editor and catalog for the Mac. Free and open source.
Local-first Mac photo organizer with on-device search
From its maker: Phoaly is a local-first photo organizer for Mac. It reads your existing folders in place, no importing, no uploading, no account.
A fast, focused photo viewer for people who keep photos in folders.
From its maker: A fast, focused photo viewer for people who keep photos in folders. Opens 25+ formats including RAW, WebP and JPEG XL.
Free, open-source, keyboard-driven image viewer for macOS with batch conversion.
From its maker: Free, open-source, keyboard-driven image viewer for macOS with batch conversion. The next photo is ready before you ask for it.
Turn one video into Live Photos, GIFs and full-quality stills
Made by SaveTimeForFunWebsiteOn XFrom its maker: Shoot video at concerts and on trips, then pick the moments later. Beavery turns any part of a video into a Live Photo, a GIF or a full-quality photo, keeping HDR, sound and the original date and place.
Look for whether it works with your Photos library or with folders, RAW support, and whether edits are non-destructive.
There is no single best one for everyone. MacPip lists 6: GearDex, PixelLoupe, Phoaly, Lumen, Featherview, Beavery. If you want it free, look at GearDex. If you would rather pay once than subscribe, look at Phoaly.
Yes. With a free version on MacPip: GearDex, PixelLoupe, Featherview, Beavery.
With a one-time option, so you can avoid a subscription: Phoaly, Lumen, Beavery.
By their makers' word or by our check: Featherview, Beavery.
Each has a dated report on its page: GearDex, PixelLoupe, Phoaly, Lumen.
Apps a person has checked come first, newest check first, then the rest by when they were added. Payment never changes the order, and sponsored rows are labeled and kept apart.
