Digital asset management software will help your photography business store, organize, find, retrieve, and share your digital content catalog. Making it easier to stay on track with your photography business. You will have access to features with permission controls, rights management, and asset performance analytics. Finding the right one can be difficult, so I constructed a list of the best digital asset management software for you.
9 Best Asset Management Software for Photographers
- Adobe Bridge – Best for Batch Processing
- Adobe Lightroom Classic – Best for Smart File Management
- ACDSee – Best for Multiple Cameras
- Filecamp – Best for Custom Branding
- iMatch – Best Professional Tool for Search and Access
- Photo Mechanic – Deep Metadata Capabilities
- MediaValet – Best for Beginners
- WebDAM – Best Reliable and Efficient Digital Management
- Widen Collective – Best for Configuration and Customization
1. Adobe Bridge – Best for Batch Processing
PRICING: Free trial. Custom-quoted
If you’re in the market to have software that previews, systematizations, edits, and has photo publish functions, then Adobe Bridge is the right fit for you. The software has a batch editing system called Adobe Portfolio where you have a complete preview, enabling you to create a platform with assets.
KEY FEATURES:
- Dynamic video thumbnails
- Bulk workflows
- Substance 3D support
- Enhanced video support
- Industry-leading photo editing
- Export options for publishing work
REASONS TO BUY:
- Metadata editing
- Batch processing
- Search filters
- XMP technology
- Automation processes with photoshop
- Works well in combination with other Adobe products
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Need cache the entire library to work faster
- Takes up space on a computer
- User interface could be friendlier
- Can be slow
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2. Adobe Lightroom Classic – Best for Smart File Management
PRICING: Starting at $9.99/per month.
Adobe Lightroom Classic is for intelligent file management that enables you to sell your pictures and preview them from multiple devices. It also allows you to find an image that meets your criteria. The software enables you to manually add copyright information and signatures to help protect your work.
KEY FEATURES:
REASONS TO BUY:
- Photo management and organization
- Camera and lens-based corrections
- Brush and gradient adjustments with color and luminance masking
- Face detection and tagging
- Plug-in support
- Connected mobile apps
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Initial raw conversion is more detailed
- Requires subscription
- More suitable for editing tasks
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3. ACDSee – Best for Multiple Cameras
PRICING: Starting at $59.99/per month.
ACDSee is for multiple cameras and is one of the oldest and most reputable photo catalog software. It stores your backups in any file location of your choice, and you can create a backup schedule by setting dates. Your asset will not be lost if something goes wrong with your PC.
KEY FEATURES:
- Digital asset management and productivity
- Photo editing tools
- Layered editing tools
- Backup processing
- Backup copies
- Facial recognition
- Expanded metadata
REASONS TO BUY:
- Supports multiple formats
- Cross-platform
- OneDrive integration
- Organizes images
- Easy to use
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Lack in updates
- App crashes when browsing through folders containing multiple videos
- Too cluttered UI
- Basic lens-profile-based picture editing features
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4. Filecamp – Best for Custom Branding
PRICING: Starts at $29/per month.
Filecamp is for custom branding and is a photo organizing software that helps you manage your assets. You can share videos and brand guidelines while assigning different access rights to users. It will enable you to create a media portal for distributors all over the globe or send downloaded links to your team members.
KEY FEATURES:
- Granular access
- Multiple themes
- Keywords/tags
- Pages
- Security
- Request file links
- Collections
- Auto tags
- Labels
- White labels
- Custom thumbnails
- Downloads
REASONS TO BUY:
- Different file vaults
- Custom permissions
- Customization and branding options
- Well-thought-out UI
- Reliable tech support
- For companies of all sizes
- Easy to use
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Doesn’t allow previewing .doc files
- Generic search terms
- Does not offer a place for an invite message
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5. iMatch – Best Professional Tool for Search and Access
PRICING: Free trial available. Starting at $129/one-time.
iMatch is a professional tool for search and access that enables you to manage, search, preview, edit, and convert images, audio files, video clips, PDF files, and other digital assets. It helps you organize files in your device’s storage, so you don’t need to transfer them.
KEY FEATURES:
- Asset categorization
- Asset library
- File conversion
- Metadata management
- Reporting/analytics
- Search/filter
- Version control
- Workflow management
REASONS TO BUY:
- File conversion tool
- Built-in processing features
- Stacking
- Customized to your liking
- Extensible with scripts and apps
- Easy to use
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Difficult-to-master for novices
- Doesn’t run on Mac OS
- Can be complex
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6. Photo Mechanic – Best for Deep Metadata Capabilities
PRICING: Custom-quoted.
Photo Mechanic is for deep metadata capabilities that will help you tag and browse your digital assets. It enables you to quickly import files from your camera, preview files, select files, and tag images with different types of IPTC metadata.
KEY FEATURES:
- Contact sheet
- Preview raw files fast
- Keywords
- Variables
- Batch editing
- Move, copy, and rename
- Code replacements
- GPS coordinates
- Adjust capture dates and times
- Pick the best of the bunch
REASONS TO BUY:
- Quick photo import
- Effective metadata capabilities
- Direct upload to customary services
- Tools for adding keywords
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Inconvenient cropping preview
- No stacks
- Does not integrate with Google
- Interface is not very intuitive
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7. MediaValet – Best for Beginners
PRICING: Custom-quoted.
MediaValet is great for beginners that need a cloud-based global network that operates purely over the internet. It has extensive sharing options and allows for safe browsing of permission-based categories. You can boost your sales and find the latest media files.
KEY FEATURES:
- Organizing
- Searching
- Downloading
- Version control and history
- Sharing
- Access control
REASONS TO BUY:
- Safe file sharing
- Neat interface
- Archive versions
- Global cloud service
- Collaborative work features
- Quick search tools
- 24/7 customer support
REASONS TO AVOID:
- No advanced synchronization options
- Limited number of collaborative work tools
- Slow downloading speed
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8. WebDAM – Best Reliable and Efficient Digital Management
PRICING: Custom-quoted.
WebDAM is a reliable and efficient digital management software that is powerful and reliable for organizing your media files. It provides you with helpful tools and speeds up workflow. You will have the ability to manipulate sharing, managing, and sorting.
KEY FEATURES:
- Complete mobility
- Shutterstock integration
- Scheduled publishing
- Robust analytics
- Auto-detect language
- Direct publishing
- Download rules
- Adobe connector
- Custom metadata
- File conversion and cropping
REASONS TO BUY:
- Appealing thumbnails
- Search by keywords
- Expanded sharing options
- Easy to use
- Great customer service
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Runs out of cloud storage space
- Zip files before downloading
- Runs slow at times
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9. Widen Collective – Best for Configuration and Customization
PRICING: Custom-quoted.
Widen Collective is for configuration and customization designed for marketers, salespeople, and partners who constantly need to update media content. You will be able to share, manage, and distribute photos and other content on the internet. It has flexible metadata models and valuable search features.
KEY FEATURES:
- Centralize
- Organize
- Enrich
- Access
- Deliver
- Automate
- Administrate
- Mobile
REASONS TO BUY:
- Metadata and tagging
- User-friendly navigation
- Online knowledge base
- DAM houses all images in one catalog and online
- Ability to convert assets to other formats
- Quick and easy to use
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Tricky to find documentation
- Difficult to customize fields
- Difficult to search for previous items
- Lack in functionality
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References & Links
- https://www.adobe.com/products/bridge.html
- https://www.trustradius.com/products/adobe-bridge/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons#reviews
- https://www.adobe.com/
- https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-photoshop-lightroom-classic/reviews#reviews
- https://www.acdsee.com/en/index/
- https://www.g2.com/products/acdsee/reviews#reviews
- https://filecamp.com/
- https://www.g2.com/products/filecamp/reviews#survey-response-4612877
- https://www.photools.com/imatch/
- https://www.capterra.com/p/126559/IMatch/reviews/?featureDD=on
- https://home.camerabits.com/
- https://www.g2.com/products/photo-mechanic/reviews#reviews
- https://www.mediavalet.com/
- https://www.g2.com/products/mediavalet/reviews#reviews
- https://www.bynder.com/en/webdam/
- https://www.g2.com/products/bynder-webdam/reviews#reviews
- https://www.widen.com/
- https://www.softwareadvice.com/cms/widen-collective-profile/reviews/