Tidy up your media with the top 14 best photo library programs
Do you handle a lot of photos and visuals?
Photo library software could save the day and prevent you from verging on a nervous breakdown with every iconographic😤 search.
Photo library applications and software do several things at once: store your photos, of course, but also classify, index and sometimes rework them a little.
But there's no need to invest in a gas factory if all you need is a simple visual search engine!
To help you find the software that's right for you, here are the top 14 best photo library programs.
Photo library software: what's in it for the company?
The accumulation of photos and multimedia files on corporate servers is bad for both the environment and productivity. Digital overstocking consumes energy unnecessarily and reduces the company's carbon footprint.
What's more, the lack of efficient management of image, video and audio files wastes time searching for the right visual.
Setting up a photo library is an essential solution for streamlining the use of multimedia files, for a number of reasons:
- everything is centralized in a single tool, so you don't have to identify the location of the image or video in order to use it;
- each file is classified and indexed using keywords, making it easy to find using a search engine🔍 ;
- the photo library also makes it easy to manage copyright and visual usage rights, as well as image rights.
💡 Most photo library software is considered DAM (Digital Asset Management) intended for digital asset management.
ACDSee
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, image professionals.
ACDSee is efficient photo library software for managing, organizing and storing digital assets.
It uses artificial intelligence to sort photos, with facial recognition and geolocation functions. The software supports the RAW format so popular with photographers, and enables images to be edited and retouched.
You can import images from Picasa and Lightroom, but also access your photos without importing. The software also handles batch retouching, which comes in handy when you have several images to process!
👍 The benefits
- Free updates, numerous tutorials and useful tips for beginners,
- Import from Picasa and Lightroom,
- Batch image processing,
- Synchronization with your phone,
- RAW support for over 550 digital camera models.
ACDSee Photo Studio
Adobe Bridge
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Corporations, imaging professionals and photographers.
Adobe Bridge is the photo library software in the Adobe suite for previewing, editing and organizing photos.
Tags, keywords and categories can be added to metadata to enable filtered classification and searching.
Integration with the Adobe suite is the strong point of this DAM software, since photos can be opened in Creative Cloud, published on Adobe Stock or edited with Photoshop. That's why this software is often used in companies involved in graphic design or photography.
Last but not least, Bridge lets you view photos as thumbnails without opening them, which is a significant time-saver.
👍 The benefits
- Free with Creative Cloud subscription,
- Export or rename files in batches,
- On-demand metadata generation,
- Creation of PDF contact sheets (portfolio).
Alphasia
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Large companies, local authorities.
Alphasia is a full web (SaaS) media library solution for organizing image collections (videos, images, sounds, documents). It has been developed by the French company Agelia (FIGA Group).
The photo library features intuitive file classification and simple indexing assisted by artificial intelligence.
Available in full web multi-support, this platform can be integrated as a white label, with no limits on size or number of files.
Images can be geotagged and made available internally or externally.
👍 Advantages
- French and multilingual software,
- All file types accepted, with no storage or user limits,
- Unlimited number of customizable indexing fields,
- Download authorization management,
- Automatic image indexing.
Aprimo
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, image professionals.
Developed by Teradata Corporation, Aprimo is a SaaS DAM software designed for B2B and B2C companies.
Focused on improving the customer experience, Aprimo facilitates the work of marketing teams, retailers and creative professionals.
The platform offers metadata management and resource sharing, as well as workflow management and access permissions.
Digital files are stored in a single location, making them easy to find and exploit.
👍 The benefits
- Advanced features for sharing with customers,
- Simple, intuitive user interface,
- Integration with other Aprimo solutions,
- Preview videos and images without opening them.
Asset Bank
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Large companies, image professionals.
Asset Bank is a DAM software package designed to manage and organize all your corporate multimedia files.
Developed by Bright, a British company, it supports all file formats, including video, audio, images and documents.
You can upload files in bulk and send links to external service providers. The software also detects duplicates and integrates APIs for implementation in different solutions, notably a Wordpress site.
Finally, Asset Bank offers flexible metadata with free fields to optimize indexing.
👍 The benefits
- Fine-tuned management of file access and use rights,
- Automatic tagging with artificial intelligence,
- Saves searches,
- File conversion for download,
- External sharing of galleries and files.
Brandfolder
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Large, small and medium-sized companies.
Brandfolder is a popular digital asset management software.
It lets you store, organize and share images, videos and other files via a cloud platform.
Regularly backed-up, storage space is unlimited for each customer.
Files are indexable by artificial intelligence using facial recognition and geolocation.
👍 The benefits
- Management of HD video, images and 3D,
- Multiple possibilities for organizing visuals,
- Ability to find similar images thanks to artificial intelligence,
- Streamlined design,
- Possibility of inviting users (e.g. customers) free of charge.
Brandfolder
DigiKam
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, large corporations.
Free and open source, DigiKam software is considered one of the best for managing, sorting and classifying photos. It can manage over 100,000 images in RAW or photo format.
Photos can be imported according to different scenarios that you set yourself. Metadata, comments and tags can be customized, making it easy to find photos according to precise criteria.
DigiKam can also decode RAW files from the latest camera models, thanks to a regularly updated library.
👍 The benefits
- Open source and free to use,
- Allows coding of custom plugins,
- Compatible with macOS, Windows and Linux,
- Storage on local or remote server,
- "Similarity" function detects duplicates.
Ephoto Dam
🙋♀️ Who is it for? SMEs and large corporations.
Ephoto Dam is a comprehensive DAM software package that supports the media content management needs of large organizations.
With just a few clicks, you can import, search and share all your digital assets, even very large volumes, and collaborate easily on your creations. With Ephoto Dam, you can also administer your content, for example, by setting user access rights or managing rights assignment contracts.
To make your processes more fluid, the solution integrates with numerous tools, via plugins for the Adobe CC suite, Akeneo PIM, Microsoft Office and Wordpress and Drupal CMS.
👍 The benefits
- Numerous extensions available for your business applications,
- Mobile application for working on the move,
- Various media search modes: contextual facets, similarity, geolocation, etc..,
- Direct publication on social networks,
- Automatic file indexing.
Image Relay
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, large corporations.
Image Relay is a cloud-based photo library software that lets you upload, organize and manage your multimedia files.
This SaaS software, created in 2002, is scalable and offers a range of functions, including presentation and conversion of multimedia files. It can be installed as a fully white-labeled application, integrating APIs for implementation with your other programs, such as a PIM.
Available only in English, it supports many other retouching and editing programs.
👍 The benefits
- API integration,
- Ease of use and intuitive platform,
- Possibility of making the photo library available to customers or suppliers,
- Online availability (Saas software) with no need to download applications.
Libris DAM
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Large companies, image professionals.
Libris DAM is one of the best DAM software packages on the market. With its cloud-based platform, it lets you upload and store multimedia files on which different people can collaborate.
Its storage and management capabilities make it a particularly robust and powerful tool.
Libris DAM also lets you modify photo resolution, format and other data directly online.
The software is easy to use and intuitive. It lets you share files without having to download them.
👍 The benefits
- Cloud-based Saas platform with powerful access controls,
- Photo and video content management and online sharing,
- Conversion and resizing on the platform,
- Individual configuration of each gallery.
Phraseanet
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, large corporations.
Phraseanet is also a free, open-source photo library software for managing your digital files. Developed by Alchemy, the tool can be downloaded and configured to suit your needs. You can add functionality by coding plugins or downloading them from the site.
A community of experts and users, as well as SaaS services, are available for support.
What's more, Phraseanet offers all the functionalities expected of a photo library: indexing, annotation, validation, publication... Searches can be made in full text or by keywords.
👍 The benefits
- Open-source, customizable software,
- Import documents individually or in batches,
- Publication to external sites (video streaming, social networks, etc.),
- Resource access and authorization control,
- Software in SaaS mode, compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux and available on various browsers (Firefox, Chrome...).
Phraseanet
Pics.io
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, large corporations.
Pics.io is easy-to-use digital asset management software. Available as a SaaS model, files are uploaded and managed in the cloud.
Pics.io enables search and filtering, access control and filing of individual files. Documents are synchronized in the cloud and can be easily integrated with other software such as Slack or Google Drive.
Artificial intelligence enables files to be tagged for easier indexing and searching (dynamic tagging).
👍 The benefits
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface,
- Easy to set up,
- Several price levels depending on the number of users,
- File sharing and collaboration between team members,
- Seamless integration with Google Drive.
Pics.io
Piwigo
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, image professionals.
Piwigo is an open source online photo library available for download or cloud hosting.
It offers full functionality: album hierarchy, batch management, access control, etc.
As the code is open, you can configure the application as you wish by adding plugins. Photos can be transferred via web, FTP or a remote application.
👍 The benefits
- Easy to install and update,
- Pleasant user interface, encouraging comments and notes,
- Automatic import of metadata,
- Integration with APIs in various environments (Wordpress, Lightroom...).
Wikipixel
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Image professionals, small and medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, local authorities.
Wikipixel is a professional solution for managing digital media in the cloud: image, photo, 3D, video, map and audio files, etc. Centralized in one place, these media are indexed and accessible from any web browser.
This DAM software also manages copyright and access rights, and enables files to be shared online for collaboration between different teams or with customers. It can also be used as a document management system (DMS).
The solution is developed by a French company, Provencemédia, based near Avignon.
👍 The benefits
- French company and responsive support,
- Batch editing,
- Integrated instant messaging,
- File archiving and sharing.
Zoner Photo Studio
🙋♀️ Who is it for? Entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, beginners.
Zoner Photo Studio X is a photo library software with classic photo management and editing functions. Files are automatically sorted into folders as soon as they are imported, and you can add labels, descriptions and keywords.
The integrated photo editor facilitates retouching with intelligent layers and filters.
The software's strong point is to facilitate direct sharing on social networks, but also to enable the creation of media (photo book, canvas print, calendar...).
👍 The benefits
- Integration with the most popular clouds (Google Drive, OneDrive and DropBox),
- Ability to create print media from photos,
- Preset filters and layers for easy retouching,
- Sharing on social networks.
In conclusion
There are so many photo library and Digital Asset Management software packages on the market, it's hard to get your head around them 🤪.
Most of them offer trial versions or demonstrations: so don't deprive yourself of them to find out which solution best suits your needs!
Article translated from French
Currently Editorial Manager, Jennifer Montérémal joined the Appvizer team in 2019. Since then, she's been putting her expertise in web copywriting, copywriting and SEO optimization to work for the company, with her sights set on reader satisfaction 😀 !
Trained as a medievalist, Jennifer took a break from castles and manuscripts to discover her passion for content marketing. She took away from her studies the skills expected of a good copywriter: understanding and analyzing the subject, rendering the information, with a real mastery of the pen (without systematically resorting to a certain AI 🤫).
An anecdote about Jennifer? She distinguished herself at Appvizer with her karaoke skills and boundless knowledge of musical nanars 🎤.