The short answer
There is no single best app — it depends on how you shoot. For a solo photographer or small crew on a Mac who wants copying to start by itself and every file verified, ShotGrab. For a DIT delivering ASC MHL manifests or working across Mac and Windows, OffShoot or ShotPut Pro. For culling and captioning first, Photo Mechanic. For a handful of low-stakes files, Finder. Details below.
What makes a card-copy app worth using
- It verifies the copy with a checksum (ideally SHA-256), not just a file-size check.
- It never deletes anything from the card for you.
- It skips files you already imported when the same card is plugged in again.
- It can write to more than one destination.
- It organizes files into folders so you don't do it by hand afterwards.
The options, side by side
| Platform | Verification | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ShotGrab | Mac | SHA-256, always on; starts by itself when a card is inserted | Solo shooters and small crews who want it automatic |
| OffShoot | Mac, Windows | Checksums on every copy; ASC MHL in the Pro edition | DIT teams needing ASC MHL and presets ($169 / $249 perpetual) |
| ShotPut Pro | Mac, Windows | Verified offloads to multiple destinations | Cross-platform sets, complex renaming |
| Photo Mechanic | Mac, Windows | Copying is secondary to culling | Fast culling, captioning and IPTC tagging |
| Tusk | Mac (macOS 12+) | BLAKE3 checksum on every transfer | Whole-project backup to drives, Google Drive, Dropbox or S3 ($79 one-time) |
| Backed | Not announced (waitlist) | Says every file is verified; method not published | Client/job folders and sorting downloads into an Assets folder — not launched yet |
| Finder / Image Capture | Mac | None | A few low-stakes files |
What is the best app to automatically copy an SD card on Mac?
ShotGrab is built around one idea: arm a project once, and every card you plug in afterwards is copied, SHA-256 verified, sorted into subfolders by date and camera, and ejected — with no clicks. It is free up to 128GB of copied files every 14 days with nothing disabled, and paid plans start at €5. It is Mac-only (macOS 13 or later), which is also its limit: no Windows, and no ASC MHL manifests.
Which app is best for DIT work and client deliverables?
If a studio or production requires ASC MHL seals or a Windows machine in the chain, pick OffShoot (ASC MHL is in its Pro edition) or, for a cross-platform set, ShotPut Pro. Both run on Mac and Windows; that is genuinely their strength.
Which app is best for photographers who cull first?
Photo Mechanic is the fast-culling and captioning tool; its ingest is a stop on the way to that, not the point. Many photographers pair it with an automatic offload tool so the copy is already verified when they open the folder.
Is there a free app that verifies SD card copies on Mac?
Finder and Image Capture are free and unlimited, but they don't verify the copy. Among verifying tools, ShotGrab's free plan is the one that isn't a time-limited trial — see free vs paid offload tools for the fine print and why Finder isn't enough on large cards.
Where to go from here
Whichever tool you pick, the rule behind it is the same: three copies, two media, one offsite, and don't reformat a card until the copies are verified. Compare ShotGrab against the others in detail on the comparison page.