Best Race Photo Tagging Software in 2026: 8 Tools Compared

Why This Comparison Exists

I'm Federico, founder of RaceTagger. Yes, I built one of the tools in this list. But I also spent years as a motorsport photographer, and I know how frustrating it is to pick the wrong software. So here's the deal: I'll be transparent about where RaceTagger wins AND where competitors might be a better fit for your specific situation. You can make your own call.

Quick Overview: The 8 Tools

Detailed Comparison

RaceTagger

What it does: Desktop app that detects race numbers using AI, matches them to your CSV participant list, and writes IPTC/EXIF metadata directly to your files. Works with RAW and JPEG.

Strengths:

• Runs locally — your photos never leave your computer (NDA-safe)
• CSV matching is a killer feature: import a starting list, and detected numbers auto-match to driver names, teams, categories
• Writes metadata that Photo Mechanic, Lightroom, and Capture One can read natively
• Works offline (critical at remote race venues with no WiFi)
• One-time purchase option — no monthly subscriptions
• Multi-sport: motorsport, running, cycling, triathlon

Limitations:

• Requires a reasonably modern computer for local processing
• Newer tool (launched October 2025) — smaller community than established platforms
• Detection requires internet for AI processing (sends crops, not full images)

Best for: Professional motorsport and race photographers who process large batches (500-5,000+ photos per event), need privacy compliance, and want to own their workflow without monthly subscriptions.

Pricing: Free tier (100 analyses/month). One-time packs: Starter €39, Pro €119, Business €299. Tokens never expire.

TrackAction.AI

What it does: Desktop application focused on motorsport that identifies vehicles using local AI, then sends cropped sections to cloud for race number recognition. Writes XMP keywords to files.

Strengths:

• Privacy-conscious approach (only uploads small vehicle crops, not full images)
• XMP keyword writing works with Lightroom, Photo Mechanic, Capture One
• Multi-core parallel processing
• Established changelog and development history

Limitations:

• Monthly subscription model — costs add up over time
• Cloud processing required for number recognition (needs internet)
• Motorsport-focused only (not designed for running or cycling)
• Credit-based system means you pay per analysis every month

Best for: Motorsport photographers who prefer subscription flexibility and don't mind cloud-dependent number recognition.

Pricing: $10/mo (1,000 credits) to $299/mo (50,000 credits). One-time packs available ($9-89). Free trial: 100 credits.

TagMyRun

What it does: Free web-based service that detects bib numbers in race photos and exports metadata as CSV, JSON, or XMP.

Strengths:

• Completely free — no signup required
• Multiple export formats (CSV, JSON, XMP)
• Integrates with SmugMug, Zenfolio, PhotoShelter
• Privacy-focused (no biometric data, photos deleted after processing)
• No installation needed

Limitations:

• Cloud-only (you upload photos to their servers)
• Batch limit of 1,000 photos per upload
• No CSV participant matching (detects numbers but doesn't match to names)
• No local processing option
• Free service — development resources may be limited

Best for: Marathon and running photographers on a tight budget who need basic bib detection without participant matching.

Pricing: 100% free. Accepts voluntary donations.

Tagomatic

What it does: Free desktop app for motorsport photography using local AI for vehicle detection and OCR for race number reading. Processes entirely offline.

Strengths:

• Completely free (no limits, no subscriptions)
• 100% local processing — zero cloud dependency
• PDF timing sheet integration
• Standard metadata writing

Limitations:

• Focused primarily on motorcycle racing
• Pro version not yet released (coming on Steam)
• Minimal marketing/documentation — harder to evaluate
• Small user base and community

Best for: Motorcycle racing photographers who want a free, offline tool and don't need CSV matching or multi-sport support.

Pricing: Free forever. Pro version pricing TBD.

FlashFrame

What it does: Two-sided marketplace connecting race photographers with race directors. Uses AI tagging to organize photos by athlete for race events.

Strengths:

• Strong media coverage (Runner's World, Business Insider)
• Marketplace model — potential for photo sales revenue
• No separate tagging fees within the platform
• Established presence in endurance racing

Limitations:

• Marketplace model — you're tied to their platform for photo distribution
• Not a standalone tagging tool (it's a full ecosystem)
• Focused on endurance events (marathons, triathlons)
• Less control over your workflow

Best for: Race photographers who want a complete platform for shooting, tagging, AND selling race photos — not just tagging.

Pricing: Transaction-based (details not publicly disclosed).

Tagily

What it does: Cloud-based AI bib recognition service, often integrated into platforms like RunSignup. Detects bib numbers with manual refinement options.

Strengths:

• Integration with major platforms (RunSignup, SmugMug, Zenfolio, Flickr)
• Visual similarity search
• Specialized cycling bib mode
• Handles challenging conditions (crowds, occlusion, motion blur)

Limitations:

• Pricing not publicly disclosed
• Cloud-only processing
• Primarily available through platform partnerships
• Less standalone flexibility

Best for: Photographers already using RunSignup or similar platforms who want integrated bib detection within their existing workflow.

Pricing: Not disclosed (free trial available via contact).

Any Vision (Lightroom Plugin)

What it does: Adobe Lightroom plugin that uses Google Gemini and Google Cloud Vision for general photo analysis and keywording. Not sport-specific, but can extract text (including bib numbers) from photos.

Strengths:

• One-time purchase ($14.95) — extremely affordable
• Lives inside Lightroom (no separate app)
• Flexible AI backends (Gemini or Cloud Vision)
• General-purpose — works for any photo type, not just racing

Limitations:

• Not designed for race photography (no CSV matching, no race-specific detection)
• Requires manual prompting for bib extraction
• Google API costs (small but ongoing)
• No automated participant matching
• No batch race number workflow

Best for: General photographers who occasionally shoot races and want a cheap, flexible keywording tool that lives inside Lightroom.

Pricing: $14.95 one-time. Google API: free tier + pennies per 1,000 photos.

FotoSort (FlowSort)

What it does: Web-based app that automatically organizes motorcycle racing and trackday photos by rider using AI visual grouping.

Strengths:

• Completely free
• Cross-platform (browser-based)
• Drag-and-drop refinement
• No installation needed

Limitations:

• Motorcycle-only
• No bib/number detection (groups by visual similarity)
• No metadata writing
• No CSV matching

Best for: Motorcycle trackday photographers who need quick visual grouping by rider, not detailed metadata tagging.

Pricing: Free.

Decision Matrix: Which Tool Should You Pick?

Choose RaceTagger if:

• You shoot motorsport, running, OR cycling (multi-sport)
• You process 500-5,000+ photos per event
• You need CSV participant matching (driver names, teams, categories)
• Privacy matters (NDA clients, local processing)
• You prefer one-time purchase over subscriptions
• You use Photo Mechanic, Lightroom, or Capture One

Choose TrackAction.AI if:

• You shoot exclusively motorsport
• You prefer monthly subscription flexibility
• You want an established tool with longer track record
• You're okay with cloud-dependent number recognition

Choose TagMyRun if:

• You shoot marathons/running events only
• Budget is zero — you need free
• Basic bib detection is enough (no CSV matching needed)
• You don't mind uploading photos to cloud

Choose Tagomatic if:

• You shoot motorcycle racing specifically
• You want 100% offline, free processing
• You can wait for Pro features

Choose FlashFrame if:

• You want a complete marketplace (shoot + tag + sell)
• You shoot endurance events (marathons, triathlons)
• You want platform-assisted photo sales

Choose Any Vision if:

• You shoot races occasionally (not your primary genre)
• You want a cheap, general-purpose Lightroom plugin
• You don't need automated participant matching

The Bottom Line

There's no single "best" tool — it depends on what you shoot, how many photos you process, whether privacy matters, and how much you want to pay.

For high-volume professional photographers working across multiple racing disciplines, the tools that offer CSV participant matching, metadata writing, and workflow integration (RaceTagger, TrackAction.AI) save the most time.

For budget-conscious photographers shooting occasional running events, free tools like TagMyRun and Tagomatic get the job done.

For race directors and event organizers, marketplace platforms like FlashFrame handle the entire photo distribution chain.

My bias: I built RaceTagger because the existing tools didn't solve my problem as a motorsport photographer. I needed local processing, CSV matching, and EXIF writing in one place. If you have the same needs, give it a try — the free tier lets you test with 100 photos before committing anything.

Last updated: February 2026. Have I missed a tool or got something wrong? Email me at info@racetagger.cloud — I'll update this comparison.