Comparison

FileFlow vs CardFlow

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FileFlow

This app facilitates instant photo sharing, searching, and downloading for photographers and their clients. It allows for quick delivery of images to clients' devices and seamless sharing via various platforms.

Highlights
  • Search and download photos
  • Instant photo sharing
  • Batch high-resolution downloads
  • Mobile file size optimization
  • Direct sharing via social media and messaging
  • Access personal photo archives
Features
Read full description

FileFlow is an app for PhotoShelter that lets stakeholders, team members, photographers and their clients search, download, upload, and share photos instantly. For PhotoShelter photographers, FileFlow is the best way to get your photos onto a client's iPhone. With this mobile delivery tool, clients can search, download and share invited content on the fly. Plus, it's a lightweight app you can use to access your own archive, post quickly to social media, text photos to clients and more. For PhotoShelter Brands teams, all of your stakeholders can now access your library from their iPhones, and share files instantly via text, social media, Slack, email and more. FileFlow is the last step in a real-time workflow, allowing you to share your best content anytime, anywhere. The app allows users to: - Browse, search and download invited content - Download high resolution files in batch, with the ability to choose a smaller file size for mobile - Quickly share files via social media, messaging, Slack, email and more This app has been tested by hundreds of PhotoShelter for Brands teams, photographers and their clients, and now it’s your turn! Let us know what you think at support@photoshelter.com. P.S. The excitement doesn’t end here – we are already working on the next version of the FileFlow app. In future versions, you’ll be able to: - Download anonymously or via password - Set permissions, quick send files, and take other actions you would take on your desktop - Upload files **You’ll need an active PhotoShelter account; requires login via username and password.**

About

CardFlow

Features
Read full description

CardFlow: FTP is the iPhone companion for assignment photographers who need to receive, caption, and send frames from the sideline—without lugging a laptop. Your camera sends photographs over FTP while CardFlow: FTP runs on your iPhone. Files land in a job folder. On the break, cull and tag selects, apply professional IPTC with templates and code replacement, make quick exposure and color adjustments, then deliver via FTP, Share sheet, or export to a folder. BUILT FOR DEADLINE WORK • Built-in FTP server tuned for Canon EOS R3 and similar camera FTP clients • Works on a travel-router LAN or iPhone Personal Hotspot • Live server status, camera connection indicator, and receive log • Compact job contact sheet for dozens to low hundreds of frames • Full IPTC editor with XMP templates, snapshot paste, autocomplete, and code replacement • Quick Edit: exposure, highlights, shadows, contrast, saturation, color temperature, crop, straighten • Separate send queue—tap photos to queue without changing ingest tags • Copy or move finished batches to an archive folder for the next half • Ingest from a card reader via Files when you are off the FTP workflow • Deliver via FTP, Mail, AirDrop, Messages, or export to a folder you choose PROFESSIONAL METADATA • Writes IPTC to JPG and matching XMP sidecars for RAW companions • Batch caption selected frames with shared fields, then refine individually • Code replacement for roster and event strings HONEST LIMITATIONS • FTP receive runs while the app is in the foreground on the Receive tab—keep CardFlow: FTP open while shooting • Standard FTP is not encrypted; use networks you trust • CFexpress Type B cards usually need a powered USB hub before Files can see the volume CardFlow: FTP is a one-time purchase app from 3PM Studios. Introductory price No account, cloud library, or subscription required. Your photographs stay on your iPhone and destinations you choose unless you send them. Also available: CardFlow Photo Workflow for Mac and iPad—the full assignment workflow with multi-card ingest and larger jobs. ```

Screenshots

FileFlow4 screens
CardFlow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: FileFlow at Free against CardFlow's $29.99. FileFlow also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). CardFlow's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 weeks). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

FileFlow is free to download; CardFlow costs $29.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FileFlow ships an update every 5 weeks, CardFlow every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
FileFlow versus CardFlow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFileFlowCardFlow
PriceFree — better$29.99
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews41.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhotoShelter3PM Studios

In-app purchases

None

FileFlow

No in-app purchases

None

CardFlow

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FileFlow free?
FileFlow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CardFlow free?
CardFlow costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do FileFlow or CardFlow have ads?
Neither FileFlow nor CardFlow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FileFlow or CardFlow?
FileFlow ships an update every 5 weeks, and CardFlow every 5 days. Most recently, FileFlow was updated on September 25, 2026 and CardFlow on October 3, 2026.

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