Comparison

PhotoBackup External vs SD Import

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

Head to head
About

PhotoBackup External

Easily back up your iPhone and iPad photos directly to a USB drive. Secure your memories offline and free up device storage without needing iCloud or a computer. Enjoy full control over your photo library with a simple and reliable solution.

Highlights
  • Direct backup to external USB drives
  • No iCloud or computer required
  • Fast and reliable photo export
  • Clear progress tracking
  • Smart space verification before backup
  • Ideal for large photo libraries
Read full description

PhotoBackup External makes it incredibly easy to back up all your iPhone and iPad photos directly to an external USB drive — no iCloud, no computer, no subscriptions. Whether you want to free up space, secure your memories offline, or create a full archive of your photo library, PhotoBackup External gives you full control over your data. Why users love PhotoBackup External • Direct backup to external drives Connect any compatible USB-C or Lightning external drive and export your entire photo library in just a few taps. • No iCloud required Keep your photos offline, private, and fully under your control. • Fast and reliable export The app scans your library, calculates required space, and safely copies your photos without interruptions. • Clear progress tracking See exactly how many files have been exported and how much time remains. • Smart space check PhotoBackup External verifies available space on the drive before starting the backup, preventing failed transfers. • Perfect for large libraries Ideal for users with tens of thousands of photos who need a simple and dependable solution. Built for privacy Your photos never leave your device. The app performs backup locally and does not upload data anywhere. Simple. Safe. Offline. Free up storage, protect your memories, and keep full ownership of your photo library — all with a single app.

About

SD Import

Easily transfer photos and videos from your camera's SD card directly to your iPhone's photo library. Supports RAW formats and offers smart scanning to organize your media by date, preserving EXIF data. Pro upgrade unlocks unlimited imports and one-tap card cleanup.

Highlights
  • Real-time import progress
  • One-tap card cleanup (Pro)
  • RAW format support
  • Smart scanning for media
  • Date grouping
  • EXIF preservation
  • Storage check before import
Features
Read full description

SD Import is the fastest and simplest tool to import photos and videos from your camera SD card directly to iPhone Photos. Why SD Import? • Real-time import progress — see exactly how fast files are transferring, byte by byte • One-tap card cleanup — delete successfully imported files from your SD card right after importing, freeing space while you're still shooting (Pro) • Deletion with two safeguards — only files verified as fully read and confirmed saved to Photos are removed; failed imports are never deleted, and every deletion needs your confirmation • RAW format support — ARW, CR2, CR3, RAF, NEF and more • Smart scanning — automatically finds photos and videos, hides junk files • Date grouping — browse media organized by shooting date • EXIF preserved — original shooting dates kept intact in your Photos library • Storage check — warns you before import if space is running low How it works: 1. Connect your SD card reader to iPhone 2. Select the SD card directory 3. Pick your photos and videos 4. Tap Import — done! 5. Need space? Clear the imported files off the card in one tap About the delete feature Every file is verified as fully read and successfully saved to your Photos library before it is deleted. Files that failed to import, or that you didn't select, are never touched. Deletion always requires an explicit tap plus a confirmation — nothing is ever deleted automatically. Pro upgrade unlocks unlimited imports and SD card cleanup with a one-time purchase. No subscription, yours forever. Supports Sony, Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, DJI and other major camera brands.

Screenshots

PhotoBackup External4 screens
SD Import4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PhotoBackup External at 4.8 against SD Import's 3.7. PhotoBackup External also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (80% vs 67%). SD Import's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. SD Import sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PhotoBackup External asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PhotoBackup External holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PhotoBackup External has 20 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of PhotoBackup External's written reviews are positive against 67% of SD Import's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PhotoBackup External ships an update weekly, SD Import every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PhotoBackup External versus SD Import: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhotoBackup ExternalSD Import
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (20 ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings20 — better3
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFastask OU海龙 李

Customer experience

PhotoBackup External

All ratings20 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

SD Import

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

PhotoBackup External

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

SD Import

One-time1
  • 解锁无限导入$4.99

Questions

Is PhotoBackup External free?
PhotoBackup External is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SD Import free?
SD Import is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PhotoBackup External or SD Import?
PhotoBackup External is rated higher. PhotoBackup External averages 4.8 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while SD Import averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do PhotoBackup External or SD Import have ads?
Neither PhotoBackup External nor SD Import shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PhotoBackup External or SD Import?
PhotoBackup External ships an update weekly, and SD Import every 2 days. Most recently, PhotoBackup External was updated on October 10, 2026 and SD Import on October 13, 2026.

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