Field2Fan requires a $199+ Hub, a battery pack, an iPhone or iPad, and $19.99/month. Sideline lets you go from camera to client in seconds with just a link – no expensive hardware required.
No $199 Hub. No extra battery.
Clients open a link - no app required.
Supports JPG and RAW
$14.99/month. AI captions and rosters included.
500 free AI captions · $0 today · Cancel anytime
Trusted by world-class photographers from these leagues and organizations
At a glance
Field2Fan sends JPGs to a $199 Hub, then to an iPhone app. You also need a USB battery pack to pwoer the hub. That means more equipment to lug around, more batteries to charge, and a more complicated setup.
Sideline Live is dead-simple software. Just type credentials into your camera, and you're ready to deliver. No extra hardware. No app for your clients to download. Plus, you can send RAW files, have AI generate captions for you, and get roster files for 16 sports and 340+ leagues - all for just $14.99/month
Feature comparison
Last updated September 2026
| Feature |  Sideline Live |
 Field2Fan |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware & setup | ||
| Works without a dedicated Hub box | |  Requires $199 Hub |
| No extra USB battery pack required | | Battery pack required |
| Photographer can work without iPhone/iPad | | Requires iPhone or iPad |
| Delivery & access | ||
| Galleries work on any phone or computer | | iOS app only |
| Clients do not need an app | | App required |
| Android fans can view photos | | iPhone only |
| Photos stay after the event | |  ~48 hours then wiped |
| Formats beyond JPG | JPG + RAW previews | JPG only |
| IPTC / watermarks / event analytics | | |
| Workflow & sales | ||
| AI sports captions | | Not available |
| Generate code replacement files | | Not available |
| Sell images on the platform | | Off-platform (Venmo, etc.) |
| Published monthly price | $14.99 | $19.99 |
| What you pay to start |
$0 14-day free trial, then $14.99/month Start Free Trial |
$199 Hub + $19.99/month Limited quantities available at $199, then price goes up. Not to mention the battery pack you have to buy. |
Hardware & setup
Works without a dedicated Hub box
Requires $199 HubNo extra USB battery pack
Battery requiredClients do not need an app
App requiredJPG only
Sports
Hockey, softball, tennis, rugby, and more
“Other” onlyCost
Real-world scenarios
Same job. Extra box and apps vs. FTP and a link.
| What you need | |
F2F |
|---|---|---|
| No extra Hub to buy or charge | | |
| Roster files | | |
| AI captions | | |
| No hardware to buy first | | |
| macOS captioning app | | |
Why Sideline wins: Shoot, FTP, caption, and deliver. No $199 box. $14.99/month vs $19.99 plus hardware.
| What you need | |
F2F |
|---|---|---|
| Parents open a link (no app) | | |
| Android families can view photos | | |
| Galleries that stay after the game | | |
| Sell images to other parents | | |
| Hockey, softball, tennis coverage | | |
Why Sideline wins: Send a link. Field2Fan needs every family on the iPhone app, and photos vanish after about 48 hours.
| What you need | |
F2F |
|---|---|---|
| No extra field hardware | | |
| Web galleries for editors & SID | | |
| Hockey, softball, tennis, rugby, more | | |
| AI captions & rosters | | |
| Starts without buying a Hub | | |
Why Sideline wins: Cover every sport. No iOS-only clients. No Hub for every shooter.
The real price gap
Field2Fan starts with a $199 Hub in limited quantities — then it gets more expensive — plus $19.99/month.
Field2Fan startup stack
Plus iPhone/iPad and a battery. $199 Hub stock is limited, then the price goes up.
Sideline — all-in-one
Sideline Captions
$14.99/mo
Live FTP galleries AI sports captions Rosters & code files Image sales & analytics500 free AI captions · $0 today · Cancel anytime
From photographers who switched
Sideline is game changing. I have told literally everyone in my circle about it. Does everything I need.
"Love what you've created here. Really awesome stuff!"
"Sideline is game changing. I have told literally everyone in my circle about it. Does everything I need."
"I'm amazed, and I'm really happy with how good the results are."
"I really enjoy using Sideline. I think it's going to be the industry standard soon. It has already helped me a ton with my workflow."
"Awesome piece of software."
"I used Sideline for an MLS game recently, and it was absolutely amazing. I was super impressed how quick and accurate the captions were. I used the IPTC template that I created and applied it upon import, so there was no need for me to use Photo Mechanic whatsoever. Sideline has become an indispensable tool for me. Keep up the excellent work!"
Frequently Asked Questions
From Field2Fan’s own FAQ, next to how Sideline works.
Sideline Live is camera FTP into a web gallery for $14.99/month. Field2Fan needs a $199 Hub (limited quantities, then more), a battery pack, an iPhone or iPad, JPG-only files, an iOS app for fans, and $19.99/month.
The Hub starts at $199 in limited quantities and will get more expensive. You also need a USB battery. Ongoing service is currently $19.99/month. Sideline is $14.99/month with a 14-day trial and no Hub.
Yes. Clients get photos in the Field2Fan app for iPhone and iPad. No Android at launch. Sideline galleries open in a browser — no app.
JPG only. No RAW, HEIF, or PNG. Sideline accepts camera FTP and can preview RAW.
Field2Fan lists football, soccer, baseball, volleyball, lacrosse, basketball, and Other. Sideline covers those plus hockey, softball, tennis, rugby, and more — 16 sports, 340+ leagues, 1.6M+ athletes.
Yes. If your camera does FTP, it works with Sideline — no Hub. See supported cameras. Enter your gallery credentials in the camera’s FTP settings.
Field2Fan removes photos from the app about 48 hours after the event starts. Sideline galleries stay up.
Yes. Sideline Captions writes sports captions. Sideline Rosters builds Photo Mechanic files from 1.6M+ athletes. Field2Fan is delivery only — it doesn’t replace captions or code files.
Field2Fan if you want a Hub and a private iOS app, and you’re fine with a $199 Hub (limited at that price) plus $19.99/month. Sideline if you want FTP-to-web galleries, $14.99/month, more sports, and no extra gear.
14 days of full access to Live, Captions, Rosters, and the rest of the platform. Cancel anytime. Field2Fan’s 30 days of PRO comes with a Hub purchase — not a software-only trial.
500 free AI captions · 14-day full access · $0 today · Cancel anytime
Get Sideline and enjoy live galleries, AI captions, and rosters for $14.99/month.
No expensive box required.
500 free AI captions · 14-day full access · $0 today · Cancel anytime