"I think this product is a game changer. It saves me a ton of time. I can't wait to see what improvements are on the horizon for the future."
Sideline vs Send Files
Why photographers choose
Sideline Captions over Send-Files.com
Send-Files.com costs extra for photos with faces in it — a 5-face photo can cost $0.25, and features like auto-download and text/number recognition are locked behind the $39/month plan.
Sideline includes all the tools you need for a flat $14.99/month.
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Unlimited AI captions — not $0.05 per scan
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Auto-download included — not locked behind $39/mo
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Text & number recognition included — no need to pay extra
500 free AI captions · $0 today · Cancel anytime
Trusted by world-class photographers from these leagues and organizations
At a glance
Send-Files.com meters captions. Sideline does not.
Send Files starts at $15/month, then charges $0.05 per scan. Every face in a photo is a separate scan, so a photo with 5 faces in it costs $0.25, about 250× more expensive than Sideline.
Sideline is $14.99/month and includes an FTP auto-download utility, live galleries, unlimited AI captions, and code replacement files. No credits, no per-face charges.
The per-scan trap
One Photo. Five Faces. Multiple Charges.
With Send-Files.com, face recognition for captioning costs extra - and some features are only available on the $39/month plan.
Send Files · pay-as-you-go
Photo with 5 faces (face recognition only):
1 base face scan$0.05
5 faces × $0.05$0.25
That one photo
~$0.30
Add text + number recognition and it climbs again. Setup fee: $5.
Sideline · same photo
$0 extra
Unlimited AI captions, included at $14.99/month. Five faces or fifty — the meter never starts.
Start Free TrialFeature comparison
Sideline vs Send-Files.com
Last updated September 2026 · Pricing from send-files.com
| Feature |  Sideline |
 Send Files |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery & sync | ||
| Camera FTP / SFTP ingest | | |
| Live-updating share galleries | | |
| Desktop auto-download | Sideline Wire included |  Starts at $39/mo |
| Text & number recognition | Included | Starts at $39/mo |
| AI captioning pricing | ||
| Unlimited AI captions | | Extra — scan credits |
| Every face in the photo | | Extra — $0.05 per face |
| Captions in the monthly plan | | Extra — $0.05 / scan + $5 setup |
| High-volume captioning | | Extra — $10 / $20 / $35 add-ons |
| Sports workflow | ||
| AI sports captions from the photo | |  Face/text/number add-on |
| Sports roster database | 1.6M+ athletes included | Facial / celebrity library |
| Photo Mechanic code files | | |
| Wireless camera tethering | | |
| Sell images / proofing galleries | | |
| Free trial | 14 days + 500 captions | 7-day Basic trial |
| Typical all-in monthly cost |
$14.99/month Start Free Trial |
$15–$39+/mo |
Delivery & sync
Camera FTP / SFTP ingest
Sideline
Send Files
Desktop auto-download
SidelineWire included
Wire includedSend FilesPro · $39/mo
Pro · $39/moText & number recognition
SidelineIncluded
IncludedSend FilesPro · $39/mo
Pro · $39/moAI captioning pricing
Unlimited AI captions
Sideline
Send FilesExtra — scan credits
Extra — scan creditsEvery face in the photo
Sideline
Send FilesExtra — $0.05 per face
Extra — $0.05 per faceCaptions in the monthly plan
Sideline
Send FilesExtra — $0.05 / scan + $5 setup
Extra — $0.05 / scan + $5 setupHigh-volume captioning
Sideline
Send FilesExtra — $10 / $20 / $35 add-ons
Extra — $10 / $20 / $35 add-onsSports workflow
Sports roster database
Sideline1.6M+ included
1.6M+ includedSend FilesFace library focus
Face library focusSell / proofing galleries
Sideline
Send Files
The real price gap
With Send-Files.com, Captions Cost Extra
Send-Files.com starts at $15/month, then burns scan credits at $0.05. If you want auto-download and text/number tools, you'll have to pay extra.
Sideline bundles everything you need to cull, caption, and deliver for just $14.99/month.
Typical Send Files stack
Basic — storage + 1,000 scans, no auto-download$15–$19/mo
Pro — auto-download + text/number$39/mo
Scan overages after the bucket$0.01+/scan
Full-feature plan
$39/mo+
Basic still meters scans and skips auto-download and text/number. PAYG is $0.05/scan — about 250× Sideline. Extra faces still eat extra credits on every plan.
Sideline — all-in-one
Sideline Captions
$14.99/mo
- Unlimited AI sports captions
- Live FTP galleries
- Rosters for 1.6M+ athletes
- Image sales, tethering, and Wire
500 free AI captions · $0 today · Cancel anytime
From photographers who switched
Don't Just Take Our Word For It.
I've never been able to push out an image over FTP. Sideline Live worked on the first try after just a few minutes of setup.
"Awesome piece of software."
JJ
"I use Sideline rosters all the time now. Code Replacements has slipped as of late and their rosters are incomplete and/or inaccurate. Sideline's are way better. The attention to detail and responsiveness of your team is second to none."
"As someone who shoots a ton of high-school sports, the roster manager saves me a ton of time."
"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!"
"I gave Sideline a try and I quite like it! The app works well, and the ability to generate code replacements for different sports is a great help to me!"
Frequently Asked Questions
Good Questions, Straight Answers.
Everything you need to know before you compare Send Files pricing to Sideline.
Why choose Sideline over Send Files?
Send Files is strong at camera FTP/SFTP and multi-destination sync, but AI captioning burns scan credits — $0.05 per scan, and multi-face photos cost multiple scans. Auto-download and text/number recognition start at $39/month. Sideline includes unlimited AI sports captions, live galleries, rosters, and Wire for a flat $14.99/month.
How does Send Files charge for AI captioning?
Scan credits, not an unlimited pool. Pay-as-you-go is $0.05 per scan; monthly buckets run about $10 for 1,000 scans, $20 for 4,000, or $35 for 10,000 (then ~$0.01/image after). Face recognition counts 1 base scan plus 1 per face, so five faces can cost $0.25 — about 250× more than Sideline, where captions are included.
Does Sideline charge per image or per face?
No. Monthly and yearly Sideline subscriptions include unlimited AI captioning. A photo with five faces still costs $0 extra. There is no per-scan meter.
Do I need storage and a caption plan with Send Files?
Plans start at $15/month, but captioning still uses scan credits — extra monthly buckets or $0.05 per scan. Sideline is one $14.99 subscription for delivery, unlimited captions, and rosters. No second caption meter.
Is Sideline cheaper than Send Files?
Usually, once you caption volume. Send Files starts at $15/month, then adds metered scan credits — matching auto-download and text/number recognition means the $39 Pro plan, and scans still meter on top. Sideline is $14.99/month with unlimited AI captions included; on pay-as-you-go, Send Files' $0.05 scans run about 250× more.
Will my FTP camera work with Sideline?
Yes. If your camera supports FTP or SFTP, it works with Sideline Live. Enter your Sideline gallery credentials into the camera — the same ingest pattern many photographers already use with Send Files.
Does Send Files include sports rosters?
Send Files focuses on facial recognition libraries and celebrity databases for naming people. Sideline includes a sports-first roster database of 1.6M+ athletes across 340+ leagues, plus Photo Mechanic code replacement files — in the same $14.99 plan.
Does Send Files include the Auto-Downloader on every plan?
No. Send Files Auto-Downloader software starts on the $39/month Pro plan. Sideline Wire — desktop auto-download for remote editors — is included in the $14.99 Sideline plan.
Does Send Files include text and number recognition on Basic?
No. Text and number recognition start on Send Files Pro at $39/month — and each of those still costs extra scans. Sideline's sports AI reads jerseys and writes captions on the $14.99 plan with no scan meter.
Who is Send Files better for?
Photographers whose main need is blasting files to many external destinations (Dropbox, Box, Drive, FTP) at once may prefer Send Files' sync focus. Sideline is better if you also need unlimited AI sports captions, rosters, photo sales, or a predictable flat monthly bill.
What's included in the Sideline free trial?
14 days of full access to Sideline Live, Captions, Rosters, Local tethering, and Wire, plus 500 free AI captions. Cancel anytime. Send Files offers a 7-day trial of its Basic plan.
Start Free Trial
500 free AI captions · 14-day full access · $0 today · Cancel anytime
Keep Fast Transfer. Stop Paying Per Face.
Unlimited AI captions, live galleries, and sports rosters. One flat $14.99/month — no scan meter.
Start Free Trial
500 free AI captions · 14-day full access · $0 today · Cancel anytime