Project Kestrel

7.3easy start · #5 of 29
in AI Photo Culling Software

Free to practise onyes
Free trialnot on record
Well documentedyes
Runs where you workyes

Runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. Paid plans from $20/mo.

Project Kestrel is ranked #5 of 29 in AI photo culling software on The Geeks Club. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan. Paid plans start at $20/mo.

Project Kestrel plans and pricing

All plans

Project Kestrel desktop app Free Free and open source; always free. Windows and macOS downloads; Linux run from source projectkestrel.org · 7 Oct 2026

Cloud Compute — free allowance Free 2,500 images free for every new account; no card required. 2,500 images projectkestrel.org · 7 Oct 2026

Apple App Store version $10 once One-time purchase; includes automatic updates. macOS; same app as the free direct download projectkestrel.org · 7 Oct 2026

Blue Jay $20/mo $20/mo 15,000 images / month projectkestrel.org · 7 Oct 2026

Sandpiper $50/mo $50/mo 50,000 images / month projectkestrel.org · 7 Oct 2026

Compared on AI photo culling software

Free plan: Yes
AI quality scoring: Yes
Subject detection: Yes
Blur detection: Yes
Lightroom export: Yes

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The record

Purpose: Project Kestrel organizes, culls, reviews, and helps search bird photography.
Scene grouping: It groups high-speed bursts into scenes so similar frames can be compared together.
Bird detection: Its object-detection model locates and segments birds so background pixels do not affect quality scores.
Sharpness scoring: A machine-learning model scores each frame for noise, motion blur, and focus, sorting the sharpest shots first.
Species search: Kestrel tags detected birds by species and family so users can search across folders and outings.
Species coverage: Automatic classification currently covers North American species; manual tagging can cover birds worldwide.
Editor integrations: Kestrel can export ratings for Lightroom, Darktable, Capture One, and other editors.
Perch sharing: Perch lets users upload an outing, add notes to its timeline, and share it with others.
Local privacy: The desktop app runs locally without requiring an account or internet connection, and photos stay on the user's machine unless an optional cloud or sharing feature is used.
Cloud image handling: Cloud Compute says source images are deleted after analysis, with automatic cleanup and storage expiry safeguards if deletion fails.
Cloud result retention: Cloud results are deleted when downloaded or after 30 days if they are not downloaded; job records retain counts and timestamps for billing.
Support and feedback: The download page asks users to send feedback through the button inside the app.
Intended users: The maker describes Project Kestrel as a one-person project built for the developer's own bird photography.
Price from: $20/mo

Where it ranks on The Geeks Club

Best AI Photo Culling Software in 2026#5 of 29

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Sources

projectkestrel.org· checked 7 Oct 2026
projectkestrel.org/how-it-works/· checked 7 Oct 2026
projectkestrel.org/species-search/· checked 7 Oct 2026
projectkestrel.org/story/· checked 7 Oct 2026
projectkestrel.org/cloud/· checked 7 Oct 2026
projectkestrel.org/download/· checked 7 Oct 2026
projectkestrel.org/download/· checked 7 Oct 2026