Photography · head to head
Aftershoot vs Narrative Select
Aftershoot
Photography
AI culling, editing and retouching for photographers, priced flat rate per month rather than per image
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Narrative Select
Photography
AI photo culling with a low-cost entry tier, scaling to advanced editing and multi-user studio plans
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Aftershoot unlimited pricing only pays off at volume, so a photographer shooting a few hundred images a month may pay more per image than they would on a metered competitor.; Narrative Select the cheap 10 US dollar entry tier covers culling only, so most photographers who also want AI editing end up on the 20 to 40 US dollar tiers instead.
- They diverge on capability: Aftershoot covers AI culling, Narrative Select covers Standalone AI culling.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Aftershoot and Narrative Select actually diverge.
| Attribute | Aftershoot | Narrative Select |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per module per month, unlimited images | Per user per month, tiered by editing depth |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, macOS), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Photography).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Aftershoot
- AI culling
- AI editing presets
- AI retouching
- Unlimited processing
- Lightroom integration
- Duplicate and burst detection
Only in Narrative Select
- Standalone AI culling
- Focus and eyes-open detection
- Burst and duplicate grouping
- Tiered AI editing
- Multi-user studio plans
- Export to any editor
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Aftershoot
- A wedding photographer culling several thousand images per shoot who wants a flat monthly cost regardless of volumenot Narrative Select
- A studio wanting AI editing presets matched to its house style applied automatically before manual reviewnot Narrative Select
- A high-volume event photographer for whom per-image pricing from competitors would cost more than a flat monthly feenot Narrative Select
- A photographer who wants culling, editing and retouching in one bundled subscription rather than three separate toolsnot Narrative Select
Narrative Select
- A photographer who wants to cull a shoot before deciding which RAW editor to send selects tonot Aftershoot
- A studio wanting several people to share one subscription editing profiles on the Ultra plannot Aftershoot
- Someone who wants culling only, at the lowest entry tier, without paying for AI editing they will not usenot Aftershoot
- A Capture One user who wants AI culling without being locked into a Lightroom-only plugin ecosystemnot Aftershoot
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Aftershoot
- Unlimited pricing only pays off at volume, so a photographer shooting a few hundred images a month may pay more per image than they would on a metered competitor.
- AI culling still requires a manual review pass for accuracy on close calls, so it reduces but does not eliminate the time spent selecting images.
- AI editing presets need training on a photographer own edited catalogue to match their style, which takes an upfront time investment before results are usable.
- It works as a Lightroom plugin, so studios that do not use Lightroom Classic as their catalogue tool face a workflow change to adopt it.
- Pricing is billed monthly per module with an annual commitment for the lower rate, so cancelling mid-year loses the discount already paid for.
Narrative Select
- The cheap 10 US dollar entry tier covers culling only, so most photographers who also want AI editing end up on the 20 to 40 US dollar tiers instead.
- There is no perpetual licence option; the subscription must stay active to keep using current AI models.
- It is a separate standalone catalogue rather than a Lightroom plugin, which adds an extra application and import step to an existing workflow rather than embedding into one.
- Multi-user studio pricing is only available on the most expensive Ultra tier, so smaller studios cannot get shared seats at a lower cost.
- As with any AI culling tool, judgement calls on close eyes, expression and framing still need a manual review pass, so it reduces rather than removes culling time.
Pricing, plan by plan
Aftershoot
On request- Select (culling)$10/month
- Unlimited AI culling
- Billed annually
- Lightroom integration
- Edit$30/month
- Unlimited AI editing
- Custom style profiles
- Retouch$20/month
- Unlimited AI retouching
- Skin and blemish correction
- Complete (Select plus Edit plus Retouch)$45/month
- All three modules bundled
- About 25 percent cheaper than buying separately
Narrative Select
On request- Lite$10/month
- Basic AI culling only
- No AI editing included
- Standard$20/month
- Advanced culling
- Basic AI editing
- Premium$40/month
- Advanced culling
- Advanced AI editing
- Ultra$60/month
- More AI editing profiles
- Unlimited advanced culling and editing for up to four users
Which should you pick?
Choose Aftershoot if
- You need ai culling.
- You work on Windows, macOS.
- You also want ai editing presets.
Choose Narrative Select if
- You need standalone ai culling.
- You work on Windows, macOS.
- You also want focus and eyes-open detection.
Questions people ask
- Is Aftershoot or Narrative Select better?
- Neither clearly leads. Aftershoot starts at On request and Narrative Select at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Aftershoot or Narrative Select?
- Aftershoot starts at On request and Narrative Select at On request.
- Does Aftershoot or Narrative Select run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, macOS, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Aftershoot best used for?
- Aftershoot is most often used for a wedding photographer culling several thousand images per shoot who wants a flat monthly cost regardless of volume, a studio wanting ai editing presets matched to its house style applied automatically before manual review, a high-volume event photographer for whom per-image pricing from competitors would cost more than a flat monthly fee, a photographer who wants culling, editing and retouching in one bundled subscription rather than three separate tools. Of those, a wedding photographer culling several thousand images per shoot who wants a flat monthly cost regardless of volume and a studio wanting ai editing presets matched to its house style applied automatically before manual review are not what Narrative Select is typically brought in for.
- What can Aftershoot do that Narrative Select cannot?
- Aftershoot covers AI culling, AI editing presets, AI retouching, Unlimited processing. Narrative Select covers Standalone AI culling, Focus and eyes-open detection, Burst and duplicate grouping, Tiered AI editing.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Aftershoot: Is Aftershoot priced per image?
No, every tier processes an unlimited number of images for a flat monthly fee; this is the main difference from Imagen AI and Narrative Select.
Narrative Select: Is Narrative Select a Lightroom plugin?
No, it is a standalone application that culls a shoot independently and then exports selects to whichever editor you use.
Aftershoot: Do I need Lightroom to use Aftershoot?
Yes, it operates as a plugin inside an existing Lightroom Classic catalogue.
Narrative Select: What is the cheapest way to use it?
The Lite tier at around 10 USD a month covers basic culling only, with no AI editing.
Aftershoot: Can I buy just the culling module?
Yes, Select, Edit and Retouch are sold separately or as the Complete bundle.
Narrative Select: Can multiple people share one subscription?
Only on the Ultra tier, which supports up to four users on a studio plan.
Related pages
More on Narrative Select
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