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Camera offload guides & comparisons

Copsy — a free Mac camera-offload app·Updated June 2026

Everything we've written about offloading and backing up camera footage on a Mac: honest tool comparisons, plain-English guides, and how to back up specific camera and card types. Download Copsy →

Compare offload tools

Free Hedge / OffShoot alternativeWhy Hedge users are switching, and the free option that still verifies copies. Copsy vs ShotPut ProA free Mac alternative to the offload "industry standard", compared honestly. Copsy vs IngestoTwo free, verified Mac offload tools compared — Copsy adds a parallel cloud copy. Copsy vs SilverstackWhen you need a free, simple verified offload instead of a full DIT lab suite. Best free camera offload software for MacAn honest roundup of the genuinely free ways to copy and verify footage. Offload to a drive AND the cloud at onceCopy footage to an external drive and Google Drive / Dropbox in parallel. Copsy vs OffShoot (formerly Hedge)A free alternative to OffShoot, Hedge's renamed offload app. Copsy vs TuskFree vs a low-cost Mac offload app, compared honestly. Copsy vs Red Giant OffloadA free alternative to Red Giant Offload, with cloud + verification. Copsy vs YoYottaFree + simple vs a powerful paid LTO/DIT app, and which you need. DaVinci Resolve Clone Tool vs CopsyTwo free ways to verify-copy a card, and what Copsy adds. Free ShotPut Pro alternativeThe free Mac way to get ShotPut Pro's core verified offload. Free Silverstack alternativeWhen you need verified offload, not a full DIT-lab subscription. Free OffShoot alternativeConfused because Hedge became OffShoot? The free app that does the same verified offload. Copsy vs Carbon Copy ClonerDisk-backup tool vs a camera-aware offload tool, and which fits footage. Copsy vs ChronoSyncGeneral Mac sync vs purpose-built verified card offload.

Guides

Copsy Monitor for iPhoneWatch the Mac's offload from your phone — what it does, and what isn't built yet. How to offload footage from a camera cardThe right way to back up and verify footage on set, step by step. What is ASC-MHL?Checksum verification explained, and why blind copies are risky. The 3-2-1 backup rule for video footageHow many copies you actually need, and where to keep them. Checksum copy vs Finder drag-and-dropWhat verification adds that a Finder drag does not. DIT vs data wranglerWho does what on set, and where offloading fits in. How to verify a file copy on MacProve a copy is bit-for-bit identical, by hand or automatically. When is it safe to format a camera card?The rule that stops you wiping footage you haven't safely backed up. SD card vs CFexpressCard types compared, and what they mean for offloading. How to back up footage on setThe data-wrangling workflow: two copies, verified, organized. Copy an SD card to two drives on MacOne drive isn't a backup, so copy to both at once and verify. How to organize footage by dateFolder structures that keep editorial sane, done automatically. Media offload checklistThe on-set checklist that stops footage going missing. xxHash vs MD5Which checksum to trust when verifying footage, and why. How to know if your footage copied correctlyWhat actually confirms a copy, since a Finder drag doesn't. How long does it take to offload a card?The read/write math for SD vs CFexpress, and how to go faster. The fastest way to offload CFexpress on MacThe reader, drive and workflow that don't double your wait. SD card not showing up on Mac?Make it mount, then back it up before you reformat anything. Media management workflow for filmmakersThe full chain: offload, verify, 3-2-1, organize, hand off. How to transfer footage from an SD card to a MacThe beginner's safe way, and why a Finder drag isn't enough. Back up footage to Google Drive on MacA verified drive copy and a Google Drive copy in one pass. Back up footage to Dropbox on MacCopy to a drive and Dropbox in parallel, verified. The best drive for offloading footageSSD vs HDD, speed and why you need two: buyer's criteria. How to avoid corrupted footageThe habits that prevent it, and how to catch a bad copy early. How to back up 4K & RAW videoBig files, backed up safely: storage, drives and verification. How to offload multiple cards fastRun a stack of cards back-to-back without losing footage. Copy the whole card, not just the filesWhy cherry-picking clips breaks spanned takes, audio and metadata. Footage archive: cloud vs LTO vs cold HDDWhere footage should live long-term, and what it costs.

Troubleshooting & recovery

"The disk you inserted was not readable"Fix a camera card that won't read — without wiping it. How to recover corrupted footageThe correct first steps — and why verified copies prevent it. Test a memory card for fakes & errorsCatch a counterfeit or dying card before it eats a shoot. Why is my 4K clip split into multiple files?The FAT32 4GB limit, and how spanned clips rejoin.

Backup workflows by role

Wedding videographer footage backupTwo verified copies before you leave the venue, the fast, safe way. Documentary footage backup workflowField-proof redundancy and organization for long shoots.

Back up footage by camera & card

Offload your next card for free

Copsy — a free Mac camera-offload app. Verified copies to a drive and the cloud, nothing lost.

⬇ Download Copsy for Mac

macOS 13+ · No card, no signup, no limits