Scanly vs Exif.tools vs Jeffrey's Exif Viewer

Choosing the right EXIF and metadata tool matters. Here's an honest comparison of features, privacy, and capabilities across the three most popular free options.

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Scanly.co

A full image analysis toolkit with 92 tools covering EXIF metadata viewing, privacy analysis, AI detection, OCR text extraction, barcode/QR scanning, visual comparison, and print readiness. Most tools run client-side in the browser, meaning your images stay on your device. EXIF checking uses a server API with automatic file deletion within 1 hour.

Standout features: Privacy Score (metadata risk calculation), Screenshot Scanner (no other free tool does this), Image Similarity with diff heatmaps, Print Readiness Scanner with standard size tables, Authenticity Checker for detecting edits, and SHA-256 hashing for file integrity. Dark mode, export to JSON/CSV, and drag-and-drop across all tools.

Exif.tools

Focused EXIF viewer with clean presentation and URL-based image loading. Shows camera info, GPS on a map, and technical settings. Server-side processing. Good for quick lookups but lacks editing tools, batch processing, comparison features, and client-side privacy. No additional scan or analysis tools.

Jeffrey's Exif Viewer

One of the oldest EXIF viewers online, maintained by Jeffrey Friedl. Extremely detailed raw metadata output — shows every EXIF, IPTC, and XMP field. Best for photographers who want exhaustive technical detail. Server-side processing, no additional tools, basic UI design. The most complete raw metadata display of the three, but no analysis features.

Which Should You Use?

For raw, exhaustive metadata: Jeffrey's Exif Viewer shows every field. For a clean quick lookup: Exif.tools is simple and fast. For a complete image analysis toolkit with privacy, comparison, scanning, and print tools: Scanly.co covers the broadest range of use cases in one place.

The biggest differentiator is breadth. Scanly's 92 tools mean you can check EXIF, remove metadata, detect screenshots, compare images, extract text, scan barcodes, and verify print readiness — all without leaving one site. Combined with client-side processing for most tools, it's the most privacy-focused option for everyday use.

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No registration, no limits. 92 free tools for image analysis and metadata.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which EXIF viewer is best for privacy?

Scanly processes most tools client-side — images never leave your device. Server-based tools like Exif.tools and Metadata2Go upload files temporarily. For sensitive photos, client-side processing is the safest option.

Is Scanly really free with no limits?

Yes. All 92 tools are free with no registration, no file limits, no watermarks, and no premium tiers. Competitors may limit batch sizes or require accounts for advanced features.

Which tool has the most features?

Scanly offers 92 tools spanning EXIF analysis, photo forensics, privacy tools, image utilities, and format conversion. Most competitors focus on metadata only. Jeffrey's Exif Viewer provides the deepest single-image EXIF parsing.

Can Scanly replace desktop EXIF tools like ExifTool?

For individual file analysis and basic batch processing, yes. ExifTool remains superior for command-line scripting, batch operations on thousands of files, and writing metadata back to files.

Which formats do these tools support?

Scanly supports JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, TIFF, AVIF, GIF, and SVG across various tools. Exif.tools focuses on JPEG and TIFF. Jeffrey's Exif Viewer handles most camera RAW formats via ExifTool backend.

Do any of these tools detect photo manipulation?

Scanly is the only one with forensic tools — ELA, noise analysis, clone detection, JPEG ghost, FFT spectrum, and AI image detection. The other tools focus on metadata viewing only.