Savepad as a Cosmos alternative
Cosmos looks great and it's built for finding new images. Search by colour or by what looks similar, keep collections, and you can even hide AI-generated images (respect). Savepad is less about finding new things, and more about keeping yours and finding them again.
Where Cosmos wins
Something to browse
Browse and search images other people collected. Savepad has no feed.
Similar-looking images
Find images that look like this one. Savepad searches words, colours, and where things came from.
Hide AI images
Show, blur, or hide AI-generated images. Good call.
Where Savepad wins
Every kind of reference
Pages, emails, sequences, PDFs, code, fonts, audio, and places, right next to the images.
Search inside everything
The text in images, and everything on pages, PDFs, and emails.
Your own structure
Spaces, folders, nested folders and tags, each one public, or private.
Head to head
| Feature | Cosmos | Savepad |
|---|---|---|
| Feed to browse | Yes | No |
| Search by colour | Yes | Yes |
| Search by what looks similar | Yes | No |
| Emails, PDFs, and pages | No | Yes |
| Search the text in images | No | Yes |
| Public pages | Yes | Yes |
Checked against Cosmos’s website on . Something out of date? Let me know and I'll fix it.
Which one is for you?
Stay on Cosmos
If browsing and finding new images is what you use it for.
Pick Savepad
If you need a library of references that are more than pictures.
Moving over
Drop your saved images into Savepad as a folder. Colours and text get pulled out on the way in.
FAQs
Does Savepad search by similar images?
No. That needs AI, and Savepad doesn't use any. It searches words, colours, types, and where things came from.
Can I use Savepad and Cosmos together?
Sure. Lots of people keep Cosmos for what it's best at and use Savepad as their swipe file. You can export everything from Savepad whenever you like, so you're never locked in.
Does Savepad use AI?
Nope. No summaries, no auto-tagging, and nothing gets sent to a model. If you want AI, connect your own over MCP.
From the blog
- The best swipe file tools: Thirteen swipe file tools compared with real prices: who each is for, what it does better than the rest, which ones use AI, and which save more than ads.
- Eagle alternatives: Eagle is a fast desktop app for huge local image libraries. The alternatives if you want your references on the web, on your phone, or without the new AI features.
- Pinterest alternatives for designers sick of AI slop: Pinterest added AI labels and a see-fewer setting in 2025. If that's not enough, where to find human-made inspiration, and where to keep yours.
Want in first?
Savepad launches soon. Leave your email and I'll let you know when it's live.