iPhone and iPad photo backup tools for Mac, compared
Published 27 September 2026 · by the team behind MySimpleBackup
There are plenty of ways to get photos from an iPhone or iPad onto a Mac, from Apple’s free tools to full device managers. If what you want is a simple, organised backup of your photos, here’s how the options compare.
| Tool | Price | Connection | App needed on the phone | Albums as folders | Made for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MySimpleBackup | £10 / $10 once, free trial | USB cable | No | Yes, all albums at once | Backing up photos and videos |
| Apple Photos (Mac) | Free | USB cable, or iCloud | No | One album at a time: import, then export | Managing and editing photos |
| PhotoSync | Free Mac companion; paid iPhone app (one-off or subscription) | Wi-Fi | Yes | Not checked | Wireless transfers and cloud services |
| iMazing | From £20 a year for one device; £70 a year family plan | Not checked | Not checked | Not checked | Managing the whole device |
| AnyTrans | $39.99 a year or $59.99 lifetime (1 computer); $79.99 family | Not checked | Not checked | Not checked | Messages, apps and WhatsApp as well |
Prices and features checked in September 2026 from each maker’s published information; they can change, so check before you buy. We make MySimpleBackup.
Why choose MySimpleBackup
- Your albums, as folders. Every album on your phone becomes a folder on your Mac, in one go.
- Nothing to install on the phone. Plug in with a cable and back up.
- Original files and the right dates. HEIC, HEVC, Live Photos and edits, exactly as they are, dated when they were taken.
- Only new photos next time, and nothing is ever deleted.
- Private. Straight to your Mac: no iCloud, no account, no tracking.
- Paid once. £10 / $10 with no subscription, and one licence backs up every iPhone and iPad you plug into that Mac.
When something else might suit you
- A handful of photos: AirDrop is quick and built in.
- Wireless transfers or cloud destinations: PhotoSync is built around Wi-Fi.
- Managing messages, apps and device backups too: a full device manager such as iMazing or AnyTrans covers more than photos, at a higher price.
For a complete, organised backup of your photos that you can repeat whenever you like, MySimpleBackup is the simplest choice. Works with iPhone and iPad on iOS / iPadOS 18 and 26, on Macs with Apple silicon running macOS 14 or later.