FlowBatch

About FlowBatch

Let's be brutally honest: most batch processing software is a nightmare. It's either a subscription-siphoning cloud service that hoards your data, or a clunky, crash-prone desktop dinosaur that grinds your productivity to a halt. FlowBatch is the defiant, elegant solution we've all been waiting for. At its core, FlowBatch is a 100% local, visual workflow builder for batch processing images and videos. You drag and drop nodes—like Crop, Watermark, Resize, Convert—to create complex, multi-step pipelines that execute with a single click. No scripting, no command line, no computer science degree required. It’s built for photographers, content creators, marketers, and anyone who regularly deals with large batches of media files and values their time, sanity, and privacy. Its main value proposition is a powerful trifecta: unprecedented ease of use through visual workflows, rock-solid reliability that won't crash on you, and a staunch commitment to privacy by processing everything offline on your own machine. The fact that its robust core is free forever is just the generous cherry on top.

Features of FlowBatch

Visual Node-Based Workflows

This is the heart and soul of FlowBatch and what sets it leagues apart from traditional processors. Instead of wrestling with nested menus or writing scripts, you visually construct your pipeline. Want to crop, then apply a watermark, then resize for Instagram, and finally convert to WebP? Simply drag those nodes onto the canvas and connect them. It turns complex, repetitive tasks into a simple, intuitive diagram. This visual approach not only makes batch processing accessible but also allows you to see, understand, and modify your entire workflow at a glance, eliminating guesswork and errors.

100% Local & Offline Processing

In an era of rampant data harvesting, FlowBatch's commitment to privacy isn't a feature; it's a foundational principle. Every single file you process never leaves your computer. There are no cloud uploads, no background telemetry, and no corporate servers scanning your client's confidential photos or proprietary videos. This "your data, your machine" philosophy provides peace of mind for professionals handling sensitive material and ensures the application works perfectly even without an internet connection. It’s software that respects you as the owner.

Free Core with a Sensible Pro Upgrade

FlowBatch's pricing model is a breath of fresh air. The free version is shockingly fully-featured, including all node types, all output formats, unlimited file processing, and factory presets. You can use it professionally forever without paying a cent. The one-time Pro upgrade (a very fair $14.99 launch price) unlocks workflow automation superpowers: the ability to save your custom node presets and, crucially, "Watch Mode" automation. This means you can set a folder to be watched, and FlowBatch will automatically process any new files dropped into it using your predefined workflow. It’s a set-and-forget automation dream.

Rock-Solid Reliability

The developers explicitly call out the crash-happy, slow-to-open legacy tools, and FlowBatch is built as the antithesis. It’s engineered for stability, ensuring it won't freeze or fail during a long render of thousands of files. This reliability means you can confidently start a large batch job and walk away (or finally check your email), trusting the software to complete the task without babysitting. For professionals on deadlines, this dependability is not just a feature; it's a critical business requirement.

Use Cases of FlowBatch

Photographer Delivering Client Galleries

A wedding photographer returns with 2,000 RAW images. They need to cull, color grade, then export multiple versions: full-resolution JPEGs for client archives, watermarked web-sized versions for online proofing, and specifically sized images for social media teasers. With FlowBatch, they build one master "Develop & Export" workflow or separate specialized ones, process the entire batch overnight, and deliver perfectly formatted galleries without manual, file-by-file exports in Lightroom or Photoshop.

Social Media Manager Creating Content

A content manager needs to turn a single video interview into snippets for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and LinkedIn. Each platform has different dimension, duration, and format requirements. They can build a FlowBatch pipeline that resizes, crops, adds branded lower-thirds and end screens, and exports to multiple formats simultaneously. What was a tedious, multi-hour task in a video editor becomes a one-click operation, freeing up time for strategy and engagement.

E-commerce Business Processing Product Images

An online store receives hundreds of product images from a manufacturer. They need a consistent look: white background, specific dimensions (e.g., 1200x1200px), uniform compression for fast loading, and perhaps a subtle logo watermark. FlowBatch can automate this entire standardization process. They can even use the Pro version's Watch Mode to automatically process new images as soon as they're added to a "To-Process" folder, streamlining their inventory upload pipeline dramatically.

Archivist or Researcher Digitizing Materials

A researcher is scanning hundreds of historical documents or photos. The scans need to be cleaned up (despeckled), cropped to the document edges, converted to a standard archival format like TIFF or PDF, and have metadata embedded. Using FlowBatch, they can create a preservation-grade workflow that applies these enhancements consistently across the entire collection, ensuring quality and uniformity for future access, all while keeping sensitive historical data completely secure on a local machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FlowBatch really free with no hidden limits?

Yes, genuinely. The free version includes batch processing, all available tool nodes (crop, resize, watermark, convert, etc.), support for all output formats, and allows you to process an unlimited number of files. The only limitations compared to Pro are the inability to save your own custom node presets and the lack of Watch Mode automation. For most users, the free version is more than powerful enough for daily use.

What is "Watch Mode" in the Pro version?

Watch Mode is a powerful automation feature. You create and save a visual workflow (like "Resize for Web & Watermark"). Then, you tell FlowBatch to "watch" a specific folder on your computer. Any time you add new image or video files to that folder, FlowBatch will automatically detect them and process them using your saved workflow, outputting the results to a destination folder you specify. It's perfect for automating recurring tasks like processing camera uploads or preparing user-generated content.

How does the 100% offline processing work?

FlowBatch is a traditional desktop application. When you install it, all the processing code is on your computer. When you run a workflow, the application reads your source files from your hard drive, performs all the transformations (resizing, converting, etc.) using your computer's CPU/GPU, and writes the finished files back to a location you choose on your hard drive. At no point is any part of your file or metadata sent over the internet to a remote server. It works exactly the same on an airplane as it does in your office.

Can I upgrade to Pro later, and do I have to pay monthly?

Absolutely, and no monthly fees ever. You can use the free version indefinitely and upgrade to Pro at any time directly from within the application. The Pro upgrade is a one-time purchase (currently $14.99 as a launch price, regularly $29.99). This grants you a permanent license for Pro features on that machine, with no subscription or recurring charges. It's a simple, respectful model that rewards the developers while giving you permanent ownership.