Kempt
The short answer
Claude Code is a brilliant general agent for people who live in a terminal: it can rename or sort a folder when you ask, by sending what it reads to Anthropic’s cloud. Kempt is the opposite bet for your papers. It works on its own as files arrive, reads your passport and payslips only on your Mac, never ticks a near-match, and every move can be undone. Choose Kempt for paperwork; keep Claude Code for code.
Kempt $27 founding, then $37, one-time · Claude Code From $20 a month (Pro); Max from $100 a month
Feature by feature
| Feature | Kempt | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| Organizing | ||
| Names files from what’s inside them | YesApple’s on-device model, OCR and Vision | PartlyWhen you ask, in a terminal or the Claude app |
| Names new downloads live, in the notch | Yes | No |
| Never moves a file it’s unsure about | Yes“Needs a look” | PartlyAsks before running commands; doesn’t flag its own doubts |
| Undo any move, with the reason it moved | YesPer file, batch or day, each with its reason | NoIts rewind doesn’t cover files moved or deleted by shell commands |
| Rules written as plain sentences | YesEnglish and French | PartlyYou write a prompt each time, or schedule one |
| Learns from your corrections | YesSuggests a rule; never applies it alone | PartlyMemory notes, if you keep them |
| Finding | ||
| Searches inside PDFs, scans and photos of paper | Yes | PartlyReads the files you point it at; no index of your Mac |
| Answers questions, citing the source page | YesA figure must appear on the cited page | PartlyCan quote a file if asked; nothing checks the figure |
| Ask out loud, in many languages | YesTranscribed and translated on your Mac | Not statedNot advertised |
| Finds what’s said in voice notes and videos | YesTranscribed on your Mac | NoNot advertised |
| Paperwork | ||
| Turns a landlord’s or bank’s email into a checklist | Yes | PartlyIf you paste the list and ask |
| Prepares the papers they asked for: watermarked ID, numbered copies, reply in Mail | YesDrop their email on the notch; you check and press Send | PartlyOnly if you script it yourself |
| Ready-made rental, visa and mortgage dossiers | Yes | No |
| Monthly pack for your accountant (PDF + CSV) | YesTotals read from each document; ⚠ when unsure | PartlyIf you ask, every month |
| Matches bank debits to receipts | Yes | PartlyIf you ask |
| Clean Up | ||
| Finds installers, duplicates and re-saved copies | YesSimilar copies are never pre-ticked | PartlyIf you ask |
| Never deletes: everything goes to the Trash | YesWith Undo | NoA shell rm deletes for good and can’t be rewound |
| Privacy and security | ||
| Reads your documents on your Mac (no upload) | YesNo upload, no analytics | NoYour prompts and the files it reads go to Anthropic’s cloud model |
| No account needed | Yes | NoClaude subscription or Console account |
| Nothing to set up or host | Yes | Yes |
| Price and requirements | ||
| Price | Yes$27 founding, then $37, one-time | YesFrom $20 a month (Pro); Max from $100 a month |
| Runs on | PartlymacOS 26, Apple silicon; Apple Intelligence for naming | YesmacOS, Windows or Linux; terminal, IDE, desktop app or web |
Proof, not promises
Measured on a real Mac (macOS 26) with about 1,600 real documents. Each test is re-run whenever the app changes.
- PrivacyDocument uploads
- 0Reading, naming, search, answers and voice all run on your Mac with Apple’s on-device model. No analytics, no account.
- SafetyFiles deleted by Kempt
- 0Moves are journaled before they happen and undoable even after a crash; cleanup only uses the Trash.
- AccuracyItems read from real published lists
- 25 / 25Rental, mortgage and visa lists published by a rental site, a bank and an insurer.
- SafetyFiles held for review
- 6.7 %Of 540 real downloads, the doubtful ones wait for you instead of being moved.
How we compare: Kempt’s rows come from its own measured tests. Every other app’s row comes from that maker’s public pages on the date shown. When a page is silent or unclear, we say so instead of guessing.
Switching from Claude Code
Keep Claude Code for your code. Point Kempt at Downloads, Desktop and Documents: it names what lands, keeps your dossiers ready and prepares the papers when someone asks. Nothing to type, and nothing leaves your Mac.
When Claude Code is the better choice
- You write code or scripts, and want one assistant for everything, not only papers.
- You’re happy to type a precise instruction each time and check what it ran.
- Your Mac is Intel or older than macOS 26, or you work on Windows or Linux.
Questions people ask
Is Kempt better than Claude Code?
Claude Code is a brilliant general agent for people who live in a terminal: it can rename or sort a folder when you ask, by sending what it reads to Anthropic’s cloud. Kempt is the opposite bet for your papers. It works on its own as files arrive, reads your passport and payslips only on your Mac, never ticks a near-match, and every move can be undone. Choose Kempt for paperwork; keep Claude Code for code.
Does Claude Code upload my files?
Claude Code: Your prompts and the files it reads go to Anthropic’s cloud model. Kempt: No upload, no analytics.
How much do Kempt and Claude Code cost?
Kempt: $27 founding, then $37, one-time. Claude Code: From $20 a month (Pro); Max from $100 a month.
When should I choose Claude Code instead?
You write code or scripts, and want one assistant for everything, not only papers. You’re happy to type a precise instruction each time and check what it ran. Your Mac is Intel or older than macOS 26, or you work on Windows or Linux.
Can I use Kempt and Claude Code together?
Yes. Kempt keeps your files as ordinary files in ordinary Finder folders, so every other app still sees and uses them.
Sources
- Claude pricing, accessed 22 Oct 2026
- Claude Code overview
- Claude Code checkpointing: limitations
- Claude Code data usage
How we compare: Kempt’s rows come from its own measured tests. Every other app’s row comes from that maker’s public pages on the date shown. When a page is silent or unclear, we say so instead of guessing. $27.
Guides
- Rental application documents: the checklist, and how to send it fastWhat landlords usually ask for in a US rental application, how to gather it on a Mac, and how Kempt turns the landlord’s email into a ready checklist.
- Private AI for your files: organizers that don’t upload your documentsWhich Mac file organizers send your documents to the cloud, and which don’t. How Kempt uses Apple’s on-device model: no upload, no account, no analytics.
- How to send all the documents someone asked for, in one email, from a MacA landlord, bank or consulate asks for papers by email. Gather them by hand on a Mac, or drop the request on Kempt’s notch and get the reply ready in Mail.
Other comparisons
- Kempt vs HazelRule-based folder automation for Mac
- Kempt vs SparkleAI cleanup and folder organizer, by subscription
- Kempt vs FilesMagic AIAI renamer and organizer for Mac
- Kempt vs DEVONthinkDocument database and research workspace
- Kempt vs SpotlightSearch built into macOS
- Kempt vs Paperless-ngxSelf-hosted document management server
- Kempt vs NameQuickAI file renamer for Mac and Windows
- Kempt vs Shortcuts + Apple IntelligenceBuild-it-yourself automation, built into macOS
- Kempt vs CodexOpenAI’s coding agent, with a ChatGPT account
Try Kempt free
Names, files and finds your documents with Apple’s on-device model. Nothing leaves your Mac. $27.