Kempt vs DEVONthink

Document database and research workspace. Kempt vs DEVONthink compared feature by feature: AI naming, search inside documents, privacy, speed, price. Sourced and dated.

Kempt teamLast checked

Kempt 19 · DEVONthink 5.5 · features covered, out of 19
KemptDEVONthink
  • Organizing61.5
  • Finding41.5
  • Paperwork40
  • Clean Up20
  • Privacy and security32.5

The short answer

DEVONthink is a powerful research database; Kempt keeps your files in ordinary Finder folders and does the filing for you. Choose Kempt for everyday documents and paperwork with zero setup; choose DEVONthink for large research archives.

Kempt $39 founding, then $49, one-time · DEVONthink From $99, includes 1 year of updates

Feature by feature

Kempt vs DEVONthink Yes · Partly · No · Not stated by the maker
FeatureKemptDEVONthink
Organizing
Names files from what’s inside them YesApple’s on-device model, OCR and Vision PartlyAI batch actions with a provider you connect
Names new downloads live, in the notch Yes No
Never moves a file it’s unsure about Yes“Needs a look” No
Undo any move, with the reason it moved YesPer file, batch or day, each with its reason PartlyVersioning inside its databases
Rules written as plain sentences YesEnglish and French NoSmart rules
Learns from your corrections YesSuggests a rule; never applies it alone PartlyClassify suggestions
Finding
Searches inside PDFs, scans and photos of paper Yes Yes
Answers questions, citing the source page YesA figure must appear on the cited page PartlyChat assistant via a connected AI provider
Ask out loud, in many languages YesTranscribed and translated on your Mac No
Finds what’s said in voice notes and videos YesTranscribed on your Mac No
Paperwork
Turns a landlord’s or bank’s email into a checklist Yes No
Ready-made rental, visa and mortgage dossiers Yes No
Monthly pack for your accountant (PDF + CSV) YesTotals read from each document; ⚠ when unsure No
Matches bank debits to receipts Yes No
Clean Up
Finds installers, duplicates and re-saved copies YesSimilar copies are never pre-ticked No
Never deletes: everything goes to the Trash YesWith Undo Not statedNot advertised
Privacy and security
Reads your documents on your Mac (no upload) YesNo upload, no analytics PartlyLocal, unless you connect a cloud AI provider
No account needed Yes Yes
Nothing to set up or host Yes Yes
Price and requirements
Price Yes$39 founding, then $49, one-time YesFrom $99, includes 1 year of updates
Runs on PartlymacOS 26, Apple silicon; Apple Intelligence for naming YesMac

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.

SpeedSearch time
≈10 msMedian search over 1,575 indexed documents; the first search after launch takes 25 ms.
SpeedTo name a file
1.0–1.4 sWith Apple’s on-device model; 25 files in under 20 s in batches.
SpeedFull Clean Up scan
0.86 sDown from 8.2 s; 83 MB of memory instead of 1.74 GB.
AccuracyRight file first
12 / 13Scored search suite run on every change; answers cited from the right document in 0.9–2.2 s.
AccuracyAccountant pack, right documents
48 / 50Against 50 hand-verified labels over three months; amounts 11 / 11.
AccuracyItems read from real published lists
25 / 25Rental, mortgage and visa lists published by a rental site, a bank and an insurer.
AccuracyWrong bank matches
0Three real statements, 74 operations, each balancing to the cent.
SafetyFiles held for review
6.7 %Of 540 real downloads, the doubtful ones wait for you instead of being moved.
SafetyFiles deleted by Kempt
0Moves are journaled before they happen and undoable even after a crash; cleanup only uses the Trash.
PrivacyDocument uploads
0Reading, naming, search, answers and voice all run on your Mac with Apple’s on-device model. No analytics, no account.

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.

When DEVONthink is the better choice

  • You build large research archives with notes, web clips and annotations.
  • You want to choose your own AI model, including cloud ones.

Questions people ask

Is Kempt better than DEVONthink?

DEVONthink is a powerful research database; Kempt keeps your files in ordinary Finder folders and does the filing for you. Choose Kempt for everyday documents and paperwork with zero setup; choose DEVONthink for large research archives.

Does DEVONthink upload my files?

DEVONthink: Local, unless you connect a cloud AI provider. Kempt: No upload, no analytics.

How much do Kempt and DEVONthink cost?

Kempt: $39 founding, then $49, one-time. DEVONthink: From $99, includes 1 year of updates.

When should I choose DEVONthink instead?

You build large research archives with notes, web clips and annotations. You want to choose your own AI model, including cloud ones.

Can I use Kempt and DEVONthink together?

Yes. Kempt keeps your files as ordinary files in ordinary Finder folders, so every other app still sees and uses them.

Sources

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. $39.

Guides

Other comparisons

Try Kempt free

Names, files and finds your documents with Apple’s on-device model. Nothing leaves your Mac. $39.

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Kempt needs macOS 26 and Apple silicon.