Shade is a cloud NAS with AI search, metadata, and review for media teams. Growth plan from $29.75 per seat per month billed annually. Free trial available.
Researched and fact-checked by Bartu Cavusoglu · Updated October 26, 2026
Shade is a cloud NAS for teams that work with large media files. It combines storage, AI search, metadata, and review in one product, and the company describes it as an all-in-one replacement for LucidLink, Frame.io, and Iconik.
The product is built for creative teams, and the site says it works with sports organizations, brands, and production houses. Shade Inc. is based in New York.
How does Shade work?
Users mount drives in the Shade desktop app, then open assets locally with a keyboard shortcut (Cmd+O on Mac, Ctrl+O on Windows). Shade presents the cloud as a local drive, so files can be used and shared without downloading or syncing first.
Intelligent file streaming delivers the data as needed. Editors can drag MXF, R3D, MP4, and BRAW files from the mounted drive straight into their editing software. Desktop apps exist for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Key features of Shade
Shade's AI search accepts full sentences and works across scenes, transcripts, faces, and objects without relying on tags. Facial recognition clusters faces and allows search by name, and transcription turns audio and video into searchable text with timecodes.
Metadata can be extracted for 100+ file formats and generated or entered per drive and asset type, then shown in spreadsheet views. Review tools include time-stamped comments, replies, mentions, markup, and attachments, plus role-based permissions for sharing.
Key Features
Streaming cloud file system (ShadeFS) — Mount drives in the Shade desktop app so cloud files behave like a local drive, with no download or sync step before opening or sharing.
NLE-ready media access — Drag MXF, R3D, MP4, and BRAW files from the mounted drive directly into editing software.
Semantic AI search — Search media using full sentences across scenes, transcripts, faces, and objects, with precision filters to narrow results.
Facial recognition — Auto-detects and clusters faces across media formats so users can label faces and search by name.
Transcription — Transcribes audio and video into searchable text with timecodes, and transcripts can be exported.
Automated custom metadata — Generate or manually add metadata per drive and asset type, such as scene descriptions, jersey numbers, and product labels, and view it in spreadsheet-style views.
System metadata extraction — Extracts system metadata for 100+ file formats, including EXIF, IPTC, XMP, and timecode metadata.
Commenting and review — Time-stamped comments, replies, mentions, emoji reactions, annotation and markup, and comment attachments.
Granular permissions and client delivery — Role-based access control, download permissions, published links, and an admin view for internal and external sharing.
Previews and proxies — Autogenerates previews for formats such as R3D, MXF, and BRAW, with web playback and downloadable proxies.
Compliance and encryption — Lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and TPN certification, with encryption in transit and at rest.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Mounts cloud drives like local storage, so large files can be opened without a download or sync step.
Direct drag-and-drop of MXF, R3D, MP4, and BRAW files into editing software.
Semantic AI search covers scenes, transcripts, faces, and objects without manual tags.
Review tools include time-stamped comments, markup, attachments, and granular permissions.
Lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and TPN certifications and states data is not used for AI training.
Desktop apps are available for macOS, Windows, and Linux, and the Growth plan has a free trial.
Cons
Enterprise pricing is not published, so larger teams must book a demo to get a quote.
Growth is capped at 1 workspace, 15 seats, 150 guests, and 500 GB active storage per seat.
SSO/SAML, SCIM, and priority support are limited to the Enterprise plan.
Savings claims on the site vary (50%, 70%, 1/5th the price) and depend on the stack being replaced.
Pricing
Growth $29.75 per seat per month, billed annually (listed at $35 before the annual rate)
Enterprise Custom per seat per month
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shade?
Shade is a cloud NAS and media collaboration platform. It mounts cloud storage like a local drive and adds AI search, metadata, commenting, review, and client delivery. The company positions it as a replacement for tools such as LucidLink, Frame.io, and Iconik.
How much does Shade cost?
The Growth plan is listed at $29.75 per seat per month on annual billing, against a $35 list price. Enterprise is custom-priced. Storage add-ons are listed as available.
Does Shade have a free trial?
Yes, the Growth plan shows a Start Free Trial button on the pricing page. Enterprise is handled through a booked demo.
Who is Shade best for?
It suits remote and hybrid creative teams that work with large video and media files, such as production houses, brands, agencies, and sports organizations. The site cites these groups among its customers.
What does Shade integrate with?
The pricing table lists a Slack integration, and the AI features list an MCP server. Enterprise includes bring-your-own S3 storage and SSO/SAML, OIDC, and SCIM. The site does not provide a longer integration list.
Can Shade be used with video editing software?
Yes. After mounting a drive in the desktop app, users can drag MXF, R3D, MP4, and BRAW files directly into their editing software without downloading them first.
Is Shade secure?
The site lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and TPN certification. It also states files are encrypted in transit and at rest and that customer data is never used for AI training.
Is Shade good for small businesses?
The Growth plan is aimed at small teams and professionals and supports up to 15 seats and 150 guests. Larger organizations would need Enterprise for more seats, workspaces, and SSO.