Best Tools for Surf Video Sorting in 2026
The complete guide to organizing your surf session footage efficiently. Compare AI-powered solutions, cloud storage, and coaching platforms.
Every surf coach knows the pain: after a 2-hour session with 6 students, you've got dozens of videos to sort. Which clips belong to which student? The traditional approach - watching each video, creating folders, manually organizing - can take hours.
In 2026, you have options. From AI-powered automatic sorting to cloud storage with manual organization, here's your guide to the best tools for surf video sorting.
What we evaluated: Speed, accuracy, ease of use, pricing, and how well each tool handles the unique challenges of surf coaching (multiple students, outdoor filming, large video files).
Top Tools for Surf Video Sorting
Surf Buddy Share
Purpose-built for surf coaching with AI that automatically identifies and sorts videos by surfer. Upload your entire session and let AI do the work.
Pros
- AI sorts videos automatically by surfer (99%+ accuracy)
- Built specifically for surf coaching workflows
- Beautiful student galleries with surf-optimized player
- Instant share links available during upload
Cons
- No drawing/annotation tools
- Requires internet connection for AI processing
Google Drive / Dropbox
General-purpose cloud storage. Free to start, but requires manual folder creation and video-by-video organization.
Pros
- Free tier available
- Works with any file type
- Familiar interface
Cons
- Completely manual sorting
- No surf-specific features
- Students see raw file lists
- Time-consuming for large sessions
Flowstate / Onform
Video analysis platforms with manual tagging. Great for detailed feedback, slower for bulk sorting.
Pros
- Detailed analysis and annotation tools
- Side-by-side video comparison
- Good for competitive athletes
Cons
- Manual tagging required
- Not designed for group sessions
- Slower workflow for bulk videos
CoachNow / Pactto
Coach-athlete communication platforms. Upload to individual athlete spaces, no bulk sorting.
Pros
- Good communication features
- Two-way messaging
- Progress tracking per athlete
Cons
- Manual upload to each athlete
- Not built for group sessions
- No automatic sorting
Why We Recommend Surf Buddy Share
For surf coaches running group sessions, AI-powered sorting isn't just convenient - it's transformative. Surf Buddy Share reduces post-session work from hours to seconds.
99%+ Sorting Accuracy
Our AI is trained on surf footage. It identifies surfers automatically, even in challenging conditions.
30-Second Workflow
Upload your session, get a share link immediately. AI sorts while you teach your next lesson.
Premium Galleries
Students get professional galleries with slow-mo, zoom, and easy downloads. Not file lists.
See It in Action
Watch how easy it is from both perspectives
Coach Experience
Upload and share in seconds
Robust Upload
Speed-optimized uploads with auto-recovery to handle network issues seamlessly
Instant Link
Session share link immediately available so you can share to students directly
Auto-Sorting
AI identifies and groups every video by student automatically
Session Gallery
Beautiful session page showcases all students videos
Coach Page
Your personal page with all sessions, ready to share anytime
Student Experience
Find and download waves instantly
Clean Notification
They receive a clear message as soon as you start uploading
Track Progress
They can follow in real-time as videos are uploaded and processed - no more waiting in the dark and bugging you
Preview & Surf-focused Player
720p preview for smooth navigation as well as surf-optimized controls (zoom and slow-mo)
Smart Downloads
Download just their best waves or grab everything at once
Fuel their Progression
Premium experience and easy video access so they progress faster than ever and can never leave you!
Experience It for Yourself
Click the interactive demos below to explore the real pages!
All Sessions View
Click to explore →Student view when you share your coach page: access to all your sessions in one place
Single Session View
Click to explore →Student view when you share just one session: focused on that specific day's videos
Authentication required • Built from John John Florence, Nyzjon longboard, short films and WSL CT events
14-day free trial • No credit card required
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Choose the plan that fits your coaching style
- Upload 10 sessions per month
- Up to 4 surfers per session
- Session of max 2 hours
- Up to 10 GB per session
- AI auto-sorting
- Session gallery page
- Email support
- Upload 30 sessions per month
- Up to 6 surfers per session
- Session of max 4 hours
- Up to 20 GB per session
- Everything in Starter plan
- Custom branding on share page
- Priority support
- Upload 60 sessions per month
- Up to 8 surfers per session
- Session of max 8 hours
- Up to 30 GB per session
- Everything in Pro Coach plan
- Advanced analytics & insights
- Dedicated account manager
All plans include unlimited number of students access and downloads
Already sorting your videos manually?
If you prefer to organize videos yourself, skip the AI auto-sorting and enjoy our upload, share and delivery features at 50% off on all plans.
What our Users Say
Here is what coaches and surfers enjoying Surf Buddy Share say about it
"I can review the videos of my waves with the slow-mo and zoom to analyse all the small details. It really helps me to keep improving my surfing over and ove!"
"It's great to be able to see my daughter's waves easily! It helps understand and track her progress and what she is working on better as I can't always attend her sessions."
"I used to spend hours sorting and sending videos and had to push myself to not postpone! Now it takes 30 seconds and students have amazing galleries. Game changer!"
"The sorting is incredibly accurate. I can access and preview my videos super easily! It's so helpful to quickly pick the ones I want for social networks."
"I can review the videos of my waves with the slow-mo and zoom to analyse all the small details. It really helps me to keep improving my surfing over and ove!"
"It's great to be able to see my daughter's waves easily! It helps understand and track her progress and what she is working on better as I can't always attend her sessions."
"I used to spend hours sorting and sending videos and had to push myself to not postpone! Now it takes 30 seconds and students have amazing galleries. Game changer!"
"The sorting is incredibly accurate. I can access and preview my videos super easily! It's so helpful to quickly pick the ones I want for social networks."
Ready to upgrade your Surf Video Sorting?
Join surf coaches already saving hours every week with AI-powered video organization
14-day free trial • No credit card required