Crewmate and Cinecyclop both help you prepare shooting equipment, but not at the same point in the chain. Crewmate mostly works the camera prep. Cinecyclop holds the camera list, the lighting list and the grip list of the same project, all the way to the PDF the rental house receives.
Short answer. Crewmate is an equipment list app for technical crews, currently centred on the camera department, with a catalogue, PDF export and collaboration. Cinecyclop covers all three departments, checks the list before you send it, works out a DMX patch from the lighting list and keeps the photometry tools next to the project. Web, iOS and Android, 4.17 EUR per month with a free first month.
Who each tool is for
Crewmate speaks to technical crews with a camera core: catalogue, gear lists, PDF export to the rental house, working together. Cinecyclop starts from the gaffer’s desk and the stage floor: the equipment families are those of a lighting order, the check knows the habits of rigging and hanging, and the DMX patch comes out of the list itself.
On a shoot where camera and lighting each prep on their own side, the two apps can coexist without stepping on each other. On a prep where one person follows all three lists, keeping everything in a single project saves the back and forth between files.
Cinecyclop vs Crewmate
| Criterion | Cinecyclop | Crewmate |
|---|---|---|
| Who for | Cinematographers, gaffers, electricians, camera assistants, grips | Technical crews, mostly the camera department |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | iOS |
| Departments covered | Camera, lighting and grip in the same project | Camera first |
| Manufacturer catalogue | Yes, across all three departments, with dedicated accessories offered on entry | Yes |
| PDF list import | Yes, and you choose what you keep | Not verified |
| Pre-send check | Yes: missing essentials, set rules, low quantities, doubtful compatibility | Not verified |
| DMX patch | Yes, 512-channel universes, Blackout CSV and Luminator JSON export | Not verified |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes, with read-only or edit roles | Yes |
| Rental PDF | Six templates, in English or French | PDF export |
| Built-in photometry | Yes: softness, fall-off, cyclorama, toplight, power, lens coverage | Not verified |
| API, MCP, CLI | Yes | Not verified |
| Price | 4.17 EUR per month, billed 49.99 EUR per year. One free month, no card | Check the official site |
The three differences you notice during prep
The first is the accessory suggestion. You add a fixture, the app offers what usually goes with it: grid, softbox, honeycomb, barndoors, chimera, loover. You tick, or you say once and for all not to suggest it again. The lines missing on load-out day almost always come from that family.
The second is the check before sending. A local report reads the list back and flags forgotten accessories, set rules (a SkyPanel hung overhead needs a barrel clamp, a safety cable and a clamp per head), quantities that look too low, and reference pairs worth a second look. It replaces the two-person read-through the night before the truck leaves.
The third is DMX. The app finds the controllable fixtures on the list, suggests a mode, packs them into 512-channel universes without splitting a unit across two universes, and exports a CSV that Blackout reads or a JSON for Luminator. The patch stops being a separate file that drifts away from the order.
Each step is written out in the Cinecyclop equipment list guide.
How to choose
If your need revolves around camera prep and teamwork on that prep, Crewmate does the job within its scope. If you carry lighting or grip, or you want one app holding all three lists, the patch and the calculations, Cinecyclop is built for that. The free month is more than enough to settle it on a real prep.
What Cinecyclop looks like
The catalogue, the project details and the calculation tools, in the same app as the lists.
The official Crewmate site
So you can make up your own mind, here is a screenshot of the official Crewmate site with the promise they lead on: « Your partner on set, the all-in-one app dedicated to the technical crews of the film industry ».
The pitch is an all-in-one app for technical crews, today with a camera core: catalogue, gear lists, PDF export to the rental house, collaboration. Cinecyclop pushes further on lighting and grip, and adds the check, the patch and the calculations. Depending on your role, the two barely overlap.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cinecyclop do the same thing as Crewmate?
Both handle equipment lists with a catalogue and a PDF export. Cinecyclop adds lighting and grip, the pre-send list check, the DMX patch and the photometry tools.
Can several people work on the same list?
Yes. You invite a camera assistant, a sparks, the production or the rental house from the Sharing page, and you give each of them read-only or edit access. The share link carries the role you picked before copying it, and only works for signed-in Cinecyclop accounts.
Is Cinecyclop available on a computer?
Yes, the web app runs in the browser, and there are iOS and Android versions. The same project shows up on all three.
How much does Cinecyclop cost?
49.99 EUR per year, which works out at 4.17 EUR per month, with a free first month and no card required.
See also: Cinecyclop vs Camlist · Equipment list guide · About Cinecyclop.