At a glance
- Included
- Partial: plan-gated, add-on or limited
- Not offered
- Depends or not stated
| Feature | 9Pic AI | GOTAG.me | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery | |||
| Bib number search Edge: Tie | Included: BibTrack on every plan | Included: Bib number recognition on every photo[2][5] | What it means: Both find runners by the number on the bib. |
| Selfie search Edge: Depends | Included: FaceFind on every plan, or run the event bib-only | Not offered: Never uses face recognition, by policy[2][1] | What it means: GOTAG.me holds no face data at all. 9Pic AI lets the organiser choose. |
| Hidden or unreadable bibs Edge: 9Pic AI | Included: Selfie search finds runners whose bib is covered | Partial: Unreadable bibs are missed; the gallery can still be browsed page by page[2][4] | What it means: Muddy, folded or covered bibs are where selfie search helps. |
| Delivery | |||
| Free downloads with no account Edge: Tie | Included: Link or QR code; no account or app | Included: Free full-size downloads at most events, no account needed[2] | What it means: Both make it easy for runners to get their photos. |
| Chat bot search Edge: GOTAG.me | Not offered: Not offered | Included: Search by race and bib on Telegram or Discord[2] | What it means: GOTAG.me meets runners in the chat apps they already use. |
| Embed and API Edge: GOTAG.me | Partial: API keys on Business | Included: One-line iframe embed and event owner API tokens[3] | What it means: GOTAG.me makes it simple to put the gallery on a race site. |
| Selling | |||
| Photo sales Edge: Tie | Partial: 9Pic Checkout on Business, including Xendit | Included: Optional per-photo sales with watermarked previews, through Midtrans, Xendit or bank transfer[4][5] | What it means: Both can sell photos with local Indonesian payments. |
| Video | |||
| Participant video and certificates Edge: 9Pic AI | Partial: Motion clips, Flow reels and Certify certificates on Pro | Not offered: No participant video, reels or certificates[2][1] | What it means: Only 9Pic AI adds video and finisher certificates. |
| Operations | |||
| How events are set up Edge: Depends | Included: Self-serve: sign up and create events yourself | Partial: Managed: organisers contact the team to set up an event[1] | What it means: Some organisers prefer a team that runs it for them. |
| Privacy Edge: GOTAG.me | Included: Selfie not stored; no training on photos or faces; bib-only option | Included: No biometric data of any kind; policy written for Indonesia's personal data law[5] | What it means: For zero biometric processing, GOTAG.me is strict by design. 9Pic AI matches it on bib-only events. |
| Pricing model | |||
| How you pay Edge: Depends | From $0.03 per photo processed, published on /pricing/ | Organiser pricing not published; enquiries by email[1] | What it means: With 9Pic AI you can work out the cost before you talk to anyone. |
Where they are the same
Both find runners by bib number, both let participants download with no account, and both can sell photos with watermarked previews through Indonesian payment providers.
Key differences
-
Bib only by policy vs selfie and bib by choice
GOTAG.me reads bib numbers and nothing else. It says it holds no biometric data and is not building face recognition. 9Pic AI offers selfie search and bib search on every plan, and organisers can run an event bib-only when the audience or sponsor needs it.
-
Managed service vs self-serve
GOTAG.me runs galleries for organisers who contact its team, and does not publish organiser pricing. With 9Pic AI you sign up, create the event and upload with Uplink yourself, at published per-photo rates.
-
Photos only vs photos, video and certificates
GOTAG.me delivers photos. On the Pro plan, 9Pic Motion cuts per-participant clips from course footage, 9Pic Flow builds a personal highlight reel for each finisher, and 9Pic Certify issues finisher certificates.
Where GOTAG.me is the better choice
- Your sponsor or government partner rules out any face recognition, so a bib-only service with no biometric data is simplest.
- You want participants to download photos free, with no account, and you would rather a local team runs the event for you.
- Your runners already use Telegram or Discord and would search for photos there.
- You want to embed the gallery in your race site with a single iframe.
Fit by event type
| Event type | Better fit | Why | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road race in Indonesia with no face data | GOTAG.me | Bib-only by policy, with free downloads | Marathons |
| Trail or obstacle race | 9Pic AI | Selfie search finds runners when bibs are muddy or covered | OCR and mud runs |
| Cycling or triathlon | 9Pic AI | Both read bibs; 9Pic AI adds selfie search and reels | Triathlon |
| Company or corporate run | Depends | GOTAG.me for bib-only free downloads, 9Pic AI for selfie search and video | Corporate events |
| Race with finisher reels or certificates | 9Pic AI | Flow reels and Certify certificates on Pro | None |
| International race | 9Pic AI | Self-serve setup and galleries in 13 languages | None |
What it costs
Scenario: a 5,000-runner half marathon with 60,000 photos. Change the numbers to see your own 9Pic AI cost.
| 9Pic AI plan | Math | Total | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay as you go Lowest for your choices Does not include your choices | 60,000 × $0.03 | $1,800 | Selfie and bib search, watermarks, 1 year storage |
| Pro Lowest for your choices Does not include your choices | $200 + 60,000 × $0.02 | $1,400 | Adds Flow, Motion, Certify, Select, custom domain, 2 year storage |
| Business Lowest for your choices Does not include your choices | $350 + 60,000 × $0.02 | $1,550 | Adds 9Pic Checkout photo sales with no 9Pic commission |
How GOTAG.me charges
GOTAG.me does not publish organiser pricing. Its About page sends pricing and partnership enquiries to its team by email. For participants, most GOTAG.me events are free to download. Where an organiser chooses to sell, GOTAG.me shows a per-photo price in the event currency and takes payment through local providers or bank transfer. See the current numbers on GOTAG.me pricing[1][4]. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
Which costs less depends on the quote GOTAG.me gives you, whether photos are free or sold, and whether you want selfie search or video.
Switching from GOTAG.me
-
Gather your original photo files from your photographers and upload them with 9Pic Uplink.
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Import your start list so bib numbers map to participants.
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Choose search: selfie and bib, or bib only for privacy-sensitive events.
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Share one gallery link by email, results page or QR code.
What does not move: GOTAG.me galleries, chat bot links and past purchases.
We set up your first event with you.
Case studies
Frequently asked questions
Fit
Is 9Pic AI a good GOTAG.me alternative?
9Pic AI is a strong GOTAG.me alternative when you want selfie search as well as bib search, participant video or certificates, or a self-serve setup with published pricing. If your event must avoid face recognition entirely and you want a managed Indonesian service, GOTAG.me is a good fit.
Does GOTAG.me use face recognition?
No. GOTAG.me matches photos only by bib number and says it processes no biometric data and is not building towards it. 9Pic AI offers selfie and bib search, and organisers can run bib-only events for privacy-sensitive audiences.
What happens on GOTAG.me when a bib is hidden?
GOTAG.me says an obscured bib cannot be read, so a search may miss those photos, although participants can still browse the gallery page by page. On 9Pic AI, selfie search finds runners whose bib is covered, unless the organiser runs the event bib-only.
Cost
How much does GOTAG.me cost?
GOTAG.me does not publish organiser pricing, so ask its team. Most of its events are free for participants. 9Pic AI publishes self-serve pricing from $0.03 per photo processed.
Switching
Can I move from GOTAG.me to 9Pic AI?
Yes. Upload your original photo files with 9Pic Uplink, import your start list, choose selfie and bib search or bib only, and share one gallery link. GOTAG.me galleries and past purchases do not move.
Data and privacy
How does 9Pic AI handle selfies and face data?
9Pic AI does not store the selfie used to search, does not train models on photos or faces, and keeps face data only while the gallery is hosted. Organisers decide how long a gallery stays live, and can run an event with bib search only.
How we compared
We reviewed GOTAG.me's About, FAQ, Developers, terms and privacy pages and its public event galleries. We did not use an organiser account. We last checked on 26 Oct 2026. 9Pic AI facts come from our pricing and product pages. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Sources
- [1] GOTAG.me: Abouthttps://gotag.me/about
- [2] GOTAG.me FAQhttps://gotag.me/faq
- [3] GOTAG.me: Developershttps://gotag.me/developers
- [4] GOTAG.me terms of servicehttps://gotag.me/terms-of-service
- [5] GOTAG.me privacy policyhttps://gotag.me/privacy-policy
All accessed 26 Oct 2026.