9Pic AI
  • Get Started

9Pic AI vs MarathonFoto

MarathonFoto is a US race photography company that has shot races since 1978. Its photographers cover the course, and runners find and buy their photos on MarathonFoto.com. 9Pic AI is a platform your own photographers use to deliver photos and video under your brand.

Last reviewed How we compare

MarathonFoto has been part of Infront Sports & Media since 2023, alongside sister company Sportograf. Some MarathonFoto events now run on Sportograf's platform.

Short answer

Pick 9Pic AI if you have photographers, or can hire them, and want your own branded gallery with selfie and bib search, where you set the price or give photos free to every runner.

Pick MarathonFoto if you want a proven race photographer to shoot the course, tag photos, sell downloads and prints, and handle runner support, with no work for your team.

Main difference: who runs the photos and owns the sale. MarathonFoto is a photography service that sells to your runners. 9Pic AI is software you run with your own photographers.

Get Started See the full table

At a glance

  • Included
  • Partial: plan-gated, add-on or limited
  • Not offered
  • Depends or not stated
Checked 26 Oct 2026 from public pages. Sources below.
Feature 9Pic AI MarathonFoto What it means for you
Discovery
Bib number search Edge: Tie Included: BibTrack on every plan Included: Photos tagged by bib; runners search by bib or last name[7][1] What it means: Both find runners by race number.
Selfie search Edge: 9Pic AI Included: Selfie search (FaceFind) on every plan Partial: Not on MarathonFoto.com; offered on events that run on Sportograf's platform[1][12] What it means: Runners with a hidden bib can still find photos on 9Pic AI at any event.
Delivery
Who takes the photos Edge: MarathonFoto Not offered: Your own team or photographers you hire; 9Pic does not supply them Included: Its own professional course photographers[2][3] What it means: With no photo team, MarathonFoto covers the course for you.
When photos appear Edge: Depends Partial: Searchable soon after your photographers upload Partial: Uploads start after the race and arrive over about two days[6] What it means: On 9Pic AI the timing depends on when your team uploads.
Gallery brand and domain Edge: 9Pic AI Partial: Your event gallery; custom domain and white-label on Pro Partial: Race-branded ordering page on MarathonFoto.com[3] What it means: On 9Pic AI runners stay on your brand from search to download.
Gallery languages Edge: Tie Included: 13 languages on every plan Included: Site in several languages for international runners[1] What it means: Both serve international fields.
Selling
Who sells to runners Edge: 9Pic AI Partial: You do: set prices and keep revenue with 9Pic Checkout on Business Not offered: MarathonFoto sells on its own storefront; prices vary by race[3][4] What it means: On 9Pic AI the buyer is your customer.
Free photos for every runner Edge: 9Pic AI Included: Free downloads for everyone if you choose Partial: Complimentary album of sponsor, elite and volunteer photos for the race[3] What it means: Sponsor-paid free photos for the whole field are simple on 9Pic AI.
Prints and gifts Edge: MarathonFoto Not offered: Digital downloads; no print fulfilment Included: Prints, plaques, frames and mugs shipped to runners[9][5] What it means: MarathonFoto runs the print shop for you.
Video
Participant video Edge: Tie Partial: Motion clips and Flow reels from your footage, on Pro Partial: Personal race video at some races, ready within two days[10] What it means: Both can offer video. On 9Pic AI you shoot the footage and choose the format.
Operations
Big-race track record Edge: MarathonFoto Partial: Used by races and timing companies; see the case studies Included: Official photographer for the Boston, Chicago and New York City marathons[1] What it means: MarathonFoto has decades of work at the largest US races.
Pricing model
How you pay Edge: Depends From $0.03 per photo processed, paid by the organiser Runners pay per race for photos, packages, video and prints[8][3] What it means: Different payers. With 9Pic AI you also pay your photographers.

Where they are the same

Both match runners to their photos by bib number, both can offer personal race video, and both work in the browser with no app to install.

Key differences

  1. A race photographer vs a platform you run

    MarathonFoto sends its own photographers, tags the photos by bib and sells them to runners. 9Pic AI does not supply photographers. Your team, a local photographer or a media partner uploads with 9Pic Uplink, and the gallery is yours.

    9Pic Uplink

  2. Selfie search at every event

    On MarathonFoto.com runners search by bib or last name, and runners with a hidden bib ask support for help. Some MarathonFoto events now run on Sportograf's platform, which adds selfie search. 9Pic AI includes selfie and bib search at every event, on every plan.

    9Pic FaceFind 9Pic BibTrack

  3. Your price, including free

    MarathonFoto earns by selling to your runners, and gives the race a complimentary album of sponsor and elite photos. On 9Pic AI you can give every runner their photos free with a sponsor, or sell them with 9Pic Checkout on the Business plan, with payments to your own account and no 9Pic commission.

    9Pic Checkout

Where MarathonFoto is the better choice

  • You run a large race and want the photographer that covers the Boston, Chicago and New York City marathons.
  • You have no photo team and want course photography, tagging, sales and runner support handled for you.
  • Runners expect prints, plaques and frames, shipped without any work from your team.

Fit by event type

Which platform fits each type of event
Event type Better fit Why Learn more
Large US marathon with no photo team MarathonFoto Course photographers, tagging, sales and support in one contract Marathons
Race with its own photographers or media partner 9Pic AI Your gallery, your prices, selfie and bib search Marathons
Race giving sponsor-paid photos free 9Pic AI Free downloads for every runner, paid per photo processed None
Timing company or photo agency 9Pic AI Deliver photos, video and certificates under your own brand None
Charity ride or cycling event Depends Both work with bibs. Choose by who shoots. Cycling

What it costs

Scenario: a 10,000-runner marathon with 120,000 photos. Change the numbers to see your own 9Pic AI cost.

Flow reels add from $0.50 per participant. Motion is $0.60 per uploaded minute. Source: 9Pic AI pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026.
9Pic AI plan Math Total What you get
Pay as you go 120,000 × $0.03 $3,600 Selfie and bib search, watermarks, 1 year storage
Pro Lowest for your choices $200 + 120,000 × $0.02 $2,600 Adds Flow, Motion, Certify, Select, custom domain, 2 year storage
Business $350 + 120,000 × $0.02 $2,750 Adds 9Pic Checkout photo sales with no 9Pic commission

How MarathonFoto charges

MarathonFoto does not publish organiser pricing. It earns by selling to runners. Runners buy on their race's MarathonFoto page: single digital photos, an All Digital package that keeps adding newly tagged photos, personal video at some races, and prints, plaques, frames and mugs with shipping. Some races let runners buy a package when they register. Prices vary by race and show after a runner looks up their photos. See the current numbers on MarathonFoto pricing[8][3][5]. Checked 26 Oct 2026.

Which costs less depends on who pays and who shoots. With MarathonFoto, runners buy their photos and the photographers come with the service. With 9Pic AI you pay per photo processed, bring your own photographers and decide what runners pay.

Switching from MarathonFoto

  1. Check your agreement for its term, photo rights and any packages sold with registration.

  2. Book photographers from your own team, a local studio or a media partner.

  3. Import your start list so bib numbers map to runners.

  4. Upload with 9Pic Uplink after each wave or at the end of the day.

  5. Choose delivery: free downloads, or paid downloads with 9Pic Checkout on the Business plan.

What does not move: past MarathonFoto galleries, runner orders and prints.

We set up your first event with you.

Book Demo

Case studies

Niveus Mangalore Marathon 16,000+ race photos tagged in hours with bib and selfie search, plus certificates for 7,000+ runners. Read the case study Agra Taj Half Marathon Race photos and personalised reels for 5,000+ runners across 3 editions. Read the case study NovaRace A timing company delivering photos, videos and certificates under its own brand across 50+ events. Read the case study

Frequently asked questions

Fit

Is 9Pic AI a good MarathonFoto alternative?

Yes, if you have photographers or can hire them and want your own branded gallery and prices. If you want a race photographer to shoot, sell and support everything for you, MarathonFoto is the better fit.

Does MarathonFoto have selfie search?

Not on MarathonFoto.com, where runners search by race and bib number or last name. Some MarathonFoto events now run on Sportograf's platform, which offers selfie search. 9Pic AI includes selfie and bib search on every plan.

Who owns MarathonFoto?

Infront Sports & Media bought MarathonFoto in 2023. Its sister company is Sportograf, a German race photographer in the same group.

Cost

How does MarathonFoto pricing work?

Runners pay MarathonFoto per race for single photos, an All Digital package, video at some races, and prints. Prices vary by race. 9Pic AI charges the organiser from $0.03 per photo processed, and you decide what runners pay.

Switching

Can I move from MarathonFoto to 9Pic AI?

Yes, once your agreement allows it. Book photographers, import your start list, upload with 9Pic Uplink and share one gallery link. Past MarathonFoto galleries and orders stay with MarathonFoto.

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.

How we compared

We reviewed MarathonFoto's public site, race director page, terms and help center, its upcoming event list, Infront's press release and Sportograf's platform pages. We did not use a MarathonFoto race contract. 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. [1] MarathonFoto: home and event searchhttps://www.marathonfoto.com/
  2. [2] MarathonFoto: About ushttps://www.marathonfoto.com/Home/AboutUs
  3. [3] MarathonFoto: Race directorshttps://www.marathonfoto.com/Race/Directors
  4. [4] MarathonFoto: Terms of usehttps://www.marathonfoto.com/Home/TermsOfUse
  5. [5] MarathonFoto help centerhttps://marathonfoto.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions
  6. [6] MarathonFoto help: When will my photos be available?https://marathonfoto.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/5000887557
  7. [7] MarathonFoto help: I don't have any photos, what's next?https://marathonfoto.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/5000887558
  8. [8] MarathonFoto help: How many photos does the All Digital Package include?https://marathonfoto.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/5000887575
  9. [9] MarathonFoto help: Can I print my digital photo?https://marathonfoto.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/5000887574
  10. [10] MarathonFoto help: When will my video be available for download?https://marathonfoto.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/5000887577
  11. [11] Infront: MarathonFoto acquisitionhttps://www.infront.sport/news/participation-sports/infront-expands-endurance-sport-digital-solutions-portfolio-through-marathonfoto-acquisition
  12. [12] Sportograf help: Search by Selfiehttps://helpdesk.sportograf.com/en/support/solutions/articles/77000538006-search-by-selfie-face-recognition

All accessed 26 Oct 2026.

Run your race photos on 9Pic AI

Bring your photographers, set up an event and pay only for the photos you process.

Get Started Book Demo

Lire le site 9Pic AI en français ?

Votre navigateur est configuré en français et cette page est aussi disponible en français.

Cela change uniquement la langue de ce site. Les galeries d'événements ont leurs propres réglages de langue.

Passer au français

Vuoi leggere il sito di 9Pic AI in italiano?

Il tuo browser è impostato in italiano e questa pagina è disponibile anche in italiano.

Questa scelta cambia solo la lingua del sito. Le gallerie degli eventi hanno impostazioni di lingua proprie.

Passa all'italiano