A growing collection of thirty paintings, half a dozen sculptures, and a stack of prints from art fairs. Sound familiar? At some point, most collectors realize that the filing cabinet and the photo album on their phone aren't cutting it anymore. Professional collection management software exists, but prices can run into hundreds of dollars per year. The good news: several capable tools won't cost you anything to start with.
Why Spreadsheets Fall Short
Google Sheets and Excel feel like the obvious choice. They're free, flexible, and most people already know how to use them. For a handful of pieces, they work fine. But art cataloging isn't just a list of names and dates.
Every artwork carries relationships: it was purchased from a specific gallery, exhibited at two venues, appraised twice, and photographed under different lighting conditions. Spreadsheets store flat data. They can't link one artwork record to multiple exhibition histories, attach high-resolution images directly to a row, or generate the kind of insurance-ready reports that adjusters actually accept. Once your collection crosses roughly 50 pieces, maintaining a spreadsheet becomes a second job.
That said, if you're starting from zero, a well-structured spreadsheet beats no documentation at all. Consider it a temporary bridge until you're ready for purpose-built software.
Free and Freemium Options Worth Considering
Dauble
Dauble targets individual artists and small collectors with a clean mobile interface. The free tier includes unlimited artwork entries, basic image uploads, and a simple cataloging structure. It won't handle complex provenance chains or generate formal condition reports, but for someone who mainly needs a visual inventory they can pull up on their phone during a gallery visit, it does the job. The paid tier adds portfolio website features and client management tools aimed at working artists.
My Art Collection
Available as a one-time purchase (no subscription), My Art Collection appeals to collectors who dislike recurring fees. It runs locally on your device, which means your data stays private but also means no automatic cloud backup. Features include basic cataloging fields, image attachment, and simple search. The tradeoff: it hasn't seen major feature updates recently, and there's no multi-device sync without manual file transfers.
CatalogIt
CatalogIt uses a freemium model with a generous free tier that supports up to 100 items. It's cloud-based, handles images well, and includes custom field creation. The interface takes some getting used to, but the underlying data model is solid. Paid plans unlock unlimited items, advanced reporting, and collaboration features. Institutions with small study collections sometimes use CatalogIt before graduating to full museum systems.
Google Sheets Templates
Several art organizations publish free collection management templates for Google Sheets. These typically include columns for artist, title, medium, dimensions, acquisition date, location, and estimated value. They're better than starting from scratch, but they still inherit every spreadsheet limitation mentioned above. Use them as a data-entry stepping stone if you plan to migrate into dedicated software later.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Dauble (Free) | My Art Collection | CatalogIt (Free) | Google Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free / paid tier | One-time ~$30 | Free up to 100 items | Free |
| Image Attachment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Manual (links only) |
| Cloud Sync | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Provenance Tracking | Basic | Basic | Custom fields | Manual |
| Condition Reports | No | No | Paid tier | No |
| Insurance Reports | No | No | Paid tier | No |
| Multi-user Access | Paid tier | No | Paid tier | Yes |
| Mobile App | Yes | Platform-dependent | Web-based | Yes |
When Free Software Isn't Enough
Free tools work for straightforward inventories. They start breaking down when you need any of the following:
- Insurance-grade documentation — Generating formatted reports that insurers and appraisers will accept during a claim. Free tools rarely produce these.
- Multi-location tracking — Managing pieces stored across a home, office, storage facility, or on loan to a gallery. Relational data is where spreadsheets and basic apps struggle most.
- Provenance depth — Recording full ownership chains with supporting documents, exhibition histories, and publication references attached to each record.
- Collaboration — Sharing access with art advisors, estate planners, or institutional registrars while controlling who sees valuations versus who sees only catalog data.
- Controlled vocabularies — Using standardized terms (Getty AAT, ULAN) that make your data interoperable with institutional databases and auction house systems.
If your collection has grown past the hobby stage, or you're managing pieces with serious financial value, the right professional platform pays for itself through better insurance outcomes and faster provenance verification. Our features overview breaks down what a full collection management system handles that free alternatives can't.
Making the Transition
Switching from a spreadsheet or basic app to professional software doesn't have to be painful. Most platforms accept CSV imports, so your existing data transfers over. The real work is filling in the gaps: adding high-resolution images, documenting provenance beyond "bought at gallery X," and creating condition baselines for each piece.
Start by exporting your current data. Then compare the dedicated art inventory apps to find one that matches your collection size and workflow. Don't feel pressured to switch overnight. Many private collectors migrate gradually, tackling their highest-value pieces first and working through the rest over a few weekends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there completely free art collection software?
Yes. Dauble offers a free tier for individual collectors with basic cataloging features. Google Sheets is entirely free and works for small collections under 100 pieces, though it lacks image management and provenance tracking. Most dedicated art software follows a freemium model: core features are free, while advanced tools like condition reporting or insurance exports require a paid plan.
Can I use Excel to catalog art?
You can, but you'll hit limitations quickly. Spreadsheets handle text fields well enough, but they don't support image galleries, relational data (linking one artwork to multiple exhibitions), or standardized art vocabularies. For collections under 50 pieces with simple documentation needs, a spreadsheet works as a starting point. Beyond that, the manual effort of maintaining image files separately and cross-referencing provenance records becomes unmanageable.
What features should art management software have?
At minimum: image attachment per record, custom fields for artist/title/medium/dimensions, provenance and exhibition history tracking, search and filter capabilities, and data export in standard formats (CSV, PDF). For serious collectors, look for condition reporting tools, insurance valuation tracking, loan management, controlled vocabulary support (Getty AAT), and cloud backup with version history.