Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | TapeSave | Costco / YesVideo |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9.99 per video | $20–35 per tape + membership |
| Turnaround | Minutes | 3–5 weeks |
| Digitizes physical tapes | No | Yes |
| Requires membership | No | Yes — Costco member |
| Default output | Organized, dated clips | DVDs or long MP4 files |
| Splits into individual clips | Yes — one per recording | No |
| Recovers camcorder dates | Yes | No |
| Cloud-photo-library ready | Yes — dates in metadata | No |
| Local drop-off | 100% online | Yes, at warehouse |
The Costco tape service explained
When you drop off VHS tapes at Costco, they don't actually digitize them. Costco partners with a company called YesVideo, which ships your tapes to a central facility, digitizes them there, and sends the result back to the Costco warehouse for pickup 3–5 weeks later.
What you get back by default is a set of DVDs. You can pay extra for a thumb drive with MP4 files, but in either case, each tape becomes one long continuous recording. Two hours of VHS = one two-hour file. No chapters, no labels, no searchable clips.
That's where TapeSave comes in. After you pick up your files from Costco, upload them to TapeSave. Our AI splits each tape into individual dated clips, reads your camcorder's burned-in dates, and gives you clean files ready for Google Photos, Apple Photos, or iCloud.
The hard part is digitizing. The useful part is organizing.
Already have a digitized file? Upload it and get dated, labeled clips in minutes — ready for Google Photos, Apple Photos, or iCloud. Starting at $9.99 per video.
Start preserving — $9.99The right workflow
- Drop your tapes at Costco (or pick any local transfer service).
- Ask for MP4 files on a thumb drive, not DVDs.
- When the files come back, upload them to TapeSave.
- Download organized, dated clips within minutes.
- Upload the clips to Google Photos or Apple Photos — they land in the right year automatically.
Frequently asked
Does Costco actually digitize my tapes in the warehouse?
No. Costco partners with YesVideo. When you drop off tapes at Costco, they're shipped to YesVideo's central facility for digitization, then returned to the Costco warehouse 3–5 weeks later.
Should I ask for DVDs or MP4 files?
Ask for MP4 files on a thumb drive, not DVDs. MP4 files are easier to watch on modern devices, back up, share, and — importantly — upload to TapeSave so you can split them into organized, dated clips.
Can I use TapeSave on files I got back from Costco?
Yes. TapeSave accepts MP4, MOV, AVI, and MKV, so any format Costco / YesVideo returns will work. Upload the thumb drive and within minutes each tape becomes individual dated clips ready for Google Photos or Apple Photos.
How long does Costco's VHS transfer take?
About 3–5 weeks from drop-off to pickup. Costco ships the tapes to YesVideo, who digitizes them and sends the results back to the warehouse. TapeSave finishes the organization step in minutes once you have the files.
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