Self-Hosted Immich & Google Photos Alternatives

Compare 6 self-hosted alternatives to Google Photos: Immich, PhotoPrism, Nextcloud Memories, Lychee, Ente Photos, and Pigallery2. Face recognition, map view, mobile apps.

Google Photos charges $1.99/month for 100GB and scans your photos for advertising. Immich is the most popular self-hosted alternative with face recognition, map view, and native mobile apps — essentially a privacy-first Google Photos clone. PhotoPrism is lighter and runs on Raspberry Pi. For maximum privacy, Ente Photos offers end-to-end encryption.

Top Alternatives

  • Immich
  • PhotoPrism
  • Nextcloud Memories
  • Lychee
  • Ente Photos
  • Pigallery2

FAQ

  • Is Immich a good Google Photos replacement?

    Yes. Immich is the closest self-hosted alternative to Google Photos. It has mobile apps for iOS and Android, automatic backup, face recognition, map view, and album sharing. It is actively developed with frequent releases.

  • Which self-hosted photo app is easiest to set up?

    Lychee is the simplest — single Docker container, no database config. PhotoPrism is also beginner-friendly with its docker-compose setup. Immich requires more containers but offers the most features.

  • Can I run a self-hosted photo app on Raspberry Pi?

    PhotoPrism and Pigallery2 both run well on Raspberry Pi 4+. Immich requires more resources (recommended 4GB RAM minimum).

  • Which option has the best mobile app?

    Immich has the most polished mobile apps with automatic background upload. Ente Photos also has excellent mobile apps with E2E encryption.