Self-hosted alternative to Google Photos
Google Photos is convenient until you hit the storage cap or worry about a company scanning your library. The self-hosted options have caught up. One in particular, Immich, now feels close enough to Google Photos that most people stop missing it.
Updated 2026-06-01 · by Jonathan Caruso
Top pick
Immich
Immich copies the Google Photos experience most closely: fast mobile apps with automatic background backup, face and object recognition, timeline and map views, and shared albums. It moves fast and the apps are good.
The options
Immich
AGPL, freeA Google Photos-style app with auto-backup, face and object search, and map/timeline views.
Visit Immich site- Runs on
- Docker, ~4 GB RAM (more for ML), a GPU helps but is optional
- Pick it if
- You want the closest match to Google Photos, including good mobile apps and automatic backup.
PhotoPrism
AGPL, free coreA polished photo library with strong AI tagging and search, lighter on the mobile side.
Visit PhotoPrism site- Runs on
- Docker, ~2-4 GB RAM
- Pick it if
- You care more about browsing and organizing a large library than phone auto-backup.
Nextcloud Memories
AGPL, freeA photos app that lives inside Nextcloud, so files, calendar, and contacts share one server.
Visit Nextcloud Memories site- Runs on
- Runs on an existing Nextcloud instance
- Pick it if
- You already run Nextcloud and want photos in the same place as the rest of your files.
The verdict
Run Immich. It is the closest thing to Google Photos you can self-host today, the mobile apps do automatic backup, and search actually works. Pick PhotoPrism if you mostly browse a big library from a computer and care less about phone backup. Pick Nextcloud Memories only if you already run Nextcloud and want everything under one roof.
FAQ
What is the best self-hosted Google Photos alternative?
Immich, for most people. It is the closest to Google Photos with automatic mobile backup, face and object search, and timeline and map views. PhotoPrism is great for organizing a large library, and Nextcloud Memories fits if you already run Nextcloud.
Can Immich auto-backup my phone like Google Photos?
Yes. Immich's mobile apps back up your camera roll automatically in the background, which is the main feature people miss when leaving Google Photos.
How much hardware do I need?
Immich runs in Docker with around 4 GB of RAM, more if you use the machine-learning features, plus the disk space for your library. A used mini PC or a NAS handles it well.