Immich vs LibrePhotos
Self-host pick — both replace Google Photos (Photo backup / library / face search).
Both Immich and LibrePhotos self-host as a replacement for Google Photos (Photo backup / library / face search). Pick Immich if you want the lighter footprint — 15min docker-compose, $5-10 vps for the app; storage cost dominates — a 1tb block-storage volume runs $5-10/mo on hetzner or do. Pick LibrePhotos if you need users who like the original OwnPhotos/LibrePhotos lineage and prefer MIT to AGPL — 20min docker-compose and $10 vps (face recognition + scene classification want some ram); storage as above.
| Immichopen-source | LibrePhotosopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Setup time | 15min docker-compose | 20min docker-compose |
| Monthly cost | $5-10 VPS for the app; storage cost dominates — a 1TB block-storage volume runs $5-10/mo on Hetzner or DO. | $10 VPS (face recognition + scene classification want some RAM); storage as above. |
| GitHub | immich-app/immich | LibrePhotos/librephotos |
| Replaces | Google Photos | Google Photos |
Good fit for
Immich
Anyone wanting a near-feature-for-feature Google Photos clone — auto-backup, face search, shared albums, fast timeline.
Weak at:AGPL spooks some employers; the project is moving fast and minor versions occasionally need re-deploys with breaking schema changes.
LibrePhotos
Users who like the original OwnPhotos/LibrePhotos lineage and prefer MIT to AGPL.
Weak at:Smaller team than Immich; slower release cadence; the mobile story is bring-your-own-Syncthing.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli google-photos prints Google Photos's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Immich or LibrePhotos?
Immich: 15min docker-compose. LibrePhotos: 20min docker-compose.
What does each cost to run?
Immich: $5-10 VPS for the app; storage cost dominates — a 1TB block-storage volume runs $5-10/mo on Hetzner or DO.. LibrePhotos: $10 VPS (face recognition + scene classification want some RAM); storage as above.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Immich and LibrePhotos replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Google Photos.