LibrePhotos vs PhotoPrism
Self-host pick — both replace Google Photos (Photo backup / library / face search).
Both LibrePhotos and PhotoPrism self-host as a replacement for Google Photos (Photo backup / library / face search). Pick PhotoPrism if you want the lighter footprint — 20min docker-compose (PhotoPrism + MariaDB), $5-10 vps + storage; a tensorflow model bundles in for tag/face inference (cpu is fine for personal use). 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.
| LibrePhotosopen-source | PhotoPrismopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Setup time | 20min docker-compose | 20min docker-compose (PhotoPrism + MariaDB) |
| Monthly cost | $10 VPS (face recognition + scene classification want some RAM); storage as above. | $5-10 VPS + storage; a TensorFlow model bundles in for tag/face inference (CPU is fine for personal use). |
| GitHub | LibrePhotos/librephotos | photoprism/photoprism |
| Replaces | Google Photos | Google Photos |
Good fit for
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.
PhotoPrism
Power users who want a strong web UI, AI tagging, and a rich filter language; less mobile-first than Immich.
Weak at:Mobile app exists but is thinner than Immich's auto-backup; faces feature is in the paid tier of the cloud project (self-host is fine).
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, LibrePhotos or PhotoPrism?
LibrePhotos: 20min docker-compose. PhotoPrism: 20min docker-compose (PhotoPrism + MariaDB).
What does each cost to run?
LibrePhotos: $10 VPS (face recognition + scene classification want some RAM); storage as above.. PhotoPrism: $5-10 VPS + storage; a TensorFlow model bundles in for tag/face inference (CPU is fine for personal use).. Both projects are free and open source.
Do LibrePhotos and PhotoPrism replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Google Photos.