Immich vs PhotoPrism
Last verified · repository stats fetched 19 Oct 2026
Both are self-hosted Google Photos replacements, licensed AGPL-3.0, that you run with Docker. The real difference is where each one starts. Immich is built around backing up your phone with its own mobile apps. PhotoPrism is built around browsing, tagging and searching a library you already have, through a web app you can install on your home screen.
| Immich | PhotoPrism | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | AGPL-3.0 Open source (copyleft) | AGPL-3.0 Open source (copyleft) |
| Source code | GitHub | GitHub |
| ★ Stars | 117k 116,627 | 40.3k 40,324 |
| Last commit | 19 Oct 2026 | 19 Oct 2026 |
| Runs with | Docker | Go, Docker |
| Docker | Yes awesome-selfhosted lists Docker as a way to deploy it. | Yes awesome-selfhosted lists Docker as a way to deploy it. |
| ARM / Raspberry Pi | Yes Runs on amd64 and arm64. | Yes PhotoPrism's docs include a Raspberry Pi install section. |
| Memory (RAM) | 6 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended With only 4 GB, Immich can run with machine-learning features turned off. | 3 GB minimum (with 2 cores, 64-bit OS) RAW conversion and face recognition are disabled with 1 GB or less. |
| Phone backup | Own iOS and Android apps | Third-party apps (e.g. PhotoSync); installable web app |
| Price | Not available | Free Community Edition; paid memberships from €2/month |
| Self-hosted alternative to | Google Photos | Google Photos |
Key differences
- Immich has its own mobile apps (App Store, Google Play and F-Droid) that back up chosen phone albums automatically and can free up space on the phone once items are safely on the server. (docs.immich.app/features/mobile-app)
- PhotoPrism has no native app. It is a progressive web app, and for background phone uploads its docs point to compatible third-party apps such as PhotoSync. (docs.photoprism.app)
- PhotoPrism can be opened over WebDAV, so file managers like Windows Explorer or macOS Finder can browse its originals directly. (docs.photoprism.app)
- Immich's requirements give 6 GB of RAM as the minimum (8 GB recommended). PhotoPrism's docs give 3 GB minimum with 2 CPU cores on a 64-bit OS. (docs.immich.app/install/requirements · docs.photoprism.app/getting-started)
- PhotoPrism has a free Community Edition plus paid membership editions, from €2 a month on its membership page, that unlock extra features. (photoprism.app/membership)
- Immich can read an existing folder as an external library, and its docs point to the separate immich-go tool for importing a Google Takeout export. (docs.immich.app/overview/introduction)
Which should you pick?
- Immich: Pick Immich if your main goal is to replace Google Photos' automatic phone backup and your server has 6 GB of RAM or more to give it.
- PhotoPrism: Pick PhotoPrism if you already have a big photo archive on disk that you want tagged, searchable and browsable, want to reach the files over WebDAV, or have a smaller server (its documented minimum is 3 GB).
This verdict is based on the documented facts above, not on hands-on testing.
Moving your data
Leaving Google Photos? Immich's docs suggest immich-go to import a Google Takeout export. PhotoPrism's docs say it reads metadata from Exif, XMP and Google Photos exports when it indexes your files. Either way, keep your Takeout archive until you have checked the import.
Sources: docs.immich.app/overview/introduction · docs.photoprism.app.
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Other comparisons
Sources: docs.immich.app/features/mobile-app · docs.photoprism.app · docs.immich.app/install/requirements · docs.photoprism.app/getting-started · photoprism.app/membership · docs.immich.app/overview/introduction · github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted-data/blob/master/software/immich.yml · github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted-data/blob/master/software/photoprism.yml. Stars and last-commit dates come from each project's public repository. “Not available” or “Not documented” means we found no official source for it, not that the feature is missing.