If you are running a homelab or you have your own studio, then self-hosting an open-source tool is required for your media storage, because 4K videos and HD images take up more space on Google Photos, so your monthly subscription fees go up.
If you are looking for an open-source alternative to Google Photos or Apple iCloud, the two best tools here are Immich and PhotoPrism. Both are incredible open-source software. Both use AI to index your memories. Both run flawlessly in Docker. If you have your own server, then you must use open-source tools, and both tools provide the same services as Google Photos.
Here is the Immich vs PhotoPrism comparison to help you decide which one belongs on your server.
Immich
Immich is specially built to replace Google Photos. It looks, feels, and acts like Google Photos. It is heavily focused on mobile backup, family sharing, and cutting-edge machine learning.
When you take a photo on your phone, it uploads to your server via Immich within a few seconds. Its application works fast on both iOS and Android phones. It also provides AI features so you can easily find your pictures or photos from specific places. Multiple users can use this application, so your whole family can back up their photos and videos in one place, with different folders generated for each person so everyone can easily find their images. Additionally, every person can make their folder private or secure it with a password, so privacy is also provided.
PhotoPrism
PhotoPrism is the professional archivist's tool. It isn't trying to be a Google Photos clone. If you have too many folders with too many images and you want to find your images easily, then it is the best option for you. PhotoPrism is free, but some features require payment.
If you need a stable, mature tool to manage your photos, then you must check out PhotoPrism. One of its best features is read-only mode, which means it scans new images without disturbing your existing files. It is best for photography enthusiasts who scan images, filter them, and create different folders for RAW images.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Mobile Apps & Auto-Backup
Immich provides a dedicated application for auto-backing up your camera's images in the background. It allows you to view your images and also check your server's timeline locally. PhotoPrism requires you to use apps like PhotoSync and Gallery for PhotoPrism. It does not provide auto-backup. In this feature, Immich is the best one.
AI and Machine Learning
Both tools provide AI features, but Immich is ahead of PhotoPrism in this area, because finding images in Immich is easy and PhotoPrism lags behind here in this feature. PhotoPrism was ahead early on, but today Immich provides this feature more easily and effectively.
Library Management
If you already have a massive storage array that is full and you want to manage it, then PhotoPrism is best for you, because it indexes your existing file structure without changing anything. In this feature, Immich falls behind.
Resource Usage & Homelab
Immich runs 5–6 different Docker containers like Postgres, Redis, Machine Learning, Server, and Microservices, so it requires more CPU, more RAM, and more storage. PhotoPrism, on the other hand, runs on just two containers. Even so, this feature is equal in both tools, because it depends on your hardware.
Conclusion
If you want to cancel your Google Photos or iCloud subscription, want the best mobile application experience for your family members, and don't mind updating your Docker stack carefully every few weeks, then choose Immich. If you are a photographer with massive RAW files and want a stable, read-only viewer that respects your existing folder structures and offers advanced search filters, then choose PhotoPrism.
If you want to create a homelab, then install both, because both run on Docker — Immich handles the daily phone backups and family sharing, while PhotoPrism indexes the backend for your heavy-duty photography archives.
