Immich vs PhotoPrism: Which Should You Self-Host?
Quick Answer
Use Immich if you want the closest Google Photos experience with mobile auto-backup. Use PhotoPrism if you want a mature, stable platform focused on photo browsing and organization. For most people, Immich is the better choice in 2026.
Overview
Immich
Immich is a fast-moving, feature-rich photo management platform designed as a direct Google Photos replacement. It includes mobile apps with auto-backup, facial recognition, and map views. The project started in 2022 and has rapidly become the most popular self-hosted photo solution.
PhotoPrism
PhotoPrism is a mature, AI-powered photo management app that focuses on browsing and organizing large photo libraries. It’s been around since 2018 and offers a polished web interface with powerful search and classification features.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Immich | PhotoPrism |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | Yes (iOS + Android) | Web-only (PWA) |
| Auto-backup from phone | Yes | No |
| Facial recognition | Yes | Yes |
| Map view | Yes | Yes |
| Video support | Full | Full |
| RAW photo support | Yes | Yes |
| Sharing | Albums + links | Albums + links |
| Multi-user | Yes | Limited |
| Machine learning | Built-in | Built-in |
| API | Full REST API | REST API |
Installation & Setup
Both apps run via Docker Compose. Immich requires more containers (server, ML, Redis, PostgreSQL) while PhotoPrism is simpler (single container + MariaDB). Immich is slightly more complex to set up but the official docs are excellent.
See our setup guides: Immich setup | PhotoPrism setup (coming soon).
Performance & Resource Usage
Immich’s machine learning container uses significant RAM (2-4GB). PhotoPrism is lighter overall but its initial indexing of large libraries can be slow. For a library under 50,000 photos, both perform well on modest hardware.
The Verdict
Use Immich. The mobile app with auto-backup is the killer feature that makes it a true Google Photos replacement. PhotoPrism is a solid choice if you only need to browse an existing photo library, but Immich does everything PhotoPrism does and adds the mobile experience that most people actually need.
See all options: Best Self-Hosted Photo Management | Replace Google Photos