Google Photos vs Noodle Gallery

Google Photos9.4Visit Noodle Gallery7.8Visit

Higher score Google Photos #1 in Photo Storage Services 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit Google Photos

vs

Noodle Gallery #15 in Photo Storage Services 7.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit Noodle Gallery

• Google Photos fits best

  Most people wanting effortless photo backup

• Noodle Gallery fits best

  Self-hosted families using object storage

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Side by side

Feature	Google Photos 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Noodle Gallery 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	7.8
Ranking	#1 in Photo Storage Services	#15 in Photo Storage Services
Best for	Most people wanting effortless photo backup	Self-hosted families using object storage
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$1.99/mo	Free
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Self-hosted, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Docs, Community	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Google Photos 5/6 · Noodle Gallery 5/6
Original-quality storage	✓	✓
Face search	✓	✓
Shared albums	✓	✓
Family sharing	✓	✓
Desktop app	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Video backup	✓	✓
Specs
Free storage	15 GB	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Automatic photo and video backup across mobile devices and computers Search by people, places, and things, with face grouping Web, iOS, Android, and desktop app support	AI search, face recognition, and chronological media browsing Mobile backup, Google Photos import, and broad media support Shared Spaces, albums, roles, and public sharing
Cons	Free storage is shared with Google Drive and Gmail Face Groups availability varies by region, domain, and account type Basic storage remains shared across Google Photos, Drive, and Gmail	Requires users to provide their own hardware or storage Storage costs are separate from the free software Self-hosting requires more setup than a hosted photo service
Our verdict	Google Photos is a cloud photo and video service for consumers who want automatic backup, searchable organization, editing, and sharing in one library. It supports web, iOS, Android, and an official desktop photo backup application. Users… Read the review →	Noodle Gallery is an open-source, self-hosted photo and video platform for individuals, families, and teams that want to manage their media on their own infrastructure. Its core experience combines a chronological timeline with albums,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Google Photos — where it wins

  • Automatic photo and video backup across mobile devices and computers
  • Search by people, places, and things, with face grouping
  • Web, iOS, Android, and desktop app support

  Where it doesn't

  • Free storage is shared with Google Drive and Gmail
  • Face Groups availability varies by region, domain, and account type
  • Basic storage remains shared across Google Photos, Drive, and Gmail

• Noodle Gallery — where it wins

  • AI search, face recognition, and chronological media browsing
  • Mobile backup, Google Photos import, and broad media support
  • Shared Spaces, albums, roles, and public sharing

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires users to provide their own hardware or storage
  • Storage costs are separate from the free software
  • Self-hosting requires more setup than a hosted photo service

• Google Photos9.4/10 · Free plan

  An easy photo backup service with broad search, editing, sharing, and device coverage.

  Visit Google PhotosFull verdict →
• Noodle Gallery7.8/10 · Free plan

  A broad, open-source photo library for families willing to manage their own storage.

  Visit Noodle GalleryFull verdict →