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Head-to-head · Photo Storage Services

Synology Photos vs Noodle Gallery

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Synology Photos #4 in Photo Storage Services 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 6 features Try Synology Photos
Noodle Gallery #15 in Photo Storage Services 7.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit Noodle Gallery

Synology Photos leads on 0 checks, Noodle Gallery on 0, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSynology Photos · 8.9/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresSynology Photos · 6 of 6

Synology Photos scores higher on our rubric for photo storage services: 8.9 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #15.

Synology Photos is the better fit for synology NAS owners wanting a private library. Noodle Gallery is the better fit for self-hosted families using object storage.

  • Synology Photos fits best

    Synology NAS owners wanting a private library

  • Noodle Gallery fits best

    Self-hosted families using object storage

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Side by side

Feature Synology Photos 8.9/10 Visit ↗ Noodle Gallery 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 7.8
Ranking #4 in Photo Storage Services #15 in Photo Storage Services
Best for Synology NAS owners wanting a private library Self-hosted families using object storage
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free Free
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension Self-hosted, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome extension Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support Live chat, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Synology Photos 6/6 · Noodle Gallery 5/6
Original-quality storage ✓ ✓
Face search ✓ ✓
Shared albums ✓ ✓
Family sharing ✓ ✓
Desktop app ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Video backup ✓ ✓
Specs
Free storage Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Searches by people, places, tags, metadata, and camera attributes
  • Supports RAW, full-resolution photos, mobile backup, and video backup
  • Adds permissions, protected links, face recognition, and automatic albums
  • 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
  • Requires a Synology NAS and installed drives
  • Face and object recognition depend on compatible NAS models
  • Synology Image Assistant is a separate desktop utility
  • 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

Synology Photos is a self-hosted photo and video management application for Synology NAS devices running DiskStation Manager. It suits individuals and households that want a private media library, as well as groups that need shared folders…

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 →
  1. Synology PhotosPhoto Storage Services 8.9Free plan
  2. Noodle GalleryPhoto Storage Services 7.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Synology Photos — where it wins

    • Searches by people, places, tags, metadata, and camera attributes
    • Supports RAW, full-resolution photos, mobile backup, and video backup
    • Adds permissions, protected links, face recognition, and automatic albums

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires a Synology NAS and installed drives
    • Face and object recognition depend on compatible NAS models
    • Synology Image Assistant is a separate desktop utility

  • 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

More comparisons

All photo storage services comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update