Best Google Photos Alternatives in 2026
The top Google Photos alternatives are Apple Photos, Amazon Photos and Synology Photos: 15 photo storage services our editors would look at instead of Google Photos, in our ranking order.
Google Photos: An easy photo backup service with broad search, editing, sharing, and device coverage. Where it falls short: free storage is shared with google drive and gmail.
Switching from Google Photos? For most photo storage services buyers the best Google Photos alternative is Apple Photos, built for apple households using multiple devices. Ente Photos offers the most free storage (10 GB).
Why People Look for a Google Photos Alternative
- 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
- Paid from $1.99/mo — Apple Photos is $0.99/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallApple Photos9.2
Apple households using multiple devices
Visit Apple Photos - Lowest priceApple Photos9.2
Paid plans from $0.99/mo
Visit Apple Photos - Best free optionApple Photos9.2
Has a free plan
Visit Apple Photos - Most free storageEnte Photos8.1
10 GB
Visit Ente Photos
All 15 Google Photos Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
-
Best forApple households using multiple devices
- Better than Google Photos:
- Paid from: $0.99/mo vs $1.99/mo
A capable photo library for Apple households, with affordable entry pricing and limited free storage.
- Desktop app
- Face search
- Family sharing
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Apple Photos -
Best forPrime members needing full-resolution storage
A capable photo backup and sharing service, especially for Prime members.
- Desktop app
- Face search
- Family sharing
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Amazon Photos -
Best forSynology NAS owners wanting a private library
A capable private photo library for Synology NAS owners who want control and depth.
- Desktop app
- Face search
- Family sharing
8.9/10★★★★☆Try Synology Photos -
Best forPhotographers wanting established sharing tools
A mature photo-sharing service with broad upload, organization, and backup options.
- Desktop app
- Original-quality storage
- Shared albums
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Flickr -
Best forPhotographers selling prints and downloads
A full-resolution photo hub with strong galleries and built-in sales tools.
- Desktop app
- Original-quality storage
- Shared albums
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit SmugMug -
Best forOrganizations needing gallery governance
A flexible photo library for organizations that need permissions, metadata, and deployment choice.
- Original-quality storage
- Shared albums
- Video backup
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Piwigo -
Best forOpen-source self-hosters wanting modern features
A feature-rich open-source photo library for people comfortable running their own server.
- Face search
- Original-quality storage
- Shared albums
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Immich -
Best forSelf-hosters wanting rich photo organization
A capable self-hosted library for organizing, searching, and sharing personal media.
- Face search
- Original-quality storage
- Shared albums
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit PhotoPrism -
Best forOpen-source users wanting AI search
A feature-rich self-hosted library for open-source users who want AI photo search.
- Face search
- Original-quality storage
- Shared albums
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit LibrePhotos -
Best forPrivacy-focused families and individuals
A privacy-focused photo backup service with strong search, sharing, and family features.
- Desktop app
- Face search
- Family sharing
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Ente Photos -
Best forQNAP owners wanting AI photo management
A capable AI photo manager for QNAP owners who want self-hosted storage.
- Face search
- Shared albums
- Video backup
8.1/10★★★★☆Explore QuMagie -
Best forBroad backup coverage beyond photo libraries
A broad backup service for photos, devices, servers, and business data.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit IDrive -
Best forBasic storage with image hosting and embeds
A practical choice for basic storage, sharing, and image hosting with embeds.
- Family sharing
- Original-quality storage
- Shared albums
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Photobucket -
Best forSelf-hosted families using object storage
A broad, open-source photo library for families willing to manage their own storage.
- Face search
- Family sharing
- Original-quality storage
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Noodle Gallery -
Best forDesktop-first personal photo libraries
A metadata-rich, desktop-first library for organizing photos and videos on your hardware.
- Desktop app
- Face search
- Original-quality storage
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit PhotoStructure
Google Photos Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Google Photos?
Apple Photos: #2 in our Photo Storage Services ranking, with an editor score of 9.2 out of 10. A capable photo library for Apple households, with affordable entry pricing and limited free storage.
Is there a free alternative to Google Photos?
Yes. Apple Photos, Amazon Photos, Synology Photos, Flickr and Piwigo have a free plan or a free tier (14 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Google Photos?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Apple Photos starts lowest, at $0.99/mo.
Why do people look for Google Photos alternatives?
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.
Which Google Photos alternative has the most free storage?
Ente Photos, with 10 GB.
How do I switch from Google Photos?
Export your data from Google Photos (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Google Photos.
How to Switch from Google Photos
- Export your data from Google Photos (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Google Photos.
Google Photos vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Original-quality storage | Face search | Shared albums | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Photos | Yes | $1.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.4 |
| 1 | Apple Photos | Yes | $0.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 2 | Amazon Photos | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 3 | Synology Photos | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 |
| 4 | Flickr | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 8.7 | |
| 5 | SmugMug | No | $20/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.6 | |
| 6 | Piwigo | Yes | €32/mo | Yes | No | Yes | 8.5 |
| 7 | Immich | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 |
| 8 | PhotoPrism | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.3 | |
| 9 | LibrePhotos | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.2 |
| 10 | Ente Photos | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 11 | QuMagie | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 12 | IDrive | Yes | 8.0 | ||||
| 13 | Photobucket | Yes | $5/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.9 | |
| 14 | Noodle Gallery | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.8 |
| 15 | PhotoStructure | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.7 |
Head-to-Head
- Google Photos vs Amazon Photos
- Google Photos vs Synology Photos
- Google Photos vs Flickr
- Google Photos vs SmugMug
- Google Photos vs Piwigo
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update