Immich
Immich: A feature-rich open-source photo library for people comfortable running their own server. Ranked #8 of 70 in Photo Storage Services by our editors (8.4/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source self-hosters wanting modern features.
At a glance
- Editor score8.4 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forOpen-source self-hosters wanting modern features
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Original-quality storageYes
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Automatic Android and iOS photo and video backup
- Facial recognition, advanced search, and RAW viewing
- Sharing, APIs, deduplication, and database backups
Where it doesn't
- Requires users to provide and manage their own infrastructure
- Storage capacity depends on the operator's available infrastructure
- Docker-based deployment requires a supported server environment
Our verdict on Immich
Immich is an open-source, self-hosted application for managing personal photos and videos. It provides a web interface plus official Android and iOS apps for uploading, browsing, organizing, searching, and sharing media. Automatic mobile backup, shared albums, public links, partner libraries, facial recognition, contextual search, RAW viewing, duplicate detection, video transcoding, and original-file retention make it suited to people who want a modern personal media library while keeping deployment under their control.
Its feature depth is the main reason to consider it. Immich combines people grouping and advanced media search with support for RAW and uncompressed photos, while video transcoding can preserve original files. API keys and programmatic access extend the service beyond its interfaces, and integrations with OAuth identity providers, the Immich API, and Prometheus support different self-hosted environments. Database backup capability adds an operational safeguard for the library's application data. These capabilities make Immich a strong fit for technically confident users who value control and broad functionality over a hosted service.
The trade-off is the operating model. Users deploy the server on their own infrastructure, with Docker-based installation documented for Linux and other supported environments. Storage capacity therefore depends on the available infrastructure, and ongoing responsibility includes the server, media storage, and application data. Immich should appeal to open-source self-hosters who want mobile backup, sharing, search, and automation in one system. It is less suitable for people seeking a provider-managed photo service with storage handled outside their own environment.
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Immich pricing
Immich fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Free storage | Not verified |
| Original-quality storage | Yes |
| Face search | Yes |
| Shared albums | Yes |
| Family sharing | Not verified |
| Desktop app | No |
| Video backup | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | immich.app |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Immich
- Google PhotosAn easy photo backup service with broad search, editing, sharing, and device coverage.9.4
- Apple PhotosA capable photo library for Apple households, with affordable entry pricing and limited free storage.9.2
- Amazon PhotosA capable photo backup and sharing service, especially for Prime members.9.0
Immich vs the competition
Compare Immich with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
Immich is ranked in 6 of our directories.
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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