Lychee
Lychee: A capable self-hosted photo library with original downloads, albums, and controlled sharing. Ranked #18 of 70 in Photo Storage Services by our editors (7.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for self-hosters wanting albums and original downloads.
At a glance
- Editor score7.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forSelf-hosters wanting albums and original downloads
- Free planYes
- Original-quality storageYes
- Facts checked15 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Nested albums, customizable layouts, and original-resolution downloads
- Password-protected sharing, download controls, and secured image links
- Rich metadata, Dropbox import, tagging, favorites, and facial recognition
Where it doesn't
- Available through web and self-hosted deployments only
- Supporter Edition costs €5 per month for advanced features
- Facial recognition requires a separate AI Vision microservice and is disabled by default
Our verdict on Lychee
Lychee is a free, open-source, self-hosted web application for photographers and individuals who want to store and manage photos on their own server. It handles photos and video files, with nested albums, customizable layouts, sorting, metadata, tagging, favorites, public galleries, and sharing with registered users. Original files and original-resolution downloads are supported, making Lychee a fit for people who want direct control over their media library rather than a cloud-only service.
The Free plan includes unlimited users, albums, tags, and photo uploads. The €5-per-month Supporter Edition adds statistics, user groups and upload quotas, anonymous uploads, secured image links, watermarking, and extended customizations. This makes the free tier suitable for core organization and sharing, while the paid tier is aimed at libraries that need more control over contributors, links, presentation, or usage tracking. There is no need to choose a higher storage allowance within the listed plans; Lychee is deployed on infrastructure managed by the user.
Lychee’s standout depth is its combination of organization, metadata, and sharing controls. It supports EXIF, IPTC, and GPS metadata, imports from a local computer, server, URL, or Dropbox, and offers facial recognition with people grouping and person albums. Facial recognition is a Lychee v8 feature, disabled by default, and requires a separate AI Vision microservice. Deployment is available through Docker or source installation. Choose Lychee if self-hosting, original files, nested albums, and controlled sharing are priorities. Consider another option if you need a managed cloud service or a native platform beyond the web.
Your product? Our editors can test Lychee in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Lychee pricing
All 2 Lychee plans and prices →
Lychee fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Free storage | Not verified |
| Original-quality storage | Yes |
| Face search | Yes |
| Shared albums | Yes |
| Family sharing | Not verified |
| Desktop app | Not verified |
| Video backup | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Integrations | 1 integrations: Dropbox |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | lycheeorg.dev |
| Facts checked | 15 Sep 2026 |
Lychee integrations
Lychee lists 1 integrations on its own site.
- Dropbox
Alternatives to Lychee
- 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
Used Lychee? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Lychee for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
Lychee is listed in our Photo Storage Services directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/lychee-photo-storage-service/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/lychee-photo-storage-service.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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.
Last updated · How we research and update