Looking for a Google Photos replacement. This is my requirements list reddit / selfhosted ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-11-25 23:17 Hi community, I am in the search of a Google Photos replacement. I want to self host it. Been testing some options like PhotoStructure which looks promisiing but as it is developed by a single person its progress is very slow and its still missing a lot of basic requirements. I was looking into Immich, its looking very good and being developed fast due to its Open-Source nature, but its pretty unstable still and I think it will require some time until we can find a usable product with certain stability. I built the below list of requirements in the hopes that someone already found a reliable solution that could tick most of the boxes. Please feel free to share your thoughts and alternatives ;) # Requirements for a reliable self-hosted Google Photos replacement * **Web-Based Application:** Accessible through a web browser, ensuring cross-platform and mobile compatibility. * **Dedicated mobile app:** This is desirable, but if the Web-Based application is well designed it could be fine without a dedicated app as we can always use PhotoSync to sync pictures to our servers. * **Import and Deduplication:** Ability to import from various sources (mobile devices, GoPro, Insta 360 X3 camera, drones) and an efficient deduplication system to manage duplicates. * **High-Resolution Support and Previews:** Display images and videos in original resolution with the option to create previews for fast browsing. * **EXIF Data Management:** Tools to edit EXIF information, with changes saved directly to the original file or a standardized sidecar file for compatibility with other systems. * **Album Creation Without Duplicating Files:** Create thematic or person-based albums without duplicating the files. * **Advanced Search and Organization Features:** * Face Recognition: Identify and tag individuals for easy searching. * Chronological Ordering: Timeline view for navigating through photos and videos. * Geotagging and Map Views: Display photos on a map based on location metadata. * User-Friendly Media Consumption: An interface that is intuitive and enjoyable for viewing and interacting with media. * Sharing and Collaboration: * Album and Gallery Sharing: Share with others, with customizable permissions. * Contribution Options: Allow others to contribute to shared galleries without the ability to delete. * Upload Functionality for Shared Users: Integration with apps like PhotoSync for user contributions. * **Storage Management:** * Per-User Storage Limits: Set storage quotas for different users. * Flexible Storage Options: Support for local storage (computer/NAS), as well as the ability to deploy in a Docker container or VM. * **Privacy and Security:** * Data Privacy: Ensure data is stored privately and securely. * User Access Control: Fine-grained access control for different users and groups. * **Scalability and Performance:** * Handle Large Collections: Efficiently manage large volumes of photos and videos. * Performance Optimization: Fast loading and processing times, especially for high-resolution media. * **Backup and Recovery:** * Data Backup Solutions: Options for backing up the photo library in an easy way. * Disaster Recovery Plan: Ability to recover data in case of hardware failure or other issues. * Integration with Other Systems: Ability to integrate or export data to/from other popular systems like Google Photos or Apple Photos for seamless transition. * **Customization and Extensibility:** * Customizable Interface: Options to customize the UI according to user preferences. * Plugin/Extension Support: Ability to extend functionality through plugins or extensions. * Technical Support and Documentation: Access to reliable support and comprehensive documentation for setup and troubleshooting. * **Regular Updates and Maintenance:** Ongoing software updates for new features, security patches, and performance improvements. * **Cost-Effectiveness:** Evaluate the total cost of ownership, including setup, maintenance, and potential subscription fees. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2023-11-25 23:24 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- shadoodled · 2023-11-25 23:36 Pretty extensive requirements. I'd say Immich is still the best bet. But I think it might need 2 years (maybe more) to fulfil those. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- dev_all_the_ops · 2023-11-25 23:39 What you are looking for doesn’t exist. You’ve already found the best options. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- legrenabeach · 2023-11-25 23:52 I don't think it has aaaaall of those extensive requirements, but Nextcloud Memories is the closest self hosted thing to GPhotos. I have over 20k photos on it and growing, works brilliantly on a small VPS. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- superglue_chute115 · 2023-11-26 00:10 You should build that ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EndlessHiway · 2023-11-26 00:15 Learn to read. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- smnhdy · 2023-11-26 00:17 Immich ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Chase37_ · 2023-11-26 00:19 What about PhotoPrism? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- bapichulo · 2023-11-26 00:27 I just installed Nextcloud yesterday and uploading photos from my phone has been a mess (on iOS). Photos do not auto-upload as they should and the photos don’t upload in the background. I have to keep my screen on the app the entire time 💀 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- legrenabeach · 2023-11-26 00:34 That's weird. I'm not on iOS, but on my Android phone auto-upload works mostly well. The only problem is sometimes conflicts happen when network signal is very low or non-existent, but otherwise all photos upload fine. Does iOS have any kind of battery optimisation for apps which you can turn off for Nextcloud? It's a problem on Android phones, you always have to exclude apps you never want to go to sleep from battery optimisation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- juanfdo82465 · 2023-11-26 00:41 And how much are you willing to pay the developers than meet your bible of requirements? Funny way to look for free open source software Take what is available for free and be happy with it ---------------------------------------------------------------------- bapichulo · 2023-11-26 00:46 Hahah no. iOS isn’t cool like androids. Apple is so basic unfortunately ---------------------------------------------------------------------- hannahfloyd_ · 2023-11-26 01:57 nextcloud memories is the closest self-hosted thing to gphotos. it doesn't have all those extensive requirements, but it's been working brilliantly for me with over 20k photos on a small vps. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bytepond · 2023-11-26 05:06 Feel free to create something that satisfies all those requirements. Immich is the best and closest replacement to Google Photos that exists currently. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Touch-Environmental · 2023-11-26 06:36 immich ftw ---------------------------------------------------------------------- sjveivdn · 2023-11-26 09:08 Immich ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ouroboros13373001 · 2023-11-26 09:37 Nextcloud can do that with plugins ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SirEdvin · 2023-11-26 12:30 Synology? You can van try to install Synology OS on any machine, theoretically ---------------------------------------------------------------------- pwnamte · 2023-11-26 13:23 You know what you want now go and find it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- dazchad · 2023-11-26 22:01 iOS is very picky with background jobs. Not many apps have background upload for that reason. It seems Immich managed to make it work, but I haven't tested it myself. Naturally, Photos app works perfectly with iCloud... Android is more lax and so many more apps support this feature. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-11-26 22:37 Yeah, I also feel they are going in the right direction, but feels a bit unstable for now. But once it is stable, uff its going to rock! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-11-26 22:38 Honestly I did not find any better tool than PhotoSync App to do that...its just amazing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-11-26 22:39 Did I ever said it had to be free? I am willing to pay for it if it meets the requirements of course. That being said, I paid 1 year of PhotoStructure to support the developer of the product because I also think its going in the right direction. But it would be awesome if for example PhotoStructure and Immich would join forces. Imagine that! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-11-26 22:40 I did not use it yet, but I heard some other folks also recommending it. What has been your experience with it? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-11-26 22:41 The time I tried Synology Photos (I think it was memories before, I cannot remember), it did not cope well with 1.000.000 assets :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-11-26 22:42 Yup, thats the reason why I made this post. To check if someone found something similar, because until now, I didnt. Developing this would be a full time job of multiple persons. I strongly believe though, there is a market for it, especially nowadays when people are more conscious of their privacy and want to get out from services like Google Photos. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-11-26 22:43 It would be aswesome no? I hope Immich goes into this direction once its stabilized as its currently under strong development. Photo Structure also looks very promising, but I wish the developer could expand his team to bring changes faster, Matt has been very responsive and helpful so far when I tested his product. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- greypic · 2023-12-15 22:10 I don't have the answer but this sub HATES people talking about selfhosted photos as evidenced by the downvotes. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-12-15 23:52 Its very odd honestly...some people reaction to a simple list of requirements...is like they are bored and just rant about anything... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- fscheps · 2023-12-27 09:35 I came across [https://onefolder.app/](https://onefolder.app/) today and I am really looking forward to test it as its non-intrusive and looks promissing.