Apple iCloud Photos

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Apple iCloud Photos

A curated collection of the 16 best self hosted alternatives to Apple iCloud Photos.

iCloud Photos securely stores, syncs, and backs up your photos and videos across Apple devices and iCloud.com. It preserves originals in iCloud, optimizes device storage, organizes media, and enables sharing and access from any connected Apple device or browser.

Alternatives List

#1
Immich

Immich

A self-hosted photos and videos platform for automatic mobile backup, fast browsing, and AI-powered search, with sharing and albums similar to Google Photos.

Immich screenshot

Immich is a self-hosted photo and video management platform focused on automatic backup from mobile devices and fast, modern browsing. It provides a Google Photos–like experience with timeline views, albums, sharing, and machine-learning features for search and organization.

Key Features

  • Automatic photo/video backup from Android and iOS apps
  • Web app for browsing by timeline, albums, and metadata
  • On-device/server-side machine learning features such as face recognition and semantic/object search (via embeddings)
  • Duplicate detection and media organization tools
  • Sharing features for albums and individual assets
  • Map/location browsing and EXIF/metadata viewing
  • Background jobs for indexing, thumbnail generation, and ML processing
  • Storage options including local filesystem and S3-compatible object storage

Use Cases

  • Replace Google Photos/iCloud Photos for a household with private backups
  • Centralize media from multiple phones/cameras into a searchable library
  • Create shared family albums with controlled access

Limitations and Considerations

  • Feature set and migrations can change quickly across releases; upgrades should follow release notes carefully
  • Machine-learning features require additional compute and background processing, especially for large libraries

Immich is best suited for individuals or families who want a modern, fast photo experience while keeping their media under their own control. With strong mobile backup and ML-powered discovery, it works well as a primary personal photo library when deployed and maintained carefully.

88.6kstars
4.7kforks
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#2
PhotoPrism

PhotoPrism

Self-hosted photo management and gallery app with AI search, automatic organization, and multi-user support for large photo and video libraries.

PhotoPrism screenshot

PhotoPrism is a self-hosted photo and video management application that helps you browse, organize, and search large media libraries from a modern web interface. It focuses on fast indexing, rich metadata handling, and AI-assisted discovery while keeping your originals in your own storage.

Key Features

  • Web-based photo and video library with responsive UI, albums, favorites, and sharing links
  • AI-powered search and classification (e.g., objects/scenes) plus location and time-based browsing
  • Face recognition (optional, depending on setup) and people organization for easier discovery
  • Automatic indexing with EXIF/XMP metadata reading, duplicate detection, and quality sorting
  • Map view and geolocation support (uses embedded metadata; can enrich from known locations)
  • Import workflows that preserve originals and support sidecar files
  • Multi-user support with authentication and role-based access controls
  • Docker-first deployment with configurable storage paths and database backends

Use Cases

  • Replace cloud photo services for personal and family photo libraries with local storage
  • Create a searchable archive for photographers (RAW/JPEG) and shared studio collections
  • Centralize media from phones/cameras/NAS with metadata-based browsing and deduplication

Limitations and Considerations

  • Some advanced features (notably certain AI/Maps capabilities) may depend on additional services, model downloads, or API keys and can increase resource usage.

PhotoPrism is well-suited for users who want a full-featured, browser-based photo library with strong metadata support and AI-assisted search. It is commonly deployed on a home server or NAS to organize large collections while maintaining control over files and backups.

39.1kstars
2.2kforks
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#3
ownCloud

ownCloud

Self-hosted file sync and sharing platform with web/mobile/desktop clients, WebDAV access, sharing controls, versioning, and enterprise-grade security and auditing.

ownCloud screenshot

ownCloud is a file sync and sharing (EFSS) server for hosting private cloud storage on your own infrastructure. It provides web, desktop, and mobile access to files, plus secure sharing and collaboration features aimed at organizations that need control, compliance, and extensibility.

Key Features

  • Web interface plus desktop and mobile sync clients for accessing and syncing files
  • WebDAV support for standards-based file access and mounting as a network drive
  • File sharing with link sharing, password protection and expiration (configurable policies)
  • Versioning and recycle bin/trash to recover previous versions and deleted files
  • User and group management with role-based administration and storage quotas
  • External storage backends (e.g., S3-compatible/object storage, SMB/CIFS, FTP) via storage apps
  • Activity stream, notifications, and auditing capabilities (feature set depends on edition/apps)
  • App/plugin ecosystem to extend functionality (e.g., collaboration, storage, auth, integrations)

Use Cases

  • Internal “private Dropbox/OneDrive” for organizations needing data residency and policy control
  • Secure partner/customer file delivery with expiring, password-protected share links
  • Central file access layer over mixed backends (local storage, SMB shares, object storage)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Some advanced enterprise capabilities (governance, compliance features, certain integrations) may require paid enterprise components/support depending on deployment and edition
  • Scaling and performance depend heavily on backend storage, caching, and database tuning; production setups typically require careful ops planning

ownCloud is a mature EFSS platform suited to teams that want a standards-based file platform (notably WebDAV) with flexible storage backends and administrative controls. It fits best where extensibility, policy enforcement, and infrastructure control are primary requirements.

8.7kstars
2.1kforks
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#4
LibrePhotos

LibrePhotos

A Google Photos alternative for organizing, searching, and sharing your photo library with face recognition, object search, timeline views, and multi-user support.

LibrePhotos screenshot

LibrePhotos is a self-hosted photo management and gallery application designed to help you organize and explore large personal photo libraries. It focuses on fast browsing and AI-assisted discovery (people, objects, locations) while supporting multiple users and common photo/video workflows.

Key Features

  • AI indexing for semantic discovery: face recognition, object/scene classification, and similarity search
  • People management: merge/rename people, confirm faces, and browse photos by person
  • Powerful search and filtering across metadata (date/time, camera info, location where available)
  • Timeline and album-style browsing with responsive web UI
  • Multi-user accounts with library separation and sharing-oriented workflows
  • Background indexing pipeline for large libraries; incremental scans to keep libraries up to date
  • Docker-based deployment with companion services (database/cache) commonly used in the stack

Use Cases

  • Replace cloud photo services by hosting a private, searchable family photo library
  • Quickly find photos of a person, pet, object, or scene across years of images
  • Create a local “photo hub” for multiple users to browse and curate collections

Limitations and Considerations

  • Initial AI indexing can be resource-intensive on large libraries and may take significant time
  • Accuracy of face/object recognition depends on the underlying models and photo quality

LibrePhotos is a strong option for users who want modern search and discovery on their own photo archive. It combines gallery browsing with machine-learning indexing to make large collections easier to navigate and curate.

7.9kstars
368forks
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#5
Photoview

Photoview

A self-hosted photo gallery that indexes folders on disk, extracts metadata, and provides a fast web UI for browsing, searching, and sharing albums.

Photoview screenshot

Photoview is a self-hosted photo gallery that scans folders on your server and presents them in a modern web interface. It focuses on organizing and browsing large personal photo libraries using metadata (EXIF) and folder structure, with features for sharing and multi-user access.

Key Features

  • Imports and indexes photos/videos from directories on disk (no manual uploads required)
  • Automatic metadata extraction (EXIF) and timeline/date-based browsing
  • Face recognition and person pages (optional feature)
  • Map/location browsing when GPS metadata is present
  • Web-based album browsing, search, and filtering
  • Multi-user support with authentication and per-user access control
  • Sharing via links for albums/media (for easy external viewing)
  • Docker-based deployment with database-backed indexing

Use Cases

  • Host a private “Google Photos-like” gallery for a household photo archive
  • Browse and search a large DSLR/phone library stored on a NAS by date/people/location
  • Create shareable albums for family or events without uploading to third-party clouds

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires an initial indexing/scan step; large libraries may take time to process
  • Some advanced capabilities (e.g., face recognition) depend on configuration and compute resources

Photoview is a practical option for turning an existing folder-based photo archive into a searchable, multi-user web gallery. It is best suited for users who want fast browsing and metadata-driven organization while keeping files in place on their own storage.

6.3kstars
449forks
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#6
OpenCloud

OpenCloud

Enterprise-ready file sharing and content collaboration with sync, sharing, and integrations, built as a modern successor to ownCloud/Nextcloud-style platforms.

OpenCloud screenshot

OpenCloud is a self-managed content collaboration platform focused on secure file sharing, synchronization, and teamwork around documents and folders. It targets organizations that need an open, extensible alternative to proprietary cloud drives with enterprise-friendly deployment options.

Key Features

  • File management with sharing links and permission controls
  • Sync capabilities for keeping files aligned across devices (via clients/integrations)
  • Web-based user experience for browsing, previewing, and organizing content
  • Integration-oriented architecture (connectors/APIs) for embedding into existing environments
  • Admin/operations tooling for running the service in organizational settings

Use Cases

  • Replace proprietary cloud drives for internal document sharing and collaboration
  • Provide a managed file-sharing service for teams, departments, or customers
  • Act as a storage and sharing layer integrated into an existing IAM/SSO and app stack

Limitations and Considerations

  • Some collaboration features commonly found in suites (e.g., full office editing) may rely on external integrations rather than being built-in.

OpenCloud is suited for teams wanting a modern, open platform for file sync and share with an emphasis on extensibility and controlled operations. It fits well when you need ownership of storage, identity integration, and predictable governance over shared content.

4.6kstars
158forks
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#7
Radicale

Radicale

A fast, lightweight CalDAV/CardDAV server for syncing calendars, contacts, and tasks with standard clients, featuring filesystem storage and flexible authentication.

Radicale screenshot

Radicale is a minimalist CalDAV and CardDAV server that lets you sync calendars, address books, and tasks with standards-compliant clients (e.g., Thunderbird/Lightning, DAVx⁵, macOS/iOS, GNOME). It focuses on being easy to deploy and administer while still providing the core DAV features needed for personal or small team groupware.

Key Features

  • CalDAV and CardDAV support for calendars, contacts, and VTODO tasks
  • Stores data as plain files on disk (human-readable, easy to back up and version)
  • Built-in web interface for browsing collections (optional) and DAV discovery
  • Flexible authentication/authorization options (e.g., htpasswd, remote user, custom backends)
  • Per-user collections and permissions via configuration
  • Works behind reverse proxies; supports TLS via a fronting web server
  • Runs as a standalone WSGI application; integrates with common process managers

Use Cases

  • Sync a personal calendar/contacts/tasks across phones and desktops using DAV clients
  • Provide lightweight DAV groupware for a family or small organization
  • Host DAV data in a git-backed directory for audit/history and simple restores

Limitations and Considerations

  • Primarily targets DAV sync; it is not a full “groupware suite” (no email/chat modules)
  • Sharing/ACL capabilities depend on configuration and client support and may be less ergonomic than full suites

Radicale is a good fit when you want a small, standards-based DAV server that is easy to host, keeps data in straightforward files, and interoperates with many existing calendar/contact clients. It prioritizes simplicity and transparency over an all-in-one collaboration platform.

4.3kstars
491forks
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#8
Lychee

Lychee

A modern, web-based photo library and gallery for organizing albums, viewing metadata, and sharing photos securely from your own server.

Lychee screenshot

Lychee is a web-based photo management application that lets you upload, organize, browse, and share photo libraries through a clean gallery interface. It is designed for personal or small-team collections, with album organization and link-based sharing.

Key Features

  • Photo library management with albums (including nested albums)
  • Upload via web UI (with drag & drop) and support for importing existing folders
  • EXIF/IPTC metadata reading (camera, lens, exposure, dates) and map display when GPS data exists
  • Search and filtering to quickly find photos in large libraries
  • Sharing controls: public/private albums, link sharing, and password protection (depending on configuration)
  • Multiple user support and permissions (edition dependent) for shared libraries
  • Image processing for thumbnails/previews and orientation handling
  • Runs behind common reverse proxies and supports modern PHP deployments

Use Cases

  • Personal replacement for hosted photo galleries to organize family and travel photos
  • Small group or club photo archive with shared albums and controlled access
  • Publishing curated galleries (events/portfolios) with link-based sharing

Limitations and Considerations

  • Video support and advanced media features vary by deployment and enabled PHP extensions; verify requirements before large imports
  • Some collaboration features (e.g., fine-grained multi-user management) may depend on the specific Lychee edition/version you deploy

Lychee focuses on being a lightweight, pleasant web gallery with practical organization and sharing rather than a full digital asset management suite. It fits well for users who want a straightforward photo library with metadata, albums, and controlled public sharing.

4kstars
363forks
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#9
Piwigo

Piwigo

Piwigo is a self-hosted photo gallery for organizing, tagging, searching, and sharing large photo collections with albums, permissions, and extensibility via plugins.

Piwigo screenshot

Piwigo is a web-based photo gallery and photo management application designed for organizing and publishing photo collections, from personal libraries to large team or organizational archives. It focuses on scalable organization (albums, tags, metadata), granular sharing/permissions, and a plugin/theme ecosystem to adapt the gallery to different workflows.

Key Features

  • Album-based organization with nested categories and multiple display options
  • Tagging, ratings, comments, and powerful search/browse features
  • Metadata support (e.g., EXIF/IPTC) and batch management tools for large libraries
  • User and group management with configurable permissions for private/public galleries
  • Extensible via plugins and themes to add features and customize appearance
  • Upload workflows for web, FTP/sync tools, and bulk import for large collections
  • Multi-language interface and configurable gallery settings for different audiences

Use Cases

  • Create a private family or personal photo library with sharing links and access control
  • Publish a public photography portfolio or event gallery with albums and comments
  • Maintain an internal media archive for teams (marketing/assets) with tags and search

Limitations and Considerations

  • Advanced features often depend on selecting and maintaining the right plugins
  • Performance and storage planning becomes important for very large libraries

Piwigo provides a mature, customizable photo gallery with strong organization and permission controls. Its plugin/theme ecosystem makes it flexible for many scenarios, especially when you need a structured library rather than a simple “photo stream” experience.

3.7kstars
465forks
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#10
Baïkal

Baïkal

Baïkal is a lightweight CalDAV/CardDAV server for syncing calendars, tasks, and contacts with DAV clients, with a simple web admin UI and multi-user support.

Baïkal screenshot

Baïkal is a small, self-hostable groupware backend that provides CalDAV and CardDAV services for syncing calendars, tasks, and contacts across devices and desktop/mobile clients. It is built on top of the SabreDAV stack and is designed to be easy to deploy and administer.

Key Features

  • CalDAV server for calendars and tasks (VTODO) compatible with common DAV clients
  • CardDAV server for contact sync using vCard
  • Web-based administration panel to create/manage users, address books, and calendars
  • Multi-user support with per-user collections (calendars/address books)
  • Uses an SQL database backend (SQLite by default; also supports MySQL and PostgreSQL)
  • Standards-based DAV interoperability via the SabreDAV library

Use Cases

  • Sync personal calendars/tasks between macOS/iOS, Android (DAVx⁵), and desktop clients
  • Provide shared calendars/contacts for a family or small team without a full groupware suite
  • Run a lightweight DAV endpoint behind an existing web server/reverse proxy

Limitations and Considerations

  • Focused specifically on CalDAV/CardDAV; it is not a full mail/chat/collaboration suite
  • Interoperability depends on client DAV support; some clients may require extra configuration

Baïkal is a good fit when you want standards-based calendar/contact synchronization with minimal overhead. Its simple admin UI and SabreDAV foundation make it practical for small deployments that need reliable DAV services without additional groupware components.

3kstars
304forks
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#11
PiGallery2

PiGallery2

Self-hosted web photo gallery that indexes folders, reads EXIF/IPTC, supports maps/search, and serves optimized thumbnails with a responsive UI.

PiGallery2 screenshot

PiGallery2 is a self-hosted web photo gallery focused on browsing existing photo/video folders without importing them into a separate library. It indexes your directory structure, extracts common metadata, and provides a modern, responsive UI with fast thumbnail generation and search.

Key Features

  • Directory-based albums (mirrors your existing folder structure)
  • Automatic media indexing with configurable scanner/database
  • EXIF/IPTC metadata reading (camera data, dates, keywords where available)
  • Map view for GPS-tagged photos
  • Full-text style search/filtering across metadata
  • On-the-fly thumbnail generation and image resizing for fast browsing
  • Video support (with metadata and preview handling depending on setup)
  • Multi-user support with authentication and permission concepts
  • Sharing options (public links/albums depending on configuration)

Use Cases

  • Host a private family photo website from an existing NAS folder tree
  • Browse and search a large archive (events/trips) using metadata and map view
  • Lightweight gallery for photographers who want folder-based organization

Limitations and Considerations

  • Features depend heavily on extracted metadata; inconsistent EXIF/IPTC can reduce search/map usefulness
  • Not intended as a full “DAM” with heavy editing workflows; it focuses on browsing and viewing

PiGallery2 is a good fit when you want a fast, web-based viewer on top of a directory tree, with metadata-driven search and a clean UI. It works especially well for large collections where automatic thumbnails and responsive browsing matter more than complex asset-management workflows.

2.1kstars
247forks
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#12
Damselfly

Damselfly

Self-hosted photo management app for browsing, tagging, and searching large photo libraries, with face recognition, metadata support, and a responsive web UI.

Damselfly screenshot

Damselfly is a self-hosted photo management application focused on fast browsing and search across large local photo libraries. It indexes folders of images, extracts metadata, and provides a responsive web interface to organize and find photos quickly, including people-based discovery using face recognition.

Key Features

  • Library indexing from filesystem folders with background scanning
  • Responsive web UI optimized for fast browsing of large collections
  • Face recognition for grouping and searching people (face tagging/workflows)
  • Metadata support (EXIF/IPTC) and keyword/tag-based organization
  • Powerful search and filtering (by tags, people, and common photo attributes)
  • Thumbnail generation and caching for performance
  • Container-friendly deployment (commonly run via Docker)

Use Cases

  • Replace cloud photo services for private browsing and search of a home photo archive
  • Curate and find photos for creative work using tags/metadata and fast filtering
  • Identify and organize photos of family members using face recognition

Limitations and Considerations

  • Face recognition requires additional compute and works best with well-lit, clear faces; initial indexing can be time-consuming on large libraries

Damselfly is a good fit for users who want a lightweight, performance-oriented photo library browser with strong local search, metadata handling, and face-based organization. It is commonly used as a private alternative to cloud photo galleries while keeping files in normal folders on disk.

1.7kstars
89forks
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#13
sabre/dav

sabre/dav

A PHP library for building WebDAV, CalDAV, and CardDAV servers with RFC-compliant protocol support, extensible plugins, and integration with existing authentication and storage backends.

sabre/dav screenshot

sabre/dav is a PHP library for implementing WebDAV, CalDAV, and CardDAV servers. It provides the protocol handling, routing, and interoperability layers needed to expose files, calendars, and address books to standard clients while letting you plug in your own storage and authentication.

Key Features

  • WebDAV server framework with support for common clients (e.g., Windows/macOS/WebDAV tools)
  • CalDAV (calendar) and CardDAV (contacts) protocol implementations for sync to desktop/mobile clients
  • Pluggable architecture (server “plugins”) for adding features such as authentication, ACL, locks, sync reports, etc.
  • Backend abstraction: implement interfaces to connect calendars/contacts/files to your database or filesystem
  • Standards-focused design with broad RFC coverage and strong emphasis on interoperability
  • Ships as a Composer package for embedding into custom PHP applications

Use Cases

  • Add CalDAV/CardDAV sync (calendars/contacts) to an existing PHP product
  • Provide a WebDAV endpoint for document access/editing from desktop/mobile clients
  • Build a lightweight groupware sync layer backed by custom storage and auth

Limitations and Considerations

  • It is a developer-focused library rather than a complete “ready-to-run” end-user server; you typically need to implement storage backends and deploy within your own PHP application.

sabre/dav is best suited when you need standards-compliant DAV capabilities inside a PHP stack and want control over authentication, data models, and persistence. Its plugin system and backend interfaces make it adaptable to many architectures while retaining protocol correctness.

1.7kstars
362forks
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#14
Immich Kiosk

Immich Kiosk

A kiosk-style web UI for Immich that displays albums and photos as a digital photo frame, designed for tablets, wall displays, and smart TVs.

Immich Kiosk screenshot

Immich Kiosk is a companion web application for Immich that turns an Immich library or album into a kiosk-style, fullscreen digital photo frame. It is typically used on always-on displays (tablets, wall-mounted screens, smart TVs) to continuously show photos with minimal UI and remote-friendly controls.

Key Features

  • Fullscreen “kiosk” photo display optimized for always-on screens
  • Connects to an Immich server to browse and display photos/albums
  • Album-focused playback (use an Immich album as the frame source)
  • Configurable slideshow behavior (e.g., timing/transition style options)
  • Minimal, display-first UI intended for touch or remote navigation
  • Container-friendly deployment (commonly run via Docker/Compose)

Use Cases

  • Wall-mounted “family photo frame” fed from an Immich album
  • Office/common-area rotating photo display or announcements via curated albums
  • Tablet-based ambient display showing highlights from an Immich library

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires a working Immich server; functionality depends on Immich API compatibility
  • Primarily focused on display/slideshow scenarios (not a full photo management UI)

Immich Kiosk is best suited when you already use Immich for photo storage and want a dedicated, low-friction display interface for a kiosk or digital frame. It complements Immich rather than replacing it, providing a specialized viewing mode for continuous playback on large or shared screens.

1.2kstars
45forks
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#15
Picsur

Picsur

Self-hosted image hosting and sharing with direct links, albums, and an admin dashboard—designed for quick uploads and lightweight operation.

Picsur screenshot

Picsur is a self-hosted image hosting and sharing web app focused on fast uploads, clean direct links, and simple administration. It’s suited for individuals or small teams who want an Imgur-like experience under their own control, with a modern web UI and an API-oriented design.

Key Features

  • Web-based uploads with shareable links for images
  • Albums/collections to group images (where enabled/configured)
  • Admin dashboard for instance management (users/settings/moderation)
  • Configurable storage backend (local filesystem and common external/object storage options depending on deployment)
  • Image processing for common formats and thumbnails/previews
  • Authentication options suitable for private or semi-public instances

Use Cases

  • Host and share screenshots for homelabs/IT teams via stable direct links
  • Private image dropbox for a household or small group
  • Lightweight alternative to public image hosts for embedding images in docs/issues

Limitations and Considerations

  • Feature set is intentionally simpler than full photo-management suites (e.g., advanced tagging/search/face recognition)
  • Some capabilities depend on deployment configuration (storage/reverse proxy/auth)

Picsur is a practical choice when you need straightforward image hosting with a modern interface and minimal overhead. It balances usability and control while staying focused on the core workflow of uploading, organizing, and sharing images.

1.2kstars
65forks
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#16
bewCloud

bewCloud

bewCloud is a self-hosted personal cloud that combines file storage, photo management, notes, and sharing in a single lightweight web app.

bewCloud screenshot

bewCloud is a lightweight personal cloud server that provides a unified web interface for storing and organizing files, managing photos, and keeping simple notes. It is designed as a minimal, easy-to-run alternative to heavier “all-in-one” cloud suites.

Key Features

  • Web-based file manager for uploading, downloading, browsing, and organizing content
  • Photo library with basic browsing and album-style organization
  • Built-in notes for quick personal documentation
  • Sharing via public links for files/folders (useful for ad-hoc collaboration)
  • User accounts for separating personal spaces (where configured)

Use Cases

  • Replace a basic Dropbox-style personal file space on your own server
  • Host a private photo library for family devices and backups
  • Keep lightweight notes alongside your documents in the same web portal

Limitations and Considerations

  • Feature scope is intentionally minimal compared to full groupware suites (e.g., fewer collaboration and office features)

bewCloud fits individuals and small households that want a clean, single-purpose personal cloud with straightforward file and media organization. It is a practical option when you want something simpler than large platforms while still offering web access and link sharing.

1.1kstars
50forks
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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running