Immich: the Free, Self-Hosted Google Photos Alternative

Last updated: 12 October 2026

What Immich replaces, and how well

Immich replaces Google Photos and iCloud Photos for people who would rather keep their pictures at home. Like Google Photos, it backs up new photos from your phone in the background. It then groups them by the people in them and shows them on a map. It also has memories, shared albums and a search box that understands a description, for example "dog on a beach".

The difference is where the files live. Instead of uploading to Google's or Apple's servers, your photos go to a machine you own. That could be a spare PC, a Mac mini or a network drive (a NAS). As a result, there is no monthly storage plan to outgrow. When the library gets bigger, you add a bigger disk.

Android Authority's Robert Triggs moved his library across in January 2026 and found Immich covered "roughly 90%" of what he valued in Google Photos. The main gap he noticed was editing. Immich has nothing like Google's Magic Editor, and its own editing tools are basic.

Key features

• Automatic phone backup: the iOS and Android apps upload new photos and videos in the background.
• Face recognition: Immich finds the people in your photos and groups them, all on your own server.
• Smart search: type what is in the picture and it finds it, using an AI model that runs on your server.
• Text search: it reads the words in your photos, so you can search for a street sign or a receipt.
• Map and memories: a world map of where each photo was taken, plus "on this day" memories.
• Sharing: shared and public albums, and partner sharing so two people see each other's libraries.
• Existing folders: it can index photos already sitting on a drive without moving them.
• RAW and Live Photos: RAW camera files, Live Photos and motion photos all display properly.

Who makes Immich, and what it costs

Alex Tran started Immich. Since May 2024 it has been backed by FUTO, a company that pays the core team of about ten people. The code is open source under the AGPL v3 licence, and the project has passed 100,000 stars on GitHub. Immich declared itself stable with version 2.0 on 1 October 2025, and version 3.3.1 arrived on 8 October 2026.

The app is free with no paid features. However, you can buy an optional supporter key to fund development. It costs $25 for one person or $100 for a household's server. Immich's shop says the key unlocks nothing extra. There is no official hosted version, so you always run the server yourself.

What you need to run it

Immich runs in Docker, a tool that packages the server so it installs with a handful of commands. Linux is the recommended system. It also works on Windows and Mac through Docker Desktop, although the team strongly advises against that long term. The machine needs at least 6GB of RAM and two processor cores. For a smoother setup, Immich recommends 8GB and four cores. Also allow 10 to 20 per cent more disk space than your library for thumbnails and converted videos.

Then install the free Immich app on your phone from the App Store, Google Play or F-Droid. Point it at your server and switch on backup. Remote access is left to you. A private network tool such as Tailscale lets you reach the server away from home, while keeping it off the open internet.

Get Immich for iPhone, Android and server

The backup responsibility, and other limits

With Google Photos, Google keeps the copies safe. With Immich, that job is yours. The project's own documentation recommends a 3-2-1 backup plan. That means three copies of your photos, on two kinds of storage, with one copy somewhere else. Its database backups only hold the albums, faces and other details, not the photos themselves. So the original files need backing up separately.

Setting it up also takes some comfort with Docker and a computer that stays switched on. Major versions also bring changes that need care, and version 3 came with its own migration guide. In addition, edits made in Immich to photos in an existing folder stay inside Immich rather than changing the files. Finally, the first import of a large library is slow on modest hardware, so expect it to run overnight.

The full requirements and the setup steps are on Immich's quick start guide.

FAQs

Is Immich free?

Yes. Immich is open source and every feature is free. The optional supporter key, $25 for one person or $100 for a server, funds development but adds no features. I checked those prices on 12 October 2026.

Is Immich a good Google Photos alternative?

For backup, faces, search, maps and sharing, yes. It falls short on editing, and you have to look after the server and its backups yourself.

Does Immich have an iPhone app?

Yes. There are free apps for iPhone and Android, and both back up your camera roll automatically.

Can I run Immich on a Mac?

It works through Docker Desktop, but Immich recommends Linux for the server. A Mac can still be the computer you browse your library on.

Is Immich safe to use for my only copy of my photos?

No server should hold your only copy. Immich itself recommends three copies of every photo, including one away from home.

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