# Immich vs PhotoPrism

> Pick Immich for a Google Photos-style experience with official mobile apps and automatic phone backup; pick PhotoPrism to browse and tag a large existing photo library.

## Verdict

Immich is the better replacement for Google Photos or iCloud: its official iOS and Android apps back up your camera roll automatically, and it adds face recognition, smart search and shared albums. PhotoPrism shines when you already have years of photos in folders and want a fast, searchable web library that indexes them in place, with mobile access through its PWA or third-party apps.

- Best for Immich: Replacing Google Photos with automatic phone backup
- Best for PhotoPrism: Indexing and browsing an existing photo archive in folders

## Key differences

| Aspect | Immich | PhotoPrism |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0. | AGPL-3.0; some extra features require a paid PhotoPrism membership. |
| Language/stack | TypeScript (NestJS) server, PostgreSQL, Valkey/Redis and a separate Python machine-learning container. | Go with TensorFlow, using MariaDB or SQLite. |
| Mobile apps | Official iOS and Android apps with automatic background backup. | Progressive web app; native apps such as PhotoSync come from third parties. |
| Hardware needs | Docs set 6 GB RAM minimum and 8 GB recommended, with 2 to 4 CPU cores. | Docs recommend at least 2 cores and 3 GB of memory, plus swap and SSD storage. |
| Library model | Upload-first: photos arrive from apps or the web, with external libraries supported for existing folders. | Index-first: scans existing originals folders in place without moving files. |

## GitHub numbers

| Metric | Immich | PhotoPrism |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 115,648 | 40,272 |
| Forks | 7,143 | 2,329 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 2,638 | 2,819 |
| Last commit | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
| Latest release | v3.2.4 | 260919-28c46a116 |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| License type | Open source | Open source |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| Repository | https://github.com/immich-app/immich | https://github.com/photoprism/photoprism |

App pages: [Immich](https://appsgit.com/apps/immich), [PhotoPrism](https://appsgit.com/apps/photoprism)

## FAQ

### Is Immich better than PhotoPrism?

For phone backup and a Google Photos-like experience, Immich is the stronger choice thanks to its official mobile apps. PhotoPrism is better at organizing an existing folder-based archive through a web interface.

### Can Immich use my existing photo folders?

Yes. Immich supports external libraries, which index photos stored in folders on your server without importing or copying them.

### Does PhotoPrism have a mobile app?

PhotoPrism offers a progressive web app that you can install from the browser. Native apps such as PhotoSync and Gallery for PhotoPrism are maintained by third parties.

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