Lychee is a web-based photo-management tool for uploading, managing, and sharing pictures from your own server or web space. It is available as a free, open-source plan at no cost, with paid plans from €5/mo. Listed capabilities include original-quality storage, face search, shared albums, and video backup. The available facts do not assign these capabilities to specific plans, so check plan details before relying on one feature. Lychee is self-hosted, giving users control over their data and pictures. The project recommends Docker and provides a Docker Compose setup; pre-built releases and source installation are also available. Source installation requires PHP 8.4 or later, Composer, and npm. The repository lists an MIT license, a Supporter Edition with additional functionality, and a security policy. Help is available through documentation, GitHub issues, and Discord.
Who it is for
Lychee suits people who want browser-based photo management on infrastructure they control. It fits users needing original-quality storage, face search, shared albums, or video backup.
What is good
- Free open-source plan at no cost
- Runs on your server or web space
- Original-quality photo storage listed
- Face search and shared albums
- Video backup support
What to know first
- Self-hosting requires deployment and maintenance
- Source installation needs PHP 8.4 or later
- Feature availability by plan is unspecified
Verdict
Lychee provides self-hosted photo management with storage, search, sharing, and video capabilities. Docker deployment is recommended, while source installation has specific requirements and paid plans start at €5/mo.
Lychee plans and pricing
All plansCompared on photo storage services
- Free plan
- Yes
- Original-quality storage
- Yes
- Face search
- Yes
- Shared albums
- Yes
- Video backup
- Yes
