Side by side
My Family Album vs Photoview
Both stand on photo storage services. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan iPhone
My Family Album combines child-focused timelines, story videos, and private family sharing in one iOS app. Its on-device analysis and encrypted uploads address privacy, but users must protect their encryption keys.
Visit My Family Album Free plan iPhoneLinuxSelf-hosted+1
Choose Photoview if you want a free, self-hosted gallery that organizes existing filesystem paths without changing the originals. Its media tools include RAW support, metadata, maps, and optional face recognition. Look elsewhere if you need expiring share links or a maintained iOS app.
Visit PhotoviewThe facts
| My Family Album | Photoview | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | iPhone | iPhone, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | In-app purchase: $109.99, paid once | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | myfamilyalbum.app | photoview.github.io |
| On photo storage services | #54 of 71 | #34 of 71 |
My Family Album: what it does well
- Chronological stories for children’s photos and videos
- On-device event detection suggests birthdays and trips
- Separate timelines support multiple children
- AES-256-GCM encryption before upload
- Private family sharing, albums, and video backup
What to know first
- Available only on iOS
- Lost encryption keys may make content unrecoverable
- In-app purchase listed at 109.99 USD once
Photoview: what it does well
- Keeps original media untouched and can mount it read-only.
- Supports RAW images, video, EXIF metadata, and timelines.
- Displays maps for photos with GPS data.
- Optional face recognition supports labeling and merging groups.
- Shares albums, photos, and videos through links.
What to know first
- Sharing outside the local network requires an internet-accessible instance.
- Share-link expiry is not implemented.
- The iOS app is no longer maintained or available on the App Store.
Alternatives to My Family Album Alternatives to Photoview The whole list