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Immich is the better fit if you want control over where your photo library lives and are prepared to run, update, and back up a server. Google Photos is the better fit if you want a managed service and do not want to maintain photo infrastructure. Self-hosting is not automatically cheaper, safer, or easier: it shifts responsibility for storage, remote access, recovery, and ongoing maintenance to you.
This comparison is based on Immich and Google documentation current as of October 2026. Immich’s requirements and workflows can change, and Google policies or feature availability may vary by account and market.
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What changes when you choose Immich instead of Google Photos?
Immich is a self-hosted photo and video management system. Its documented deployment uses Docker Compose, so you provide and operate the machine that runs it. Google Photos is a managed service: Google operates the underlying infrastructure, while your library is associated with your Google Account.
With Immich, you can choose the server and storage environment, but that control comes with work: you are responsible for keeping the system available, maintaining storage, applying updates, arranging access from your phone, and protecting the files and database against loss. Google Photos removes much of that server administration, but your use depends on Google’s account, storage, and service policies.
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The available documentation does not establish complete feature parity or an overall winner for search, editing, sharing, and every other feature. Compare the specific features you rely on before moving your only copy of a library.
What does Immich need to run?
Immich’s current requirements page calls for Docker with the Compose plugin. It recommends Linux or another Unix-like 64-bit operating system and lists these minimum and recommended resources. These are software requirements, not confirmation that a particular NAS model is compatible. Check a device’s operating system, processor, and container support before choosing it.
| Immich requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | 6 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Processor | 2 CPU cores | 4 CPU cores |
| Database storage | Local SSD storage is recommended; Immich says a typical database is 1–3 GB. | |
| Generated files | Thumbnails and transcoded video add 10–20% to library size on average, according to Immich’s requirements page; treat this as a planning estimate, not a guarantee. | |
Plan for more than the original photos and videos: generated files use additional space, and the database needs its own suitable storage. Immich’s requirements are documented at Immich’s installation requirements.
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- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Can Immich back up a phone automatically?
Immich’s quick start describes signing in to its mobile app with the server endpoint and selecting which albums to back up. This supports a mobile backup workflow, but it is not the same as having a managed cloud service: the server must be running and reachable in the way you intend to use it. Confirm the app’s selected albums and upload behavior before relying on it for new photos.
Immich’s documented setup and mobile steps are in its quick start guide. Do not assume the mobile app will copy every existing item automatically; choose the albums and confirm what has actually uploaded.
How do you move a Google Photos library to Immich?
Immich’s quick start points users to Google Takeout for importing the rest of a Google Photos library. Treat migration as a sequence to verify, not a one-click transfer. Keep the export and its metadata intact while you check the new library.
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- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
- Export from Google Photos with Google Takeout. Preserve the exported files and associated metadata rather than deleting or altering the export during the move.
- Deploy Immich using its documented Docker Compose setup. Confirm the server and storage are ready before importing.
- Import the Takeout export. Allow indexing and any background processing to finish.
- Check representative content. Verify dates, metadata, albums, and original files against the export before treating Immich as the only copy.
- Test phone uploads and recovery. Confirm the mobile albums you selected upload as expected and that separate copies of both media and database are in place before switching off Google backup or deleting anything.
Immich documents Takeout as an import route, but migration results depend on your library and setup. The verification steps above are precautions; they are not a claim that every migration preserves every item or album identically.
Why is an Immich server not a backup?
The server holds your working library; it does not, by itself, protect that library from disk failure, accidental deletion, theft, or other loss. Immich recommends a 3-2-1 backup strategy and says to retain copies of uploaded photos and videos and the Immich database. The database contains file paths and user metadata, so copying only the library folder may not restore the full system.
“A 3-2-1 backup strategy is recommended to protect your data.”
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Immich creates database backups for disaster recovery, but its backup and restore guide says users still need to configure and run a backup solution. Keep an independent copy and a separate or off-site copy; a second drive in the same NAS is not a substitute for a separate location. Include the database in the plan, not just the original media.
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How does Google Photos storage and quality work?
Google says each Google Account includes up to 15 GB, shared across Google services. Google Photos offers Original quality and Storage saver. Original quality keeps media unchanged and counts toward the account’s storage. Storage saver compresses media; Google says photos above 16 megapixels are resized to 16 megapixels and videos above 1080p are resized to 1080p, with exceptions described in its help information.
Current Storage saver uploads count toward storage. Qualifying High quality or Storage saver uploads made before June 1, 2021 are grandfathered under Google’s stated policy. These details are from Google’s backup quality and storage help; check the current terms for your account before estimating available space.
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- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Google also says Photos content may be deleted if Google Photos is not used for two or more years. This is a stated inactivity policy, not a prediction that a particular account will lose its content: eligibility and account circumstances matter. Review Google’s current policy and keep an independent copy of important files.
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Google’s Gemini privacy notice for Photos, last updated February 18, 2026, says those features may use photos and videos, face-group labels and names, and Google Account information. It also says personal Photos data is not used for ads and that Google does not train generative AI models outside Google Photos with that personal data, subject to the scope and exceptions in the notice. Read the Google Photos Gemini privacy notice for the full terms. These statements do not mean Google never processes photos, nor do they establish that a self-hosted server is automatically secure; security depends on how either service and account are configured and maintained.
Is self-hosting actually cheaper?
There is no established cost crossover point in the available evidence, so Immich should not be described as always cheaper. A fair comparison would include the server or NAS, working storage, separate backup storage, electricity, and the time needed to administer and recover the system. Google Photos storage is shared across account services, so a growing library may require more account storage, but the applicable plan and price depend on region and account.
For Immich, the apparent absence of a per-library hosting subscription does not erase hardware, backup, power, and maintenance costs. For Google Photos, the service is managed, but the included storage is limited and shared. Compare your actual setup and storage needs rather than treating either option as free.
Which service should you choose?
Choose Immich if control matters more than convenience
- You are comfortable operating a Docker-based server and keeping it updated.
- You want to choose where the working library is hosted.
- You can provide enough storage and maintain separate copies of both media and database.
- You are willing to verify mobile uploads, remote access, and disaster recovery yourself.
Choose Google Photos if you want a managed workflow
- You do not want to operate a photo server or design its backup and recovery process.
- You are comfortable with Google Account storage being shared across services.
- You accept Google’s current service, inactivity, and account policies.
Keep both during a transition if you need time to verify
Running both while you export, import, and check a library can reduce the risk of deleting the only usable copy too soon. It also means accounting for duplicate storage while both copies exist. Do not remove Google’s copy until the Immich library, phone uploads, and independent backups have been checked.
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