Last updated: September 29, 2026
Amazon Photos is a great deal for Prime members especially if you need unlimited photo storage.
But it may not be the right fit for everyone. Its value depends on keeping Prime and video storage limited separately, and it does not offer end-to-end encryption. You may also want better photo tools, more privacy, or more control over where your library lives.
Why do people leave Amazon Photos?
- Prime dependency: Unlimited photo storage is tied to an eligible Prime membership.
- Privacy: Amazon Photos is not end-to-end encrypted, so Amazon can access your library.
- Video limits: Photo storage may be unlimited for Prime members, but video storage is capped separately.
- Control / features: Some people want stronger privacy, better photo tools, or storage they run themselves.
That is where these Amazon Photos alternatives come in.
The quick answer
Alternative | Best for | End-to-end encryption | Self-hosted | Photo specific features | Why choose it ? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ente Photos | Privacy without givingup modern photo features | Yes (default) | Available | High | Open source, on- device ML, audited E2EE |
Immich | Full control on your own hardware | N/A (you host it) | Yes | High | Closest self-hosted Google Photos feel |
Apple Photos/ iCloud | People within the Apple ecosystem | Optional ( turn on Advanced Data protection) | No | High | Native sync + editing across Apple devices |
Proton Drive | Existing Proton users | Yes (default) | No | Medium | Privacy ecosystem (Mail, VPN, Drive) |
pCloud | General cloud storage+ photo backup | Optional (Crypto add-on) | No | Low | Lifetime plans; files + photos together |
Ente Photos: Best for privacy and everyday convenience
Ente Photos is a good option if you want end-to-end encryption by default, rather than trusting the company storing your photo library to keep it private.
Why choose Ente Photos?
Unlike Amazon Photos, Ente is built specifically around private photo management. It encrypts your photos and metadata before they leave your device, while features such as face recognition and Magic Search run on-device
It is open source and works across iPhone, Android, desktop, and web. You can export your library if you decide to move later.
You can also self-host Ente if you want to run it on infrastructure you control. This means managing your own server, storage, backups, and updates.
Trade-offs
Ente is a strong choice for private photo backup and a well-organized library. Ente also has storage-based plans after its free tier of 10GB; it doesn't offer unlimited storage.
Learn more
- Ente Features
- How Ente’s on-device machine learning works
- Ente’s security architecture
- Ente open-source code
Immich: Best for self-hosting
Immich is a good option if you want your photos to live on hardware you control instead of Amazon’s cloud. It is a self-hosted, open-source photo platform with automatic backup, a timeline, albums, sharing, face recognition, and search.
Why choose Immich?
Immich lets you run a photo library on a NAS, home server, or another machine you manage. Its iOS and Android apps can automatically back up photos from your phone. It gives you control over where your photos are stored, how much storage you buy, and how your backups are handled.
Trade-offs
Immich is not a hands-off backup service. You are responsible for installation, updates, storage capacity, backups, security, and recovery if hardware fails.
Learn more
- Immich official site
- Immich documentation
- Immich Docker Compose installation guide
- Immich backup and restore guidance
Apple Photos: Best for Apple users
Apple Photos is a good option if you mainly use an iPhone, iPad, and Mac and want a photo library deeply integrated into Apple devices.
Why choose Apple Photos?
Apple Photos offers automatic syncing, search, face recognition, Memories, shared libraries, and strong built-in editing tools. It is a natural choice for Apple-only households that want more integration than Amazon Photos provides.
You can also enable Advanced Data Protection to extend end-to-end encryption to iCloud Photos and other iCloud data categories.
Trade-offs
Apple Photos works best inside the Apple ecosystem. Advanced Data Protection is optional rather than enabled by default, and Shared Albums are not protected in the same way as your private iCloud Photos library.
Learn more
Proton Drive: Best for Proton users
Proton Drive is a good option if you already use Proton and want end-to-end encrypted photo backup by default.
Why choose Proton Drive ?
Proton Drive keeps photo backup inside the same privacy-focused ecosystem as Proton Mail, Proton VPN, Proton Pass, and Proton Drive. It is a good fit for people who prefer having one provider for several private services.
Trade-offs
Proton’s photo experience is more basic than dedicated photo apps such as Ente or Immich. It is strong for encrypted backup, not advanced editing or deep photo discovery.
Learn more
pCloud: Best for general cloud storage and photos
pCloud is a good option if you want one place for photos, documents, videos, and other files and prefer lifetime storage pricing.
Why choose pCloud?
pCloud offers lifetime storage plans, allowing you to pay once for a set amount of storage. It can store photos, videos, documents, and other files in one place, and works across platforms.
Trade-offs
pCloud is a general cloud-storage service first, not a dedicated photo app. Its zero-knowledge encryption option, pCloud Crypto, is a paid add-on rather than the default protection for every file.
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Amazon Photos alternative?
Ente Photos is the best Amazon Photos alternative for most people who want more privacy without losing modern photo-app features. It offers end-to-end encryption by default, automatic backup, search, face recognition, sharing, and support across iPhone, Android, desktop, and web.
Is Amazon Photos really unlimited?
In supported countries, eligible Amazon Prime members get unlimited full-resolution photo storage. Video storage is limited separately; Amazon currently lists 5 GB of video storage with Prime.
Does Amazon Photos encrypt photos end-to-end?
No. Amazon Photos does not offer end-to-end encryption for photo libraries.
Can I move my Amazon Photos library to another service?
Yes. Download a copy of your photos and videos from Amazon Photos, then upload or import them into your new service. Large libraries can take hours to days to download and re-upload.
Do not delete your Amazon Photos library until you have checked that your photos, videos, dates, albums, and metadata transferred correctly.
Do I need end-to-end encryption for my photos?
You need end-to-end encryption if you do not want the company storing your photos to be able to access them.
Choose Ente or Proton Drive if you want encrypted photo storage by default. Apple Photos can also protect your library with end-to-end encryption when you enable Advanced Data Protection.
Want a closer look? Compare each option with Ente Photos: https://ente.com/compare/