Last updated: September 29, 2026
Looking for an alternative to Google Photos usually means something isn't working for you anymore.
Maybe your storage is filling up, maybe you want your photos to be more private, maybe you're trying to move away from Google or maybe you want to store your photo library on a hardware you can control.
Why do people leave Google Photos?
Three common reasons show up again and again:
- Storage pressure: Google’s free storage is shared with Drive and Gmail, so photo libraries fill it up fast.
- Privacy concerns: Google can scan photos for features like face recognition and search. Some people want a library the provider cannot read.
- Hard exits: Leaving means exporting with Google Takeout, then re-importing elsewhere which can be slow for large libraries and easy to get wrong.
There are now several Google Photos alternatives worth considering, but they’re good at very different things.
The quick answer
The best Google Photos alternative depends on why you're looking for one.
Alternative | Best for | End-to-end encryption | Self-hosted | Photo specific features | Why choose it ? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ente Photos | Privacy without giving up 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 |
Amazon Photos | Amazon Prime members | No | No | Medium | Unlimited full-resolution photos with Prime |
Proton Drive | Existing Proton users | Yes (default) | No | Low | Privacy ecosystem (Mail, VPN,Drive) |
OneDrive | Microsoft 365 users | No (encryption atrest/in transit; notE2EE) | No | Low | Camera backup inside Microsoft 365 |
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
Choose Ente Photos if you want a modern photo app with end-to-end encryption by default.
Why choose Ente Photos?
Ente encrypts photos and videos before they leave your device. It is designed for people who want automatic backup, search, face recognition, sharing, and Memories without making their photo library readable by the service storing it.
It is open source and available on iPhone, Android, desktop, and web. You can also 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, which means you will be managing your own server, storage, backups, and updates.
Trade-offs
Ente is a strong choice for private photo backup and a well-organized library. But if advanced AI editing is your top priority, Google Photos may still be a better fit. 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
Choose Immich if you want 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.
For people already comfortable with Docker, a NAS, or home-server software, it is one of the closest self-hosted alternatives to Google Photos.
Trade-offs
Immich is not a hands-off backup service. You are responsible for installation, updates, storage capacity, backups, security, and recovery when 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
Choose Apple Photos if you mainly use an iPhone, iPad, and Mac and want the smoothest experience across those devices. It is deeply integrated into Apple hardware and iCloud.
Why choose Apple Photos?
Apple Photos offers automatic sync, search, face recognition, Memories, shared libraries, and strong built-in editing tools. For Apple-only households, it is often the lowest-effort option.
You can enable Advanced Data Protection to extend end-to-end encryption to iCloud Photos and other iCloud data categories.
Trade-offs
Advanced Data Protection is optional, not enabled by default. Apple Photos also makes the most sense inside Apple’s ecosystem. Shared Albums are not protected by Advanced Data Protection in the same way as your private iCloud Photos library.
Learn more
Amazon Photos: Best for Amazon Prime members
Choose Amazon Photos if you already have Amazon Prime and want simple, high-value photo backup. Eligible Prime members get unlimited full-resolution photo storage.
Why choose Amazon Photos?
Amazon Photos includes automatic backup, albums, sharing, search, and Memories. The biggest reason to choose it is value: unlimited photo storage is included with eligible Prime memberships.
Trade-offs
Amazon Photos is not end-to-end encrypted. Video storage is limited separately, and its editing and AI organisation tools are not as advanced as Google Photos.
Learn more
Proton Drive: Best for Proton users
Choose Proton Drive if you already use Proton and want encrypted photo backup inside the same privacy-focused ecosystem.
Why choose Proton Drive ?
Proton Drive offers end-to-end encrypted photo backup and sharing. It is a natural option if you already use Proton Mail, Proton VPN, Proton Pass, or Proton Drive for other files.
Trade-offs
Proton’s photo experience is more basic than dedicated photo apps such as Ente, Apple Photos, or Immich. It is strongest for encrypted backup, not advanced editing or deep photo discovery.
Learn more
OneDrive: Best for Microsoft 365 users
Choose OneDrive if you already use Microsoft 365 and want your phone photos backed up alongside your documents and files.
Why choose OneDrive?
OneDrive can automatically back up camera photos from iPhone and Android. It is convenient for people who already pay for Microsoft 365 and use OneDrive across Windows, Office, and work files.
Trade-offs
OneDrive is a cloud-storage service first, not a dedicated photo app. Its photo organisation and editing tools are less developed than Google Photos. It encrypts data in transit and at rest, but it is not end-to-end encrypted photo storage by default.
Learn more
- OneDrive
- Automatically save photos with OneDrive on iOS
- Automatically save photos with OneDrive on Android
pCloud: Best for general cloud storage and photos
Choose pCloud if you want one place for photos, documents, videos, and other files and you prefer lifetime storage pricing.
Why choose pCloud?
pCloud includes automatic camera uploads and a photo gallery, while also functioning as general cloud storage. Its lifetime plans are the main differentiator for people who do not want another recurring subscription.
Trade-offs
pCloud is not as photo-focused as Google Photos, Ente, Apple Photos, or Immich. 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 free Google Photos alternative?
Ente is the best free Google Photos alternative for most people who want encrypted cloud backup without running their own server. Its free tier of 10GB lets you try private photo backup, and you can self-host it if you prefer to use your own infrastructure.
Immich is a strong free option if you specifically want a self-hosted Google Photos-style app, but you’ll need to manage the hardware, storage, backups, updates, and electricity.
What is the best private alternative to Google Photos?
Ente Photos is the best choice for most people who want private cloud photo storage without self-hosting. It offers end-to-end encryption by default while still providing automatic backup, search, face recognition, sharing, and Memories.
If you want to operate everything yourself, choose Immich instead.
Can I move photos from Google Photos to another service?
Yes. Most services support importing photos from Google Photos, either through a direct transfer tool, a desktop upload, or Google Takeout.
Start by exporting a copy through Google Takeout. Do not delete your Google Photos library until you have checked that the import is complete and your photos, videos, albums, dates, and metadata appear correctly in the new service.
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 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/