Last verified: September 2026
Ente Photos and Apple Photos both offer photo backup, search, face recognition, organization, sharing, and editing.
A key difference is how privacy is configured: Ente provides end-to-end encryption by default, while Apple Photos provides end-to-end encryption for iCloud Photos when Advanced Data Protection is enabled. Ente also works across iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and the web, while Apple Photos is designed primarily around Apple's ecosystem.
Quick Comparison
Questions | Ente Photos | Apple Photos |
|---|---|---|
Are my photos end-to-end encrypted | Yes, by default | With Advanced Data Protection enabled |
Does it work across different platforms? | iOS, Android, web, Windows, Mac & Linux | Primarily Apple devices, with limited web access |
Is it open source? | Yes, independently audited | No |
Which has better photo editing? | Basic editing | Advanced editing |
How much free storage do I get? | 10 GB free (20 GB with referral) | 5 GB shared with iCloud |
Can I export or keep a local copy? | In-app export, CLI tools & continuous local copy | Export through Photos app |
Can I share & collaborate? | Yes, including with people without Ente accounts | Yes, including shared and collaborative albums |
Does it support Live Photos? | Yes | Yes |
Privacy & Security
A key privacy difference is whether end-to-end encryption is enabled by default.
With Ente, your photos are end-to-end encrypted on your device before upload. You don't need to enable an additional privacy setting, and Ente does not have the keys required to access your photos.
Read about Ente's encryption architecture→
Ente's apps are also open source, and its architecture and source code have undergone an independent security audit.
Read about Ente's security audit→
Apple Photos offers end-to-end encryption for iCloud Photos through Advanced Data Protection. It must be manually enabled, requires compatible devices and account recovery methods, and availability may vary by region. Without Advanced Data Protection, Apple holds the encryption keys required to access iCloud Photos data.
Learn about Apple's Advanced Data Protection →
Features, AI & Sharing
Both Ente and Apple Photos offer face recognition, photo search, organization by date and location, map views, and on-device machine learning.
With Ente, features such as face recognition and Magic Search run on your device. Ente also supports similar-image detection.
Learn more about Ente's features →
Photo editing
Ente currently provides basic editing tools, while Apple Photos offers more advanced photo-editing capabilities.
Sharing & collaboration
Both services support shared and collaborative albums, comments, and likes.
Ente also lets people view shared albums and contribute photos without creating an Ente account. Its sharing features include Collect links, Trip layouts, embedded links, and custom domains. Ente's shared albums, collaborative albums, comments, and likes are also end-to-end encrypted.
Learn more about sharing and collaboration with Ente →
Pricing & Storage.
Plan | Ente Photos | Apple/iCloud |
|---|---|---|
Free | 10 GB free (20 GB with referral) | 5 GB shared with iCloud |
Entry paid plan | 50 GB - $2.49/month | 50 GB - $0.99/month |
Family sharing | Up to 6 people total | Up to 6 people with iCloud+ |
Data replication | 3 copies in 3 countries | Apple’s infrastructure |
Customer support | Human support team | Apple Support |
Prices shown are monthly equivalents based on the plans available at the time of verification. Pricing and plan availability may vary by region.
Check current pricing: Ente | Apple
Why does Ente cost more than Apple Photos?
Apple offers lower-priced storage at comparable tiers. Ente costs more because its price reflects a different approach to storing your photos.
With a paid Ente plan, your photos are end-to-end encrypted by default, backed up in three copies across three different cloud providers, and supported by real human support.
This means Ente can't access your photos, and your memories aren't dependent on a single storage provider.
You're paying for more than storage space. You're paying for privacy and resilience built into how your photos are stored.
Read about Ente's reliability and replication →
Backup & Data Control
Both services let you export your photos, but Ente places greater emphasis on keeping your library portable.
Ente provides one-click in-app exports, CLI tools, continuous local copies through its desktop app, and support across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Album structure and metadata can be preserved
Learn more about exporting from Ente→
Apple Photos also lets you manually export photos through the Photos app. However, moving a large library from Apple Photos to another service while preserving its organisation and metadata may require more manual work.
Learn about exporting from Apple Photos →
What about families using different devices?
Ente works across iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and the web, so family members can access and share photos even if they use different platforms.
Apple Photos is designed primarily around Apple's ecosystem. Web access is available outside Apple devices, but the experience is more limited than using Photos on Apple hardware.
For families using a mix of devices, Ente makes it possible for everyone to access and share photos without needing to use the same operating system.
Ente Photos vs. Apple Photos: Which Is Better for You?
Choose Ente Photos if:
- You want end-to-end encryption enabled by default.
- You or your family use a mix of Apple, Android, Windows, or Linux devices.
- You want easier exports and the ability to maintain your own local copy.
- You prefer open-source software that can be independently inspected.
- You want search and face recognition with on-device processing.
- You value access to human support.
Choose Apple Photos if:
- You primarily use Apple devices.
- Tight integration with Apple's ecosystem is important to you.
- Advanced photo editing is a priority.
- Lower-cost entry-level storage matters more to you.
- You're comfortable enabling Advanced Data Protection if you want end-to-end encryption for iCloud Photos.
Switching From Apple Photos to Ente
You can move your Apple Photos library to Ente in a few steps.
On iOS, Ente can import photos directly from your iCloud library.
On the desktop, export your photos from Apple Photos and import the folder into Ente.
Follow the step-by-step Apple Photos migration guide →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Ente replace Apple Photos?
For most everyday photo-library needs, yes. Ente supports backup, search, face recognition, organization, sharing, Live Photos, and multi-device access.
Apple Photos offers deeper integration with Apple's ecosystem and more advanced editing tools, while Ente provides end-to-end encryption by default and works across Apple and non-Apple devices.
Does Ente compress my photos?
No. Ente stores your photos and videos in their original quality without compression. For Live Photos, both the photo and video components are preserved.
Can I share photos with people who don't use Ente?
Yes. You can share albums through links without requiring recipients to create an Ente account. They can also contribute photos through Ente's Collect feature.
Can I use Ente Photos on Apple and non-Apple devices?
Yes. Ente is available on iOS, Android, web, Windows, macOS, and Linux, so you can access the same photo library across different platforms.
Does Ente work offline?
Yes. Once photos are available on your device, you can view them offline. Face recognition and search also work offline after the initial indexing is complete.
What happens to my photos if I stop using Ente?
You can export your photos at any time. If your subscription expires, you have a 30-day grace period to export your data before it is deleted.
Have more questions? Visit the Ente Photos Help Center for guides on backup, sharing, security, account recovery, migration, and more.
Ready to Try Ente?
Get 10 GB of free storage and try Ente Photos.