This is a text automatically translated from Italian. If you appreciate our work and if you like reading it in your language, consider a donation to allow us to continue doing it and improving it.
Content index
Today we will ask ourselves which ones alternatives to Google Photos we have. If we decided to take the plunge and move away from Google and from its products you can not think of staying with Google Photos. This is because like all Google products, Photos also does not use the Zero-knowledge encryption and our photos could be used for marketing (even if for now they say not to).
Alternatives to Google Photos
Let's admit, however, that this is one of the articles that cost us the most effort, while we have excellent alternatives to Google Search and even more excellent alternatives to Gmail, with Photos we enter a minefield.
In the meantime, we'll tell you right away that if you just need to keep an archive of the photos without too many frills then you can use any of the alternatives to Google Drive that we talked about. Virtually all the apps in these clouds also allow the automatic upload of photos from the mobile phone camera. However, we like frills in photos and those who know the Google Photos app know well what its potential and strength are.
The weaknesses of alternatives to Google Photos
By reading the guide you will discover that each app has its own small (or large, based on personal needs) weakness. It is therefore up to you to decide which is the best application for your needs.
Also consider something very important: what photos we are talking about and how important it is for you that they remain encrypted on the server. Starting from the assumption that the photos are yours and are private regardless (if you decide not to share them), there may be different needs.
If I'm private photos that no one should see then it is better to go towards a system with Zero-knowledge encryption. If you want, use it only for holiday photos which you care little about then you might be interested in less secure systems but maybe simple to use.
The Self-Hosting
Let's reiterate what we always say, for those who don't know us. We appreciate the Self-Hosting and it is definitely the safest and most private way you can have. But, although quite easy, it is not something for everyone. We look for alternatives to Google that everyone can use. This is why in the article we will only talk about services that offer cloud storage.
Alternatives to Google Photos
Here are our choices!
Ente
Open source
Zero-knowledge encryption
Amazon Web Services is used (after encryption)
uses European servers
beautiful apps for any device
the application allows you to relive the "memories" of past years
photos automatically uploaded in the background for backup
Ente is truly an excellent application Open source 1. The servers used for backup are European (Amsterdam and Paris) and Amazon Web Services is used only after the data given has been encrypted.
The application is only free up to 1GB and only for one year. Then there are other plans that start from 9.99€ per year for 10GB.
Encryption is zero-knowledge (no one can see what it contains), it is therefore an excellent software to use for keeping your photos. Find a our article dedicated to Ente at this address and using the discount coupon LEALTERNATIVE you will get 10% discount on the first year of use. This code is not a referral link but only a discount coupon, so you will not be tracked by us using it.
Against
It suffers from the same problems that all applications suffer with End-to-end encryption. Streaming videos take a few seconds (ten on average) before loading.
Stingle Photos
Open source
Zero-knowledge encryption
Amazon Web Services is used (after encryption)
beautiful applications for many devices (no desktop)
photos automatically uploaded in the background for backup
It has proven over time to be excellent alternative to Google Photos. Stingle Photos And Open source 2 and offers 1 GB of free space forever. After the first gigabyte there are paid plans that start from 29,90$ per year for 100GB.
It is definitely worth it since it offers a system of encryption very interesting 3. It is an excellent application for your photographs, beautiful graphics, fast and simple to use.
Against
It suffers from the same problems that all applications suffer with End-to-end encryption. Streaming videos are very slow to load.
Piwigo
Open source
server in France
Not great mobile apps
videos cannot be uploaded
Piwigo is a good alternative to Google Photos, And Open source and, if desired, you can also self-host it on your own server. You can get an idea of what the Piwigo project is and how big it is by going to see theirs demo. It is a real super archive of photographs, divided into folders and albums.
Plus, which we really appreciate, if you don't know how to host independently, you can use their cloud version at the address piwigo.com. At a rather low price (€39 per year!) you have infinite space for your images, zero tracers, zero advertising And privacy. You can create users and share each album or photo with family and friends without any difficulty!
Not long ago there was also an app for Android on the Play Store and on theApple Store.
AGAINST
The photos on Piwigo they are not Zero-knowledge encryption, so it may be fine for holiday photos, we wouldn't use it for photos that are somehow "important", so to speak. Plus in the “personal” version for €30 a year videos cannot be uploaded, but only images. For videos you would have to pay €300 per year for 10GB, definitely too much. There is also a lack of decent and well-made mobile applications.
Crypt.ee
server in Estonia
Open source
Zero-knowledge encryption
edit documents online
no online collaboration with other users
no smartphone application
Let's get back to talking about Crypt.ee, one of the services we prefer most and which we hope will grow and improve more and more. Everything you upload to Crypt.ee is totally encrypted and the their cloud is zero-knowledge. Their code is Open source and they have one privacy policy exceptional. The style for the photos is also very nice graphically, the albums are highlighted well with beautiful graphic effects. A Nordic style that we particularly appreciate.
Ghost Folders
As we have already told you above alternatives to Google Drive you can create one invisible folder called Ghost Folder. In this way the only way to see that folder again is to "recall" it with its exact name. In our opinion it is absolutely perfect for those who have private photos That they really must remain so! There are no apps by choice of the developers, but it is all created specifically to be seen on any screen, even on mobile phones.
AGAINST
No type of sharing is active yet, so it's a great way to keep photos but you won't be able to share them with anyone.
The Crypt.ee cost is high but the privacy and security it offers has few equals.
Jottacloud
server in Norway
photos automatically uploaded in the background for backup
Jottacloud is a service Norwegian focused on privacy and respect for its users. Their service unfortunately it is not Open source and it is not zero-knowledge. We point it out among the alternatives to Google Photos as in their cloud it also offers a folder dedicated only to photos where possible create albums And share them with friends, acquaintances and relatives. You can also upload videos and you can do it for free up to 5GB. Afterwards it will only cost you around €5 per month (prices are in Norwegian crowns). With this amount you can in fact buy a cloud for 5 users of 1TB. Jottacloud is an interesting product in that in addition to the cloud also has the ability to use the Office suite without having a Microsoft account.
• •Internxt
Open source
Zero-knowledge encryption
server in France
photos automatically uploaded in the background for backup
independent security audits
Internxt it's an interesting project: Open source 4, European and with servers in Europe 5, they offer the Zero-knowledge encryption at a price that isn't too high after all. They have passed an independent security audit 6. We'll include it among the alternatives to Google Photo because it allows you to automatically upload the photos taken to keep them stored in the cloud with pleasant and inviting graphics 7.
Against
Their marketing isn't too exciting - we signed up to Internxt a while ago to try it out and these these are all the emails received to take advantage of "an incredible offer!". Nothing sensational but it's not a method we like too much. For the rest a little slow and cumbersome but definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Amazon Photos
Think about how desperate we can be in finding one alternative to Google Photos to include the Amazon app in this list. Unfortunately, however, as we anticipated, if we remove the Self-hosting and we remove the simple archive clouds (like these) we have very little stuff left. And so if the two previous alternatives probably don't satisfy you you might appreciate Amazon Photos. If you are already a Prime member, the photos are free and you have up to 5GB of videos to insert.
Image recognition
Furthermore, Amazon allows you to do so opt-out and of disable any type of facial recognition and image recognition. In this way they should not analyze uploaded photos although we cannot be sure. The photos are not encrypted and it looks a lot like Google Photos. It can therefore be a good alternative if you want to stay away from Google e keep holiday photos in the cloud to show to relatives.
AGAINST
It's Amazon.
Other alternatives
There are also other less famous and not entirely privacy-friendly alternatives which we highlight for completeness. This is the case, for example, of SmugMug a provider to manage your personal photos and videos. SmugMug also owns Flickr and are no longer related to Yahoo.
Another graphically interesting alternative is Notos. It is a French provider with decent privacy and beautiful graphics to manage your personal albums. Unfortunately, videos are not accepted in the free version and in the Premium version only videos shorter than one minute are allowed 8.
- Ente – source code[↩]
- Stingle on GitHub[↩]
- Stingle Photos Security[↩]
- Internxt on GitHub[↩]
- Internxt on OVH[↩]
- Internxt Successfully Passes Independent Security Audit[↩]
- Internxt Photo[↩]
- 9 – Watch videos[↩]
Join communities
If you have found errors in the article you can report them by clicking here, Thank you!