Hydrus Network
Photo ManagementSelf-hosted tag-based media organizer and image database
Replaces Google Photos, Eagle
Best SQLite Photo Management for self-hosting
The 4 best SQLite photo management you can self-host, ranked by community traction.
PiGallery2
Photo ManagementFast directory-based photo gallery with search and maps
Replaces Google Photos
digiKam
Photo ManagementProfessional photo management with advanced metadata tools
Replaces Adobe Lightroom, Google Photos
Photofield
Photo ManagementFast experimental photo viewer for huge libraries
Replaces Google Photos
No apps match these filters.
At a glance
| App | Deploy effort | Difficulty | Min. RAM | License | ★ Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrus Network | Read-the-docs project | Hard | 1,024 MB | WTFPL | 3,238 |
| PiGallery2 | Under-an-hour setup | Easy | 512 MB | MIT | 2,297 |
| digiKam | Read-the-docs project | Medium | 1,024 MB | GPL-2.0 | 1,200 |
| Photofield | Under-an-hour setup | Easy | 256 MB | MIT | 610 |
Quick picks
- Most adopted: Hydrus Network (3,238 GitHub stars).
- Lightest footprint: Photofield (from 256 MB RAM, against 1,024 MB for the heaviest here).
- Licensing: 2 of 4 use MIT; check the rest individually if you plan to modify and redistribute.
Every option here is open-source and self-hostable, tagged SQLite within the photo management category. Deploy effort is graded from published container recipes, not vendor claims — see the methodology.