SHSelfHostIndex

Shotwell Server vs PiGallery2

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted photo management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
SH Shotwell Server Digital photo organizer with tagging and event grouping VS PI PiGallery2 Fast directory-based photo gallery with search and maps
FeatureShotwell ServerPiGallery2
CategoryPhoto ManagementPhoto Management
LicenseLGPL-2.1MIT
LanguageValaTypeScript
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM256 MB512 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, binarydocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 400★ 2,251
First released20092016
ReplacesGoogle Photos, Apple PhotosGoogle Photos

Why pick each one

Choose Shotwell Server if…

  • Fast and stable
  • No accounts
Shotwell Server details

Choose PiGallery2 if…

  • Does not touch your files
  • Runs well on a Raspberry Pi
PiGallery2 details

Frequently asked questions

Is Shotwell Server or PiGallery2 better?

Neither is universally better. PiGallery2 has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Shotwell Server and PiGallery2 free and open-source?

Yes. Shotwell Server is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and PiGallery2 under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Shotwell Server and PiGallery2 with Docker?

Shotwell Server: check the project docs for container support. PiGallery2: yes.

Related comparisons