Ente Photos vs Hydrus Network
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?
Ente Photos
End-to-end encrypted photo storage and backup
VS
Hydrus Network
Self-hosted tag-based media organizer and image database
| Feature | Ente Photos | Hydrus Network |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | WTFPL |
| Language | Dart | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,201 | ★ 3,148 |
| First released | 2022 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Google Photos, iCloud Photos | Google Photos, Eagle |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Ente Photos or Hydrus Network better?
Neither is universally better. Ente Photos has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Ente Photos and Hydrus Network free and open-source?
Yes. Ente Photos is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Hydrus Network under WTFPL. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ente Photos and Hydrus Network with Docker?
Ente Photos: yes. Hydrus Network: check the project docs for container support.