Damselfly Web vs Loops
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Damselfly Web
Server-based digital asset manager for large photo libraries
VS
Loops
Federated short video sharing platform
| Feature | Damselfly Web | Loops |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Photo Management | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0-or-later |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 350 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 700 | ★ 437 |
| First released | 2011 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Flickr, YouTube | Instagram, TikTok, YouTube |
Why pick each one
Choose Loops if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 350 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Damselfly Web or Loops better?
Neither is universally better. Damselfly Web has the larger community, while Loops is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Damselfly Web and Loops free and open-source?
Yes. Damselfly Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Loops under AGPL-3.0-or-later. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Damselfly Web and Loops with Docker?
Damselfly Web: yes. Loops: check the project docs for container support.