Damselfly Web vs Lychee
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?
Damselfly Web
Server-based digital asset manager for large photo libraries
VS
Lychee
Self-hosted photo management made easy
| Feature | Damselfly Web | Lychee |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 700 | ★ 4,255 |
| First released | 2011 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Flickr, YouTube | Google Photos, Flickr |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Damselfly Web or Lychee better?
Lychee is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Damselfly Web if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Damselfly Web and Lychee free and open-source?
Yes. Damselfly Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Lychee under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Damselfly Web and Lychee with Docker?
Damselfly Web: yes. Lychee: yes.