Damselfly Web vs Zenphoto
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
Zenphoto
Open-source CMS for photo galleries and multimedia
| Feature | Damselfly Web | Zenphoto |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 700 | ★ 319 |
| First released | 2011 | 2006 |
| Replaces | Flickr, YouTube | SmugMug, Flickr |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Damselfly Web or Zenphoto better?
Neither is universally better. Damselfly Web has the larger community, while Zenphoto is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Damselfly Web and Zenphoto free and open-source?
Yes. Damselfly Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Zenphoto under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Damselfly Web and Zenphoto with Docker?
Damselfly Web: yes. Zenphoto: yes.