Hydrus Network 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?
Hydrus Network
Self-hosted tag-based media organizer and image database
VS
Lychee
Self-hosted photo management made easy
| Feature | Hydrus Network | Lychee |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | WTFPL | MIT |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,148 | ★ 4,255 |
| First released | 2011 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Google Photos, Eagle | Google Photos, Flickr |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Hydrus Network or Lychee better?
Lychee is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Hydrus Network if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Hydrus Network and Lychee free and open-source?
Yes. Hydrus Network is licensed under WTFPL and Lychee under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hydrus Network and Lychee with Docker?
Hydrus Network: check the project docs for container support. Lychee: yes.