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.
| Feature | Hydrus Network | Lychee |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| 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 | ★ 3,211 | ★ 4,303 |
| First released | 2011 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Google Photos, Eagle | Google Photos, Flickr |
What are Hydrus Network and Lychee?
Hydrus Network
Hydrus Network is a personal media management application that lets you import images and files, tag them, and search a private collection with a powerful tag system. It includes a client-server architecture so the database can be self-hosted and accessed remotely.
- Powerful tag-based search
- Client-server architecture
- Local-first media database
- Duplicate detection
Lychee
Lychee is a self-hosted photo management tool focused on simple, attractive galleries with quick uploads and sharing. It targets users who want a straightforward photo gallery. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.
- Clean photo galleries
- Quick upload and sharing
- Albums and tags
- EXIF metadata display
Hydrus Network vs Lychee: key differences
Hydrus Network is written in Python, while Lychee is built with PHP. Licensing differs — WTFPL for Hydrus Network versus MIT for Lychee. Lychee is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Hydrus Network. Lychee lists first-class Docker deployment; Hydrus Network does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Hydrus Network if…
- Extremely powerful tagging
- Handles huge collections
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Complex interface
Choose Lychee if…
- Simple and attractive
- Easy to host
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- No AI features
- Basic search
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.
Which is lighter on resources, Hydrus Network or Lychee?
Lychee has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Hydrus Network. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.