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Hydrus Network vs Memories

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?
HY Hydrus Network Self-hosted tag-based media organizer and image database VS Memories Photo management app for Nextcloud with timeline and AI
FeatureHydrus NetworkMemories
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectUnder-an-hour setup
Health score88 · Excellent88 · Excellent
CategoryPhoto ManagementPhoto Management
LicenseWTFPLAGPL-3.0
LanguagePythonPHP
Setup difficultyHardMedium
Min. RAM1,024 MB1,024 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, binary, sourcedocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 3,211★ 3,843
First released20112022
ReplacesGoogle Photos, EagleGoogle Photos, iCloud Photos

What are Hydrus Network and Memories?

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

Read the full Hydrus Network guide →

Memories

Memories is a photo and video management application that runs as a Nextcloud app, offering a fast timeline view of your media. It supports face recognition, maps, albums, and metadata-aware search.

  • Fast timeline view
  • Face recognition and maps
  • Albums and tagging
  • Nextcloud integration

Read the full Memories guide →

Hydrus Network vs Memories: key differences

Hydrus Network is written in Python, while Memories is built with PHP. Licensing differs — WTFPL for Hydrus Network versus AGPL-3.0 for Memories. Hydrus Network is the more established project (first released 2011), while Memories arrived in 2022. Memories 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
Hydrus Network details

Choose Memories if…

  • Leverages existing Nextcloud
  • Polished mobile experience

Watch out for

  • Requires Nextcloud
  • AI features need extra setup
Memories details

Frequently asked questions

Is Hydrus Network or Memories better?

Memories is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Hydrus Network if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Hydrus Network and Memories free and open-source?

Yes. Hydrus Network is licensed under WTFPL and Memories under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Hydrus Network and Memories with Docker?

Hydrus Network: check the project docs for container support. Memories: yes.

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