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Hydrus Network vs PiGallery2

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 PiGallery2 Fast directory-based photo gallery with search and maps
FeatureHydrus NetworkPiGallery2
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectUnder-an-hour setup
Health score88 · Excellent82 · Excellent
CategoryPhoto ManagementPhoto Management
LicenseWTFPLMIT
LanguagePythonTypeScript
Setup difficultyHardEasy
Min. RAM1,024 MB512 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, binary, sourcedocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 3,211★ 2,283
First released20112016
ReplacesGoogle Photos, EagleGoogle Photos

What are Hydrus Network and PiGallery2?

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 →

PiGallery2

PiGallery2 is a fast, directory-driven photo gallery server that does not move or modify your files. It supports faces, geolocation maps, and a powerful search syntax with a lightweight footprint.

  • Directory-based galleries
  • Geolocation maps
  • Powerful search syntax
  • Read-only on your files

Read the full PiGallery2 guide →

Hydrus Network vs PiGallery2: key differences

Hydrus Network is written in Python, while PiGallery2 is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — WTFPL for Hydrus Network versus MIT for PiGallery2. PiGallery2 is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Hydrus Network. Hydrus Network is the more established project (first released 2011), while PiGallery2 arrived in 2016. PiGallery2 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 PiGallery2 if…

  • Does not touch your files
  • Runs well on a Raspberry Pi

Watch out for

  • No editing features
  • Limited multi-user support
PiGallery2 details

Frequently asked questions

Is Hydrus Network or PiGallery2 better?

Neither is universally better. Hydrus Network has the larger community, while PiGallery2 is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Hydrus Network and PiGallery2 free and open-source?

Yes. Hydrus Network is licensed under WTFPL and PiGallery2 under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Hydrus Network and PiGallery2 with Docker?

Hydrus Network: check the project docs for container support. PiGallery2: yes.

Which is lighter on resources, Hydrus Network or PiGallery2?

PiGallery2 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.

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