Immich vs Shotwell Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted photo management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Immich
High-performance self-hosted photo and video backup
VS
Shotwell Server
Digital photo organizer with tagging and event grouping
| Feature | Immich | Shotwell Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Language | TypeScript | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 114,920 | ★ 400 |
| First released | 2022 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Google Photos, iCloud Photos | Google Photos, Apple Photos |
What are Immich and Shotwell Server?
Immich
Immich is a high-performance, self-hosted photo and video backup solution with mobile apps, AI search, and face recognition. It targets users wanting a private Google Photos alternative. It is deployed via Docker Compose.
- Automatic phone backup
- AI-powered search and face recognition
- Timeline and album views
- Multi-user with sharing
Shotwell Server
Shotwell is a digital photo organizer that imports, tags, rates, and lightly edits photos, grouping them automatically by event. While desktop-focused, its library folders can be shared and backed up centrally.
- Event-based grouping
- Tagging and ratings
- Basic editing tools
- Direct import from cameras
Immich vs Shotwell Server: key differences
Immich is written in TypeScript, while Shotwell Server is built with Vala. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Immich versus LGPL-2.1 for Shotwell Server. Shotwell Server is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Immich. Shotwell Server is the more established project (first released 2009), while Immich arrived in 2022. Immich has the considerably larger community, at 114,920 GitHub stars versus 400. Immich lists first-class Docker deployment; Shotwell Server does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Immich if…
- Excellent mobile apps
- Fast and feature-rich
- Very active development
Watch out for
- Resource intensive
- Breaking changes still occur
Choose Shotwell Server if…
- Fast and stable
- No accounts
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No web interface
Frequently asked questions
Is Immich or Shotwell Server better?
Neither is universally better. Immich has the larger community, while Shotwell Server is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Immich and Shotwell Server free and open-source?
Yes. Immich is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Shotwell Server under LGPL-2.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Immich and Shotwell Server with Docker?
Immich: yes. Shotwell Server: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Immich or Shotwell Server?
Shotwell Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Immich. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.