Lychee vs Stingle API Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted photo management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Lychee | Stingle API Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 57 · Fair |
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,303 | ★ 15 |
| First released | 2012 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Photos, Flickr | Google Photos |
What are Lychee and Stingle API Server?
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
Stingle API Server
Stingle API Server is the self-hostable PHP backend for Stingle Photos, an end-to-end encrypted photo and video backup app. Running your own server lets the Stingle mobile clients back up encrypted media to infrastructure you control.
- End-to-end encrypted photos
- Self-hostable API server
- Stingle mobile clients
- Private backup
Lychee vs Stingle API Server: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for Lychee versus AGPL-3.0 for Stingle API Server. Lychee is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Stingle API Server. Lychee is the more established project (first released 2012), while Stingle API Server arrived in 2020. Lychee has the considerably larger community, at 4,303 GitHub stars versus 15.
Why pick each one
Choose Lychee if…
- Simple and attractive
- Easy to host
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- No AI features
- Basic search
Choose Stingle API Server if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Watch out for
- Setup is involved
- Smaller ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Lychee or Stingle API Server better?
Lychee is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Stingle API Server if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Lychee and Stingle API Server free and open-source?
Yes. Lychee is licensed under MIT and Stingle API Server under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lychee and Stingle API Server with Docker?
Lychee: yes. Stingle API Server: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Lychee or Stingle API Server?
Lychee has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Stingle API Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.