Memories 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.
Memories
Photo management app for Nextcloud with timeline and AI
VS
Shotwell Server
Digital photo organizer with tagging and event grouping
| Feature | Memories | Shotwell Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Language | PHP | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,843 | ★ 400 |
| First released | 2022 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Google Photos, iCloud Photos | Google Photos, Apple Photos |
What are Memories and Shotwell Server?
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
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
Memories vs Shotwell Server: key differences
Memories is written in PHP, while Shotwell Server is built with Vala. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Memories versus LGPL-2.1 for Shotwell Server. Shotwell Server is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Memories. Shotwell Server is the more established project (first released 2009), while Memories arrived in 2022. Memories has the considerably larger community, at 3,843 GitHub stars versus 400. Memories lists first-class Docker deployment; Shotwell Server does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Memories if…
- Leverages existing Nextcloud
- Polished mobile experience
Watch out for
- Requires Nextcloud
- AI features need extra setup
Choose Shotwell Server if…
- Fast and stable
- No accounts
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No web interface
Frequently asked questions
Is Memories or Shotwell Server better?
Neither is universally better. Memories 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 Memories and Shotwell Server free and open-source?
Yes. Memories 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 Memories and Shotwell Server with Docker?
Memories: yes. Shotwell Server: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Memories or Shotwell Server?
Shotwell Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Memories. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.