Photoview vs Puter

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeaturePhotoviewPuter
CategoryPhoto ManagementFile Sync & Storage
LicenseAGPL-3.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageGoTypeScript
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdockerdocker
GitHub stars★ 6,496★ 43,003
First released20192026
ReplacesGoogle Photos

Why pick each one

Choose Photoview if…

  • Uses your folder structure
  • Lightweight
  • Easy setup
Photoview details

Choose Puter if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 43k GitHub stars
  • Written in TypeScript
Puter details

Frequently asked questions

Is Photoview or Puter better?

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

Are Photoview and Puter free and open-source?

Yes. Photoview is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Puter under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Photoview and Puter with Docker?

Photoview: yes. Puter: yes.

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