Stingle API Server vs thumbsup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted photo management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Stingle API Server | thumbsup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 57 · Fair | 56 · Fair |
| Category | Photo Management | Photo Management |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15 | ★ 865 |
| First released | 2020 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Google Photos | Google Photos, Flickr |
What are Stingle API Server and thumbsup?
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
thumbsup
thumbsup is a tool that builds a static HTML gallery from your photos and videos, requiring no server-side runtime. The generated site can be hosted anywhere and includes thumbnails, albums, and metadata.
- Static gallery generation
- No server runtime needed
- Thumbnails and albums
- Host anywhere
Stingle API Server vs thumbsup: key differences
Stingle API Server is written in PHP, while thumbsup is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Stingle API Server versus MIT for thumbsup. Thumbsup is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Stingle API Server. Thumbsup is the more established project (first released 2016), while Stingle API Server arrived in 2020. Thumbsup has the considerably larger community, at 865 GitHub stars versus 15. Stingle API Server lists first-class Docker deployment; thumbsup does not.
Why pick each one
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
Choose thumbsup if…
- Extremely portable output
- No database
Watch out for
- No live uploads
- Regenerate to update
Frequently asked questions
Is Stingle API Server or thumbsup better?
thumbsup 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 Stingle API Server and thumbsup free and open-source?
Yes. Stingle API Server is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and thumbsup under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Stingle API Server and thumbsup with Docker?
Stingle API Server: yes. thumbsup: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Stingle API Server or thumbsup?
thumbsup has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 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.