Google Photos
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you want effortless backup, strong search, and AI editing and accept Google handling your library.
Comparison
Google Photos vs Immich
Google Photos lands on Worth it, and Immich lands on Depends.
Immich
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy it if you already run a home server and want Google Photos features without Google.
| Compare | Google Photos | Immich |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Worth it | Depends |
| Best for | Everyday phone photographers | Homelabbers comfortable with Docker |
| Who it's not for | Privacy-conscious users who don't want Google scanning their library | Non-technical users without a server |
| Privacy | No vulnerabilities found for Google Photos itself; the CVEs in reviewed sources affect third-party WordPress plugins, not the product.11 | Multiple CVEs disclosed in 2025-2026 (auth bypass, XSS, privilege escalation, OAuth account hijacking); keep patched and limit internet exposure. |
| Support quality | No evidence on support quality | Community-driven; managed hosting via Elestio exists |
| Public sentiment | Users praise the AI editing and search but increasingly complain about storage limits, privacy, and pushed AI features. | Self-hosters love it once running, but report setup friction, family-sharing headaches, and occasional reliability doubts. |
| Biggest gotcha | Unlimited free storage ended June 1, 2021 . every upload since counts against 15GB shared with Gmail and Drive.⁹ | Exposing Immich to the internet without VPN or firewall is the top attack vector users get burned on |
Pick Google Photos when
- Everyday phone photographers
- Android/Google households
- Casual AI photo editors
- Families sharing albums
When Google Photos is not a fit
- Privacy-conscious users who don't want Google scanning their library
- Anyone unwilling to pay once 15GB fills
- Pros needing RAW workflows or local archives
- People who want painless bulk export and an easy exit
Pick Immich when
- Homelabbers comfortable with Docker
- Privacy-focused families leaving Google Photos
- Photo hoarders with local storage
- Self-hosting communities and resellers
When Immich is not a fit
- Non-technical users without a server
- Anyone wanting zero-maintenance backup
- Buyers needing vendor SLAs or support contracts
- Families who resent fiddling with permissions
Sources
review
- Google Photos . Apps on Google Play (4.4, 54M+ ratings)play.google.comreview
review
- Google Photos official sitegoogle.comofficial
- Google One plans and pricingone.google.comofficial
- How Much Is Google Photos Per Month? . MultCloudmultcloud.comnews
- Google Photos free storage ends on June 1cloverinfotech.comnews
news
security
- How Google Photos protects your privacy . Google Supportsupport.google.comofficial
- Immich official siteimmich.appofficial
- Immich purchase pagebuy.immich.appofficial
official
- Immich joins FUTOimmich.appnews