Immich review

Immich is for people willing to run their own photo server in exchange for never paying a storage subscription. The iPhone app's listing is direct about it: the app is a client for Immich Server, and you need to run and manage that server yourself. In return, photos live on hardware you control, and space grows with the disks you add rather than a monthly plan. The software is open source and free to use. Its makers sell optional lifetime product keys, $25 for a single user or $100 for a family, and say the purchase grants no additional features because they are committed not to add paywalls. The purchase page also notes that it still requires hardware. That is the main hurdle: setup takes technical skill, and you are responsible for keeping a second copy somewhere else in case the server fails. For anyone who already owns a NAS or home server, though, it is the cheapest way to back up a very large library.

Who it is for

tech-savvy owners of a home server or NAS

Price

Free software; optional lifetime supporter product key $25 for a single user or $100 for a family; hardware not included.

Single For a single user Lifetime purchase Supporter status $25
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• Self-hosted: photos stay on a server you run
• Phone apps for Android and iPhone that back up to your server
• Open-source code published on GitHub
• Optional lifetime product keys: $25 single user, $100 family
• Developers say purchases add no extra features and there are no paywalls

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: No storage subscription; capacity is limited only by your own disks
• Strength: Paying is optional and one-time
• Strength: Open source, backed by FUTO
• Weakness: You must set up and manage the server yourself
• Weakness: Needs your own hardware, which the purchase does not include
• Weakness: Keeping an off-site copy is your responsibility

Key facts

• Software price: Free; optional $25 or $100 lifetime key
• Hosting: Self-hosted on your own hardware
• Apps: Android, iPhone
• Developer: FUTO

Where it ranks

Immich is No. 7 in our Best Photo Storage Apps verdict.