Compare
How Kura Vault compares
Every photo app makes trade-offs. Kura Vault gives up server-side features like face recognition so that the server never sees your photos. These pages say plainly when another app is the better fit.
Last updated 27 October 2026
Claims about other products link to their own documentation and were checked on 27 October 2026. If something has changed, please open an issue and we will correct it.
- Kura Vault vs Immich Immich and Kura Vault are both self-hosted photo apps. Immich has AI search and auto backup; Kura Vault encrypts everything end to end. Read the comparison
- Kura Vault vs Ente Ente and Kura Vault both encrypt photos end to end. Ente is hosted-first and audited; Kura Vault is self-host only, MIT, with hidden vaults. Read the comparison
- Kura Vault vs Google Photos and iCloud A private Google Photos and iCloud alternative: Kura Vault encrypts on your device and runs on your own server. What you give up and gain. Read the comparison
- Kura Vault vs PhotoPrism and Nextcloud PhotoPrism and Nextcloud are self-hosted but readable by the server admin. How Kura Vault differs, and when they are the better pick. Read the comparison
At a glance
| Kura Vault | Immich | Ente | Google Photos | PhotoPrism | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encrypted | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Face recognition and smart search | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Google Photos column: Google Photos. iCloud Photos is end-to-end encrypted only with Advanced Data Protection turned on. Kura Vault does not have automatic background backup or an independent audit yet. Details and sources on each comparison page.