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Kura Vault
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Kura Vault vs Ente

Ente is the closest thing to Kura Vault: an end-to-end encrypted photo app with open-source clients and server. It is a mature, hosted service that has been audited by Cure53 and others, has apps on every platform and does face recognition on the device. Kura Vault is younger and smaller, made only to be self-hosted, and built around separate vaults that each have their own passphrase.

Last updated 27 October 2026

Side by side

Feature Kura Vault Ente
End-to-end encrypted Yes. Media, file names, location, album and vault names Yes
Self-hosted Yes, with Docker Compose. It is the only way to run it Yes (the Museum server), alongside the hosted service
Hosted service No. You run the server Yes, with 10 GB free
Licence MIT AGPL-3.0
Independent security audit Not yet Yes: Cure53, Symbolic Software, Fallible
Face recognition and smart search No. The server cannot see photos to index them Yes, on the device, in the mobile and desktop apps
Apps Android, web. Not in the App Store yet iOS, Android, F-Droid, web, Windows, macOS, Linux

Choose Ente if

  • You want a hosted service with a free tier and nothing to run.
  • You want a product with completed independent security audits today.
  • You want iOS and desktop apps, automatic backup and on-device face recognition.

Choose Kura Vault if

  • You want to self-host with a single Docker Compose install and keep the bucket of your choice.
  • You want vaults that each have their own passphrase and stay hidden until it is entered.
  • You want an owner-run server where accounts exist only by invite.
  • You prefer the MIT licence.

What Kura Vault does not do yet

  • There is no face recognition, object search or map. The server cannot see photos to index them.
  • The Android app uploads while it is open; there is no automatic background backup.
  • There is no iOS app in the App Store yet, and no desktop app. The web client works in any current browser.
  • It has not had an independent security audit yet.

Sources

Checked on 27 October 2026. If something here is out of date, please open an issue.

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