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Kura Vault vs Google Photos and iCloud
Google Photos and iCloud Photos are convenient and polished, and they hold the keys to your library. Google encrypts photos in transit and at rest, but not end to end. iCloud Photos is end-to-end encrypted only if you turn on Advanced Data Protection, and even then some metadata keys stay with Apple and Shared Albums are excluded. Kura Vault encrypts every photo on your device, always, and stores it on a server you run.
Last updated 27 October 2026
Side by side
| Feature | Kura Vault | Google Photos and iCloud |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encrypted | Always, for every user | Google: no. iCloud: only with Advanced Data Protection turned on |
| Who can decrypt your photos | Only your devices and the people you share with | Google, and Apple unless Advanced Data Protection is on |
| Shared albums encrypted end to end | Yes. Keys are sealed to each recipient | iCloud Shared Albums: no, even with Advanced Data Protection |
| Self-hosted | Yes, with Docker Compose. It is the only way to run it | No |
| Open source | MIT | No |
| Face recognition and search | No. The server cannot see photos to index them | Yes |
| Automatic phone backup | Uploads run while the app is open | Yes |
Choose Google Photos and iCloud if
- You want zero maintenance, and you are comfortable with the provider holding the keys (or with turning on Advanced Data Protection on Apple devices).
- You rely on search, memories, editing and deep phone integration.
Choose Kura Vault if
- You do not want any company to be able to read your library, by default and without opt-in settings.
- You want to own the hardware or choose the bucket, and leave without an export.
- You want to share with family without handing a provider the shared keys.
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 If something here is out of date, please open an issue.