Box
Immich
| Feature | Box | Immich |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $14/mo | Free / from $0/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Best For | enterprises, regulated-industries, legal-teams, healthcare-organizations | self-hosters, families, privacy-focused-users, photographers |
| Founded | 2005 | 2022 |
| Cloud Storage | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflow Automation | ✓ | ✗ |
| E Signatures | ✓ | ✗ |
| Compliance | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Powered Search | ✓ | ✗ |
| Version History | ✓ | ✗ |
| Granular Permissions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Photo Backup | ✗ | ✓ |
| Facial Recognition | ✗ | ✓ |
| Smart Search | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shared Albums | ✗ | ✓ |
| Memories | ✗ | ✓ |
| Map View | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile Apps | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Box Pros
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance (HIPAA, FedRAMP)
- Excellent integration ecosystem (1,500+ apps)
- Advanced workflow automation (Box Relay)
- Unlimited storage on business plans
- Box AI for content insights
✗ Box Cons
- Individual file size limits on lower plans
- Interface less intuitive than consumer alternatives
- Can be expensive for small teams
✓ Immich Pros
- Full Google Photos replacement (self-hosted)
- AI face recognition and smart search
- Mobile apps with automatic background backup
- Shared albums and partner sharing
✗ Immich Cons
- Self-hosting only (no managed cloud option)
- Resource-intensive (especially ML features)
- Still in active development (breaking changes possible)
The Verdict
Box is built for enterprises and regulated industries, with a focus on cloud-storage and file-sharing. Immich targets self hosters and families and leads with photo-backup and facial-recognition.
On pricing, Immich is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0/mo compared to $14/mo for Box. That $14/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Immich edges out on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.2). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Box offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 7), while Immich takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Immich has a slight overall edge — but if enterprise-grade security and compliance (hipaa, fedramp) matters most to you, Box may still be the right call.