Immich
MEGA
| Feature | Immich | MEGA |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $0/mo | Free / from $5.53/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | self-hosters, families, privacy-focused-users, photographers | privacy-conscious-users, file-sharers, remote-workers, personal-backup |
| Founded | 2022 | 2013 |
| Photo Backup | ✓ | ✗ |
| Facial Recognition | ✓ | ✗ |
| Smart Search | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shared Albums | ✓ | ✗ |
| Memories | ✓ | ✗ |
| Map View | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile Apps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encrypted Storage | ✗ | ✓ |
| File Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| File Sharing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Chat | ✗ | ✓ |
| Video Calls | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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)
✓ MEGA Pros
- 20GB free storage
- End-to-end encryption
- Zero-knowledge privacy
- Good file sharing controls
✗ MEGA Cons
- Free account inactivity policy
- Transfer quotas on free plan
- Less polished than Google Drive
The Verdict
Immich is built for self hosters and families, with a focus on photo-backup and facial-recognition. MEGA targets privacy conscious users and file sharers and leads with encrypted-storage and file-sync.
On pricing, Immich is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0/mo compared to $5.53/mo for MEGA. That $5.53/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, Immich offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while MEGA takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Immich has a slight overall edge — but if 20gb free storage matters most to you, MEGA may still be the right call.