Best VPS for Immich [Tested] - Google Photos Alt
Immich is a self-hosted photo and video management solution. Find the best VPS for storing and organizing your memories. We tested the top 5 VPS providers to find which one delivers the best performance and value for running Immich.
Hetzner is the Best VPS for Immich
With competitive pricing starting at $7.50/mo, excellent performance, and European data centers, Hetzner offers the best value for hosting Immich.
Get Hetzner VPS →What is Immich?
Immich is a high-performance self-hosted photo and video backup solution that serves as an alternative to Google Photos. It features automatic mobile photo backup, facial recognition, intelligent search, album sharing, and a beautiful timeline view. Immich is one of the fastest-growing self-hosted projects.
Photo and video management requires substantial storage, decent CPU for thumbnail generation and facial recognition, and enough RAM for the machine learning features. NVMe storage ensures fast image loading and smooth browsing.
Self-hosting Immich on a VPS gives you full control over your data, better performance, and lower long-term costs compared to managed solutions. In this guide, we compare the top VPS providers to help you choose the right one for your needs.
Minimum Server Requirements for Immich
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| CPU | 2 vCPU | 2+ vCPUs |
| Storage | 100 GB | 40+ GB NVMe |
| OS | Ubuntu 22.04+ | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS |
Top 5 VPS Providers for Immich Compared
We deployed Immich on each provider and measured startup time, response latency, and resource usage. Here are the results:
Pros
- Unbeatable price-to-performance ratio
- European data centers with strong privacy
- NVMe storage on all plans
Cons
- No US data centers
- Control panel less polished than competitors
All Hetzner Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CX22 | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 40 GB NVMe | $4.15/mo | Get Plan → |
| CX32 | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | 80 GB NVMe | $7.49/mo | Get Plan → |
| CX42 | 8 vCPU | 16 GB | 160 GB NVMe | $14.49/mo | Get Plan → |
| CX52 | 16 vCPU | 32 GB | 320 GB NVMe | $28.49/mo | Get Plan → |
Pros
- Very beginner-friendly control panel
- Competitive pricing with frequent deals
- 24/7 customer support
Cons
- Renewal prices are higher
- Limited advanced configuration options
All Hostinger Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVM 1 | 1 vCPU | 4 GB | 50 GB NVMe | $4.99/mo | Get Plan → |
| KVM 2 | 2 vCPU | 8 GB | 100 GB NVMe | $6.99/mo | Get Plan → |
| KVM 4 | 4 vCPU | 16 GB | 200 GB NVMe | $12.99/mo | Get Plan → |
| KVM 8 | 8 vCPU | 32 GB | 400 GB NVMe | $19.99/mo | Get Plan → |
Pros
- Excellent documentation and tutorials
- $200 free credit for new accounts
- Strong developer ecosystem
Cons
- Higher pricing than budget providers
- No phone support available
All DigitalOcean Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 vCPU | 2 GB | 50 GB SSD | $12.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Regular | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 80 GB SSD | $24.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| CPU-Optimized | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 25 GB SSD | $42.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Memory-Opt | 2 vCPU | 16 GB | 50 GB SSD | $84.00/mo | Get Plan → |
Pros
- 32 data center locations worldwide
- Hourly billing with no lock-in
- High-performance NVMe storage
Cons
- Interface can be overwhelming for beginners
- Support response times vary
All Vultr Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Compute | 1 vCPU | 2 GB | 50 GB SSD | $10.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Cloud Compute | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 80 GB SSD | $20.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| High Frequency | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | 64 GB NVMe | $24.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Bare Metal | E-2286G | 32 GB | 2x 480GB SSD | $120.00/mo | Get Plan → |
Pros
- One-click deploys from Git
- Auto-scaling based on usage
- No server management needed
Cons
- Can get expensive at scale
- Less control over infrastructure
All Railway Plans
| Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobby | Shared 8 vCPU | 8 GB | 100 GB | $5.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Pro | Shared 32 vCPU | 32 GB | 250 GB | $20.00/mo | Get Plan → |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom | Get Plan → |
Architecture Overview
A typical Immich deployment on a VPS uses Docker for easy management and Nginx as a reverse proxy:
Immich Deployment Architecture
How to Set Up Immich on a VPS
Step 1: Provision VPS with ample storage
Choose your VPS provider (we recommend Hetzner for the best value), select an Ubuntu 24.04 LTS image, and configure your SSH keys. Most providers have this ready in under 2 minutes.
Step 2: Deploy Immich with Docker Compose
SSH into your server, install Docker and Docker Compose, and pull the Immich container image. Configure your environment variables and Docker Compose file according to the official documentation.
Step 3: Configure mobile app and backups
Set up Nginx as a reverse proxy with SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt. Point your domain to the server IP, and your Immich instance will be accessible via HTTPS.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much storage does Immich need?
This depends on your photo library size. Plan for 100 GB minimum and consider providers with affordable block storage expansion.
Can Immich replace Google Photos?
Yes. Immich offers automatic backup, facial recognition, search, sharing, and a mobile app covering most Google Photos features.
Does Immich support facial recognition?
Yes. Immich includes machine learning powered facial recognition that runs on your server for private photo organization.
Can I share albums with family?
Yes. Immich supports shared albums and external sharing links similar to Google Photos sharing features.
How do I migrate from Google Photos?
Use Google Takeout to export your photos, then use the Immich CLI tool to bulk import them to your server.