Immich
Compare VPS plans to self-host Immich. Best providers with 4GB+ RAM from $5/mo. Immich server hosting comparison.
Find the best and cheapest VPS plans to self-host Immich.
Minimum Requirements
These VPS plans meet the minimum requirements to run Immich. Suitable for testing or light usage.
Recommended Requirements
For optimal performance, we recommend these VPS plans that exceed the minimum requirements.
What is Immich?
Immich is a self-hosted photo and video backup solution that rivals Google Photos in features and user experience. It offers automatic backup from mobile devices, AI-powered face recognition, smart search using natural language, location-based photo organization, and beautiful timeline views. Immich supports RAW files, live photos, and generates automatic memories. It's designed for users who want the convenience of cloud photo services while maintaining complete privacy and data ownership.
Why Server Specs Matter
Immich is resource-intensive due to its machine learning features. The server runs TensorFlow-based models for face detection, recognition, and object classification. It generates thumbnails and video transcodes for web viewing, performs EXIF extraction, and maintains a searchable database of all media. RAM is crucial for loading ML models (which can consume 2-4GB alone) and processing images. CPU is heavily used during initial library scanning and ongoing photo analysis.
Problems with Undersized Servers
Running Immich with insufficient resources causes significant problems. The machine learning jobs queue will grow indefinitely, delaying face recognition by days or weeks. Photo upload from mobile devices may timeout. Thumbnail generation fails, leaving blank placeholders in the timeline. Video playback stutters or fails entirely. The web interface becomes extremely slow when browsing large collections. In extreme cases, the database becomes overwhelmed and the entire service crashes.
Our Recommendation
Immich requires a minimum of 4GB RAM to function properly, with 6GB recommended for smooth ML operations. 2 CPU cores are the minimum, but 4 cores significantly speed up photo processing. For libraries over 50,000 photos, consider 8GB RAM. NVMe storage is highly recommended for the database and thumbnail cache. Plan storage based on your library size - a typical 100GB photo library needs about 150GB total including thumbnails and cache. Enable hardware transcoding if your CPU supports it for better video performance.
Minimum Requirements - VPS Plans
These VPS plans meet the minimum requirements to run Immich. Suitable for testing or light usage.
| Provider | Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Features | Price/mo | Actions |
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Recommended Requirements - VPS Plans
For optimal performance, we recommend these VPS plans that exceed the minimum requirements.
| Provider | Plan | CPU | RAM | Storage | Features | Price/mo | Actions |
|---|
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