Lychee replaces 4 paid apps
One open-source tool, 4 subscriptions it can stand in for. Each pairing below is curated and verified by hand, with the honest catch spelled out. No votes, no pay-to-list.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
installDocker Compose with the Lychee image and MariaDB; prebuilt and source installs also exist
dataUploaded originals and derivatives live in persistent uploads storage; albums, users, metadata and settings live in MariaDB (or another configured database), with separate logs and temporary-data volumes
setupDocker Compose, writable persistent volumes, a database, an APP_KEY, and domain/TLS setup for remote sharing
facts verified 2026-08-11
Clean albums, passworded shares, metadata, and downloads from your own storage; no print lab, sales engine, or hand-holding.
the catchIt can publish attractive private albums, but it has no SmugMug print lab, storefront, client proofing, sales fulfillment or managed hosting support.
the verdict →all SmugMug alternatives →
A clean self-hosted album gallery with metadata, passworded sharing, downloads, and a simple Docker setup; much less discovery machinery.
the catchIt publishes albums but offers far less automatic search and no Flickr social network, groups, discovery feed, comments community or built-in audience.
the verdict →all Flickr Pro alternatives →
A tidy self-hosted portfolio and passworded client gallery with downloads; deliberately light on business machinery.
the catchIt handles portfolios and private downloads but lacks Zenfolio's client proofing, store, print fulfillment, booking and photographer-business automation.
the verdict →all Zenfolio alternatives →
A clean self-hosted gallery with password-protected albums, downloads, metadata, and Docker deployment; no built-in storefront.
the verdict →all Pixieset alternatives →last updated 2026-08-11 · up to $576/yr replaced · no votes, no pay-to-list