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Kura Vault vs PhotoPrism and Nextcloud
PhotoPrism is a self-hosted photo library with AI tagging and face recognition. Nextcloud is a self-hosted file and collaboration suite with photo apps. Both run on your server, and both let that server read your photos. Nextcloud’s server-side encryption is built to protect external storage, not to keep files from the admin: in its default mode admins can decrypt any user’s files. Its separate end-to-end encryption works per folder, through the desktop and mobile clients.
Last updated 27 October 2026
Side by side
| Feature | Kura Vault | PhotoPrism and Nextcloud |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encrypted by default | Yes. Media, file names, location, album and vault names | PhotoPrism: no. Nextcloud: an optional per-folder E2EE app |
| Hidden from the server admin | Yes | No. With Nextcloud server-side encryption in its default mode, admins can decrypt any user’s files |
| Self-hosted | Yes, with Docker Compose. It is the only way to run it | Yes |
| Licence | MIT | Nextcloud: AGPL-3.0. PhotoPrism: AGPL Community Edition; the default image is under its Plus licence |
| Face recognition and tagging | No. The server cannot see photos to index them | PhotoPrism: yes. Nextcloud: through apps |
Choose PhotoPrism and Nextcloud if
- You want AI tagging, faces, places and RAW handling (PhotoPrism).
- You want one server for files, calendars, contacts and photos (Nextcloud).
- Only you, or people you fully trust, can reach the server.
Choose Kura Vault if
- The admin, the host or the bucket should not be able to view anyone’s photos.
- You want photo and video storage that is encrypted end to end by default, not per folder.
What Kura Vault does not do yet
- There is no face recognition, object search or map. The server cannot see photos to index them.
- The Android app uploads while it is open; there is no automatic background backup.
- There is no iOS app in the App Store yet, and no desktop app. The web client works in any current browser.
- It has not had an independent security audit yet.
Sources
Checked on 27 October 2026. If something here is out of date, please open an issue.