The Savvy Photographer's Guide
Affordable Photo Hosting in 2025
A rundown of the most cost-effective ways to host your online photo album.
Quick Decision Guide
| Scenario | Monthly Cost* | What You Manage | When It Shines | Gotchas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure-static (Jamstack) | $0 | Image optimization, code | Portfolios, family albums | No upload UI, manual rebuilds |
| Static + Object Storage | $1–5 | Same as above + storage bucket | Large libraries, keeping originals | Pay-per-GB traffic costs can spike |
| Self-Hosted Gallery (VPS) | $4–8 | Server, backups, updates, security | Full features (tags, users) on a budget | Requires technical skill, 1GB+ RAM |
| Managed Open Source | $7–19 | Nothing (host handles it) | Open-source flexibility, no ops | Storage caps before price jumps |
| Photo-centric SaaS | $10–30 | Zero (just upload) | Unlimited storage, selling prints | Platform lock-in, rising prices |
*Rough list prices, paid monthly. Annual pre-pay is usually ~20–30% cheaper.
Monthly Cost Comparison (USD)
1. Totally-Free Jamstack
Generate a static site and host it for free. Maximum control for zero cost, if you're comfortable with code.
Best For: DIYers, slow-growing family albums, portfolios.
Providers: GitHub Pages, Cloudflare Pages, Netlify.
2. Static Site + Object Storage
Offload large original photos to an affordable storage bucket. Here's how providers compare for 100GB/month.
3. Self-Hosted Open Source
Run powerful gallery software on your own cheap virtual server for ultimate customization.
Best For: Those wanting albums, tags, search, and user logins on a budget.
Software: Piwigo, Lychee, PhotoPrism.
4. Managed Open Source
Get all the features of software like Piwigo, but without the headache of managing the server yourself.
Best For: Disliking server maintenance but wanting open-source flexibility.
Providers: Piwigo.com
5. Full-Service SaaS
The "hands-off" option. Just upload your photos and let the platform handle everything else, from storage to sales.
Best For: Pro photographers, selling prints, password-protected galleries.
Providers: SmugMug, Flickr Pro.
Cost-Cutting Tips
Save money regardless of the platform you choose with these best practices.
- Convert thumbnails to modern formats like WebP/AVIF.
- Lazy-load below-the-fold images.
- Resize images on the server to save bandwidth.
- Offload old originals to cold storage (e.g., Glacier).
- Automate backups to a separate provider.