Ente Photos
vs Google Photos

Google encrypts photos in transit and at rest, and holds the keys to your cloud library. Ente encrypts before upload so only you and the people you share with can read your photos.

Ente cannot read photos shared through an album link. Anyone with the link can view the album unless you add an access restriction. You can set a password or choose when the link expires.

Google album links use its standard cloud protection. Both services let anyone with a link view the album; Ente also offers a link password and expiry date.

Access Google Photos at photos.google.com on Mac, Windows or Linux. You can install its web app in a supported browser. Ente provides desktop apps with folder backup, local search and export.

Original quality keeps the captured resolution and quality. Storage saver is a separate option that compresses photos and videos. Both use your Google storage allowance.

On Android, choose which device folders to back up alongside the camera. Ente lets you choose device albums on iOS and Android. On iOS, either app may need to stay open to finish a large first backup.

Free up space removes backed-up copies from the phone while keeping them in Google Photos. They then need internet to load unless downloaded again. On iPhone, empty Recently Deleted in Apple Photos to reclaim the space.

The desktop app uploads new photos from selected folders while it is running. This is a backup from your folders to Ente, not a way to edit local files from the cloud.

Choose folders at photos.google.com in a Chromium-based browser, such as Chrome or Edge. Automatic backup runs while the tab or web app stays open. Google Drive for desktop no longer backs up to Photos.

Export originals to album folders with separate metadata files. The desktop app updates the export while it runs; the CLI can run on a schedule, including on a NAS. Desktop exports can reflect album changes and deletions, so keep a separate backup if you want older versions.

Download a one-time archive, or schedule exports every two months for one year. With only Google Photos selected, later scheduled archives contain new and updated data. Download and unpack the archives yourself; this does not keep a local folder continuously updated. Scheduled exports are unavailable with Advanced Protection.

Enable face recognition in Ente on mobile or desktop and let it finish analyzing your library. Photos are analyzed on your device.

Enable Face Groups to find people and pets in your library. Availability varies by account and region. Ente face recognition analyzes photos on your device.

Turn on Magic Search and let the initial photo analysis finish. Search for scenes such as “a child on a beach.” This feature is available on mobile and desktop, not the browser app.

Classic search finds people, places, things, text in photos and descriptive queries. Optional Ask Photos uses Gemini for questions about your backed-up library. Ask Photos is available on eligible mobile accounts and regions, not the web.

After photo analysis finishes on mobile, review groups of similar shots and choose which to keep.

Groups similar backed-up photos in the mobile app. Stacking alone does not free storage; review the stack and delete unwanted photos.

Keep photos in separate hidden albums and share a named album with people or by link. Unlock Hidden to view it. Recipients choose whether to hide the album in their own library. Automatic Family Library Sharing skips hidden albums. Hiding in Ente does not hide copies in your phone’s gallery.

Locked Folder keeps photos out of the main grid, search and memories. Its contents cannot be organized into albums or shared until moved out. Turn on backup to retain a cloud copy.

Turn on uploads so guests can add photos and videos in a browser without an Ente account. Paid plans offer links with no device limit; free plans allow 10 devices. Uploads use the album owner’s storage.

Turn on Collaborate to let people add photos to a shared album. Anyone with the album link can view it without an account.

Turn on comments and likes for an album link. Visitors enter a display name in their browser; no Ente account needed. Comments and likes are end-to-end encrypted.

The album owner can enable or disable comments and likes for the shared album. Contributions appear under the participant’s Google profile.

The Collaborate switch applies to the whole album. Google says you cannot stop just one person from adding items; turn collaboration off for everyone. Ente offers viewing, adding and managing roles for individual album members.

Share existing and future albums with a member of your Ente family plan. Choose their permissions and exclude albums; hidden albums are skipped. Setup and automatic sharing run in the mobile app.

Partner Sharing sends photos to one Google Account, with optional people and date filters. Live albums can automatically add photos of selected people or pets and be shared with others. Face-based features vary by region. Sharing Google One storage does not automatically share photos.

Ente backs up and plays iPhone Live Photos and supported Android Motion Photos. On iPhone, native Live Photos can be saved back to Apple Photos. Desktop exports contain separate photo and video files; Android Motion Photos may need conversion to restore as Apple Live Photos.

Google Photos supports Motion Photos and backs up iPhone Live Photos through its iPhone or iPad app. Supported file formats and motion tools depend on the device.

Crop, rotate, adjust colors, add filters and draw on a photo in the mobile app. Saving creates a new photo and keeps the original.

Crop, adjust colors and lighting, apply filters and revert edits. Tools such as Magic Eraser, Unblur and AI edits have device, region or account requirements. Ente’s mobile editor saves a new copy and keeps the original.

Touch and hold text or a QR code in an opened photo to copy text or use the code’s contents. Available on iOS and Android; text detection supports selected languages.

Open a photo and use Google Lens to copy or translate text, or read a QR code. Available in the Google Photos mobile app.

Cast photo slideshows to Chromecast or use the Ente Cast Apple TV app. Both are paired receivers for a chosen album. The Apple TV receiver needs tvOS 18.4 or later and currently shows photos, not videos.

Cast with Chromecast or use Photos integrations on compatible Google TV and Samsung TV models. TV setup, features and account requirements vary by model and region.