Ente is an end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) photo storage app that provides a secure way to back up your photos. Open-source apps are available for every platform, automatically backing up and syncing your photos across devices with end-to-end encryption. These apps focus on providing complete privacy for your photos while ensuring a great user experience for reliving your memories.
Amazon Photos is a cloud-based photo storage service offered by Amazon. It provides unlimited full-resolution photo storage for Prime members and 5GB of storage for non-Prime users, integrated with the broader Amazon ecosystem.
Comparison
| Feature | Ente Photos | Amazon Photos |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | ✅ Yes | 🔴 No |
| Privacy focus | ✅ Strong emphasis | 🔴 Limited |
| Free storage | ✅ 10 GB forever + referral bonus | ✅ 5 GB for non-Prime, Unlimited for Prime members (photos only) |
| Paid plans | ✅ Starting $2.49/month | ✅ Starting $1.99/month for non-Prime |
| AI Features | ✅ On device, privacy-preserving | ✅ Cloud-based |
| Family Plans | ✅ Available | ✅ Available with Amazon Household |
| Image Editor | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Video Editor | ✅ Available | 🔴 Not available |
| Map View | ✅ Available (OpenStreetMap) | ✅ Available |
| Location Tags | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Face Recognition | ✅ On-device, privacy-preserving | ✅ Cloud-based |
| Sharing | ✅ E2EE sharing options | ✅ Various sharing options (not E2EE) |
| Cross-Platform | ✅ Android, iOS, web, desktop (Linux, Mac, Windows) | ✅ Android, iOS, web, desktop (Mac, Windows) |
| RAW Support | 🔴 No | ✅ Yes |
| Open Source | ✅ Yes | 🔴 No |
| Data Export | ✅ Easy, with dedicated tools | ✅ Available |
| Offline Access | ✅ Yes, with desktop apps | 🟡 Limited |
| Two-Factor Authentication | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (via Amazon account) |
| Integration with other services | 🟡 Limited | ✅ Amazon ecosystem integration |
| Print services | 🔴 Not available | ✅ Integrated print services |
| Backup Options | ✅ Continuous, scheduled | ✅ Automatic, manual |
| Video Streaming | 🟡 Limited | ✅ Yes |
| Collect Photos | ✅ Yes, without an account, E2EE | 🔴 No |
| Data Durability | ✅ 3 copies in 3 locations | ✅ Amazon's infrastructure |
| Customer Support | ✅ Dedicated support team | ✅ Amazon customer support |
Legend:
- ✅ Feature available
- 🟡 Feature partially available or with limitations
- 🔴 Feature not available
Summary
Ente Photos and Amazon Photos cater to different user priorities:
Privacy and Security: Ente excels with end-to-end encryption and on-device processing, offering superior privacy. Amazon Photos lacks E2EE, making it less suitable for privacy-conscious users.
Storage and Pricing: Amazon Photos offers unlimited photo storage for Prime members, which is attractive for heavy users already in the Amazon ecosystem. Ente provides various paid plans, with a focus on privacy rather than unlimited storage.
Features: While Amazon Photos offers extensive AI features and integration with the Amazon ecosystem, Ente provides unique features like E2EE sharing, video editing, and photo collection without an account. Ente's privacy-preserving AI features offer on-device machine learning, face recognition, and semantic search.
Cross-platform Support: Ente offers broader platform support, including Linux, which Amazon Photos lacks.
Open Source and Transparency: Ente's open-source nature provides additional trust and transparency, which Amazon Photos doesn't offer.
Integration and Services: Amazon Photos integrates well with the Amazon ecosystem and offers print services, while Ente focuses solely on secure photo management.
For users prioritizing privacy and security in their photo storage solution, Ente presents a compelling option. Its end-to-end encryption, open-source nature, and privacy-preserving features make it ideal for those who want full control over their data.
On the other hand, Amazon Photos may be more suitable for Prime members who want unlimited storage and don't mind sacrificing some privacy for integration with Amazon's ecosystem and lower cost.
Ultimately, the choice between Ente Photos and Amazon Photos depends on whether you prioritize privacy and security or lower cost and ecosystem integration.