Ente is an end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) photo storage app that provides a secure way to backup your photos. Open-source apps are available for every platform, automatically backing up and syncing your photos across devices with E2EE. These apps focus on complete privacy while ensuring a great user experience for reliving your memories.
OneDrive Photos, integrated with OneDrive, is Microsoft's solution for photo storage and management. It offers seamless integration with Windows devices and the broader Microsoft ecosystem, providing cloud storage and photo organization features.
Both services offer cloud storage for photos, but they differ in their approach to privacy, features, and ecosystem integration. This comparison aims to highlight these differences to help you choose the solution that best fits your needs.
Comparison
July 18, 2024
| Feature | Ente Photos | OneDrive Photos |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | ✅ Yes | 🔴 No |
| Privacy focus | ✅ Strong emphasis | 🟡 Limited |
| Free storage | 🟡 5 GB free tier | 🟡 5 GB free with OneDrive (shared with other files) |
| Paid plans | ✅ Various options | ✅ Various options through OneDrive/Microsoft 365 |
| AI Features | 🟡 Limited, privacy-preserving | ✅ Extensive AI features |
| Family Plans | ✅ Available | ✅ Available through Microsoft 365 Family |
| Basic Image Editor | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Video Editor | ✅ Available | 🟡 Limited features, separate app (Video Editor) |
| Map View | ✅ Available (OpenStreetMap) | 🟡 Limited availability |
| Location Tags | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Face Recognition | 🟡 Work in Progress | ✅ Available |
| Sharing | ✅ E2EE sharing options | ✅ Various sharing options (not E2EE) |
| Cross-Platform | ✅ Android, iOS, web, desktop (Linux, Mac, Windows) | 🟡 Windows, limited web access through OneDrive |
| RAW Support | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Open Source | ✅ Yes | 🔴 No |
| Data Export | ✅ Easy, with dedicated tools | ✅ Available through OneDrive |
| Offline Access | ✅ Yes, with desktop apps | ✅ Yes, with OneDrive sync |
| Two-Factor Authentication | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Integration with other services | 🔴 Limited | ✅ Extensive Microsoft ecosystem integration |
| Print services | 🔴 Not available | ✅ Integrated print services |
| Search Capabilities | ✅ Advanced, privacy-preserving | ✅ Advanced AI-powered search |
| Automatic Organization | ✅ Available, on-device | ✅ Available, cloud-based |
| Backup Options | ✅ Continuous, Automatic (everywhere) | ✅ Automatic on Windows, manual on other platforms |
Legend:
- ✅ Feature available
- 🟡 Feature partially available or with limitations
- 🔴 Feature not available
Key Differences:
Privacy: Ente places a strong emphasis on privacy with end-to-end encryption, ensuring user data is secure and private. OneDrive Photos, while offering various security measures, does not prioritize privacy to the same extent, focusing more on convenience and integration with other Microsoft services.
Storage: Both offer 5GB of free storage, but OneDrive's is shared across all OneDrive services. Microsoft provides more flexible paid storage options as part of its broader ecosystem.
AI and Recognition: OneDrive Photos features extensive AI capabilities, such as advanced facial recognition and auto-tagging. Ente's AI features are more limited and focused on on-device processing to maintain privacy.
Ecosystem: OneDrive Photos benefits from deep integration with the broader Microsoft ecosystem, including Windows, Office, and other Microsoft 365 services. Ente, on the other hand, is a standalone service with a primary focus on photo storage and privacy.
Open Source: Ente is open-source, which allows for community scrutiny and increased transparency. OneDrive Photos is not open-source, meaning its codebase is not publicly reviewable.
Cross-Platform Support: Ente offers broader cross-platform support, including Linux. OneDrive Photos is primarily designed for Windows, with more limited support for other platforms through OneDrive.
Editing Features: While both offer basic image editing, Ente provides a built-in video editor. OneDrive's video editing capabilities are more limited and provided through a separate app.
Search and Organization: Both offer advanced search capabilities, but OneDrive leverages its AI for more extensive features. Ente's search and organization tools are designed with privacy in mind, utilizing on-device processing.
These distinctions highlight Ente's commitment to privacy and open-source principles, contrasting with OneDrive Photos' broader service integrations and AI-powered features. The choice between them will depend on whether users prioritize privacy and data control or prefer deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem and advanced AI features.
Ready to switch to a better cloud for your photos?