jAlbum vs Synology Photos
jAlbum
jalbum.net
Synology Photos
synology.comSide by side
| Figure | jAlbum | Synology Photos |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 2 |
| Spec score · Photo Management Software | 8.8 (#7) | 8.3 (#12) |
| Founded | 2002 | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden | Banqiao District, New Taipei City, Taiwan |
| Integrations | The jAlbum community site says users can connect with Facebook or Twitter to share albums. | Synology Photos works with Synology Image Assistant, whose desktop app and browser extension generate previews for formats including HEIC and HEVC media. |
| Organization | Images can be organized into folder trees using camera date, filename or GPS location, with duplicate handling and multi-level undo. | Features include custom and conditional albums, automatic grouping, and facial and object recognition on supported NAS models. |
| Rating on Google Play | 2.4 out of 5 from 85 reviews. | 3.0 out of 5 from 7,240 reviews. |
| System requirements | The current Windows build requires Windows 8 or newer, macOS downloads target macOS 11 or newer for Intel and separate M-series builds, and Linux packages are supplied for x86_64 and ARM. | The package requires DSM 7.0 or later and a Synology NAS; its technical specification lists Node.js 12 and Synology Application Service as dependencies. |
Plans
jAlbum
- FreeFree
- Power AccountPrice not published
- Premium AccountPrice not published
- Pro LicensePrice not published
- Standard LicensePrice not published
- Super AccountPrice not published
In their own words
jAlbum
jAlbum is desktop software for building photo and video gallery websites from local media, then publishing them to a personal site or a jalbum.net account. Its editor supports cropping, sharpening, level adjustments, automatic correction, watermarks, and batch processing. The organizer can arrange photos by date and location, remove duplicates, and add tags. Users can choose among hundreds of customizable album templates, called skins. An included FTP client uploads galleries to web hosting. jAlbum says generated albums do not rely on server-side scripting. The free license allows galleries of at most 24 objects; the page says gallery size may otherwise depend on computer memory. Listed platforms are Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, though desktop is the primary platform. Standard and Pro licenses include one year of priority email support, with replies within 24 hours on business days. The maker identifies photographers, artists, businesses, organizations, and families as potential users. jAlbum supports RAW photos, face recognition, and metadata tools, but does not offer cloud sync.
Synology Photos
Synology Photos is a photo and video management service in DSM for browsing, organizing, searching, sharing, uploading, and previewing media. It requires a Synology NAS for private photo storage, and its mobile app can back up photos and videos to that NAS automatically. Users can share individual items or albums through links with passwords or expiration dates. Shared Space lets selected users collaborate, with access and editing rights assigned by folder. Organization tools include custom and conditional albums, automatic grouping, and facial and object recognition on supported NAS models. RAW files are supported; previews for HEIC/HEVC files and compressed videos require Synology Image Assistant. Mobile apps require iOS 16 or later or Android 11 or later; TV apps support Apple TV and Android TV. Chrome and Safari are recommended for web use. Synology Photos is free, with no paid premium tiers listed.