Best VPS for Immich in 2026
Updated Oct 2026 · 8 plans compared
Immich backs up a lifetime of photos and runs machine-learning search and face detection over them — so it wants real RAM, fast NVMe for the library and thumbnails, and generous bandwidth for the initial mobile upload. The goal is a box that ingests tens of thousands of photos without the ML jobs starving everything else.
- 6 GB RAM is upstream's minimum and 8 GB its recommendation — the ML container for search and faces is the memory-hungry part; a 4 GB box runs Immich only with machine learning disabled.
- Fast NVMe storage, sized for your whole photo and video library plus generated thumbnails (budget ~20% on top).
- Generous included bandwidth — the first full backup from your phone can move hundreds of GB.
- Snapshots or off-box backups: these are your irreplaceable photos, so the 3-2-1 rule still applies even when self-hosted.
The picks
When your library outgrows a fixed plan, Kamatera lets you add RAM and NVMe independently and pick a region near you for fast uploads — with hourly billing to test the import before you commit.
The CPX22 (2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB NVMe, 20 TB traffic in EU regions) runs Immich with machine learning disabled; step up to an 8 GB plan for faces and smart search, which upstream's 6 GB minimum assumes.
Easy to stand up and grow storage as your photo library does.
8 GB and NVMe for $4.95 give Immich's ML and thumbnailing room to breathe — the cheapest 8 GB box on this list.
The 8 GB VPS-2 gives NVMe and headroom for Immich's ML jobs; attach more storage as your library grows.
The picks, side by side
Prices verified Oct 2026 · How we benchmark →
Common questions
How much RAM does Immich need?
Upstream's minimum is 6 GB, with 8 GB recommended; 4 GB works only with machine learning disabled. Immich itself is modest, but its machine-learning service (smart search and facial recognition) is memory-hungry.
How much storage do I need for Immich?
Roughly the size of your existing photo and video library plus about 20% for generated thumbnails and previews. Check your current Google Photos or iCloud usage and size the VPS disk above that, with room to grow.
Can I run Immich on a $5 VPS?
Yes, on a 4 GB box like Hetzner's CPX22 — but only with machine learning disabled, per upstream. For face recognition and smart search, plan for upstream's 6 GB minimum and step up to 8 GB so the ML jobs don't slow the rest of the app.