Best VPS for Immich in 2026
Updated Jul 2026 · 3 plans benchmarked
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.
- 4 GB RAM is the floor — the ML container for search and faces is the memory-hungry part; 8 GB is comfortable for a large library.
- 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
The price/performance pick: a CX22 (2 vCPU / 4 GB / 40 GB NVMe, 20 TB traffic) under $5 clears Immich's floor, and stepping up to 8 GB stays cheap as your library and ML workload grow.
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 picks, side by side
Prices verified Jul 2026 · How we benchmark →
Common questions
How much RAM does Immich need?
Plan for at least 4 GB. Immich itself is modest, but its machine-learning service (smart search and facial recognition) is memory-hungry; 8 GB keeps those jobs smooth on a large library.
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 for a modest library, on a 4 GB box like Hetzner's CX22. For tens of thousands of photos with face and smart search enabled, step up to 8 GB so the ML jobs don't slow the rest of the app.
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