The Pic-Time workflow on your own server.
Pic-Time only exists as a US SaaS. If you want data sovereignty and GDPR safety on your own infrastructure — Lumio is the source-available answer. Docker Compose, FSL-1.1, runs on any Linux server.
Why self-host at all?
Your images. Your server. Your rules.
Nobody between you and your data. No "the cloud provider could be compromised", no "a terms change lets us train AI on your images from next month". You have full control.
Data doesn't leave the EU.
If your server is in Germany (e.g. Hetzner Falkenstein), only European data protection law applies. No standard contractual clauses, no transfer impact assessments.
Linearly scaling hosting costs.
A Hetzner CX22 + 1 TB object storage together costs ~€12/month. Pic-Time's comparable plan is ~$30+/month. Over two years that's ~€700 difference — with more than one 8-hour wedding the math is positive.
Open source code = exit possible anytime.
Even if Lumio were discontinued tomorrow, your instance keeps running. You can fork the code or keep developing it. With Pic-Time you're entirely at the provider's mercy.
Comparison
As of June 2026
| Feature | Lumio | Pic-Time (SaaS) |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Your own server | US AWS |
| Data sovereignty | ✓ | — |
| With Pic-Time your images sit on infrastructure you have no direct access to. With Lumio everything sits in your storage bucket. | ||
| Monthly cost (solo studio) | ~€12 (server + storage) | from ~$24 |
| Setup effort | 30–60 min one-time | None |
| Self-hosting has an initial learning curve. If you've never administered a Linux server, budget 2–3 hours of learning time the first time. | ||
| Maintenance | 30 min/month | None |
| RAW support (CR3, NEF, ARW) | ✓ | — |
| Video streaming (HLS) | ✓ | Limited |
| Print shop | — | ✓ |
| Source code viewable | ✓ | — |
| Vendor lock-in | None | Complete |
When Pic-Time stays the better choice.
If your business is heavily based on print sales from the gallery (the couple orders an album, wall art, prints directly), Pic-Time's integrated shop is a genuine advantage. Lumio has it on the roadmap but not yet today.
And if you find server administration stressful — Pic-Time's "I just click" convenience honestly shouldn't be underestimated. Self-hosting is a sysadmin task; if that's not your thing at all, take a look at Lumio Cloud instead — same workflow, but we run the servers for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is self-hosting really worth it versus Pic-Time? +
It comes down to two factors: your hourly rate and your technical affinity. If you earn €100/hour and server administration isn't already routine, Pic-Time's convenience is probably worth the ~€12/month difference. If you have Linux sysadmin experience or wanted to switch over GDPR/data-sovereignty concerns anyway, self-hosting is a clear-cut decision.
In the photography forum I read about many attempts with Nextcloud, Piwigo, etc. — what makes Lumio different? +
Nextcloud is a file-sharing tool that does galleries on the side — the design is generic and the workflow isn't tailored to photographers. Piwigo targets hobby photographers, with tags and album structures. Lumio is built explicitly for the pro workflow: gallery per job, branding, client-selection workflow, RAW delivery, video streaming. That's what makes it genuinely special in the forum's list.
Can I migrate Pic-Time galleries to Lumio? +
Direct migration from Pic-Time isn't automated. But you can download your original files from Pic-Time and re-upload them via the Lumio uploader. For ~100 weddings that's about a weekend's work — many do it alongside their normal workflow over 4–8 weeks.
What about Pic-Time's print shop? +
Lumio currently has no integrated print shop. If your business model relies heavily on print sales straight from the gallery, Pic-Time remains the better choice here. We're working on print-shop integrations (likely via interfaces to German labs), but that's roadmap, not available today.
What happens if Lumio's lead developer stops? +
Lumio's source code is openly viewable (source-available under the FSL). Even if the project were discontinued, your self-host instance keeps running as long as you host the Docker images. You can modify the code, keep developing it or hire another developer — and after two years every version becomes Apache-2.0 anyway. That's the fundamental safety argument against vendor lock-in.
Ready to self-host?
Source code on Forgejo, Docker Compose file and setup guide already there. Guide for a Hetzner VPS below.