The reason I keep coming back to Google Photos after trying every major alternative

Google Photos stands as a staple app on Android phones, offering seamless backup and organizational tools. While I initially considered replacing Google apps, Google Photos proved to be the most convenient and reliable option. Surprisingly, the market for dedicated photo storage services is limited, with Amazon Photos being the most obvious competitor.

Amazon Photos provides unlimited full-resolution photo storage and 5GB video storage for Prime members, with a free 5GB offering for non-members. However, without a Google One subscription, Google Photos grants 15GB of free storage, which rises to 100GB with a basic plan. Despite my Google Pixel phone's loyalty, Google frequently grants me free Google One plans, yet I prefer paying for the service over using Amazon Photos.

The major downside to Amazon Photos lies in its organization capabilities. Google Photos allows users to filter by document scans, events, receipts, places, people, and device folders, while Amazon Photos can identify people but lacks a feature-rich device folder function. Instead of focusing on organization, Amazon Photos emphasizes curating memories, a feature I do not prioritize.

Other cloud storage apps present additional challenges. iCloud is unavailable on Android, Proton Drive is pricey and has limited photo management features, and self-hosted services like Immich offer minimal editing tools and clunky usability. While exploring self-hosted solutions holds benefits such as avoiding subscription fees and total control over access, the constant power and hardware requirements render them impractical 24/7.

Instead, they serve as secondary backups on regularly used PCs or NAS servers. Google Photos' feature bloat is a significant issue, as users often find themselves ignoring two features for every useful one. While lighter local photo management apps on Android exist, Gallery by Google remains a lightweight, but feature-rich alternative.

Despite minor imperfections, Google Photos remains the most comprehensive photo storage solution for Android, and my reliance on it suggests it is the best option to complement, rather than replace.