# Mylio Alternative: CachePix vs Mylio Photos (2026) Source: https://cachepix.com/compare/cachepix-vs-mylio Last updated: 2026-10-07 ## CachePix vs Mylio Photos Looking for a Mylio alternative? CachePix and Mylio Photos both keep your photo library on your own devices by default, and neither needs a server you run. Mylio Photos does more. CachePix does less, costs less than Mylio Photos+, and syncs a searchable catalog of your drives to your phone over your local network. Last updated October 7, 2026 ### The short version Mylio Photos and CachePix agree on the big thing. By default your photos stay on your own devices, and neither app needs a server for you to install or run. Both catalog photos where they are: Mylio Photos links folders on internal or external drives, without moving or copying the files. Mylio Photos does more. It has facial recognition and AI search that Mylio says run on your own devices, and Mylio says it catalogs video too. According to Mylio's documentation, its edits are non-destructive, and Photos+ subscribers can keep a full backup copy of the library on an external drive set up as a Vault. CachePix does less and costs less than Mylio Photos+. It catalogs the photos on your drives, then syncs a searchable catalog to free iPhone and Android companion apps, so you can browse your archive with the drives unplugged. Your photos never go to the cloud. Want facial recognition, video and sync while you travel? Pick Mylio. Want the drives in your closet searchable from your phone for $29.99 a year, or $99 once? Pick CachePix. ### Side by side We haven't tested Mylio ourselves. The CachePix cells describe desktop 0.2.1 and the iOS and Android 1.1.0 apps. Table: Mylio details per Mylio's manual, support site, home page and pricing pages, as of October 2026 | Feature | CachePix | Mylio Photos | | --- | --- | --- | | Desktop app | Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later) on macOS 12 or later, and 64-bit Windows (x64) | Windows 10 version 21H2 or later (64-bit), Windows 11 including Windows on ARM, and macOS 11 Big Sur or later, according to Mylio's manual | | Phone apps | Yes: iOS 18 or later (iPhone and iPad) and Android 9 or later. Free downloads that need a CachePix plan | Yes: free downloads for iPhone, iPad and Android. Mylio's documentation lists iOS/iPadOS 16 or later and Android 11 or later. Syncing between devices requires Photos+ | | Catalog photos where they are | Yes: any folder or drive, internal, external or removable. Cataloging never modifies, moves, renames or deletes your files | Yes: linked folders on internal or external drives are cataloged where they are, without being moved or copied, on free and paid tiers | | Browse a drive that's unplugged | Yes: browse and search cached thumbnails and HD previews with the drives unplugged | Depends on the tier, per Mylio's manual. On the free tier, linked folders on a disconnected external drive show as missing until the drive is reconnected. With Photos+, Mylio copies a catalog of thumbnails and metadata for every item to each connected device; drives added as Photos+ devices are the documented exception | | On your phone, drives at home | A thumbnail of each cataloged JPEG, PNG, WebP and RAW photo, plus HD previews for a capture-date window you choose (1 year by default). Full-size originals stay on your drives | With Photos+, Mylio says phones default to SpaceSaver: thumbnails and metadata for the whole library, plus as many optimized photos as fit, with originals and videos on demand from your other devices. Mylio markets the library as browsable and searchable even offline | | How devices sync | One way, from your computer to your phone, over your local network. Pair once with a QR code. No internet relay | Photos+ syncs peer-to-peer on your local network, and over the internet when devices are apart through what Mylio's manual calls its relay service. The mobile app must be open in the foreground to sync | | Cloud storage for photos | None. Your photos, previews and catalog never leave your own computer and phone. CachePix's only online service is your account: email sign-in, the plan check, and Stripe billing in your browser | Optional. Mylio Drive, included with Photos+, can hold encrypted optimized copies, and the paid SecureCloud add-on can hold originals | | Server to install or run | None for you to install or run | None required: devices sync with each other directly. Photos+ can optionally add a NAS | | Facial recognition | No, by design. People names come from metadata in your files, or names you type in CachePix | Yes. Mylio says it runs privately on your own devices, with suggested matches and batch face tagging | | Search | On the computer, one box searches your metadata: filename, people, keywords, caption, city, state, event and more. The phone searches filename, people, keywords and caption | AI search: SmartTags for objects and scenes, text recognition in images and facial recognition, which Mylio says run locally | | Photo editing | No. CachePix doesn't edit pixels | Yes, according to Mylio's documentation, and edits in Mylio Photos are non-destructive | | Writing to your files | Cataloging never modifies, moves, renames or deletes your files. CachePix writes metadata only when you edit it, and only the fields you changed, as standard XMP in the file or in a sidecar next to RAW files | According to Mylio's documentation, metadata changes go to XMP sidecar files and the Mylio catalog, with an option to embed metadata in JPEG, TIFF and DNG files | | Video | No. Video isn't supported | Yes. Mylio says it catalogs and syncs common video formats | | Free version | No. A 14-day free trial on Monthly and Annual. A card is required, and you're charged when it ends unless you cancel | Yes: a free version for one device. Syncing across devices, automatic backup and related services need Photos+ | | Price | $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year after a 14-day free trial, or $99 once for Lifetime | Mylio's website lists Mylio Photos+ (Personal, Individual) at $25 a month or $240 a year, with a 2-year option and Duo and Family plans. Photos+ connects an unlimited number of devices | What CachePix writes to your files is in the FAQ under [does CachePix change my files](https://cachepix.com/faq#privacy). ### When Mylio is the better pick Mylio covers more ground. Pick it if one of these sounds like you. - **You want help with tagging.** Mylio's facial recognition offers suggested matches and batch face tagging, and its AI search adds SmartTags for objects and scenes and text recognition in images. - **Your archive includes video.** Mylio says it catalogs and syncs common video formats. CachePix doesn't support video. - **You want sync away from home.** Photos+ syncs over the internet when your devices are apart, through what Mylio's manual calls its relay service. CachePix syncs only on your local network. - **You want backup in the same app.** According to Mylio's manual, Photos+ subscribers can add an external drive as a Vault that keeps a full backup copy of the library. Optional SecureCloud starts at $11.98 a month for 2 TB, on top of Photos+ (as of October 2026). - **You want to start free.** Is Mylio free? As of October 2026, Mylio Photos has a free version that works on one device. CachePix has no free tier, so it isn't a free Mylio alternative. - **You share albums by link.** As of October 2026, Mylio's manual says Photos+ can publish Shared Albums and Shareable Links as unlisted web galleries made of optimized copies, which recipients view in a browser. - **You use Windows on ARM, or macOS 11.** As of October 2026, Mylio's manual lists both. CachePix needs 64-bit Windows (x64), or an Apple silicon Mac on macOS 12 or later. ### When CachePix is the better Mylio alternative If your archive lives on external drives and you want to search it from your phone, CachePix is a strong Mylio Photos alternative on a Mac with Apple silicon or a 64-bit Windows PC. - **A lower price than Mylio Photos+, with a no-subscription option.** $29.99 a year, or $99 once for Lifetime (pay once, no renewals) if you want a Mylio alternative without a subscription. - **No facial recognition, by design.** If you'd rather no app scan the faces in your family archive, that's the point. - **Sync that stays home.** Away from home, you browse and search what's already on the phone. CachePix checks your plan online at least once every 14 days. - **It reads the metadata you already wrote.** CachePix reads the people, keywords, captions and other IPTC and XMP text you wrote in Photo Mechanic or Lightroom, including XMP sidecars next to RAW files. It doesn't read star ratings or color labels. - **Phone storage you can predict.** On the library we measured in August 2026 (the desktop app on macOS synced to an iPhone, 512px thumbnails), 190,566 photos (885.66 GB) in two folders on one external drive took 8.03 GB of thumbnails, about 44 KB a photo. The storage guide shows [how much space it uses on your phone](https://cachepix.com/how-much-space-on-my-phone), and how we measured it. > **What CachePix doesn't catalog.** CachePix catalogs JPEG, PNG, WebP and 15 RAW formats (CR2, CR3, NEF, NRW, ARW, SR2, RAF, ORF, RW2, DNG, PEF, SRW, X3F, IIQ, 3FR). HEIC and TIFF photos are cataloged and searchable, and previews for them are coming. Video isn't supported. > **Keep a separate backup with either app.** Mylio's manual notes that a photo deleted in Mylio Photos+ on any device is also deleted from your external drives and Vaults, and Mylio recommends a separate system backup. CachePix is a catalog, not a backup. It doesn't make a second copy, so keep backing up your drives. The rest of what the [photo cataloging software](https://cachepix.com/features) does, and what it doesn't do yet, is on the features page. ### How much does Mylio cost? Price over three years List prices as of October 2026, with Mylio's taken from Mylio's website. The three-year column is plain multiplication. Table: List prices as of October 2026, in US dollars | Plan | List price | Over three years | | --- | --- | --- | | Mylio Photos, free version (one device) | $0 | $0 | | Mylio Photos+ (Personal, Individual), billed monthly | $25 a month | $900 | | Mylio Photos+ (Personal, Individual), billed annually | $240 a year | $720 | | CachePix Monthly | $4.99 a month | $179.64 | | CachePix Annual | $29.99 a year | $89.97 | | CachePix Lifetime | $99 once | $99 | Mylio's website also lists a 2-year option (as of October 2026), which lowers the yearly cost of Photos+. Check Mylio's pricing page for the current figure. The gap pays for real features. Mylio Photos+ adds sync between devices, Mylio Drive and, per Mylio's manual, backup Vaults. A CachePix plan covers your computer and your phone with the same email. As of October 2026, Mylio also offers a free trial of Photos+ and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Current CachePix plans are on the [CachePix pricing](https://cachepix.com/pricing) page. ### Common questions Q: Is CachePix cheaper than Mylio? A: Yes, compared with Mylio Photos+. As of October 2026, Mylio's website lists Mylio Photos+ (Personal, Individual) at $240 a year billed annually ($720 over three years), plus a 2-year option. CachePix costs $29.99 a year ($89.97 over three years) or $99 once for Lifetime. Mylio's free version, which works on one device, costs nothing. Q: Does Mylio upload my photos to the cloud? A: Not by default. Mylio Photos doesn't require you to upload photos to Mylio's servers. Cloud storage is optional: Mylio Drive, included with Photos+, can hold encrypted optimized copies, and the paid SecureCloud add-on can hold originals. With CachePix, your photos, previews and catalog never leave your own computer and phone. CachePix's only online service is your account. Q: Can I browse my whole library on my phone offline with either app? A: With limits. Mylio says Photos+ phones default to SpaceSaver: thumbnails and metadata for the whole library, plus as many optimized photos as fit. With CachePix, you browse offline from thumbnails of cataloged JPEG, PNG, WebP and RAW photos (not HEIC, TIFF or video) and HD previews for your chosen window, with a plan check at least once every 14 days. Q: Does either app use facial recognition? A: Mylio does, and CachePix doesn't. Mylio Photos includes facial recognition that Mylio says runs privately on your own devices, with suggested matches and batch face tagging. CachePix has no facial recognition, face detection or AI tagging, by design. People names come from metadata in your files, or names you type in CachePix. Q: Does Mylio have a free version? A: Yes. As of October 2026, Mylio Photos has a free version that works on one device. Syncing across devices, automatic backup and related services require a paid Mylio Photos+ plan. CachePix has no free tier: Monthly and Annual have a 14-day trial (card required; you're charged when it ends unless you cancel), and Lifetime has no trial. ### Keep reading Weighing other Mylio alternatives? [Compare photo catalog software](https://cachepix.com/compare) side by side. - Compare: **[All comparisons](https://cachepix.com/compare).** CachePix next to other catalog apps, sourced and dated. - Product: **[CachePix features](https://cachepix.com/features).** What the desktop and phone apps do. - Plans: **[CachePix pricing](https://cachepix.com/pricing).** Monthly, Annual and Lifetime. Last checked October 6, 2026. Mylio says a next-generation version is expected in late fall 2026, so check Mylio's site before you decide. ### Sources Every Mylio detail on this page comes from Mylio's own manual, support site and website. The independent coverage listed after them backs the platform, phone app, cloud, no-server, facial recognition, AI search, SecureCloud price and free-version details. Older reviews quote prices that have since changed, so each price here comes from Mylio's site. 1. [Install Mylio Photos](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/install-mylio-photos). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 2. [What devices can I use Mylio Photos on?](https://support.mylio.com/what-devices-can-i-use-mylio-photos-on) Mylio Photos Help Center (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 3. [Link a folder to your Mylio Photos library](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/link-a-folder-to-your-mylio-photos-library). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 4. [Understanding linked folders](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/understanding-linked-folders). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 5. [Set a device sync policy preset](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/set-a-device-sync-policy-preset). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 6. [Devices overview](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/devices-overview). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 7. [Keep your devices in sync](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/keep-your-devices-in-sync). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 8. [Add Mylio Drive](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/add-mylio-drive). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 9. [Add an external drive](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/add-an-external-drive). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 10. [Publish a shared album](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/publish-shared-album). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 11. [Tag people with facial recognition](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/tag-people-facial-recognition). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 12. [AI photo search](https://mylio.com/features/ai-photo-search/). Mylio (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 13. [How does Mylio Photos handle metadata?](https://support.mylio.com/how-does-mylio-photos-handle-metadata-mylio-photos-help-center) Mylio Photos Help Center (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 14. [Supported file types](https://manual.mylio.com/24.3/en/topic/supported-file-types). Mylio manual (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 15. [What is Mylio Photos?](https://support.mylio.com/what-is-mylio-photos) Mylio Photos Help Center (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 16. [Can I connect multiple devices with Mylio Photos?](https://support.mylio.com/can-i-connect-multiple-devices-with-mylio-photos) Mylio Photos Help Center (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 17. [How much does Mylio Photos cost?](https://support.mylio.com/how-much-does-mylio-photos-cost) Mylio Photos Help Center (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 18. [Mylio Personal plans](https://mylio.com/signup-personal/). Mylio (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 19. [How much does Mylio SecureCloud storage for Mylio Drive cost?](https://support.mylio.com/how-much-does-mylio-securecloud-storage-for-mylio-drive-cost) Mylio Photos Help Center (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 20. [Mylio Photos home page](https://mylio.com/). Mylio (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 21. [Mylio Preview: Getting Started and FAQ](https://support.mylio.com/mylio-preview-0). Mylio Photos Help Center (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 22. [Mylio Photos version 24 release notes](https://support.mylio.com/version-24-release-notes). Mylio Photos Help Center (official site). Checked October 6, 2026. 23. [The Best Online Photo Storage Services We've Tested for 2026](https://www.pcmag.com/picks/best-online-photo-storage-services). PCMag, Michael Muchmore, updated August 17, 2026. 24. [This new cloud storage service offers cross-platform integration and enhanced privacy for digital media management](https://www.techradar.com/pro/this-new-cloud-storage-service-offers-cross-platform-integration-and-enhanced-privacy-for-digital-media-management). TechRadar Pro, Efosa Udinmwen, October 7, 2024. 25. [Mylio's SecureCloud Secures and Backs Up Your Precious Photos](https://petapixel.com/2024/09/04/mylios-securecloud-provides-encryption-and-ease-of-use/). PetaPixel, Zack Morrison, September 4, 2024. 26. [Mylio Photos: Free photo organizer software](https://www.reviewed.com/tech/content/mylio-photos-free-photo-organizer-software). Reviewed, Tessa Bahoosh, May 2, 2024. 27. [Mylio update is focused on privacy and de-cluttering your photo library](https://petapixel.com/2023/08/30/mylio-update-is-focused-on-privacy-and-de-cluttering-your-photo-library/). PetaPixel, Jaron Schneider, August 30, 2023. 28. [Mylio Photos+ review](https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/mylio-photos-review). Digital Camera World, George Cairns, June 21, 2023. 29. [Mylio Photos is relaunching as a free app](https://petapixel.com/2023/05/04/mylio-photos-is-relaunching-as-a-free-app/). PetaPixel, Jaron Schneider, May 4, 2023.