Google Photos suits people who want smart search, AI editing tools like Magic Eraser and Unblur, and 15 GB of free storage shared with Gmail and Drive. Amazon Photos suits Prime members, because Prime adds unlimited full-resolution photo storage, plus photo displays on Echo Show and Fire TV. If you're a Prime member with a big photo library, use Amazon Photos for backup; if you want the cleverer app for finding and fixing pictures, use Google Photos.
Storage is usually the first thing to compare, and the answer depends on one thing: whether you have Prime. Amazon says Prime members in eight countries, including the US and the UK, get unlimited full-resolution photo storage, while everyone else gets 5 GB. I read Google's Photos page and both App Store listings.
Google Photos and Amazon Photos compared
| Google Photos | Amazon Photos | |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 15 GB, shared with Gmail and Drive | 5 GB of photos and video for everyone |
| With a membership | More space with Google One | Prime: unlimited photos plus 5GB of video |
| AI editing | Magic Eraser, Unblur, Portrait Light | Not stated in the listing |
| Search | Natural descriptions, like a lake with mountains | By date or location |
| Show photos | Share with people who don't use the app | Echo Show, Fire TV and Alexa |
| Free plan | Yes, 15 GB | Yes, 5 GB |
What Google Photos does with your pictures
Google Photos is the smarter app. Its App Store listing says you can search in plain language, such as kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains, and the app groups duplicates and similar shots into photo stacks. Magic Eraser removes distractions, Unblur sharpens out-of-focus photos and Portrait Light fixes the lighting.
Google says every account gets 15 GB, which it describes as three times more than many other services, but that space is shared across Photos, Gmail and Drive. One detail worth knowing: in some countries accounts start with 5 GB and can add another 10 GB by adding a phone number. Google Photos also supports full-resolution RAW photos and 4K video, and works on iPhone as well as Android.
What Amazon Photos does for Prime members
Amazon Photos keeps your original resolution and backs up automatically with Auto-Save. Prime members in the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Japan get unlimited photo storage and 5GB of video storage, so a phone full of photos is covered if you're already a member.
The other perk is your home screens. Amazon Photos can put your pictures on an Echo Show or as a Fire TV screensaver, and you can say Alexa, show my photos. Private Amazon Photos Groups gather everyone's pictures from a holiday or a party into one album. Amazon's Re-live Memories brings back photos from this date in past years as a slideshow set to music.
Google answers with a locked folder for sensitive photos, protected by your phone's screen lock, and Google Lens, which identifies text and objects in a picture so you can act on them. If you print, Google offers photo books, prints and canvas in the US, EU, UK and Canada, while Amazon's prints are US only.
Using both together
Nothing stops you using both. You can back everything up to Amazon Photos as a Prime member and keep Google Photos for searching, editing and sharing, so you get Amazon's unlimited photo space and Google's tools.
Who each one suits
Google Photos suits Android users, families who share albums with non-users, and anyone who wants to find a photo by describing it. Amazon Photos suits Prime households with years of photos to keep, and homes with Echo Show or Fire TV devices. If you're tidying up Google's side, here's how to turn off Google Photos backup, and what to do when iPhone photos disappear from the camera roll.
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My advice on Google Photos or Amazon Photos
Check whether you've got Prime. If you have, turn on Amazon Photos' Auto-Save today, because unlimited photo storage for a phone full of pictures is too useful to ignore. If you haven't, or you shoot a lot of video, Google Photos is the better everyday app, and its 15 GB will go a long way if Gmail and Drive aren't eating into it.
Do you make photo apps or storage tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
How much free storage does Google Photos give?
Google says every account gets 15 GB, shared across Google Photos, Gmail and Google Drive.
Is Amazon Photos unlimited?
For photos, if you're a Prime member in the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain or Japan. Video storage is 5GB, and non-members get 5 GB in total.
Can I use Google Photos on an iPhone?
Yes. Google says Google Photos works on both iOS and Android, as well as on desktop and tablet.
Can Amazon Photos show pictures on my TV?
Yes. Amazon says you can view photos on Echo Show and Fire TV, including as a Fire TV screensaver.
Does Google Photos back up RAW files?
Yes. Google says it supports full-resolution RAW image backup and 4K video.
