Pluses and Minuses of Mylio Photos and Apple Photos

Pluses and Minuses of Mylio Photos and Apple Photos

We are constantly chatting with clients about photo organizing software and our two favorites are Apple Photos and Mylio, especially if clients have a large library. Here is a little article about the good and bad of each. Hopefully it helps you decide what is best for you.

Mylio Photos

Pluses:

  1. Cross-Platform Support: Works seamlessly across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, making it a versatile choice for users with multiple device types.

  2. Offline Access: Allows users to view and manage their library without internet access, which is useful for traveling or low-connectivity areas.

  3. Advanced Organization Tools:

    • Facial recognition for tagging and sorting images by person.

    • Robust metadata editing capabilities.

    • Customizable folder structures.

  4. Automatic Syncing: Keeps images synced across devices without requiring cloud storage (peer-to-peer syncing).

  5. Customizable Storage Options: Offers the flexibility to store images on external hard drives, local devices, or cloud services like Mylio Drive+.

  6. Non-Destructive Editing: Supports non-destructive photo edits that can be reversed or adjusted at any time.

  7. Efficient Handling of Large Libraries: Designed to handle large photo libraries (50,000+ images) without performance issues.

Minuses:

  1. Subscription Cost: Requires a paid subscription for advanced features (Photos+ at $119.99/year).

  2. Learning Curve: More complex interface compared to Apple Photos, which may be challenging for less tech-savvy users.

  3. No Native Cloud Storage: While it syncs between devices, users must rely on third-party cloud services for true cloud backup.

  4. Limited Sharing Features: Sharing images or albums is less intuitive compared to Apple Photos' built-in sharing options.

  5. Manual Setup Required: Initial organization and sync setup can be time-intensive.

Apple Photos

Pluses:

  1. Native Integration with Apple Ecosystem: Works seamlessly with macOS and iOS devices, including iCloud.

  2. User-Friendly Interface: Simple, intuitive design that's easy for most users to navigate.

  3. iCloud Syncing: Automatically syncs photos and edits across Apple devices with iCloud Photos enabled.

  4. Built-In Editing Tools: Offers a wide range of basic-to-intermediate editing tools directly in the app.

  5. Smart Albums: Automatically organizes images into pre-configured categories like "People," "Places," and "Memories."

  6. Seamless Sharing: Allows effortless sharing of albums or photos via AirDrop, Messages, or iCloud Shared Albums.

  7. Facial Recognition: Includes a robust facial recognition tool for tagging and searching.

Minuses:

  1. Apple Ecosystem Lock-In: Limited to macOS and iOS devices; not accessible on Windows or Android.

  2. Storage Costs: Requires iCloud storage upgrades for large libraries (starting at $0.99/month for 50GB, but larger libraries may need 2TB at $9.99/month).

  3. Performance with Large Libraries: May experience slowdowns or crashes with libraries exceeding 50,000 images.

  4. Limited Customization: Folder and album organization options are less flexible than Mylio’s.

  5. No Offline Syncing: Requires an internet connection to sync libraries across devices via iCloud.

  6. File Duplication: Importing files can create duplicates, and manual cleanup is often needed.

Conclusion:

  • Choose Mylio if:

    • You have a large library, need cross-platform support, or prioritize customizable organization and offline functionality.

  • Choose Apple Photos if:

    • You’re deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, prefer simplicity, or value seamless iCloud syncing and sharing features.

Jennifer Loomis Photography