Family Photo Apps

Head to head

BackThen vs FamilyAlbum (2026): a free gigabyte of originals, or unlimited free storage with ads

One keeps the original files, allows videos of any length and lets relatives post, and runs out of free space after about three months. The other never runs out of free storage, and pays for that with third-party ads, resized copies and a two-minute video limit.

Facts checked 2026-09-13 · Updated 2026-09-13 · Covers 2 apps

In short: BackThen if the original files, any-length video and relatives who post matter more than free storage, and you will pay $64.99 a year once the free gigabyte runs out — keeping your own copies, because a lapsed account is deleted after 60 days. FamilyAlbum if unlimited free storage matters most and you accept ads, resized copies and a two-minute video limit. Neither says the company can't open the photos.

BackThen and FamilyAlbum on 15 criteria. Each cell is the app’s own statement; the bracketed numbers link to the sources below.
CriterionBackThenFamilyAlbum
PriceFree 1 GB; VIP $6.49/mo (app stores) or $64.99/yr (website), 200 GB[1][2][3][4]Free with ads; Premium Family $5.99/mo or $59/yr[5][6]
Do relatives have to pay?No — 'When invited to a timeline, BackThen is always free'[1][7]No — one plan covers the album[6]
Storage limit1 GB free; 200 GB on VIP, uncapped for now; deletion clauses in the terms[8][2][9]Unlimited, free[6][10]
Photos kept at full quality?Yes — 'Full resolution preservation'; downloads return 'your originally uploaded file'[1][2][11]No — uploads and downloads are resized[12]
Video limitsAny length — 'HD videos of any length'[1][2]2 min free; 10 min on Premium[13][5]
Ads?No — 'Ad-free timelines forever'[14][2][3]Yes, on the free version (third-party ads)[5]
AI or face recognition run on your photos?Yes — 'computer vision' to organise photos; a timelapse of the child's face; no switch described[15][16][17]Not stated[6][18]
Can the company open your photos?Yes — stored on its own AWS servers; no end-to-end claim[19][15]Yes — in transit only; staff access for support[18]
Can family look without installing an app?Yes — relatives 'sign up on the web' and view in a browser[20]Yes — browser-version invitation[21][22]
Do viewers need an account?Yes — every invitee signs up, on the web or in the app[23][20]Yes — web login or app account[21]
Can family add their own photos?Yes — invitees add photos and videos; per-person, per-child permissions[23][24]Partly — app members, if an admin allows[22]
Can you leave with everything?Partly — bulk export is VIP-only; free users download one by one; a lapsed account is deleted after 60 days[25][11][3][26]Partly — downloads are the resized copies[12][22]
PlatformsiOS, Android, web (viewing, commenting and uploading; managing timelines is app-only)[4][27][20][28]iOS, Android, browser version[21][13]
App Store label: data used to track youYes Identifiers used to track you; email, name, photos, user ID and device ID linked[4]Yes Identifiers used to track you[29]
How it makes moneyVIP subscriptions, prints and photo books[14][16]Ads, Premium, prints and photobooks[5][10]

Where they differ

What runs out. BackThen’s free tier is a gigabyte — “typically up to three months” — with every VIP feature included; after that it is $6.49 a month through the app stores or $64.99 a year on the website for 200 GB, “unlimited uploads at no extra cost” for now. FamilyAlbum’s free storage never runs out; its video length does, at two minutes, and Premium Family lifts that to ten for $59 a year.

What you get back. BackThen keeps the originals — “Full resolution preservation” — and a download returns “your originally uploaded file”. FamilyAlbum says uploads are resized and that the copies it returns, on download or on a DVD, are the resized ones.

Getting everything out. BackThen’s bulk export — ZIP files of “all your original files” — is a VIP feature; free users download one item at a time. Its terms also delete a lapsed account 60 days after cancelling and free-tier content after 120 days without a login, so keep your own copies. FamilyAlbum lets members download, but as the resized copies.

Relatives. Both need an account. BackThen invitees sign up on the web or in the app, then view, like, comment and post, with per-person, per-child permissions. FamilyAlbum’s browser version lets an invited relative view, comment and download without the app, but never upload; app members upload only if an admin allows it.

Ads and the label. BackThen shows none — “Ad-free timelines forever” — and its business is VIP subscriptions and prints. FamilyAlbum’s free version carries third-party ads, removed by Premium. Both App Store labels list Identifiers under “Data Used to Track You”.

What runs on the photos. BackThen’s privacy policy says it uses “computer vision and analysis of photo metadata” to organise the collection, and its timelapse shows “how their face changes over time”; no way to switch that off is described. FamilyAlbum publishes no statement either way.

Format. BackThen is a timeline per child from the team behind Lifecake; FamilyAlbum is an album sorted by month with “1s Movies” compiled automatically. Which shape suits your family is taste, not a fact we can source.

Who should pick which

BackThen if the original files, any-length video and relatives who post matter more than free storage, and you will pay $64.99 a year once the free gigabyte fills — and you keep your own copies, given the deletion clauses. FamilyAlbum if unlimited free storage matters most and you accept ads, resized copies and two-minute videos. Neither if the company being unable to open the photos is what you want — see the privacy ranking.

Sources

  1. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Can I try BackThen for free?, checked 2026-09-13
    Start saving your little one's story today with our free starter pack - 1GB of memories (typically up to three months) safely stored, organized, and privately shared … Save photos and HD videos of any length, always preserved in their original quality … When invited to a timeline, BackThen is always free. They continue enjoying it all at no cost when a parent becomes VIP.
  2. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — How much does a BackThen VIP subscription cost?, checked 2026-09-13
    A monthly subscription at £4.99 / $6.49 / €5.99 via your app store provider, or an annual subscription at £49.99 / $64.99 / €59.99 through our website at backthen.com … Up to 200GB family storage … Ad-free timelines forever … Full resolution preservation … never trading your data, showing advertisements within your timelines, reducing the quality of your photos or videos, or restricting the length of videos you can upload … BackThen VIP officially includes up to 200GB storage, but we currently allow unlimited uploads at no extra cost.
  3. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — July 2025 Price Increase, checked 2026-09-13
    Starting from July 3rd, 2025, our monthly VIP subscription will increase as follows … From $4.99 to $6.49 (US) … The BackThen VIP subscription has remained unchanged since launch in April 2020 … If you choose to cancel, you’ll no longer be able to add new content or export your memories after the last day of your subscription. Friends and family will no longer be able to access your child’s story … After 60 days, your account will be closed, and all information, photos & videos deleted … the free version of BackThen with up to 1GB of free storage to try BackThen before you subscribe continues to offer the same features as before.
  4. BackThen — App Store listing: BackThen - Baby Book & Albums (privacy label, purchases), checked 2026-09-13
    Full resolution — We never compress your images … All devices welcome — iOS, email, web & other mobile platforms … Data Used to Track You: Identifiers · Data Linked to You: Developer’s Advertising or Marketing — Identifiers (Device ID); Analytics — Usage Data; App Functionality — Contact Info (Email Address, Name), User Content (Photos or Videos), Identifiers (User ID, Device ID), Sensitive Info · Data Not Linked to You: Developer’s Advertising or Marketing — Usage Data, Advertising Data; App Functionality — Diagnostics (Crash Data) … In-App Purchases: VIP - Monthly payment $6.49 … From the team behind Lifecake — the original online childhood journal, founded in 2012.
  5. FamilyAlbum — FamilyAlbum Premium — plans page, checked 2026-09-12
    One $2.99 USD/month · Family $5.99 USD/month, $59 USD/year · Family Pro $10.99 USD/month, $109 USD/year … No Third-Party Ads — [Premium] … Some of the best memories last longer than 2 minutes. With a FamilyAlbum Premium plan, upload videos up to 10 minutes long … Max Resolution: Premium Family Pro 1920 x 1080, Premium Family 1280 x 720.
  6. FamilyAlbum — Help: What's the difference between FamilyAlbum Premium and the free version?, checked 2026-09-12
    The free version of FamilyAlbum includes unlimited storage and uploads. (Videos must be shorter than 2 minutes in length) … When one member subscribes an album to a family plan, all members of that album get access to Premium features.
  7. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Do my invited family and friends have to pay too?, checked 2026-09-13
    No! BackThen VIP is inclusive and unlimited. Your benefits extend to everyone you privately share your timelines with … Everyone you invite can view, comment, and add their own memories (you have complete control over their permissions).
  8. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — I’m close to my storage limit, what do I do?, checked 2026-09-13
    When you're approaching your 1GB free storage limit, we'll send you various notifications … joining BackThen VIP allows up to 200GB* of secure storage … BackThen VIP officially includes up to 200GB storage, but we currently allow unlimited uploads at no extra cost. Future tiers will include a 2TB option and will be reasonably priced.
  9. BackThen — BackThen terms of service (section 13, storage), checked 2026-09-13
    If you are using one of our Free Service Package, Content will be stored for a period of 120 days from the date of last logged in access to the Service, and will be deleted promptly after the expiration of such period … If you are using more storage than permitted by your storage allowance, for example as a result of your storage subscription plan expiring, we will delete your oldest content to reduce your storage use within your allowance. Once content is deleted, it cannot be recovered.
  10. FamilyAlbum — family-album.com home page, checked 2026-09-12
    Free Unlimited Storage … Get 11 Free Prints Every Month … Ready to Go Photobooks … Only family members you invite can see your album.
  11. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Can I download items without subscribing?, checked 2026-09-13
    Absolutely - the export tool is a VIP-only feature, but you can still get your original content back individually … tap the Download option and you'll get your originally uploaded file back.
  12. FamilyAlbum — Help: Do you resize uploads?, checked 2026-09-12
    Currently, photos and videos uploaded to FamilyAlbum are slightly resized … Please note that the photos and videos downloaded from FamilyAlbum and placed on FamilyAlbum DVDs are the resized versions.
  13. FamilyAlbum — Help: What restrictions are there on uploading photos and videos?, checked 2026-09-12
    There's no limit to the amount you can upload for free, and videos can be up to 2 minutes long. (Maximum video length is increased to 10 minutes with FamilyAlbum Premium.) … Uploading via computer is a Premium feature.
  14. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Are you going to put adverts everywhere?, checked 2026-09-13
    No. We don’t believe in displaying your private and precious memories alongside a piece of advertising - it takes away from how special the experience can be. For this reason, while BackThen is free for the first 1Gb, which should allow you to grow a sizeable timeline, there is a small subscription fee beyond that.
  15. BackThen — BackThen privacy policy, checked 2026-09-13
    With computer vision and analysis of photo metadata, we can help you more easily organize and enjoy your collection of photos on our online photo storage services … Device and platform identifiers let us know which device you are using to access our Services in order to customize and optimize them to your device … We do not share location information with third parties nor sell it to anyone … Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet or data storage system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.
  16. BackThen — backthen.com home page, checked 2026-09-13
    Save photos of any size, videos of any length, plus unlimited milestones and stories. The original quality of your content is preserved (we don’t compress!) … 100% privacy - no ads and no data-sharing … Our timelapse tech shows you how their face changes over time … Enjoy 1GB of free storage … VIP Subscription £4.99 / $6.49 / €5.99 Storage limit: 200GB … Our pet-app is included for FREE. 1 account, 2 apps, working seamlessly together.
  17. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Who can see my memories?, checked 2026-09-13
    The only people who can see your timelines are you, anyone you invite, and anyone another parent invites … BackThen does not autodetect a child in a photo, simply because doing so incorrectly may mean someone sees a photo you didn't want them to.
  18. FamilyAlbum — FamilyAlbum User Privacy Policy, checked 2026-09-12
    Data transferred between your device and our servers is encrypted using the latest encryption technology … We don't sell your data to any third parties … Authorized employees or affiliates to provide customer support, operate our services …
  19. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Is BackThen safe?, checked 2026-09-13
    We store and backup your photos and videos on a series of secure servers, inaccessible directly from the outside world. Your timeline is then served up only to your account and those you share it with … Our servers are based in Amazon's cloud infrastructure (AWS), with all industry standard security measures enforced … Your timeline cannot be discovered, it can only be accessed via invites you send.
  20. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — I have family that don’t have mobile devices - can they use BackThen?, checked 2026-09-13
    When you invite your family to your BackThen timeline, they can follow their invite mail on any computer or web browser and sign up on the web … The web experience is not designed for managing your timelines, so those options remain the app only, but your family can see all your new moments, like and comment on them as normal, even if they don't have mobile devices.
  21. FamilyAlbum — Help: What's the difference between the app version and browser version?, checked 2026-09-12
    If you invite family to the browser version, they will be able to view and comment on your album without downloading the app … Browser-version invitations contain a unique link that the invitee can easily open to access your album.
  22. FamilyAlbum — Help: What's the difference between Album Admins and Album Members?, checked 2026-09-12
    Upload photos and videos — Album Admin ✔ · Album Member (App) △ Must be enabled by an Album Admin · Album Member (Browser) × … Download photos and videos — △ May be disabled by an Album Admin.
  23. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — What happens when I share my timeline?, checked 2026-09-13
    they will receive a link that allows them to sign up and join your timeline … Family and friends can view your timeline, like memories, comment on memories and add their own photos and videos to the timeline. You can remove their abilities to like, comment and add moments as you see fit. Partners have all the same rights as you.
  24. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Can I control what my family can do with my timeline?, checked 2026-09-13
    your family are given a default set of permissions but you can change what they can and cannot do … you can change those settings per child … To remove (or reinstate) Sam's ability to add content, likes, or comments to Elliott's timeline, or download photos to their phone, toggle any of the options on the right hand side.
  25. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — How do I export all my memories?, checked 2026-09-13
    BackThen will begin the process of packaging up all of Alice's moments, and will email you when this is complete, which can take up to 24 hours, depending on the size of the timeline. You can request an export for each timeline every 30 days. The email will include links to download ZIP files of all the memories you've selected … the export tool is a premium feature for VIPs. You can still download memories individually as a free user.
  26. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — How do I cancel my VIP subscription/membership?, checked 2026-09-13
    You'll continue to enjoy VIP benefits until the end of your current billing period … If your storage exceeds the free 1GB allowance, you won't be able to add new memories unless you rejoin VIP … All your existing memories remain safe and accessible up to 60 days after.
  27. BackThen — Google Play listing: BackThen - Baby Book & Albums, checked 2026-09-13
    BackThen - Baby Book & Albums · Back Then Digital Ltd · In-app purchases · 100K+ Downloads.
  28. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — How do I add photos and videos to the timeline?, checked 2026-09-13
    Web users can find the upload option in the top right of the screen - a Plus symbol next to the main menu icon … If you are a guest on a BackThen timeline, it is possible that the parents have restricted your access to read-only.
  29. FamilyAlbum — App Store listing: FamilyAlbum — App Privacy, checked 2026-09-12
    Data Used to Track You: Identifiers. Data Linked to You — Third-Party Advertising: Location, Identifiers, Usage Data, Diagnostics … In-App Purchases: Premium Family $5.99 · Premium Family Pro $10.99 · Premium Family (Yearly) $59.00 · Premium Family Pro (Yearly) $109.00 · Premium One $2.99.
More on BackThen

BackThen: every criterion → Is BackThen safe? → BackThen vs Tinybeans →

More on FamilyAlbum

FamilyAlbum: every criterion → Is FamilyAlbum safe? → Kin Album app vs FamilyAlbum Premium → FamilyAlbum vs Tinybeans → FamilyAlbum free vs Premium → Cluster vs FamilyAlbum → FamilyAlbum alternatives →

Across all fourteen apps

Does Grandma need an app? · What 'end-to-end encrypted' means for family photos · Video limits in family photo apps · Which family photo apps compress your photos?

Questions people ask

Is BackThen or FamilyAlbum cheaper?

Free: FamilyAlbum, whose free version has unlimited storage with third-party ads; BackThen’s free tier is 1 GB, ‘typically up to three months’. Paid: FamilyAlbum Premium Family is $59 a year for the whole album; BackThen VIP is $64.99 a year on its website or $6.49 a month through the app stores, and its benefits extend to everyone you share with.

Which one keeps the original photos?

BackThen. Its pages say photos and videos are ‘always preserved in their original quality’, VIP lists ‘Full resolution preservation’, and downloading a memory returns ‘your originally uploaded file’. FamilyAlbum says uploads are ‘slightly resized’ and that the copies you download back are the resized versions.

Which has the longer video limit?

BackThen: ‘HD videos of any length’, with storage as the only constraint. FamilyAlbum allows 2 minutes per video free and 10 minutes on Premium.

Can grandparents add their own photos?

In BackThen, yes: invited family ‘can view your timeline, like memories, comment on memories and add their own photos and videos’, with each ability switchable per person. In FamilyAlbum, only app members can upload, and only if an album admin enables it; browser-version relatives can view, comment and download but not upload.

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