Keep the story. Choose the place.
Looly as a FamilyAlbum alternative: compare before you move
Looly is a paid FamilyAlbum alternative for families who want EU-stored originals, no face recognition and whole-circle downloads. It costs €99/year or €12/month with 250 GB; invited relatives join free. FamilyAlbum may suit you better if its free version, printed products or automatic movies matter more. This is a comparison written by Looly, checked on 16 September 2026.
By Tillmann Bedau · Looly · Updated
| Decision | Looly | FamilyAlbum, according to its published Premium page |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring price | €99/year or €12/month; 250 GB | Family: US$59/year or US$5.99/month; Pro: US$109/year or US$10.99/month |
| Starting without payment | 14-day recurring-plan trial; card required | A free version is listed |
| Ads | No ads in the app on any plan | No third-party ads is listed as a Premium benefit |
| Leaving | Whole-circle ZIP export, not subscription-gated | Bulk downloading is listed for Family Pro, in the app |
| Originals after migration | Preserves the file it receives | Import quality depends on the source download |
| Automated movies | Not a Looly feature | Monthly and yearly 1s Movies are listed Premium features |
Why would a family choose Looly?
Looly puts original storage, circle membership and a straightforward way to leave at the centre of the product. A parent can manage a circle for each child and share a sibling photo to the relevant circles in one post. Relatives see the story without each needing a subscription.
Our specific migration advantage is the FamilyAlbum browser-invitation importer. It previews the source album and lets you map family members before importing. Comments can stay with the photos rather than becoming screenshots in a separate folder.
When is FamilyAlbum the better fit?
Keep the service your family already uses if it meets your needs. FamilyAlbum lists a free version and features such as automatic movies and printed products. Changing apps has a real cost: relatives have to join a new place. We do not treat every family as a switching opportunity.
The table is a snapshot of the official Premium page, not a hands-on performance test. Prices can differ by region or purchase channel. Verify your local checkout before deciding.
Can Looly recover quality lost before import?
No. Looly preserves the files it receives. Importing a reduced source copy cannot reconstruct the original camera file. Keep the originals on your phone or computer. Where supported, the iOS originals-matching flow can help replace imported copies with files from your photo library; review matches before confirming.
How do I move without losing the old album?
Create a Looly circle, obtain your own FamilyAlbum browser invitation and password, then preview the import in circle settings. Review the people and items before confirming. Check a sample of photos, videos, dates and comments afterwards.
The import does not delete the FamilyAlbum album. Keep it and your original files until you have verified the result. See the step-by-step switching guide for limitations and the fallback download route.
Is Looly affiliated with FamilyAlbum?
No. Looly is not affiliated with MIXI, Inc. The FamilyAlbum importer is unofficial and can be affected by changes to their service.
What to know before you start
Looly is not end-to-end encrypted. Originals are stored in the EU; processing and delivery can operate globally. Relatives must sign in. Android access is through the browser. Importing cannot restore quality missing from a source file. Recurring plans start with a 14-day trial, require a card and renew automatically unless you cancel before the trial ends.
Read the privacy and access detailsSources and editorial notes
Looly product details are first-party statements checked against the current implementation. This is not an independent review. Provider details are dated snapshots; local prices and features may differ.
- Looly pricing and plan details
- Looly privacy policy
- FamilyAlbum Premium: features and published USD prices · 2026-09-16
Change log · 2026-09-16: Published with current Looly product details and source checks.
Cite as: Tillmann Bedau, Looly. “Looly as a FamilyAlbum alternative: compare before you move” (2026-09-16). https://looly.app/compare/familyalbum-alternative.