ente

Ente is an end-to-end encrypted, open-source cloud platform built around three consumer apps that share the same underlying infrastructure. This monorepo holds the client apps (iOS, Android, F-Droid, Web, Linux, macOS, Windows) and the server that powers them. It's aimed at privacy-conscious users who want an encrypted alternative to mainstream cloud photo storage, 2FA authenticator apps, or password and document vaults, and at developers who want to self-host that same stack instead of using Ente's hosted service.

The core idea across all three products is the same: your data is encrypted end to end, so the service provider storing it can't read it. That's a stronger guarantee than "encrypted at rest," since it applies even to the company running the servers, not just to outside attackers.

Key features

• Ente Photos: the flagship product, positioned as an alternative to Apple Photos and Google Photos. It includes 3x data replication, face detection, semantic search, private sharing, collaborative albums, family plans, easy import and export, and background uploads, all end-to-end encrypted across every supported platform.
• Ente Auth: a free, open-source, end-to-end encrypted two-factor authenticator app, built as an alternative to the now-deprecated Authy. It's free and, according to the README, will remain free.
• Ente Locker: a place to store important documents, credentials, and notes with end-to-end encryption, private sharing with trusted people, and emergency access setup.
• Cross-platform clients: native apps for iOS, Android, F-Droid, desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux), and web, all built from this single monorepo.
• Externally audited cryptography: the source code and cryptography have been audited by Cure53 (a German cybersecurity firm), Symbolic Software (French cryptography experts), and Fallible (an Indian penetration testing firm).
• Self-hostable: since the full stack, clients and server, is open source, you can clone the repository and run your own instance instead of relying on Ente's hosted infrastructure.

Ideal use cases

Ente fits people who want to move photo backup, 2FA codes, or sensitive documents off of providers that can read their data, without giving up features like face detection, semantic search, or shared albums. It's also a reasonable fit for developers who want a working, externally audited, end-to-end encrypted storage stack to self-host rather than build the cryptography themselves from scratch.

It's a weaker fit if you want unlimited free cloud photo storage without running your own server. Ente Photos gives 10GB free and is a paid service beyond that unless you self-host it yourself, which means running and maintaining the server component. Ente Locker is free only up to 100 items (1000 if you're subscribed to Ente Photos). If your priority is a single-purpose 2FA app with no interest in the photos or locker products, Ente Auth alone covers that and stays free regardless.

Installation

The README's primary path for most people is the hosted apps: iOS and Android apps are available on the App Store, Google Play, F-Droid, and via Obtainium, alongside desktop and web clients linked directly from the project.

For self-hosting, the starting point is cloning the monorepo:

git clone https://github.com/ente/ente.git

The top-level README doesn't include a single unified build command, since the repository contains several separate client apps (iOS, Android, desktop, web) plus a server, each with its own setup. For contribution and self-hosting specifics, the project points to its CONTRIBUTING.md and SUPPORT.md files as the starting references, and the community Discord is available if you get stuck along the way.

If you'd rather not maintain your own server, every product also has a hosted option maintained by Ente directly, reachable through the same app store, Play Store, and web links listed above, so self-hosting is an option rather than a requirement to use the software.