Software · Shortlist

The self-hosted software I recommend

By Tiny · how I pick

Updated October 2026. No affiliate links on this page. Every pick is free and open source unless noted.

This is a short list sorted by job, not a catalog. It's the fast path when you want me to just tell you what to run. New to all of it? Start with the 10-app starter stack.

Words you'll see on this page
  • Self-hosting: running an app on your own hardware at home instead of paying a company to run it for you.
  • Open source: software whose code is public, so anyone can check it, use it, and usually run it for free.
  • Docker: a tool that runs each app in its own sealed box, so apps don't break each other or your system.
  • Mesh VPN: a private network where each of your devices connects directly to the others, like Tailscale.
  • OCR: technology that reads the text in a scanned image so you can search it.

See the full glossary

Run two or three first, not everything. Installing a dozen apps at once is the fastest way to burn out. Pick what fixes a problem you have today, get it stable and backed up, then add the next. Nearly all of these run in Docker. Unsure whether to learn Docker or Proxmox first? Read this.
Ad blocking and DNS

Pi-hole or AdGuard Home

Blocks ads and trackers for every device on your network. It's the first service with the biggest payoff, and everyone in the house notices right away. It needs almost no power. Both are excellent. AdGuard Home is the simpler fresh install, and Pi-hole is what I run.

Where it fits
Remote access

Tailscale or WireGuard

A private VPN that lets you reach your server from anywhere without opening a single port to the internet. It replaces the classic beginner mistake of port forwarding, and Tailscale is free for personal use.

How to set it up
Monitoring

Uptime Kuma

A clean dashboard that watches your apps and alerts you the moment one goes down, so the server tells you before a family member does. Set it up on day one.

In the starter stack
Passwords

Vaultwarden

A lightweight password manager that works with the official Bitwarden apps and browser extensions. It's the best first subscription to replace: useful every day and easy to learn.

Why start here
Media server

Jellyfin (free) or Plex

Your own private Netflix for movies, shows, and music. Jellyfin is completely free with no subscription. Plex is more polished, and it charges for hardware transcoding and for streaming your media away from home. Pair either with a Pi streaming box.

Best boxes to run it
Photos

Immich

A self-hosted Google Photos replacement with automatic phone backup, a smooth timeline, and search by face or object. It's the app that most often convinces people self-hosting is worth it. Give it a capable box.

In the starter stack
Files and documents

Nextcloud and Paperless-ngx

  • Nextcloud: your own Dropbox and Google Drive, with file sync, calendar, and contacts.
  • Paperless-ngx: reads, tags, and organizes every bill and receipt so you can search them.
See the full stack
Home automation

Home Assistant

The center of a private smart home. It ties your lights, sensors, and devices together locally, without the cloud. It's deep, so add it once the basics are solid.

Best hardware for it
Local AI

Ollama and Open WebUI

Ollama downloads and runs AI models on your own hardware, and Open WebUI gives you a ChatGPT-style page to chat with them. Your conversations stay on your machine. It's what I run on my own AI server at home.

Set it up
Management and virtual machines

Docker and Portainer, then Proxmox

Docker runs the apps. Portainer gives you a web page to manage them. Proxmox is what you move to when you need full virtual machines. Learn them in that order.

Which to learn first
The operating system

Debian, Ubuntu Server, or Linux Mint

The base everything else runs on. Debian or Ubuntu Server for a headless box, or Mint if you also want a desktop.

Which distro to pick
Want the free pick and the paid option for every job? My self-hosted software recommendations guide lays out both: the best open-source option, and the paid service worth it if you'd rather not run it yourself.

All the open-source picks are free to run. Your only costs are electricity and some of your time. Check what your hardware can handle with the Server Calculator.