Self-Hosted App Guides for Homelab & Private AI Workflows

Start here

Start with these

If you are setting up a first homelab, these give the most obvious value for the least ongoing effort. Nothing here is chosen for being technically impressive.

14 applications

Home Assistant

Replaces SmartThings, vendor apps

Automations keep working when the internet or a vendor cloud does not.

Trade-offFrequent releases mean regular update attention, and integrations occasionally break.

Running in my homelabModerateMedium upkeepRaspberry Pi class

Full guide

Immich

Replaces Google Photos, iCloud Photos

The closest self-hosted experience to Google Photos, including a genuinely usable mobile app.

Trade-offStorage grows quickly and the machine-learning features want real memory; the database needs its own backup.

Running in my homelabModerateMedium upkeepMini PC class

Full guide

Ollama

Replaces ChatGPT (model runtime)

The quickest way to get a local model answering prompts on your own hardware.

Trade-offIt is a runtime, not a chat product — pair it with a UI, and model quality is bounded by your VRAM.

Personally testedEasyLow upkeepGPU recommended

Full guide

Paperless-ngx

Replaces Evernote, paper filing

Turns a filing cabinet into full-text search; genuinely changes how you handle paperwork.

Trade-offOCR quality depends on capture, and the tagging rules need tending to stay useful.

Running in my homelabModerateMedium upkeepMini PC class

Full guide

Vaultwarden

Replaces 1Password, LastPass

Tiny resource footprint while using the mature official Bitwarden clients.

Trade-offIf you lose it without a tested restore, you lose every password — this is the one to back up properly.

Community-standard optionEasyMedium upkeepRaspberry Pi class

Comparison available

Open WebUI

Replaces ChatGPT (interface)

Turns a local model runtime into something the rest of the household will actually use.

Trade-offIt is only a front end — response quality still depends entirely on the model and hardware behind it.

Personally testedEasyLow upkeepGPU recommended

Full guide

Looking for a replacement for a specific SaaS app?

The catalogue on this page is curated. The directory is the complete mapping — 28 SaaS products matched to self-hosted replacements, each with its own comparison page and difficulty rating.

Google Photos Dropbox 1Password Notion Zapier

Browse all 28 alternatives

Easy: Normally a documented Docker Compose file with limited ongoing administration.
Moderate: Storage, networking, a reverse proxy, backups or several containers.
Advanced: Significant configuration, troubleshooting or security decisions.

Browse

Browse by what you need

Monitoring and administration Keep track of what is running and why. 1 apps · CasaOS Smart home and cameras Automations and footage that stay on your network. 2 apps · Home Assistant, Frigate Photos and media Private photo libraries, film and music you already own. 4 apps · Immich, PhotoPrism, Jellyfin Automation Wire services together without per-task pricing. 2 apps · n8n, Node-RED Files and cloud storage Sync and share without a per-seat subscription. 1 apps · Nextcloud Local AI Run models on your own GPU instead of an API. 2 apps · Ollama, Open WebUI Documents and knowledge Make paperwork searchable instead of filed away. 1 apps · Paperless-ngx Passwords and security Credentials you control, on hardware you own. 1 apps · Vaultwarden

Catalogue

Every app on this page

CasaOS

Replaces Manual Docker management

A friendly dashboard and app store layer over Docker for a single home server.

Personally testedEasyLow upkeepMini PC class

Details

Deployment: Install script
Clients: Web interface
Advantage: Lowers the entry barrier for a first home server considerably.
Limitation: The abstraction hides Docker details you will eventually need to understand anyway.
Backup: Back up the underlying container volumes, not just the dashboard.
Exposure: Keep the dashboard internal; it can control every container on the host.

Full guide

Home Assistant

Replaces SmartThings, vendor apps

Local smart-home hub that keeps automations running without a vendor cloud.

Running in my homelabModerateMedium upkeepRaspberry Pi class

Details

Deployment: Docker or dedicated OS
Clients: iOS and Android apps
Advantage: Automations keep working when the internet or a vendor cloud does not.
Limitation: Frequent releases mean regular update attention, and integrations occasionally break.
Backup: Snapshot backups are built in — schedule them off-box, not just locally.
Exposure: Controls physical devices; keep remote access on a VPN rather than open ports.

Full guide

Immich

Replaces Google Photos, iCloud Photos

Photo and video library with mobile auto-backup, face and object search.

Running in my homelabModerateMedium upkeepMini PC class

Details

Deployment: Docker Compose
Clients: iOS and Android apps
Advantage: The closest self-hosted experience to Google Photos, including a genuinely usable mobile app.
Limitation: Storage grows quickly and the machine-learning features want real memory; the database needs its own backup.
Backup: Back up the library and the Postgres database separately — the library alone will not restore albums or faces.
Exposure: Usually reachable from phones, so put it behind a VPN or a reverse proxy with real authentication.

Full guide Compare alternatives

n8n

Replaces Zapier, IFTTT

Workflow automation that connects services and runs the logic on your own machine.

Personally testedModerateMedium upkeepMini PC class

Details

Deployment: Docker Compose
Clients: Web interface
Advantage: No per-task pricing, and workflows can reach services that never leave your network.
Limitation: You own the failures: a broken workflow stays broken until you notice it.
Backup: Workflows and credentials live in the database — back it up and store the encryption key safely.
Exposure: Holds API credentials for other services; treat it as a high-value target.

Full guide Compare alternatives

Nextcloud

Replaces Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive

File sync and share with calendars, contacts and collaborative editing on top.

Community-standard optionModerateHigh upkeepMini PC class

Details

Deployment: Docker Compose
Clients: iOS and Android apps
Advantage: Replaces several cloud services at once rather than just file sync.
Limitation: The most maintenance-heavy app here: database upkeep, app compatibility across upgrades and real backup discipline.
Backup: Files, database and config all need backing up, and restores should be rehearsed.
Exposure: Usually internet-facing, which makes prompt patching and strong authentication non-negotiable.

Comparison available

Ollama

Replaces ChatGPT (model runtime)

Runs local language models with a simple command line and API.

Personally testedEasyLow upkeepGPU recommended

Details

Deployment: Native or Docker
Clients: API only
Advantage: The quickest way to get a local model answering prompts on your own hardware.
Limitation: It is a runtime, not a chat product — pair it with a UI, and model quality is bounded by your VRAM.
Backup: Models are re-downloadable; little to back up beyond your own prompts.
Exposure: Bind it to localhost unless you deliberately expose the API.

Full guide Compare alternatives

Paperless-ngx

Replaces Evernote, paper filing

Scans, OCRs and indexes documents so paperwork becomes searchable text.

Running in my homelabModerateMedium upkeepMini PC class

Details

Deployment: Docker Compose
Clients: Mobile capture via apps
Advantage: Turns a filing cabinet into full-text search; genuinely changes how you handle paperwork.
Limitation: OCR quality depends on capture, and the tagging rules need tending to stay useful.
Backup: Documents plus the database and index — losing the database loses your tags and search.
Exposure: Holds your most sensitive paperwork; keep it internal.

Full guide Compare alternatives

Vaultwarden

Replaces 1Password, LastPass

Lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password server that works with the official clients.

Community-standard optionEasyMedium upkeepRaspberry Pi class

Details

Deployment: Docker
Clients: Official Bitwarden apps
Advantage: Tiny resource footprint while using the mature official Bitwarden clients.
Limitation: If you lose it without a tested restore, you lose every password — this is the one to back up properly.
Backup: Back up the data directory and verify a restore before trusting it with your only copy.
Exposure: Needs to be reachable to be useful, so it must be behind a VPN or a properly secured proxy.

Comparison available

Frigate

Replaces Ring, Nest Aware

Local NVR that runs object detection on camera feeds instead of sending them to a cloud.

Running in my homelabAdvancedMedium upkeepMini PC class

Details

Deployment: Docker Compose
Clients: Via Home Assistant
Advantage: Detection runs locally, so footage never leaves the network and there is no monthly fee.
Limitation: Camera settings, storage and an accelerator all need tuning — the least plug-and-play app here.
Backup: Config is small; recordings are large and usually kept on a retention policy rather than backed up.
Exposure: Camera feeds are highly sensitive — keep strictly internal.

Full guide

Node-RED

Replaces IFTTT

Flow-based automation, widely used for wiring together home-automation events.

Personally testedModerateLow upkeepRaspberry Pi class

Details

Deployment: Docker Compose
Clients: Web interface
Advantage: Visual flows make event-driven automation easy to reason about and debug.
Limitation: Flows sprawl quickly without discipline, and complex logic gets awkward visually.
Backup: Flows are JSON — small, easy to back up, and worth version-controlling.
Exposure: Enable the editor password; an open editor is remote code execution.

Full guide

Open WebUI

Replaces ChatGPT (interface)

Chat interface for local models, with conversations, documents and multiple users.

Personally testedEasyLow upkeepGPU recommended

Details

Deployment: Docker
Clients: Progressive web app
Advantage: Turns a local model runtime into something the rest of the household will actually use.
Limitation: It is only a front end — response quality still depends entirely on the model and hardware behind it.
Backup: Conversations and settings live in its own volume; back that up if the history matters.
Exposure: Multi-user by design; set up authentication before exposing it beyond localhost.

Full guide Compare alternatives

PhotoPrism

Replaces Google Photos

Photo library focused on browsing, tagging and AI-assisted search of an existing archive.

Researched recommendationModerateMedium upkeepMini PC class

Details

Deployment: Docker Compose
Clients: Progressive web app
Advantage: Strong at indexing and searching a large existing photo archive.
Limitation: Mobile upload is weaker than Immich, so it suits archives more than phone backup.
Backup: Originals plus the index database; the index can be rebuilt but that takes time.
Exposure: Treat as internal unless you add authentication in front of it.

Full guide Compare alternatives

Jellyfin

Replaces Netflix, Plex

Media server for films, TV and music you already own, with clients on most platforms.

Running in my homelabEasyLow upkeepMini PC class

Details

Deployment: Docker Compose
Clients: Apps on most platforms
Advantage: No subscription and no account tier gating features you already paid for.
Limitation: Hardware transcoding needs deliberate setup, and client quality varies by platform.
Backup: Configuration and metadata are small; the media library itself is the real storage question.
Exposure: Exposing it publicly invites trouble — a reverse proxy with authentication is the sane route.

Full guide Compare alternatives

Navidrome

Replaces Spotify

Lightweight music streaming server for a personal library, compatible with Subsonic clients.

Community-standard optionEasyLow upkeepRaspberry Pi class

Details

Deployment: Docker
Clients: Third-party Subsonic apps
Advantage: Very light on resources — happily runs on a Pi alongside other services.
Limitation: It streams music you already own; it is not a discovery service like Spotify.
Backup: The music files matter; the database is small and rebuildable.
Exposure: Small attack surface, but still worth keeping behind a VPN if exposed.

Comparison available

Featured guide

The photo migration, start to finish

Running in my homelab

Escaping iCloud: Self-Hosting 4TB of Photos with Immich

Moving a large photo library off a cloud provider is the self-hosting project most people start with, and the one where storage, backup and recovery decisions matter most.

Getting the library off the cloud provider
Where the library lives, and where the database lives
Storage growth and backup strategy
Mobile upload for everyday use

4 min read · updated April 2026

Read the guide Install with Docker Compose

Workflows

Build a private workflow

Individual apps are the easy part. These are the combinations that actually replace a cloud service end to end, including the boring parts.

Private photo workflow

Phone photos back up automatically, stay searchable, and survive a disk failure.

Immich for the library and mobile upload
NAS or local storage for the originals
An off-site copy that is not the same machine
A restore you have actually tested

Mini PC class plus storage Moderate

Guides: Immich

Private document workflow

Paperwork becomes full-text searchable instead of a drawer you avoid.

Paperless-ngx for OCR, tagging and search
A scanner or phone capture as the input
Backups covering documents and the database
Kept internal — it holds sensitive paperwork

Mini PC class Moderate

Guides: Paperless-ngx

Private AI workflow

A chat assistant that runs on your own GPU, with nothing leaving the network.

Ollama to run the models
Open WebUI as the interface
Enough VRAM for the model size you want
Bound to the local network by default

GPU recommended Easy

Guides: Ollama · Open WebUI

Smart home workflow

Automations and camera detection that keep working when the internet does not.

Home Assistant as the hub
Frigate for local camera detection
Notifications handled locally
Scheduled backups stored off the box

Mini PC class Advanced

Guides: Home Assistant · Frigate

Before you start

Before you self-host

Self-hosting is not automatically better than the service it replaces. It trades a subscription for responsibility, and that trade is worth making deliberately.

Updates become your jobNobody patches this for you. Plan for a regular update window, not a one-off install.
A server is not a backupA second copy on the same machine protects against nothing. Off-box, and ideally off-site.
Anything internet-facing needs careReal authentication and prompt patching, or keep it on a VPN instead.
Mobile is often the weak pointSome self-hosted apps have excellent apps; others expect a browser. Check before you migrate the family.
Storage grows faster than expectedPhotos and video especially. Decide the growth plan before you fill the disk.
Test the restore, not the backupA backup you have never restored is a hypothesis. Rehearse it before the service matters.
Some things belong in the cloudEmail is the classic example. Self-hosting everything is not the goal; choosing deliberately is.

Related reading: Homelab security · Homelab hardware

Hardware

Where should you run it?

A Raspberry Pi can technically start most of these containers. That is not the same as it being the right place to run them.

Option	Best suited to	Main advantage	Main limitation
Raspberry Pi	Pi-hole, Home Assistant, Navidrome, light always-on services	Very low power draw and cost	Struggles with transcoding, large databases and any AI workload
Mini PC	Most apps here: Immich, Paperless-ngx, Jellyfin, Nextcloud	The best balance of power, noise and cost	Limited internal storage — usually paired with a NAS
NAS	Bulk storage, photo and media libraries, backups	Storage capacity and redundancy built in	Lower-end models are weak for containers and AI
Existing server	Anything, if it already runs 24/7	No extra hardware to buy	Older servers can cost more in power than a new mini PC
Cloud VPS	Public-facing services and anything needing an always-reachable endpoint	Static address and uptime you do not maintain	Data leaves your network, and storage is expensive at scale
GPU workstation	Local language models, image generation, Frigate detection	The only practical route to useful local AI	Power draw, heat and cost step up sharply

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Hardware picks and trade-offs: Homelab hardware

Plan your next step

Homelab hardwareMini PCs, NAS, GPUs and what they are actually for. Homelab securityExposing services without regretting it. Local LLMsChoosing and running models on your own hardware. LLM Hardware CheckerSee which models your GPU or Mac can run. VRAM CalculatorWork out VRAM needs at different quantisation levels.