Guide · Getting started

Self-hosting starter stack: 10 apps to run first

By Tiny · how I pick

Updated October 2026. No affiliate links on this page.

Build your home server in layers. First come the basics that make everything else useful. Then come the apps that let you cancel subscriptions. Then the bigger projects.

The most important rule: start with two or three apps, not all ten. Here they are in the order I'd add them.

Words you'll see in this guide
  • Self-hosting: running an app on your own hardware at home instead of paying a company to run it for you.
  • Docker: a tool that runs each app in its own sealed box, so apps don't break each other or your system.
  • VPN: a private, encrypted tunnel between devices over the internet.
  • SaaS: software as a service. An app you rent by subscription, like Dropbox or Google Photos.
  • OCR: technology that reads the text in a scanned image so you can search it.
  • 3-2-1 backup: three copies of your data, on two kinds of storage, with one copy somewhere other than your house.

See the full glossary

Read this first: the fastest way to burn out is installing everything at once and drowning in updates.
  • Pick a couple of apps that fix a problem you have today.
  • Get them stable and backed up.
  • Learn how updates and restores work before you add the next one.
All of these run in Docker.

Layer 1: the basics (do these first)

1. Pi-hole or AdGuard Home: ad blocking for the whole network

Blocks ads and trackers for every device on your network, with no setup on each device. Everyone in the house notices within minutes, which makes it a great first win. It's tiny and runs on almost anything.

2. Tailscale: safe remote access

A private VPN that lets you reach your server from anywhere without exposing it to the public internet. It replaces the classic beginner mistake of opening ports on your router. Free for personal use, and setup takes minutes. See accessing your server remotely.

3. Uptime Kuma: monitoring

A clean dashboard that watches your apps and alerts you the moment one goes down. You hear about it from the server instead of from an annoyed family member.

Layer 2: replace a subscription

4. Vaultwarden: passwords

The best first replacement for a paid service. It's a lightweight password manager that works with the official Bitwarden apps and browser extensions, fixes a real daily problem, and needs almost no power. Easy to learn and useful right away.

5. Jellyfin: media server

A completely free media server for your movies, shows, and music, with no subscription. It's the open-source answer to Plex. Pair it with a Pi streaming box under the TV. For hardware to run it, see the best media server builds.

6. Immich: photos

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. It needs more power than the others, so give it a capable box.

7. Nextcloud: files and calendar

Your own Dropbox and Google Drive. It syncs files across your devices and adds calendar, contacts, and notes, so your data lives with you instead of a big tech company.

8. Paperless-ngx: documents

Scan or drop in your bills, receipts, and letters. It reads the text, tags each document, and makes all of it searchable. No more digging through a filing cabinet.

Layer 3: bigger projects

9. Home Assistant: home automation

The center of a private smart home. It ties your lights, sensors, and devices together locally, without the cloud. It's deep enough to be a hobby on its own, which is why it's number nine and not number one. See the best hardware to run it.

10. Portainer: manage everything

A web dashboard for your Docker apps. Start, stop, update, and inspect everything from a browser instead of typing commands. Add it once you have a few apps running.

Every app is something to maintain. Each one you add needs updates and backups. Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule from the start, and skip apps you'll never actually open.

Where to go next

Quick answers

What self-hosted apps should I run first?

Start with the basics: an ad blocker (Pi-hole or AdGuard Home), Tailscale for remote access, and Uptime Kuma for monitoring. Then replace a service you pay for, like Vaultwarden for passwords and Jellyfin for media. Add Immich, Nextcloud, and Paperless-ngx over time, two or three at a time.

What is a good first self-hosted app to replace a subscription?

Vaultwarden. It's a lightweight password manager that works with the official Bitwarden apps and browser extensions, needs almost no power, and fixes a real daily problem.

Can a Raspberry Pi run these self-hosted apps?

Most of them. A Raspberry Pi 5 with 8GB runs ad blocking, Tailscale, Uptime Kuma, Vaultwarden, Nextcloud, Paperless-ngx, and Jellyfin for files that play directly. Converting 4K video is a job for a mini PC with Intel Quick Sync.

How many self-hosted apps should a beginner start with?

Two or three. Installing everything at once is the fastest way to burn out on updates and fixes. Get a couple working and backed up, learn how updates work, then add more.

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