For years, we have been told that paying for software is the only way to guarantee reliability and security. We trade our data and a monthly fee for the convenience. However, with the rise of Docker and user-friendly container management, spinning up your own cloud services has become surprisingly accessible.
After replacing expensive apps with self-hosted alternatives, I realized that not only was I saving money, but I was also getting better privacy and more control. If you have a spare computer or a Raspberry Pi, here are the apps that prove you don’t need a subscription to get premium features.
Immich
An ideal Google Photos alternative
If there is one self-hosted app that feels like magic, it’s Immich. For years, I held onto my Google Photos subscription because I thought no open-source tool could match its facial recognition or the seamless ‘scroll back 10 years’ experience. I was wrong.
Immich isn’t just a backup tool; it’s a near pixel-perfect clone of the Google Photos experience. Google Photos can sometimes feel sluggish as it fetches thumbnails from the cloud, but Immich – running locally on my network – feels instant. Scrolling through five years of photos is buttery smooth.
But the real killer feature is the Machine Learning implementation. I didn’t have to manually tag thousands of photos. Just like Google Photos, Immich does the heavy lifting for me in the background.
The mobile app is equally rewarding. It looks modern, polished, and familiar. I set it to automatically back up my camera roll in the background, so every photo I snap is instantly safe on my home server. While the Android app is rock-solid, the iOS background backup can be tricky due to Apple’s restrictions.
OpenCloud
Nextcloud, who?
When it comes to replacing Google Drive, I tried Nextcloud first. Everyone recommends it, and it is powerful, but for my needs, it felt heavy. I was constantly worried about updates breaking my database. Then I found OpenCloud.
OpenCloud is what Nextcloud should have been: a lightning-fast, Go-based file manager that does one thing and does it perfectly. It is quite lightweight and responsive.
While I use Syncthing to keep my working folders instantly synced between my laptop and PC, OpenCloud is my access-anywhere vault. If I’m at a friend’s house or using a borrowed computer, I can just log into my OpenCloud web interface and grab whatever file I need.
There is also a built-in office and several sharing tools to keep my files secure.
HomeBox
Manage your home like a pro
I used to think home inventory apps were for people with too much free time. Then I moved apartments, realized I had bought the same HDMI adapter three times, and lost the warranty for my dishwasher. That was the moment I decided to get organized.
HomeBox is a minimalist, self-hosted inventory system that runs on practically nothing. It’s built for normal people who just want to know which box in the attic has the winter coats.
For every expensive device, I create an entry with the serial number, purchase date, and a photo of a receipt. The list of features includes a built-in barcode scanner, an excellent theming engine, a dedicated Home menu, and more.
Docmost
Fly through your notes
I have a love-hate relationship with Notion. I love the block-based editor and how easy it is to organize thoughts, but I hate the sluggish load times and the fact that my second brain lives on someone else’s server. I tried dozens of self-hosted alternatives – Outline, AppFlowy – but Docmost is the one that finally made me feel at home.
I use Docmost as the dedicated documentation hub for my entire self-hosted lab and personal projects.
It supports a block-based editor, real-time collaboration, Spaces for better organization, and more. Of course, Docmost doesn’t have complex databases of Notion yet, but as a knowledge base and writing tool, it’s superior in terms of speed and ownership.
It gives me that crisp, modern Notion UI I want, but it runs on my hardware.
Vaultwarden
Keep your sensitive information private
After paying subscription fees to LastPass (and watching them get breached) and 1Password for years, I realized that nobody cares about my security more than I do.
Vaultwarden is the lightweight, community-driven version of Bitwarden, and it is the crown jewel of my homelab. The beauty of Vaultwarden is that the user experience is identical to the paid product.
The list of features includes multiple templates, TOTP, mobile apps, web extensions, and auto-fill support. This was the switch that saved me the most immediate cash, but it also gave me the most peace of mind.
My encrypted vault lives on my drive, backed up to my location of choice.
The ultimate self-hosted stack
Self-hosting doesn’t mean you have to cancel every subscription today or build a massive server rack in your basement tomorrow. My advise would be to pick one of these apps – maybe the password manager or home management software – and try running it yourself.
Once you see how reliable and feature-rich these open-source apps are, you will find that the ‘Cancel Subscription’ button becomes a lot easier to click. Aside from these tools, I also use these self-hosting services to protect my home lab.
