My (Growing) Self-Hosted Stack

This is my personal, actively evolving self-hosted stack.

I run my own VPS and prefer tools I can understand, control, and migrate without vendor lock-in. The apps here are ones I actually use (or am seriously testing), chosen for a balance of simplicity, flexibility, and long-term survivability.

This list isn’t about “the most powerful” tools — just what works for me. I update it as my setup grows and my opinions sharpen!

Luke Dunsmore
Luke DunsmoreList by Luke Dunsmore, last updated 
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

  1. Core Infrastructure

    VPS-specific services or services that cover purposes I use for everything (i.e. both work and personal).

  2. Dokploy icon

    Dokploy

     Like

    My main deployment and orchestration layer. Handles apps, domains, certificates, and updates without turning every change into a weekend-long Docker archaeology dig.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    Dokploy screenshot 1
    Dokploy screenshot 1
    Dokploy screenshot 2
    +3
    Dokploy screenshot 3
  3. Træfik Proxy icon

    Træfik Proxy

     Like

    Reverse proxy and traffic cop for the entire stack. Handles routing and TLS cleanly and stays out of the way once configured properly.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Kubernetes
    • Docker
    • Docker Hub
    Træfik Proxy screenshot 1
  4. Portainer icon

    Portainer

     Like

    Occasional visual sanity check for containers and volumes. Useful when I want confirmation rather than control.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Docker
    • Self-Hosted
    • Kubernetes
    Portainer screenshot 1
    Portainer screenshot 1
    Portainer screenshot 2
    +6
    Portainer screenshot 3
  5. Nextcloud icon

    Nextcloud

     Like

    Private cloud for files, sharing, and collaboration.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • F-Droid
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Cloudron
    • Docker Hub
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • Flathub
    Simple and powerful file sync & share
    Simple upload even for people who don’t have Nextcloud
    Great Android & iOS apps to sync your files.
    +3
    Very easy theming

  7. Monitoring & Reliability

    Keeping the engine running, and letting me know when it has stalled.

  9. umami icon

    umami

     Like

    Privacy-focused analytics without cookies or dark patterns. Clear insights with minimal overhead.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    umami screenshot 1
    umami screenshot 1
    umami screenshot 2
    +1
    umami screenshot 3
  10. changedetection.io icon

    changedetection.io

     Like

    Monitors websites for content changes. Useful for tracking updates without manual checking.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Docker
    • Cloudron
    Overview list of watches
    Using Visual Selector tool to specify the content of internet
    Text differences are clear and easy to see
    +2
    Browser Steps lets you interact with the website, login, click buttons, perform actions easily.
  11. SEOnaut icon

    SEOnaut

     Like

    Self-hosted SEO crawling and analysis tool. Helpful for understanding site structure and technical SEO issues.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    SEOnaut screenshot 1
    SEOnaut screenshot 1
    SEOnaut screenshot 2
    +1
    Issues report

  12. Databases

    Shared databases, individual service databases and related services.

  14. PostgreSQL icon

    PostgreSQL

     Like

    Primary relational database for anything important. Stable, powerful, and easy to migrate or back up.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    PostgreSQL screenshot 1
    PostgreSQL syntax example
  15. pgAdmin icon

    pgAdmin

     Like

    Administrative interface for PostgreSQL when deeper inspection or structured management is needed.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Welcome screen, standard theme
    Welcome screen, dark theme
    Server dashboard
    +2
    Query tool & data editor
  16. MySQL Community Edition icon

    MySQL Community Edition

     Like

    Widely supported relational database for compatibility-focused projects and legacy integrations.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    MySQL Workbench
  17. MongoDB icon

    MongoDB

     Like

    Document-oriented database used where flexible schemas make more sense than rigid tables.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • BSD
  18. MariaDB icon

    MariaDB

     Like

    Drop-in MySQL replacement with strong open-source governance. Reliable and familiar.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Deploy
    Monitor
    Backup
  19. Redis icon

    Redis

     Like

    Fast in-memory store for caching and queues. Invisible when working, missed when gone.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Docker
    Redis running on Windows

  20. Design & Development Tools

    Services directly related to my work.

  24. Omni Tools icon

    Omni Tools

     Like

    Collection of small, practical developer tools hosted locally for everyday tasks.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    Omni Tools screenshot 1
    Omni Tools screenshot 1

  25. Content & Publishing

    Personal and professional blog/website/newsletter projects.

  26. WordPress icon

    WordPress

     Like

    Flexible publishing platform powering sites, tools, and experiments across the stack.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • PHP
    • Cloudron
    WordPress screenshot 1
    WordPress screenshot 1
    WordPress screenshot 2
    +1
    WordPress screenshot 3
  27. Karakeep icon

    Karakeep

     Like

    Self-hosted knowledge and note-keeping tool for structured documentation.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Google Chrome
    • Docker
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Karakeep screenshot 1
    Karakeep screenshot 1
    Karakeep screenshot 2
    +5
    Karakeep screenshot 3
  28. Listmonk icon

    Listmonk

     Like

    High-performance, self-hosted mailing list manager. No SaaS pricing, no hidden limits.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • FreeBSD
    • NetBSD
    • OpenBSD
    • Cloudron
    Listmonk screenshot 1
    Create powerful, dynamic e-mail templates with the Go templating language. Use template expressions, logic, and 100+ functions in subject lines and content. Write HTML e-mails in a WYSIWYG editor, Markdown, raw syntax-highlighted HTML, or just plain text.
    Use the media manager to upload images for e-mail campaigns on the server's filesystem, Amazon S3, or any S3 compatible (Minio) backend.
    +6
    Manage millions of subscribers across many single and double opt-in lists with custom JSON attributes for each subscriber. Query and segment subscribers with SQL expressions. Use the fast bulk importer (~10k records per second) or use HTTP/JSON APIs or interact with the simple table schema to integrate external CRMs and subscriber databases.
  30. Plark icon

    Plark

     Like

    Planning and organisation tool for content workflows and publishing cadence. Great landing page builder.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • iPhone
    Plark screenshot 1
    Plark screenshot 2
    Plark screenshot 3
  31. Ghost icon

    Ghost

     Like

    Focused writing and newsletter platform when clarity and speed matter more than plugins.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    • Node.JS
    Ghost screenshot 1
    Ghost screenshot 1
    Ghost screenshot 2
    +1
    Ghost screenshot 3

  32. Automations & Workflows

    Automation tools - not all AI!

  33. n8n icon

    n8n

     Like

    Automation glue for the entire stack. Connects services without building custom backends.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Cloudron
    n8n screenshot 1
    n8n screenshot 1
    n8n screenshot 2
  34. BentoPDF icon

    BentoPDF

     Like

    Automates PDF generation and processing as part of larger workflows.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    BentoPDF screenshot 1
    BentoPDF screenshot 1
    BentoPDF screenshot 2
  35. ERPNext icon

    ERPNext

     Like

    Open-source ERP for experimenting with integrated business workflows and data.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Python
    Sales Invoice Print Format
    Bank Reconciliation
    Asset Management
    +36
    Accounts Payable Report
  36. Cal.com icon

    Cal.com

     Like

    Self-hosted scheduling and bookings. Replaces third-party tools while keeping control of data.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Cloudron
    • Google Chrome
    Cal.com screenshot 1
    Cal.com screenshot 1
    Cal.com screenshot 2
    +2
    Cal.com screenshot 3

  37. Experimenting/On Trial

    Self-hosted apps I'm tinkering with.

  38. OliveTin icon

    OliveTin

     Like

    Simple web UI for running predefined server commands safely.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • FreeBSD
    • Docker
    OliveTin screenshot 1
    OliveTin screenshot 1
  40. calibre icon

    calibre

     Like

    E-book management and conversion tool, self-hosted for personal libraries.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Homebrew
    calibre screenshot 1
    calibre screenshot 1
    Calibre collection on the iPhone
    +4
    You can choose many languages
  42. Gameyfin icon

    Gameyfin

     Like

    Self-hosted game library and metadata management for personal collections.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted

This is my personal, actively evolving self-hosted stack — the tools I actually run, test, and rely on day to day. I prefer software that’s understandable, inspectable, and migratable: things I can host myself, back up cleanly, and move on from if needed. The focus here isn’t on chasing the most feature-dense platforms, but on building a system that feels calm, dependable, and human-scale.

You’ll find a mix of core infrastructure, publishing tools, automation, databases, and experiments — some battle-tested, others very much in progress. I update this list as my needs change, tools mature, or better options emerge. Think of it less as a “best of” list and more as a living snapshot of how I currently work and think about ownership, longevity, and pragmatic self-hosting.

No comments so far, maybe you want to be first?
Gu