About selfhostedworld.com
selfhostedworld.com is a curated directory of self-hosted software and services. We believe that everyone should have the freedom to run their own services, own their data, and reduce dependence on proprietary SaaS products.
What started as a better way to browse the self-hosted ecosystem has grown into a comprehensive research tool that goes beyond simple listings. Every software entry is enriched with structured metadata extracted directly from its source, so you can compare projects on the details that actually matter when choosing what to deploy.
Inspiration & Data Sources
This project is heavily inspired by the Awesome Selfhosted community list, which serves as our primary source for discovering software entries and initial categorization. The Awesome Selfhosted list is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license.
We then layer on data from multiple sources to build a richer picture of each project:
- -GitHub & GitLab APIs for live star counts, repository activity, creation dates, avatar images, and project topics
- -README analysis — each project's README is fetched and analyzed using AI to extract structured metadata like features, installation methods, authentication support, and more
- -Manual curation — some entries include hand-curated data for accuracy, including alternative-of relationships and platform classifications
What We Track
Beyond the basics (name, description, stars, license), we surface the details that self-hosters actually care about when evaluating software:
Deployment
Installation methods (Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, binary, source), system requirements, and external dependencies
Privacy & Independence
Telemetry behavior (none, opt-in, opt-out, mandatory), cloud dependencies, and offline/air-gapped capability
Authentication & Access
Supported auth methods (LDAP, SSO/OIDC, OAuth, SAML, 2FA), multi-user and multi-tenant support
Commercial Model
Whether the project is fully open, open-core with paid features, source-available with license restrictions, or freemium
How We Rank
Lists on SelfHostedWorld open in Recommended order. Stars alone favour old, famous projects, so we also check project health and openness. You can sort any list by Most stars, Newest, Oldest, Recently updated, or Name.
Popularity
Stars on a log scale, plus forks. The gap between 50,000 and 180,000 stars counts, but one giant project cannot bury the rest.
Maintenance
Time since the last push, and project age. A project without a push in two years loses points. More active contributors and a release in the last year add a little.
Openness
The licence comes first. Open-source licences score in full. Source-available and non-commercial licences score lower, which moves the software down the list.
Self-hosting fit
Criteria include install methods (containers, packages, and binaries all score well), Docker or compose files, documentation, a demo, and cloud dependencies. A missing compose file counts as neutral, not as a failure.
Completeness
A readable README, plus an entry description, features, and screenshots.
Archived projects drop to the bottom. We recompute every score each night. Software with telemetry that you cannot disable loses a fifth of its score. A score is a guide, not a verdict: use the sort menu if you disagree. Three more orders rank for a kind of setup. See Who we rank for below.
Editor's choice is a label hand-picked by the maintainers, shown first in the picks strip, and it changes no score and no rank.
Who we rank for
The default order suits most readers. Three other orders suit readers who already know their stack. Choose one from the sort menu on any list.
Homelab Novice
Who: You want it running tonight, using one command and without surprises.
What counts: One container, a Compose file, SQLite or a single database, clear docs, a demo, and an active community.
Homelab Expert
Who: You already run a stack and want a new app that plugs into it.
What counts: Single sign-on with OIDC, LDAP, or SAML; an API; real backup methods; Postgres; an open licence; and an active team.
Homelab Hacker
Who: You script it, bend it, and run it your way.
What counts: An API, a CLI or plugins, several ways to install, backup methods, offline use, and no cloud account.
Each persona score uses the five components of the default score with different weights, and it keeps the same penalties. A dead or non-open app is not the best pick for anyone.
A list shows one pick per persona. An app can take only one of the three slots.
The score on each card remains the default score.
Who It's For
Whether you are a developer setting up a home lab, a hobbyist exploring alternatives to commercial cloud services, or an organization looking to self-host critical infrastructure — selfhostedworld.com helps you find the right tools.
Browse by category, license, popularity, or trending activity to discover software that fits your needs. Every project page gives you a complete picture — from a synthesized overview and feature list to deployment details and privacy characteristics — so you can make informed decisions without reading through dozens of README files yourself.
selfhostedworld.com is built and maintained by @altanbln. Have feedback or want to suggest a project? Get in touch.