Claude Code Club
Getting started

Awesome-Selfhosted: Free Open-Source Swaps for the Apps You Pay For

7 minute readUpdated October 2026Explore more

TL;DR

Awesome-selfhosted is a free GitHub list with over 323,000 stars. On October 3, 2026 its README listed 1,260 free software apps across 95 categories that you can run on your own server instead of renting them as a subscription. Below are verified picks for notes, file storage, analytics, project boards and passwords, the honest trade-offs of self-hosting, and a Claude Code prompt that installs one with Docker for you.

Learn Claude Code. Earn income. Only $9.

👉 https://www.skool.com/claudecodeclub

What the list is

awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted

323,628 stars on October 3, 2026. Updated October 2, 2026. Easier to browse at awesome-selfhosted.net.

In its own words, it is "a list of Free Software network services and web applications which can be hosted on your own server(s)." Self-hosting means running the app yourself instead of paying a company to run it for you. Entries show their license and link to the source code, and apps that are not free software live on a separate Non-Free page. The maintainers recommend the HTML version at awesome-selfhosted.net, which is easier to search.

We counted 1,260 apps in 95 categories in the README on October 3, 2026. That is not every app you pay for, but it covers most of the common ones: notes, files, analytics, project management, passwords, photos, email, wikis, booking, CRM and a lot more.

Notes

Joplin

Listed as a note-taking app with a markdown editor and encryption, "alternative to Evernote". It runs on your devices and syncs through a self-hosted Nextcloud or similar.

Memos

Listed as a knowledge base that works with a single SQLite file. MIT license. The simplest install on this page (command below).

File storage

Nextcloud

Listed for files, calendars, contacts, mail and more from any device. A common pick when you want a full cloud drive of your own. AGPL-3.0.

Seafile

Listed as file hosting and sharing, primarily for teams and organizations.

Website analytics

Umami

Listed as a "simple, fast, privacy-focused alternative to Google Analytics." MIT license, runs on Docker.

Plausible Analytics

Listed as simple, lightweight (under 1 KB) and privacy-friendly web analytics. AGPL-3.0.

Project boards

Wekan

Listed as a "Trello-like kanban." MIT license.

Plane

Listed for issues, epics and product roadmaps, "alternative to JIRA, Linear and Height." AGPL-3.0, runs on Docker.

Kanboard

Listed as a simple visual task board. MIT license.

Passwords

Vaultwarden

Listed as a lightweight Bitwarden server implementation written in Rust. Its README says it is compatible with the official Bitwarden apps. Only self-host passwords once your backups are solid.

Every pick above is in the list today and its source repo was updated within the last few weeks when we checked on October 3, 2026.

Try one in two minutes: Memos

If you have Docker installed, this is the exact command from the Memos README. It runs on your own computer and keeps its data in a .memos folder in your home directory.

bashdocker run -d \
  --name memos \
  -p 5230:5230 \
  -v ~/.memos:/var/opt/memos \
  neosmemo/memos:stable

Then open http://localhost:5230 in your browser. Other install options are in the Memos deployment guide at usememos.com/docs/deploy.

Let Claude Code install any app on the list

Claude Code can read an app's official install docs and run the Docker setup with you. Paste this, and fill in the app and what you pay for today.

promptI want to self-host [APP NAME] from the awesome-selfhosted list to replace [PAID APP I USE].

1. Find the official install docs from the project's own website or GitHub repo. Use only those, not random blog posts.
2. Check my machine: is Docker installed and running? If not, stop and tell me how to install Docker Desktop.
3. Set it up with Docker Compose in a folder called ~/selfhosted/[app-name], with all data in a named volume or a local ./data folder.
4. Bind it to localhost only. Do NOT expose it to the internet.
5. Generate any passwords or secret keys randomly, store them in a .env file, and never print them.
6. Show me every command before you run it.
7. When it is running, give me the local URL, how to update it, and a one-line backup command for its data.

Want to reach it from your phone or share it with your team later? That means a domain, HTTPS and proper security. Do it as a separate step once the local version has been running for a while, and ask Claude Code to explain each change.

promptLook at the awesome-selfhosted list (https://awesome-selfhosted.net). Here are the apps and subscriptions I pay for every month: [LIST THEM]. For each one, suggest up to 2 self-hosted alternatives from the list, with its license, whether it runs on Docker, and an honest note on how hard it is to run and back up. Put it in a table and recommend the single easiest swap to try first.

Where to run it

  • Your own computer: fine for testing and personal tools. It is only available while the computer is on.
  • A spare computer or NAS at home: always on, no monthly bill, but you handle the hardware.
  • A rented server (VPS): reachable from anywhere, but it costs a small monthly fee and it is on the internet, so security updates matter.

Quick start

  1. 1Browse awesome-selfhosted.net and pick one app that replaces something you pay for.
  2. 2Install Docker, then run Memos with the command above to get the feel of it.
  3. 3Use the Claude Code prompt to install your real pick, local-only first.
  4. 4Set up backups and run it side by side before you cancel the subscription.

Now you just swap a subscription for something you own. Inside the Claude Code Club we share the self-hosted setups we actually run and help each other get them working. It's nine dollars a month at https://www.skool.com/claudecodeclub/about. Everything on this page works without it.

Common questions

  • Is everything on awesome-selfhosted free?

    The main list is free software, and each entry shows its license. Software that is not free is kept on a separate Non-Free page. Free software can still cost you hosting, like a rented server or the electricity of a computer at home.

  • Do I need a server to self-host?

    You need a machine that runs the app. Your own computer works for testing, but for something always available you want a spare computer, a NAS or a rented server.

  • Can Claude Code really set these up?

    Claude Code can read an app's install docs and run the Docker commands with you, showing each command first. You still decide where it runs, keep it updated and handle backups.

  • Is self-hosting safe?

    It can be, but security becomes your job. Start local-only, keep apps updated, use strong random passwords and back up your data. Only expose an app to the internet once you understand HTTPS and access control.

  • How many apps are on the list?

    On October 3, 2026 we counted 1,260 apps across 95 categories in the GitHub README. The list changes often, so the HTML version at awesome-selfhosted.net is the easiest way to browse the current one.

Keep going

Want the self-hosted setups we actually run?

Get 650+ plug-and-play skills, MCPs & prompts, plus 8,000+ members - $9/mo, cancel anytime.

Join the Club