Self-hosted alternatives to Netlify
Build minutes and bandwidth overages have produced some famously large surprise bills.
Below are 10 open-source projects that cover the same ground, each scored 0–100 on how actively it is actually maintained — commit volume, release cadence and recent trend. 5 of the 10 are currently rated healthy or better. Ordering reflects that score, not sponsorship.
| Project | Health | Activity (11 mo) | Stars | Licence | Last release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nginx Proxy Manager Docker container for managing Nginx proxy hosts with a simple, powerful interface. | Thriving · 82 | 34k | MIT | 24 Sept 2026 | |
| StartOS Browser-based, graphical Operating System (OS) that makes running a personal server as easy as running a perso | Healthy · 81 | 2k | MIT | 17 Sept 2026 | |
| DietPi Minimal Debian OS optimized for single-board computers, which allows you to easily install and manage several | Healthy · 78 | 6.3k | GPL-2.0 | 12 Sept 2026 | |
| Websoft9 GitOps-driven, multi-application hosting for cloud servers and home servers, one-click deployment of 200+ open | Healthy · 74 | 2.1k | LGPL-3.0 | 23 Sept 2026 | |
| Caddy Powerful, enterprise-ready, open source web server with automatic HTTPS. | Healthy · 70 | 76k | Apache-2.0 | 3 Jun 2026 | |
| Cosmos Run server applications securely and with built-in privacy features. It acts as a secure gateway to your appli | Steady · 67 | 6.2k | Apache-2.0 | 19 Sept 2026 | |
| xsrv Install and manage self-hosted services/applications, on your own server(s). | Steady · 66 | 407 | GPL-3.0 | 26 Aug 2026 | |
| OpenMediaVault Network attached storage (NAS) solution based on Debian Linux. It contains services like SSH, (S)FTP, SMB/CIFS | Steady · 65 | 7k | GPL-3.0 | — | |
| DockSTARTer DockSTARTer helps you get started with home server apps running in Docker. | Steady · 65 | 2.6k | MIT | 31 Aug 2026 | |
| YunoHost Server operating system aiming to make self-hosting accessible to everyone. | Unrated | — | AGPL-3.0 | — |
How these were picked
Every project listed here is open source and can run entirely on hardware you control. We start from the categories that match Netlify's job — Self-hosting Solutions, Web Servers — then rank by health score so that a popular-but-abandoned project never appears above a smaller one that is actively shipping. The scoring method is documented in full.
The scores are recomputed from repository data on every rebuild, so this page reflects the state of these projects as of 1 Oct 2026 — not the day it was written.
Nginx Proxy Manager
Docker container for managing Nginx proxy hosts with a simple, powerful interface.
Best fit: Self-hosters who want to manage reverse proxies and TLS termination through a web dashboard rather than the command line.
Worth knowing: It abstracts away the underlying configuration files, which can make advanced customisations or debugging more difficult if you encounter edge cases.
StartOS
Browser-based, graphical Operating System (OS) that makes running a personal server as easy as running a personal computer.
Best fit: Users who want to host their own services and data on dedicated hardware but prefer a graphical web interface over manual command-line configuration.
Worth knowing: Graphical operating systems for personal servers can sometimes restrict low-level system customisation and introduce abstraction layers that make manual troubleshooting more difficult.
DietPi
Minimal Debian OS optimized for single-board computers, which allows you to easily install and manage several services for selfhosting at home.
Best fit: It is well-suited for users running single-board computers who want a lightweight base system and a streamlined method to set up self-hosted services.
Worth knowing: Because it modifies standard Debian foundations heavily to achieve its minimal footprint, troubleshooting unusual hardware or software issues might require familiarity with its specific custom scripts.
Websoft9
GitOps-driven, multi-application hosting for cloud servers and home servers, one-click deployment of 200+ open source apps.
Best fit: Users who want to manage multiple open source applications on a single server without manual configuration for each service.
Worth knowing: The platform relies on shell scripts and Python under the hood, which may complicate debugging when underlying automation scripts fail.
Caddy
Powerful, enterprise-ready, open source web server with automatic HTTPS.
Best fit: It is a strong fit if you want a modern web server that manages TLS certificates automatically without complex external tooling like Certbot.
Worth knowing: Migrating complex routing and security rules from established alternatives like Nginx or Apache may require rewriting configuration syntax to match Caddy's structure.