Tired of handing your data to SaaS companies? Want to run your own tools without becoming a full-time sysadmin?
PikaPods hosts 60+ open-source apps that you can deploy in minutes—no Docker setup, no server maintenance, no stress. Just pick an app, click deploy, and you're live.
Here are 4 projects worth launching today, plus quick setup tips to get you running fast.
1. Uptime Kuma — Know When Things Break (Before Your Users Do)
What it does: A sleek, self-hosted monitoring tool that watches your websites, APIs, and services. Get instant alerts when something goes down.
Why devs love it:
- Beautiful, modern dashboard
- Supports HTTP, TCP, DNS, Docker, and more
- Push notifications via Telegram, Discord, Slack, email—you name it
- Public status pages to share with users
Monthly cost: ~$2.50
Quick Setup Tip
After deploying, create your admin account and add your first monitor:
- Click Add New Monitor
- Select monitor type (HTTP for websites)
- Enter your URL and set the check interval (60 seconds is a good default)
- Configure notifications under Settings → Notifications
Pro tip: Create a public status page under Status Pages and share it with your users. Instant credibility boost.
2. Immich — Your Photos, Your Server
What it does: A Google Photos alternative that actually respects your privacy. Back up photos and videos from your phone, browse with AI-powered search, and share albums with family.
Why devs love it:
- Native mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Facial recognition and smart search
- Timeline view, memories, and albums
- No subscription fees, no photo limits
Monthly cost: ~$5.50
Quick Setup Tip
Immich needs more resources than lightweight apps. When configuring your pod:
- Set Memory to at least 1GB (2GB recommended for AI features)
- Allocate Storage based on your library size—start with 50GB and scale up
- Download the Immich mobile app and point it to your pod URL
- Enable Background Backup on your phone
Pro tip: The machine learning features (face detection, smart search) work better with more RAM. If search feels slow, bump up your resources.
3. Actual Budget — Finally, a Finance App That Doesn't Sell Your Data
What it does: A privacy-focused budgeting app based on envelope budgeting principles. Sync across devices, import bank transactions, and actually understand where your money goes.
Why devs love it:
- Fast, local-first architecture
- End-to-end encryption
- Bank sync support (in supported regions)
- Works offline, syncs when connected
Monthly cost: ~$1.50
Quick Setup Tip
After deploying your pod:
- Open your pod URL and set a server password (not your PikaPods password)
- Click Create a budget and name it
- Add your accounts (checking, savings, credit cards)
- Set up budget categories and allocate funds
Pro tip: Install Actual as a PWA (Progressive Web App) on your phone for a native app experience. In Chrome, visit your pod URL and click "Install" from the menu. Works on desktop too.
4. Listmonk — Send Newsletters Without the Per-Subscriber Tax
What it does: A high-performance mailing list manager for newsletters, announcements, and marketing campaigns. Self-hosted, so you pay for hosting—not per subscriber.
Why devs love it:
- Blazing fast (written in Go)
- No subscriber limits
- Built-in analytics and tracking
- Template editor with variables
Monthly cost: ~$1.50
Quick Setup Tip
To start sending emails, you'll need SMTP credentials. Here's the quick path:
- Sign up for a transactional email service (Mailgun, SendGrid, Amazon SES, or Resend)
- In Listmonk, go to Settings → SMTP
- Enter your SMTP host, port, username, and password
- Send a test email to verify it works 5.Create your first list under Lists, then import or add subscribers
Pro tip: Start with a free tier from Mailgun or SendGrid while you're testing. You can send thousands of emails per month before paying anything.
Getting Started
All four apps are available in the https://www.pikapods.com/apps catalog right now.
Sign up at pikapods.com — Get $5 free credit, no card required‼️
Browse the app catalog — Find these apps and 60+ more.
Deploy in minutes — Seriously, set a timer ⏳
Now We Want to Hear From You
Which of these apps are you most excited to try?
📊 Uptime Kuma — Monitor all the things
📸 Immich — Take back your photo library
💰 Actual Budget — Get finances under control
📧 Listmonk — Launch that newsletter
Drop your pick in the comments—and if you've already deployed one of these, tell us how it's going!
_Want tutorials on other PikaPods apps? Let us know what you'd like to see next. _
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