CasaOS hosting: a personal cloud with an app store
CasaOS puts a friendly web dashboard and an app store on top of Docker, so you can install Nextcloud, Jellyfin, AdGuard Home and many other apps with a few clicks. Run it on a HyperDC VPS, preinstalled as an app option or installed with our guide, and keep root access for everything else.
- Web dashboard and one-click app store
- Any Docker app, from an image or a compose file
- Files, storage and system status in one place
- Runs on Debian 12 or Ubuntu Server
- Install
- Official install script, Docker included
- Stack
- Go services on Docker 20 or newer
- Default portIf port 80 is taken, CasaOS picks the next free port and saves it in /etc/casaos/gateway.ini. Limit the dashboard to your own IP address or your VPN.
- 80 (web dashboard, plain HTTP)
- MinimumThe installer stops below 400 MB of memory and warns below 5 GB of free disk. The apps you add need their own resources on top.
- 400 MB RAM and 5 GB free disk
- App storeThe apps you install are ordinary Docker containers, so you can also manage them with Docker Compose or Portainer.
- Built in, with one-click installs
- Official docs
- github.com/IceWhaleTech/CasaOS
Apps from the store
- Nextcloud
- Jellyfin
- Immich
- AdGuard Home
- Home Assistant
- Vaultwarden
- Syncthing
- qBittorrent
- Nginx Proxy Manager
- Custom Docker apps
Facts from the project’s official website, documentation and repository, checked in October 2026.
CasaOS plans are being prepared
Tell us which apps you want to run, and our team will reply with the right server. Or start today on a Linux VPS and install CasaOS with our guide.
How big a server does CasaOS need?
CasaOS itself is light. The apps you install from the store decide the size, so add up what each of them needs.
| Feature |
Starter
CasaOS with two or three light apps
|
Recommended Personal cloud
Files, a password manager and a DNS filter
|
Media server
Jellyfin or Immich with a large library
|
|---|---|---|---|
| vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server. | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system. | 2 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups. | 40 GB | 100 GB plus your files | Your library plus 50 GB |
| AppsRough guide to how many store apps fit next to CasaOS at this size. | Two or three light apps | Five or six everyday apps | One heavy app plus light ones |
-
Starter
CasaOS with two or three light apps
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 1
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 2 GB
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- 40 GB
- AppsRough guide to how many store apps fit next to CasaOS at this size.
- Two or three light apps
-
Recommended
Personal cloud
Files, a password manager and a DNS filter
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 2
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 4 GB
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- 100 GB plus your files
- AppsRough guide to how many store apps fit next to CasaOS at this size.
- Five or six everyday apps
-
Media server
Jellyfin or Immich with a large library
- vCPUVirtual processor cores of the server.
- 4
- MemoryMemory for the app, its database and the operating system.
- 8 GB
- DiskNVMe or SSD storage for the app, its data and local backups.
- Your library plus 50 GB
- AppsRough guide to how many store apps fit next to CasaOS at this size.
- One heavy app plus light ones
CasaOS’s installer asks for 400 MB of memory and 5 GB of free disk; everything above that is for your apps. Immich alone asks for at least 6 GB of RAM, so plan the media column for it.
A home-cloud dashboard on a real server
The CasaOS experience you know from home devices, with a public IP address and data-center uptime.
App store
Install popular self-hosted apps from the built-in store; CasaOS sets up the containers, ports and folders.
Any Docker app
Add apps that are not in the store by image name, or import a docker-compose file and adjust it in the dashboard.
Files and storage
Browse, upload and share the files on your server, and watch CPU, memory and disk use on the dashboard.
Private dashboard
The dashboard speaks plain HTTP, so keep it behind your firewall or reach it through WireGuard, and serve your apps over HTTPS.
Root access, your rules
Every Linux VPS, VDS and dedicated server comes with full root access: you choose the versions, the add-ons and the security settings.
Backups included
Free weekly and monthly backups come with every VPS and VDS plan. For data that changes every day, keep copies of your own as well.
Locations on three continents
Run your server in the United States, Europe or Asia, close to the people who use it. The order form estimates the latency from where you are to each location.
More control when you need it
Prefer the command line or a full container manager? Manage the same apps with Docker Compose or Portainer, side by side with CasaOS.
Set up CasaOS in four steps
Order the app preinstalled on your server, or install it yourself with our guide.
-
Choose your server
Pick a VPS in the size from the table above with Debian 12, the system the CasaOS project recommends.
-
Install CasaOS
Choose CasaOS as an app option, or run the official installer from get.casaos.io as described in our guide; it installs Docker too.
-
Lock down the dashboard
Allow port 80 only from your own IP address or your VPN, and give each app its own subdomain with a TLS certificate through a reverse proxy.
-
Create your account
Open the server’s IP address in your browser, create the admin account and install your first app from the store.
Step-by-step setup guides
Install, secure and update the app with our guides, written for current Ubuntu and Debian releases.
-
How to install CasaOS on a server and keep its dashboard private
Review and run the official CasaOS installer on Debian 12, stop app store apps from publishing ports to the internet, reach the dashboard privately and back up its data.
35 min Intermediate -
How to set up a WireGuard VPN server on Ubuntu or Debian
Build your own WireGuard VPN on a Linux server: generate keys safely, write wg0.conf, enable forwarding and NAT with ufw, run wg-quick under systemd and hand out client configs as QR codes.
35 min Intermediate -
Set up SSH keys for your server
SSH keys replace passwords with a key pair that cannot be guessed. Create one, install it on your server and test it before you turn passwords off.
12 min Beginner
Related solutions
Self-Hosted App Hosting
Nextcloud, Immich, Jellyfin, Vaultwarden and more on your server.
Learn moreFrequently asked questions
What is CasaOS?
CasaOS is an open-source dashboard for personal clouds by IceWhale. It installs on top of Debian or Ubuntu, sets up Docker and gives you a web interface with an app store, a file manager and system widgets, so you can run self-hosted apps without writing compose files.
Can I manage my apps with Docker or Portainer as well?
Yes. Every app CasaOS installs is a normal Docker container, so you can manage the same apps with Docker Compose or Portainer at any time, without reinstalling them. Our Docker and Portainer pages show those options if you want more control.
Which operating system should I choose?
Debian 12, which the CasaOS project recommends. Its README also lists Ubuntu Server and Raspberry Pi OS. The installer adds Docker from Docker’s own repository.
Is the CasaOS dashboard safe on a public server?
Not when it is open to everyone: the dashboard runs on plain HTTP on port 80 and controls your whole server. Allow it only from your own IP address in the firewall, or reach it through a WireGuard VPN, and use a long password. Publish the apps themselves through a reverse proxy with HTTPS.
Can I install apps that are not in the app store?
Yes. Use the custom install to add any image from Docker Hub or another registry, with its ports, volumes and environment variables, or import an existing docker-compose file.
CasaOS or ZimaOS: which should I use on a server?
ZimaOS is IceWhale’s complete operating system, installed in place of Linux and aimed mainly at its own hardware. CasaOS installs on top of an existing Debian or Ubuntu system, which is what a VPS gives you, so CasaOS is the practical choice there.
Can I use my own domain for the apps?
Yes. Install a reverse proxy such as Nginx Proxy Manager, point a subdomain at the server for each app and let the proxy request free Let’s Encrypt certificates. Move the CasaOS dashboard to another port first, because the proxy needs ports 80 and 443.
Ready to start your personal cloud?
Tell us what you want to run and for how many people, and we will help you pick the right server.