Raspberry Pi is a capable, small computer that can run many tools without needing a lot of power. It’s not a PC replacement, but it can help launch self-hosted tools that try to replace popular paid services available as a web tool or licensed copy. Instead of spending money every month on a popular tool, a self-hosted is an alternative due to many advantages.
These tools are open source; don’t try to use your data for personal benefits and pack equally good features. The only investment I have to make is buying SBCs. Since I have a few, it makes more sense to use them as mini servers than emptying my pocket with overpriced tools.
The next cloud
Save money on Google Drive
Instead of continuing to upload data to Google Drive, I switched The next cloud as a valid alternative. It is not just a file backup solution and includes a complete set of applications that can replace your dependence on Google service. I use it to sync a few important folders from my laptop and phone and it works without a hiccup.
Setting up Nextcloud is not difficult, and you can use it as a Docker container or a direct installation. I’ve tested with a Pi Zero 2W before and it produced interesting results. File syncing and the web interface worked like a charm, but viewing media files and large documents was a poor experience. A Pi 4 or 5 will handle Nextcloud better, and you should skip the SD card for an HDD or NVMe drive to store files.
Nextcloud has a custom apps section that I can use to add more features. First, support for external storage is added, without which the entire installation becomes pointless. Integrate other locally hosted tools, integrate calendar, video conferencing, etc. has a large software library that you can use for
BentoPDF
Adios Adobe Acrobat
Editing PDFs beyond basic actions like small annotations and signatures requires a good PDF editor. Adobe Acrobat is a good program, but paying $15 a month for the basic level is not something I can sustain long term. I’m using Bento PDF as a Docker container on one of my Raspberry Pis, and it’s doing a great job of replacing the paid Adobe software I used to use.
BentoPDF It includes most of the editing features I need, including PDF editing and conversion. It can batch process files, convert them to other document formats and create PDF forms. I relied on Stirling PDF for a while, but it was too resource intensive for the Pi, prompting me to make the switch.
BentoPDF uses a client-side processing approach, so the Pi doesn’t need to handle the stress. The tools use my computer’s resources through the browser and can easily handle batch processing. If you want to protect the created file, it offers encryption functions and can even compare documents.
Vaultwarden
No more LastPass
I was a LastPass user for a while, but the service became unreliable after a data breach. Rising subscription prices and the fear of losing passwords in a breach drove me to a self-managed alternative. Vaultwarden is a pretty lightweight password manager that I have installed myself Raspberry Pi Zero 2W without any problems. It stays isolated on my home network and I can even access passwords when I’m away with the help of Tailscale.
Vaultwarden it’s surprisingly feature-rich with almost everything I need. It needs the official Bitwarden extension to run in Chrome or any other browser and can store and autofill passwords, generate random and complex passwords, and apply an automatic vault lock.
A server-side UI can help eliminate weak passwords and find compromised passwords in the event of a data breach. There is also a file sharing feature that can help you share media or documents on your home network. Everything, including my passwords, stays on the local network and I don’t have to worry about exposing it to the internet.
Manage file related tasks without paying a penny
My daily workflow requires file format conversion and image adjustments. While there are several standalone programs that can do these things, none offer everything in one package. I have had to use several web tools in the past, but they required a one-time payment or subscription to download the final results after a few attempts. Juggling between different programs is also an unpleasant experience.
OmniTools it has over 50 utilities within one web UI and it covers almost all my potential needs. I can quickly convert a document file to PDF, PNG to JPEG, extract audio from a video, batch process multiple files, and other such tasks. It also offers compression feature which is great for reducing video and image size for downloading and sharing. Like BentoPDF, it runs entirely within the browser and places minimal load on the Raspberry Pi.
Medusa
Plex Pass is ridiculously expensive
The idea behind Plex was to set up a convenient media streaming server in minutes and then add all the metadata. It was simple to set up and didn’t do anything complicated or lock even basic features behind a paywall. I never cared about the lifetime pass because the free tier worked for me. But now media streaming seems to be a small part of it, and the app is full of internal content and promotional materials.
Jellyfin is a great alternative to host my personal media library and it doesn’t lock any features behind a paywall. I’m glad I don’t have to pay for the Intro Skipper feature or the ability to stream my media remotely when I’m away from my home network. Plex has also dropped plugin support, another strong point of Jellyfin for me. After the last lifetime price hike, I will never go back to Plex.
Self-hosting saves money
I’m glad I switched to these self-service tools and now I don’t have to spend money every month. Vaultwarden and Jellyfin are two absolutely wonderful tools that I use on a daily basis. Nextcloud works silently in the background and BentoPDF and OmniTools help when needed. Keeping my data private is an added benefit of self-hosting, and I expose all of these tools outside of my home network with Tailscale.
- OS
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Windows, macOS, Linux
- Key points
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Self-hosted, open source
A locally hosted cloud service that offers a full suite of Office applications and plug-ins.
